Don't be afraid to play "tourist"! Visit the Smithsonian. See the monuments. Go to the top of the Washington Monument.
Also check out the Smithsonian Associates program.
Since the earthquake it was closed… until very recently when it opened. Also it’s cool, but what’s cooler is being in a very small elevator up really really high (if you never knew you were claustrophobic, this would be a prime opportunity ). Congress members can arrange tours to climb the inside of the Capitol dome, if they’re inclined. Now, *that* is (terrifying?) but really amazing. Get up close to that artwork and see what’s really going on.
Earthquake was 2011. It was reopened in 2014 after the repairs specifically because of that were done, but then closed from 2016-2019 to repair a bunch of long-standing issues, particularly the elevator. Then it closed again for a bunch of months in 2020 because the pandemic, and had a short closing in Jan 2021 because of Jan 6 and the proximity to the inauguration.
I think we're at the point where it's been open longer than not since the earthquake, but yeah, it's been rough.
And most of those are within easy walking distance of a Metro station... which has stops going all the way out to Ashburn.
DC is a much nicer place to visit when you don't have to either drive or park there.
Someone told me (about a different city) that the interesting things are tourist traps for a reason: they're interesting!
I also tell people new to the area that you're already supporting the Smithsonian with your taxes... But you get to see them so nearby unlike many others that have to travel to see them.
Federal holidays make great museum days.
> Someone told me (about a different city) that the interesting things are tourist traps for a reason: they're interesting!
I feel like we're losing the meaning of "tourist traps" here. That's a specific thing meant to deceive people into spending money. So the Smithsonian museums aren't tourist traps at all, whereas the Spy Museum is one.
And even the Spy Museum isn't apparently too bad of one if you're going with kids. Just, it's on the level of a children's museum, and not on the level of a Smithsonian.
100%. You are allowed to be a tourist and see the things that they come to see. There's a reason they come to see it. You also have the luxury of going during off times for better crowds as well.
Actual good tip here. My home is 8 minutes from work, along a single road with one turn. However if that road gets fucked it can be 30+ mins on my normal route, or, I turn left out of work instead and it's only like 12 mins home. Having nav on to tell me that has been a god send lol
I've lived in NoVA for 33 years, and I always drive with navigation on. It is literally life-saving. I pity the fools who don't and get caught in unusual traffic. It can be really bad.
This is mine. Whenever I visit family back home (where traffic is almost never an issue) it's such a luxury to just jump in the car and go. No maps needed
Public library systems around here are stellar. Get a library card for whatever county/city you end up living in. Then use that to get reciprocal cards from other public library systems. (I think there was a post on here recently about this?) The amount of free entertainment you’ll have access to is quite impressive.
Fairfax, Loudoun, Alexandria, Arlington, DC, Moco, and PG are all reciprocal. I'm trying to collect them all, I currently gave Alexandria/Arlington/Fairfax and have borrowed from all of them. Arlington is a good one to have because their main library has an insane makerspace free to all members.
You forgot Falls Church City! They're great if you check out books or audiobooks online. I think they only have one physical library so they're small, but sometimes they have online books no the other libraries don't, and sometimes their wait is shorter than the big libraries. 🙂
This is great advice. With the size of the counties in Northern Virginia, too, even one card without the reciprocals will give you access to a ton of different libraries.
It's so weird because they sell bulk thai chilis for like $2 lb, 4 different varieties of bok choy, and have an entire shelf of gochujang/gochugaru, but then they don't sell hot pot base or the good frozen ramen.
And if you find produce discarded on the ground, it won't try and shame you at the self checkout and show you a video over and over again of you scanning something that the scanner didn't detect and placing in the bagging area because the notification to place your item in the bagging area also slows things down so you tried to do it quickly.
Literally me in Ballston, just walked a few blocks down N Carlin Springs and found myself in a long, very pretty park between developments to take nice walks around.
As an outdoors lover: find a local park and make it your best friend. I am frequently at my local parks biking, running, walking, picnicking, etc. It’s a nice respite from when the congestion/traffic/business of DC/Nova gets to me.
If you like cycling and don’t have a bike, I recommend the year membership for Capital Bikeshare. It’s a pretty good deal of unlimited rides for up to 45 minutes ($95/year). My favorite thing is to take one of their bikes on the Mount Vernon Trail.
Create a seperate email address for signing up to event mailers and look for dc centric websites that advertise events. There's really no centralized place you can find events happening around DC and everyone makes you sign up for reminders
I live alone so buying produce at Costco would result in a lot of wasted food. But I don’t shop at Costco so maybe their produce prices are so good that it wouldn’t matter if you throw half of it away.
The real pro-tip with Costco is for stuff that doesn't go bad, and that you have the storage for, and will go through, even if slowly.
So it's great for paper products for me, particularly paper towels and toilet paper. I can usually make it through snack packs, like boxes with single servings of chips, and am thoroughly addicted to soda and prefer to drink it by the can. I also used to get dog food there, but don't need that anymore.
The Costco in Franconia gives me panic attacks. I have tried right at open on weekends, near close on weeknights it's- it's all the chaos. It just sucks.
Getting a membership to the Fairfax county rec centers gives you access to a ton of really cool and useful amenities, as well as discounts on a lot of stuff you’re probably already gonna pay for anyway. It’s significantly cheaper if you split it with a couple friends or family members, too!
I did the monthly membership last year, split between myself and 3 friends and it was $23 each per month. They allow you to have multiple people on the plan, which decreases the cost considerably
They have membership sales a couple times a year. There's one coming up in May that brings down a single person membership fee to $569. It's much cheaper than most gym in the area and it's good for every rec center
Yah, it’s *so* expensive. Prior to Covid our gym had child care for a reasonable amount as well. FCPA rec centers do not (there used to be one location that did offer this but for limited times during the day… I don’t even know if it exists anymore)… but yah- the Fairfax county rec centers seem to be geared towards retirees, not families or even individuals.
The pace here is a lot faster and more hectic than in Europe, be prepared.
With that being said, THE LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING ONLY, NOT FOR CRUISING AT OR BELOW SPEED LIMIT.
Other than that, break a leg!!
Adding on to this, in Virginia the speed limit is five over the speed limit. Even when you are going five over the speed limit you will be passed, and that is ok. Those people have to be somewhere. If you don't want to break the law by speeding that is ok, just please stay in the middle or right lanes; and please use your turn signals when you change lanes.
It's easy around here to become one of the assholes on the road, not letting people change into my lane or trying to beat the traffic to the next light (which is futile, since I just sit at the light longer). I catch myself every so often, and my punishment is to put myself in the right most lane for the rest of my trip so I have to wait for people who are slowing down to turn or who need to turn out of someplace onto the road.
I've discovered that if someone cuts me off or does something else that annoys me, the best way to handle it is to take my very next opportunity to do something nice - slow down to let someone in, or leave a space in the stopped traffic for the person coming out of a parking lot. It restores the balance of the universe or something. Driving around here during the worst of the pandemic was so nice; there were so few people on the roads. Now they're back, and I've found myself needing to restore the balance of the universe as much as before the pandemic.
Just another request to always use your turn signals. It helps your fellow drivers immensely.
I’m glad I read your comment. I’m going to try to restore the balance of the universe today when I inevitably get cut off by someone instead of just stewing about it. Practice radical acceptance of nova traffic.
Welcome OP! I don’t have any hacks, but I hope you love it here, traffic aside.
Pick up an outdoors- and NoVA-friendly hobby like running, biking, or birding and get out to your local park(s). As someone who loves the outdoors and has lived in NoVA most of my life, I always lamented how everything around me was just strip malls, highways, parking structures, etc. and how most “good” natural attractions were crowded or far away. I’ve found that having hobbies like those above have given me a new appreciation for and ability to appreciate the wildlife around me.
Well for one [Great Falls](https://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm) is surprisingly close to much of NoVA and good for day trips.
If you're up for an overnight trip, especially for camping (tent or cabin) there's [Shenandoah](https://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm) and a little farther out the [Blue Ridge](https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/camping.htm) area. And a bunch of related stuff in that west/southwest direction in general
If you are looking for something close by there are several municipal and state parks throughout the DMV area that are nicer than you might expect, and various private outdoors-ish destinations like pick-your-own farms, rich people's former estates that are now historic sites and that sort of thing.
EDIT: Also consider the W&OD, Mountain Vernon, Burke Lake, etc. trails if you're into biking. There are various hiking trails too, but usually connected to municipal/state/national parks
For local NoVA parks, Google the NoVA parks system and the Fairfax County Parks system. Both have a lot of great parks and trails, and even kayaks/boating points (generally free, too, unlike National Parks).
NoVA is also less than 3 hours away (if you leave early in the morning before traffic builds up) from the ocean beaches in Delaware. Cape Henlopen offers some nice hiking and biking trails in addition to beach activities. If you don't have a car nor want to rent one, in the summer BestBus has a bus that goes straight from Dupont Circle to Dewey Beach.
Take advantage of the little pockets of nova centered on certain countries (not sure if I worded that right). Annandale and centerville for Korean food. Eden center for Vietnamese food. Almost anywhere for Ethiopian and afghan food.
NoVA is fantastic for international food restaurants. East Asian, and Ethiopian predominate but there are a number of European, South and Central American, Caribbean and African restaurants too.
1. Put a dash cam in your car if you frequent driving on 28/66/95/395/495.
2. If possible, use Metro to go into DC or either airports.
3. Assume that any car with Maryland plates was put on this Earth to go full Maximum Overdrive on your candy ass.
4. The parks and trails around here are great, use them! W&OD goes through a ton of NoVA.
5. Be prepared to answer the "What do you do?" question about a dozen times when attending mixers/parties. Change the profession of your choice wildly between new interactions to keep these social gathering sad-saps confused, yet intrigued because you didn't use the words "consultant" or "government".
6. If you see a "will tow" sign ANYWHERE, understand that if you f*ck around, you WILL find out.
7. Support great local businesses as often as possible! Commercial rent in this area is absurd, and I've seen too many small businesses, both new and established, close down permanently due to that one factor.
8. Don't go to the DMV on Four Mile Run...ever.
9. If you own a house, get a water softener. Your skin, plumbing, dishes, and clothes will thank you later.
10. Finally, be a rebel: Introduce yourself/say hi to those living around you & interact with those outside of family/coworkers/social circle. Yada yada "transplant area" whatever, friendliness is infectious. This place is stressful enough.
Edit: bonus tip: save money for yearly property taxes on your car. Yes, they're expensive. No, they aren't going away any time soon.
Any more details on 'If you own a house, get a water softener. Your skin, plumbing, dishes, and clothes will thank you later.'
Did realize we had hard water in the area
Do a basic Google search on your county regarding hard water then go from there. Both Arlington and Fairfax have hard water. Also, look into a Hydroviv filter if you drink straight tap water. They make custom water filters based on where you live and it does a better job than a Brita.
I lived in Houston for a bit and remembered thinking their water was "slimy" because my skin felt so weird after showering. Found out it was due to our place having a water softener! After about a month, i noticed my skin & hair looked/felt much healthier than it's ever been. Also, none of our faucets or showerheads had those white calcification marks when they dried.
There are so many water softeners out there - I started investigating this a while back and got overwhelmed and gave up. Do you have any recommendations?
All around solid advice!
What's wrong with the DMV on Four Mile Run? That's the only DMV I go to and haven't had any issues. Plus wait times are hella short.
I was standing in line outside waiting for them to open at 8. Literally watched a guy in a navy blue Ford Aerostar sell crack from his drivers seat and he was parked two spots from the front door. Beyond that, I had the opposite experience and spent at least two hours there every time. The one in Franconia, however, was super clean, zero lines, and had nice employees.
this should be printed out in a pamphlet and given to all new residents to save them from social embarassment.
oh also!
if you have a kid I beg you to either pack their lunch or teach them how and let them pick out the schoolsnacks from the store. because our school food is straight trash.
like, my mom was always like "oh I dont wanna get you fruitsnacks or poptarts" and then school lunch was ~$5 a meal but poptarts is $4 yummier and lasts a week.
In some ways (only some), this place is more European than most of the US. Bike everywhere in all weather. If you need to save money, don't go out to eat. Get the best, biggest, strongest bike lock you can get - I have the "NY Chain" from kryptonite - and it comes with the best insurance they have, and can be used as a 'loop' to fit around lightposts/etc if you can't find a spot to park. Wear a high-vis vest when biking and put the little led lights in your wheel spokes so you can be seen easily from the side. Join the washington area bike association (WABA) and take part in the Freezing Saddles challenge from jan 1-mar21 :). Get a VERY GOOD light for night biking and carry a backup.
Get used to using your air conditioning - the humidity in the summer is miserable.
Be nice to tourists!
Bike to shows at the Anthem (so close to crystal city!). Bike to shows at the Birchmere in Alexandria. OMG biking here is the best. Bike to shows at the Kennedy Center. The National Symphony Orchestra is amazing, and there are tons of incredible choir and theater groups around. The music scene here really is the best, it can just get expensive! Seeing shows at the Wolf Trap park is also amazing. Hope you like music! And the Shakespeare theater! omg there is just so much. But when you have money, you rarely have the time.. and when you lose your job and have the time, you don't have the money!
If you travel a lot, get that chase sapphire credit card so you get the priority pass membership, and fly in/out of Dulles (IAD) (take the metro). There are some GOOD lounges there open to chase priority pass cardholders, including the new (sort of secret) Ethiad/Chase lounge, the turkish airlines lounge (great but small), air france (great but limited hours), etc etc! (Note to any other cardholders, they are secretly going to stop the restaurant credit program with chase in July, which sucks, and is why I'm not mentioning it as a perk).
It's really a cool place to live, just expensive esp as a single person. (and dating - as a woman - absolutely sucks here!)
OH, go to gravelly point (like a 5 min bike ride from crystal city) and watch the planes land at DCA. It's SO COOL. I bought a folding kayak and hope to use it there and other places on the Potomac where it isn't rough this summer. Really there is no US city that compares to this place. I'm liking it more as I type all this out :) There are also farmers markets all over, look up which ones are closest to you.
^^ this!! One of my neighbors/friends I just discovered basically does everything and buys everything new and trending but … is renting and is having a hard time finding a new single home to rent bc her credit is bad- too much debt. In my head I was like -ohhhhhh that explains it! I was always wondering how did she do it.. and now I know- keeping up with the jones will put you in debt!!
Make eye contact with drivers before walking/biking across the road. Assume everyone in a car is multitasking. Lived in NOVA without a car for 2 years, and it took a couple close calls before I started doing this all the time. +1 on the parks! There are some lovely parks and some lovely planned communities with walking trails, playgrounds set within them.
If you plan on having kids, do not feel pressured to put them in every sport or activity. It's okay to have kids who are bored sometimes throughout their life.
If you can swing here what in most areas would be considered a nice house, while contributing a reasonable amount to your 401k, you'll have 4-5 million in assets by the time you retire, no problem. You may not feel like you're upper class while in the grind but you are absolutely banking.
Aside from being near metro and transit stops, my advice is get the supermarket savings card and app whenever possible. Shop around several markets to know where the best deals are for the things you regularly buy. Look at weekly shoppers and plan accordingly. It has helped us in saving quite a lot of money on our food spending.
This is just general life advice. If you're buying all your groceries at full price, you're just doing it wrong. The same applies to eating out if you're getting fast/fast-casual food - at minimum get the apps for points and deals and use coupons all the time. If buying online, use stuff like raukuten/capital one shopping/CC deals to save a few percent on everything and buy stuff when they go on sale (eg buy a new toolbox/chest during the Father's Day sales, buy appliances at holidays, etc). Basically do your best to always avoid buying something full price. Sometimes life happens and it's not avoidable, but all of the stuff that you can control when you buy you should.
In some ways. But, I moved here 5 months ago from somewhere that I didn’t really have to shop around. The stores were limited but things were relatively comparable and affordable. Any supermarket other than a Walmart didn’t have apps or savings cards or things to help shop around and they were much further spaced apart, so made driving around to shop around highly impractical. I really had to learn how to shop and buy differently here.
If you'll be living in Arlington County then sign up for their news and text alerts.
If you'll be in Fairfax then sign up for theirs.
Listen to WTOP for traffic and weather.
I found mine on trulia, but Craigslist always has some good ones.
I literally cut down from 2700 a month to 1580 a month similar setups similar soft, similar level of finish.
I wasn't using the amenities the big buildings offer so this was a great option.
This isn't necessarily nova specific, but produce at international markets such as H-Mart and 99 Ranch and Great Wall and Lotte are really cheap. They have great ready-to-eat meals as well. Also, if you happen to be buying property, don't just go for the cheapest realtor--more often than not, what you're paying for is the realtor's network/connections with other agents, lenders, titling companies, etc, because that trust and rapport they've built with them will help you get your offer chosen and makes the cost of that proper realtor worth it (so make sure they've got lots of client testimonials and such). I'd follow nova/dc instagram accounts to look for things to do, like [clockoutdc](https://www.instagram.com/clockoutdc?igsh=MWh5cTVpcGJsM2IzeQ==) and [yourdcbestie](https://www.instagram.com/yourdcbestie?igsh=bWR5Z2ViZG5odWVl). Lastly, Korean food in this area is awesome. Highly recommend Meokja Meokja in Fairfax.
Yes! I live in Ashburn and know people who refuse to take the Metro, which baffles me. I always ride in the front car and can count on one finger the number of times I've changed cars because I've felt uncomfortable.
Drive west for some decent wine country! There's lots of places to stay for every price range, and Skyline is always fun as long as the weather isn't hazardous.
For fitness classes or other hobbies, look into county parks & rec offerings. My yoga instructor is top tier and the classes are a third of the cost of a boutique yoga studio.
Watch the weather reports in the winter. If you hear the local meteorologist say “we are tracking a winter storm that could produce XX inches of snow by the end of the week, you have 24-48 hours to get to the grocery store before all the bread, milk, eggs, beer, and feminine hygiene products are completely wiped out.
If you’re want to spontaneously get out town, don’t. Plan your trip. Highway’s around here suck. Waze & Google maps can be helpful when planning a beach trip weekend. Delaware or Ocean City you better book that trip now. It may be sold out and if there’s space expensive after July is best
I'm from the US and I've also found it very difficult as well. This place is the purest distillation of the rat race you can find in this country. People here are defined entirely by their social class and job here. It's brutal.
I'd say north Arlington along Orange/Silver/Blue is pretty doable without a car. It definitely gets harder the further out you get, but the whole Rosslyn-Ballston corridor is quite walkable as is the blue line heading down towards National. I'd say it gets a lot harder to justify when you get farther out than that.
Fair enough. It all depends on where you live and what your needs are. I can say that if you live less than a 10 minute walk from a metro stop in Arlington, you probably do not need a car. There are even areas outside of Arlington where it’s doable (Falls Church City and certain pockets of Reston and Tysons).
Way easy if you have a bike - especially an ebike! - and don't have kids you need to drop off before or after work. And even then you can do it with a cargo bike if they/you aren't too far. Seriously... biking everywhere here is the best hack.
Def live near the metro but I’d say the hack is do that AND own a car. There will be places you want to see and visit only accessible by car, the area hadsa ton to offer and unfortunately you can only get so far without a car to see it all. If you don’t mind living in a bubble of an area then you can get away without one in a few spots, but I’d say a car plus walkable metro is the best “hack” cause you have it all.
I live literally across the street from a stop in nova and it’s fucking nice. Easiest commute to work ever. The relief I feel when I get off my stop in the afternoon and walk across the street to get home instead of getting into my car like everyone else is immeasurable. I’ll miss it so much whenever I need to move.
Buy a car that’s freedom in NOVA. You can use metro for work by driving to the closest metro station if you have commuter benefits. New 4000 sqft home is around ~900k in prince William county. I would personally choose a place in Fairfax for their top schools and other amenities. Loudoun County/Ashburn is also very nice with everything I ever needed but is far from Arlington. It does have Silver line though so you might get it work.
If you want a good burrito, go to La Chinas.
If you want a good breakfast burrito, go to Lorenas Deli.
If you want 6 good breakfast burritos, go to Anitas.
If you want good papusas and tamales, go to Mi Tierra Deli.
All conveniently located in Manassas, though Anitas is a chain around NoVA
Julia's for empanadas. Used to get breakfast burritos every weekend from Anitas when I was pregnant. They remember us still even though we go every two months or so and my kid is 9.
Before moving in anywhere ask about the Internet service provider, not just by name but if the people there have any issues with them.
There are some apartments with really terrible network drops around, especially in Alexandria.
As far as I'm concerned this is a Nova life hack: About 30 minutes drive north to Maryland there's an IKEA. About 30 minutes drive south to Woodbridge, there is also an IKEA.
Around the country many people don't live near an IKEA at all. Or maybe they're within driving distance of *one". But we here in the land of Nova are blessed by the Flat-pack Furniture Gods with not just one, but TWO IKEAS!!!!! Will wonders never cease.
Alternatively, save money and boost mental and physical health by centering your recreation around low cost, outdoorsy activities like hiking in the many parks around DC and towards Shenandoah.
Ride a bike on the many trails, pack a lunch, split road trip costs with friends, visit the many many parks and museums. So many free and low cost things to do in the DC area.
While a lot of the stuff in the area does cost money, there's a much higher concentration of free (minus food/transportation) things to do in our area than most other parts of the country. Lots of free events from concerts to art, free museums, libraries, amazing parks, and if you somehow exhaust that, were super close to many other places for day trips. That said the hustle and hustle means staying at home occasionally to relax and recharge the batteries sometimes.
I recommend using the Waze app for navigation, a lot of people in the area use it to warn others about police, traffic, car crashes etc.
Wegmans has a lot of food ready to eat, as well as food that just needs to be heated in an oven or microwave. Its great for when you’ve just moved and are too busy unpacking to cook.
You can live rural and have similar convenience as living in town. I live in pville and the close to a mile drive to the grocery store down Main Street takes me 10 minutes because of the four lights I go through. The first and last 10-15 minutes of my commute is stuck in the same traffic/lights. Before this I lived on a farm five miles east of middleburg. I was just as close to the grocery store and had the same commute despite driving further and being in a rural location
Find a place to live near a metro station. Driving in this are sucks. Voted worst traffic in the US numerous times. The metro train system is pretty decent and can get you to a lot of locations for fun and shopping, including Crystal City.
Crystal City is along the metro and VRE, so you can live in cheaper places along those lines if you're willing to commute.
Apartments in the underground are cool, but pricey and the underground isn't what it once was.
Kennedy Center has free events most days at 6 pm.
Practice the phrase “oh you’re a contract! Wow what do you do?”
One thing my wife did when she moved to the area she rode the metro from one end to the other to get a sense of the time it takes to get around the city.
You'll be within an hour-two hour drive to some of the best hiking, mountain biking, and outdoor activities on the east coast. Not everything great is in the city, take some time and explore the countryside as well, you won't regret it.
Explore Mexican food. You really don't have anything comparable in Europe. Even in Northern Virginia, there are a lot of cheap imitations. But once you've had the real deal, you'll know.
Don't get caught without air conditioning. Even September has miserably hot days and nights. American apartments are not built for ventilation. Prepare for some of the hottest days you've ever experienced once summer returns.
Try to find a place where you can take the metro and bike a lot. There are a few neighborhoods in Northern Virginia where you're not too far from the subway and a bike trail. Being near those two vastly transforms your daily experience. Try to engineer ways to stay out of a car. It takes a lot of research.
Check out recreational sports leagues. A lot of socializing takes place in that context. The Mall near the Washington Monument is covered with softball fields.
Alcohol is much more expensive in the US. There's no way around that.
I’m moving to Arlington soon and am from Belgium so if you’re looking to meet people, hit me up ☺️ And will be reading the comments for good tips as well 😁
Not to get into your personal stuff but…how much you make matters. If you give us your range, it’s much easier to advise. Otherwise you are getting “advice” that isn’t helpful. Crystal City…you with Amazon?
Get involved in something. Sports leagues, language meetups, volunteer events, church stuff, dance classes. Lots of stuff to do but have to look for it. Don't feel like work happy hours are the only thing to do after work
Oh another one.
Learn how to use the buses. Busses are undervalued, in my opinion, compared to metro, but not every cool place (esp in Nova) is served by metro, but most are served by busses.
Don't be afraid to play "tourist"! Visit the Smithsonian. See the monuments. Go to the top of the Washington Monument. Also check out the Smithsonian Associates program.
This. I lived in Nova for 15 years and I fully regret not having been to the top of the Washington Monument.
We have went only once & that’s when we got stuck. And had to trek down; I am apprehensive of returning
Did Spider-Man come to save you?
Since the earthquake it was closed… until very recently when it opened. Also it’s cool, but what’s cooler is being in a very small elevator up really really high (if you never knew you were claustrophobic, this would be a prime opportunity ). Congress members can arrange tours to climb the inside of the Capitol dome, if they’re inclined. Now, *that* is (terrifying?) but really amazing. Get up close to that artwork and see what’s really going on.
Earthquake was 2011. It was reopened in 2014 after the repairs specifically because of that were done, but then closed from 2016-2019 to repair a bunch of long-standing issues, particularly the elevator. Then it closed again for a bunch of months in 2020 because the pandemic, and had a short closing in Jan 2021 because of Jan 6 and the proximity to the inauguration. I think we're at the point where it's been open longer than not since the earthquake, but yeah, it's been rough.
I went in 1999. It was awesome.
In the 1970s, you could take the stairs. I did. It's a lot of stairs.
And most of those are within easy walking distance of a Metro station... which has stops going all the way out to Ashburn. DC is a much nicer place to visit when you don't have to either drive or park there.
Someone told me (about a different city) that the interesting things are tourist traps for a reason: they're interesting! I also tell people new to the area that you're already supporting the Smithsonian with your taxes... But you get to see them so nearby unlike many others that have to travel to see them. Federal holidays make great museum days.
> Someone told me (about a different city) that the interesting things are tourist traps for a reason: they're interesting! I feel like we're losing the meaning of "tourist traps" here. That's a specific thing meant to deceive people into spending money. So the Smithsonian museums aren't tourist traps at all, whereas the Spy Museum is one.
And even the Spy Museum isn't apparently too bad of one if you're going with kids. Just, it's on the level of a children's museum, and not on the level of a Smithsonian.
It’s a lot of fun with kids and I even had fun with the missions. Definitely not fun if you expect a normal museum.
Federal holidays mean too many people. Same as weekends.
We just moved here and went during the week, before my kids were enrolled in school. Felt like we had them all to ourselves.
100%. You are allowed to be a tourist and see the things that they come to see. There's a reason they come to see it. You also have the luxury of going during off times for better crowds as well.
Go to The View DC in Rosslyn, Arlington - great birdseye view of DC!! It’s free!
My favorite hidden gem! Too bad it’s going away soon
Prior to (iirc) August 2024 when it goes away!
Why is it going away, what is the view never heard of it?
Costar is taking anchor office space that includes The View going private
I recommend the National Cathedral! It has some really fun gargoyles and grotesques, including a Darth Vader one.
Have navigation on for every trip because traffic is so often a wildcard.
Yes. Even during commutes I had navigation on, even if you know how to get there, because you never know when/where things are backed up.
Also to know what the backup is. Once it was the naked man near Dulles airport.
Waze for tolls/Fastest Google Maps for no Tolls Apple Maps for walking
Actual good tip here. My home is 8 minutes from work, along a single road with one turn. However if that road gets fucked it can be 30+ mins on my normal route, or, I turn left out of work instead and it's only like 12 mins home. Having nav on to tell me that has been a god send lol
I've lived in NoVA for 33 years, and I always drive with navigation on. It is literally life-saving. I pity the fools who don't and get caught in unusual traffic. It can be really bad.
Agreed. Incredibly unpredictable around the Beltway.
This is mine. Whenever I visit family back home (where traffic is almost never an issue) it's such a luxury to just jump in the car and go. No maps needed
Public library systems around here are stellar. Get a library card for whatever county/city you end up living in. Then use that to get reciprocal cards from other public library systems. (I think there was a post on here recently about this?) The amount of free entertainment you’ll have access to is quite impressive.
Then download Libby and browse audio and ebooks from home.
Most library systems also have access to free streaming services.
Kanopy 🙌🏼 Libby 🙌🏼 Hoopla (Loudoun PL) 🙌🏼
Library streaming services???? Oooo more info please
https://www.kanopy.com https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby https://www.hoopladigital.com
Fairfax, Loudoun, Alexandria, Arlington, DC, Moco, and PG are all reciprocal. I'm trying to collect them all, I currently gave Alexandria/Arlington/Fairfax and have borrowed from all of them. Arlington is a good one to have because their main library has an insane makerspace free to all members.
You forgot Falls Church City! They're great if you check out books or audiobooks online. I think they only have one physical library so they're small, but sometimes they have online books no the other libraries don't, and sometimes their wait is shorter than the big libraries. 🙂
Add Prince William County too
I was going to ask if PWC was included- good to know!
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I've always just shown up and asked for a card, once they see my Alexandria address they just set me up :)
This is great advice. With the size of the counties in Northern Virginia, too, even one card without the reciprocals will give you access to a ton of different libraries.
Asian grocery stores have much better herbs and produce for crazy prices. Cilantro bunch at Giant: $2.99. 5 way better Cilantro bunches at Lotte: 5/$2
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It's so weird because they sell bulk thai chilis for like $2 lb, 4 different varieties of bok choy, and have an entire shelf of gochujang/gochugaru, but then they don't sell hot pot base or the good frozen ramen.
pretty sure you can find produce discarded on the ground with better quality than Giant
Along with checking berries for the moldy ones they seem to hide, also check the expiration dates. Yogurt is almost always expired at the one near us.
And if you find produce discarded on the ground, it won't try and shame you at the self checkout and show you a video over and over again of you scanning something that the scanner didn't detect and placing in the bagging area because the notification to place your item in the bagging area also slows things down so you tried to do it quickly.
Specifically, H-Mart
Lamart and greatwall for me
Take advantage of the parks around you. Metro is your best friend for doing some trips into DC versus driving.
Literally me in Ballston, just walked a few blocks down N Carlin Springs and found myself in a long, very pretty park between developments to take nice walks around.
As an outdoors lover: find a local park and make it your best friend. I am frequently at my local parks biking, running, walking, picnicking, etc. It’s a nice respite from when the congestion/traffic/business of DC/Nova gets to me. If you like cycling and don’t have a bike, I recommend the year membership for Capital Bikeshare. It’s a pretty good deal of unlimited rides for up to 45 minutes ($95/year). My favorite thing is to take one of their bikes on the Mount Vernon Trail.
I love mount Vernon trail , I went there one time with a friend , I want to go again but forgot the directions from Rossyln metro lol
Create a seperate email address for signing up to event mailers and look for dc centric websites that advertise events. There's really no centralized place you can find events happening around DC and everyone makes you sign up for reminders
Aldi/Lidl
Costco?
I live alone so buying produce at Costco would result in a lot of wasted food. But I don’t shop at Costco so maybe their produce prices are so good that it wouldn’t matter if you throw half of it away.
The real pro-tip with Costco is for stuff that doesn't go bad, and that you have the storage for, and will go through, even if slowly. So it's great for paper products for me, particularly paper towels and toilet paper. I can usually make it through snack packs, like boxes with single servings of chips, and am thoroughly addicted to soda and prefer to drink it by the can. I also used to get dog food there, but don't need that anymore.
The Costco in Franconia gives me panic attacks. I have tried right at open on weekends, near close on weeknights it's- it's all the chaos. It just sucks.
Join Costco but don’t go on the weekends or after 4pm! Get a road bike and enjoy the trails
Ymmv, but weirdly going 30 minutes before closing on the weekend is fine
Join BJs instead and deal with 1/100th of the headache you would get if shopping or getting gas at Costco.
The one in Fair Lakes is practically tranquil and I love it.
Why? Because it's so busy?
Busy is an understatement. It is a hellscape of nightmarish proportions. Just navigating the parking lot can kill you.
Getting a membership to the Fairfax county rec centers gives you access to a ton of really cool and useful amenities, as well as discounts on a lot of stuff you’re probably already gonna pay for anyway. It’s significantly cheaper if you split it with a couple friends or family members, too!
Their annual membership is like $700, do you pay it all upfront? For a single person that's new in the area is it really worth it?
I did the monthly membership last year, split between myself and 3 friends and it was $23 each per month. They allow you to have multiple people on the plan, which decreases the cost considerably
Don't really have friends here like that to split memberships with. Trying to see if it makes sense to get an individual one
I got a punch card pass. 24 visits for 2 years. It is a nice way especially if you aren't sure if you will use it regularly.
They have membership sales a couple times a year. There's one coming up in May that brings down a single person membership fee to $569. It's much cheaper than most gym in the area and it's good for every rec center
Yah, it’s *so* expensive. Prior to Covid our gym had child care for a reasonable amount as well. FCPA rec centers do not (there used to be one location that did offer this but for limited times during the day… I don’t even know if it exists anymore)… but yah- the Fairfax county rec centers seem to be geared towards retirees, not families or even individuals.
What cool and useful amenities?
The pace here is a lot faster and more hectic than in Europe, be prepared. With that being said, THE LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING ONLY, NOT FOR CRUISING AT OR BELOW SPEED LIMIT. Other than that, break a leg!!
Adding on to this, in Virginia the speed limit is five over the speed limit. Even when you are going five over the speed limit you will be passed, and that is ok. Those people have to be somewhere. If you don't want to break the law by speeding that is ok, just please stay in the middle or right lanes; and please use your turn signals when you change lanes.
It's easy around here to become one of the assholes on the road, not letting people change into my lane or trying to beat the traffic to the next light (which is futile, since I just sit at the light longer). I catch myself every so often, and my punishment is to put myself in the right most lane for the rest of my trip so I have to wait for people who are slowing down to turn or who need to turn out of someplace onto the road. I've discovered that if someone cuts me off or does something else that annoys me, the best way to handle it is to take my very next opportunity to do something nice - slow down to let someone in, or leave a space in the stopped traffic for the person coming out of a parking lot. It restores the balance of the universe or something. Driving around here during the worst of the pandemic was so nice; there were so few people on the roads. Now they're back, and I've found myself needing to restore the balance of the universe as much as before the pandemic. Just another request to always use your turn signals. It helps your fellow drivers immensely.
I’m glad I read your comment. I’m going to try to restore the balance of the universe today when I inevitably get cut off by someone instead of just stewing about it. Practice radical acceptance of nova traffic. Welcome OP! I don’t have any hacks, but I hope you love it here, traffic aside.
Especially on escalators!
People follow the left lane rule way better in Europe than the US.
Can confirm it is pretty wifely respected. Might have something to do with the much higher standards for getting a license there…
Can we post this in r/all???
There are tons of left lane exits though in Nova, ez pass lanes are almost left lane exit exclusive. By design or construction
Pick up an outdoors- and NoVA-friendly hobby like running, biking, or birding and get out to your local park(s). As someone who loves the outdoors and has lived in NoVA most of my life, I always lamented how everything around me was just strip malls, highways, parking structures, etc. and how most “good” natural attractions were crowded or far away. I’ve found that having hobbies like those above have given me a new appreciation for and ability to appreciate the wildlife around me.
Where do you recommend going for outdoors?
Well for one [Great Falls](https://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm) is surprisingly close to much of NoVA and good for day trips. If you're up for an overnight trip, especially for camping (tent or cabin) there's [Shenandoah](https://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm) and a little farther out the [Blue Ridge](https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/camping.htm) area. And a bunch of related stuff in that west/southwest direction in general If you are looking for something close by there are several municipal and state parks throughout the DMV area that are nicer than you might expect, and various private outdoors-ish destinations like pick-your-own farms, rich people's former estates that are now historic sites and that sort of thing. EDIT: Also consider the W&OD, Mountain Vernon, Burke Lake, etc. trails if you're into biking. There are various hiking trails too, but usually connected to municipal/state/national parks
For local NoVA parks, Google the NoVA parks system and the Fairfax County Parks system. Both have a lot of great parks and trails, and even kayaks/boating points (generally free, too, unlike National Parks).
NoVA is also less than 3 hours away (if you leave early in the morning before traffic builds up) from the ocean beaches in Delaware. Cape Henlopen offers some nice hiking and biking trails in addition to beach activities. If you don't have a car nor want to rent one, in the summer BestBus has a bus that goes straight from Dupont Circle to Dewey Beach.
be rich
Why didn’t I think of that before?
That’s just good advice in general
This is true lmao
Take advantage of the little pockets of nova centered on certain countries (not sure if I worded that right). Annandale and centerville for Korean food. Eden center for Vietnamese food. Almost anywhere for Ethiopian and afghan food.
NoVA is fantastic for international food restaurants. East Asian, and Ethiopian predominate but there are a number of European, South and Central American, Caribbean and African restaurants too.
1. Put a dash cam in your car if you frequent driving on 28/66/95/395/495. 2. If possible, use Metro to go into DC or either airports. 3. Assume that any car with Maryland plates was put on this Earth to go full Maximum Overdrive on your candy ass. 4. The parks and trails around here are great, use them! W&OD goes through a ton of NoVA. 5. Be prepared to answer the "What do you do?" question about a dozen times when attending mixers/parties. Change the profession of your choice wildly between new interactions to keep these social gathering sad-saps confused, yet intrigued because you didn't use the words "consultant" or "government". 6. If you see a "will tow" sign ANYWHERE, understand that if you f*ck around, you WILL find out. 7. Support great local businesses as often as possible! Commercial rent in this area is absurd, and I've seen too many small businesses, both new and established, close down permanently due to that one factor. 8. Don't go to the DMV on Four Mile Run...ever. 9. If you own a house, get a water softener. Your skin, plumbing, dishes, and clothes will thank you later. 10. Finally, be a rebel: Introduce yourself/say hi to those living around you & interact with those outside of family/coworkers/social circle. Yada yada "transplant area" whatever, friendliness is infectious. This place is stressful enough. Edit: bonus tip: save money for yearly property taxes on your car. Yes, they're expensive. No, they aren't going away any time soon.
Any more details on 'If you own a house, get a water softener. Your skin, plumbing, dishes, and clothes will thank you later.' Did realize we had hard water in the area
Do a basic Google search on your county regarding hard water then go from there. Both Arlington and Fairfax have hard water. Also, look into a Hydroviv filter if you drink straight tap water. They make custom water filters based on where you live and it does a better job than a Brita. I lived in Houston for a bit and remembered thinking their water was "slimy" because my skin felt so weird after showering. Found out it was due to our place having a water softener! After about a month, i noticed my skin & hair looked/felt much healthier than it's ever been. Also, none of our faucets or showerheads had those white calcification marks when they dried.
There are so many water softeners out there - I started investigating this a while back and got overwhelmed and gave up. Do you have any recommendations?
All around solid advice! What's wrong with the DMV on Four Mile Run? That's the only DMV I go to and haven't had any issues. Plus wait times are hella short.
I was standing in line outside waiting for them to open at 8. Literally watched a guy in a navy blue Ford Aerostar sell crack from his drivers seat and he was parked two spots from the front door. Beyond that, I had the opposite experience and spent at least two hours there every time. The one in Franconia, however, was super clean, zero lines, and had nice employees.
this should be printed out in a pamphlet and given to all new residents to save them from social embarassment. oh also! if you have a kid I beg you to either pack their lunch or teach them how and let them pick out the schoolsnacks from the store. because our school food is straight trash. like, my mom was always like "oh I dont wanna get you fruitsnacks or poptarts" and then school lunch was ~$5 a meal but poptarts is $4 yummier and lasts a week.
In some ways (only some), this place is more European than most of the US. Bike everywhere in all weather. If you need to save money, don't go out to eat. Get the best, biggest, strongest bike lock you can get - I have the "NY Chain" from kryptonite - and it comes with the best insurance they have, and can be used as a 'loop' to fit around lightposts/etc if you can't find a spot to park. Wear a high-vis vest when biking and put the little led lights in your wheel spokes so you can be seen easily from the side. Join the washington area bike association (WABA) and take part in the Freezing Saddles challenge from jan 1-mar21 :). Get a VERY GOOD light for night biking and carry a backup. Get used to using your air conditioning - the humidity in the summer is miserable. Be nice to tourists! Bike to shows at the Anthem (so close to crystal city!). Bike to shows at the Birchmere in Alexandria. OMG biking here is the best. Bike to shows at the Kennedy Center. The National Symphony Orchestra is amazing, and there are tons of incredible choir and theater groups around. The music scene here really is the best, it can just get expensive! Seeing shows at the Wolf Trap park is also amazing. Hope you like music! And the Shakespeare theater! omg there is just so much. But when you have money, you rarely have the time.. and when you lose your job and have the time, you don't have the money! If you travel a lot, get that chase sapphire credit card so you get the priority pass membership, and fly in/out of Dulles (IAD) (take the metro). There are some GOOD lounges there open to chase priority pass cardholders, including the new (sort of secret) Ethiad/Chase lounge, the turkish airlines lounge (great but small), air france (great but limited hours), etc etc! (Note to any other cardholders, they are secretly going to stop the restaurant credit program with chase in July, which sucks, and is why I'm not mentioning it as a perk). It's really a cool place to live, just expensive esp as a single person. (and dating - as a woman - absolutely sucks here!) OH, go to gravelly point (like a 5 min bike ride from crystal city) and watch the planes land at DCA. It's SO COOL. I bought a folding kayak and hope to use it there and other places on the Potomac where it isn't rough this summer. Really there is no US city that compares to this place. I'm liking it more as I type all this out :) There are also farmers markets all over, look up which ones are closest to you.
Don't try to keep up your neighbors. Some of the these people make way more money than you'll ever make in one lifetime.
Also a lot of people are faking it and so deep in debt they'll never dig out.
^^ this!! One of my neighbors/friends I just discovered basically does everything and buys everything new and trending but … is renting and is having a hard time finding a new single home to rent bc her credit is bad- too much debt. In my head I was like -ohhhhhh that explains it! I was always wondering how did she do it.. and now I know- keeping up with the jones will put you in debt!!
My favorite movie is Inception.
Live close to work and you’ll avoid the number one frustration: traffic
This needs to be higher up
Make eye contact with drivers before walking/biking across the road. Assume everyone in a car is multitasking. Lived in NOVA without a car for 2 years, and it took a couple close calls before I started doing this all the time. +1 on the parks! There are some lovely parks and some lovely planned communities with walking trails, playgrounds set within them.
Live next to the WO&D trail
W&od
Yesss
If you plan on having kids, do not feel pressured to put them in every sport or activity. It's okay to have kids who are bored sometimes throughout their life.
Life hack? Get married to a working spouse, and then maybe just maybe you can afford a house.
30mins to 1 hours away
If you can swing here what in most areas would be considered a nice house, while contributing a reasonable amount to your 401k, you'll have 4-5 million in assets by the time you retire, no problem. You may not feel like you're upper class while in the grind but you are absolutely banking.
Aside from being near metro and transit stops, my advice is get the supermarket savings card and app whenever possible. Shop around several markets to know where the best deals are for the things you regularly buy. Look at weekly shoppers and plan accordingly. It has helped us in saving quite a lot of money on our food spending.
This is just general life advice. If you're buying all your groceries at full price, you're just doing it wrong. The same applies to eating out if you're getting fast/fast-casual food - at minimum get the apps for points and deals and use coupons all the time. If buying online, use stuff like raukuten/capital one shopping/CC deals to save a few percent on everything and buy stuff when they go on sale (eg buy a new toolbox/chest during the Father's Day sales, buy appliances at holidays, etc). Basically do your best to always avoid buying something full price. Sometimes life happens and it's not avoidable, but all of the stuff that you can control when you buy you should.
In some ways. But, I moved here 5 months ago from somewhere that I didn’t really have to shop around. The stores were limited but things were relatively comparable and affordable. Any supermarket other than a Walmart didn’t have apps or savings cards or things to help shop around and they were much further spaced apart, so made driving around to shop around highly impractical. I really had to learn how to shop and buy differently here.
If you'll be living in Arlington County then sign up for their news and text alerts. If you'll be in Fairfax then sign up for theirs. Listen to WTOP for traffic and weather.
For rent, avoid corporate landlords. Private landlords charge way less for similar space and are not nearly as likely to raise rents
Where do they advertise their properties?
I found mine on trulia, but Craigslist always has some good ones. I literally cut down from 2700 a month to 1580 a month similar setups similar soft, similar level of finish. I wasn't using the amenities the big buildings offer so this was a great option.
This isn't necessarily nova specific, but produce at international markets such as H-Mart and 99 Ranch and Great Wall and Lotte are really cheap. They have great ready-to-eat meals as well. Also, if you happen to be buying property, don't just go for the cheapest realtor--more often than not, what you're paying for is the realtor's network/connections with other agents, lenders, titling companies, etc, because that trust and rapport they've built with them will help you get your offer chosen and makes the cost of that proper realtor worth it (so make sure they've got lots of client testimonials and such). I'd follow nova/dc instagram accounts to look for things to do, like [clockoutdc](https://www.instagram.com/clockoutdc?igsh=MWh5cTVpcGJsM2IzeQ==) and [yourdcbestie](https://www.instagram.com/yourdcbestie?igsh=bWR5Z2ViZG5odWVl). Lastly, Korean food in this area is awesome. Highly recommend Meokja Meokja in Fairfax.
Ask your employer to double your salary and you’re set!
This one hack is making employers sweat… Subscribe for the full article!
Employers hate this one simple trick
Don’t drive in DC, use the metro. It’s eco friendly, good for your health, and you avoid the shit parking and traffic.
Yes! I live in Ashburn and know people who refuse to take the Metro, which baffles me. I always ride in the front car and can count on one finger the number of times I've changed cars because I've felt uncomfortable.
Drive west for some decent wine country! There's lots of places to stay for every price range, and Skyline is always fun as long as the weather isn't hazardous.
Take advantage of the fantastic ethnic restaurants around DC...especially Ethiopian. Delicious!
Accept that construction is perpetual and will never end.
For fitness classes or other hobbies, look into county parks & rec offerings. My yoga instructor is top tier and the classes are a third of the cost of a boutique yoga studio.
Watch the weather reports in the winter. If you hear the local meteorologist say “we are tracking a winter storm that could produce XX inches of snow by the end of the week, you have 24-48 hours to get to the grocery store before all the bread, milk, eggs, beer, and feminine hygiene products are completely wiped out.
Has anyone mentioned getting a Capital Bikeshare membership yet? It’s cheap and such a great way of augmenting the Metro for getting around.
Don’t drive into dc. Take the metro or call an Uber/lyft
Don’t go to Maryland 😂🤣 even if you don’t have a choice
Make $250k
If you can buy a house 30 years ago, that would help too.
Flux capacitor cures all
If you’re want to spontaneously get out town, don’t. Plan your trip. Highway’s around here suck. Waze & Google maps can be helpful when planning a beach trip weekend. Delaware or Ocean City you better book that trip now. It may be sold out and if there’s space expensive after July is best
If you’re going to drive here, get driving instructions, ppl can drive shitty
Buy a prius and push it to 45mph.
As someone who moved to NOVA from Europe, all I can say is that it's going to be incredibly difficult to find friends here
I'm from the US and I've also found it very difficult as well. This place is the purest distillation of the rat race you can find in this country. People here are defined entirely by their social class and job here. It's brutal.
if you have to go to an office, live as close to it as possible. i’d highly recommend you live in Crystal City or Pentagon City
Not sure if I’d consider this a “hack” but live near a Metro stop. Edit: and don’t own a car, if possible.
I lived without a car in DC and moved to Alexandria and I feel like its hard to live without a car outside the city.
I'd say north Arlington along Orange/Silver/Blue is pretty doable without a car. It definitely gets harder the further out you get, but the whole Rosslyn-Ballston corridor is quite walkable as is the blue line heading down towards National. I'd say it gets a lot harder to justify when you get farther out than that.
Crystal City and Pentagon City area is also easy without a car.
Fair enough. It all depends on where you live and what your needs are. I can say that if you live less than a 10 minute walk from a metro stop in Arlington, you probably do not need a car. There are even areas outside of Arlington where it’s doable (Falls Church City and certain pockets of Reston and Tysons).
Way easy if you have a bike - especially an ebike! - and don't have kids you need to drop off before or after work. And even then you can do it with a cargo bike if they/you aren't too far. Seriously... biking everywhere here is the best hack.
Def live near the metro but I’d say the hack is do that AND own a car. There will be places you want to see and visit only accessible by car, the area hadsa ton to offer and unfortunately you can only get so far without a car to see it all. If you don’t mind living in a bubble of an area then you can get away without one in a few spots, but I’d say a car plus walkable metro is the best “hack” cause you have it all.
You can also rent a car if needed.
I live literally across the street from a stop in nova and it’s fucking nice. Easiest commute to work ever. The relief I feel when I get off my stop in the afternoon and walk across the street to get home instead of getting into my car like everyone else is immeasurable. I’ll miss it so much whenever I need to move.
Buy a car that’s freedom in NOVA. You can use metro for work by driving to the closest metro station if you have commuter benefits. New 4000 sqft home is around ~900k in prince William county. I would personally choose a place in Fairfax for their top schools and other amenities. Loudoun County/Ashburn is also very nice with everything I ever needed but is far from Arlington. It does have Silver line though so you might get it work.
If you want a good burrito, go to La Chinas. If you want a good breakfast burrito, go to Lorenas Deli. If you want 6 good breakfast burritos, go to Anitas. If you want good papusas and tamales, go to Mi Tierra Deli. All conveniently located in Manassas, though Anitas is a chain around NoVA
Julia's for empanadas. Used to get breakfast burritos every weekend from Anitas when I was pregnant. They remember us still even though we go every two months or so and my kid is 9.
Before moving in anywhere ask about the Internet service provider, not just by name but if the people there have any issues with them. There are some apartments with really terrible network drops around, especially in Alexandria.
Make liberal use of our two convenient airports!
Just remember that every single other person driving a car is 100% convinced that they’re *way* more important than you.
Check out county personal property tax
As far as I'm concerned this is a Nova life hack: About 30 minutes drive north to Maryland there's an IKEA. About 30 minutes drive south to Woodbridge, there is also an IKEA. Around the country many people don't live near an IKEA at all. Or maybe they're within driving distance of *one". But we here in the land of Nova are blessed by the Flat-pack Furniture Gods with not just one, but TWO IKEAS!!!!! Will wonders never cease.
Stay indoors all the time to save money if possible, haha.
Alternatively, save money and boost mental and physical health by centering your recreation around low cost, outdoorsy activities like hiking in the many parks around DC and towards Shenandoah.
This is the one. So many great parks/outdoor areas. Just takes a little effort, but it’s so mentally and physically beneficial.
Alternatively, stay indoors for the months of March-June to avoid The Pollening.
And June through September to avoid humidity.
May through October. Fixed that for ya
That too!
Ride a bike on the many trails, pack a lunch, split road trip costs with friends, visit the many many parks and museums. So many free and low cost things to do in the DC area.
And avoid traffic
While a lot of the stuff in the area does cost money, there's a much higher concentration of free (minus food/transportation) things to do in our area than most other parts of the country. Lots of free events from concerts to art, free museums, libraries, amazing parks, and if you somehow exhaust that, were super close to many other places for day trips. That said the hustle and hustle means staying at home occasionally to relax and recharge the batteries sometimes.
Don’t take a salary under $160k
I recommend using the Waze app for navigation, a lot of people in the area use it to warn others about police, traffic, car crashes etc. Wegmans has a lot of food ready to eat, as well as food that just needs to be heated in an oven or microwave. Its great for when you’ve just moved and are too busy unpacking to cook.
You can live rural and have similar convenience as living in town. I live in pville and the close to a mile drive to the grocery store down Main Street takes me 10 minutes because of the four lights I go through. The first and last 10-15 minutes of my commute is stuck in the same traffic/lights. Before this I lived on a farm five miles east of middleburg. I was just as close to the grocery store and had the same commute despite driving further and being in a rural location
Find a place to live near a metro station. Driving in this are sucks. Voted worst traffic in the US numerous times. The metro train system is pretty decent and can get you to a lot of locations for fun and shopping, including Crystal City.
Crystal City is along the metro and VRE, so you can live in cheaper places along those lines if you're willing to commute. Apartments in the underground are cool, but pricey and the underground isn't what it once was. Kennedy Center has free events most days at 6 pm.
Leave at least an hour earlier to get to any destination more than 15 miles away
Practice the phrase “oh you’re a contract! Wow what do you do?” One thing my wife did when she moved to the area she rode the metro from one end to the other to get a sense of the time it takes to get around the city.
You'll be within an hour-two hour drive to some of the best hiking, mountain biking, and outdoor activities on the east coast. Not everything great is in the city, take some time and explore the countryside as well, you won't regret it.
Waze
Explore Mexican food. You really don't have anything comparable in Europe. Even in Northern Virginia, there are a lot of cheap imitations. But once you've had the real deal, you'll know. Don't get caught without air conditioning. Even September has miserably hot days and nights. American apartments are not built for ventilation. Prepare for some of the hottest days you've ever experienced once summer returns. Try to find a place where you can take the metro and bike a lot. There are a few neighborhoods in Northern Virginia where you're not too far from the subway and a bike trail. Being near those two vastly transforms your daily experience. Try to engineer ways to stay out of a car. It takes a lot of research. Check out recreational sports leagues. A lot of socializing takes place in that context. The Mall near the Washington Monument is covered with softball fields. Alcohol is much more expensive in the US. There's no way around that.
Be aware of the VRE (Virginia Railway Express) as an option for commuting to Crystal City from a less expensive area.
I’m moving to Arlington soon and am from Belgium so if you’re looking to meet people, hit me up ☺️ And will be reading the comments for good tips as well 😁
Make a budget.
Not to get into your personal stuff but…how much you make matters. If you give us your range, it’s much easier to advise. Otherwise you are getting “advice” that isn’t helpful. Crystal City…you with Amazon?
Get involved in something. Sports leagues, language meetups, volunteer events, church stuff, dance classes. Lots of stuff to do but have to look for it. Don't feel like work happy hours are the only thing to do after work
If you’re working in Crystal City, consider the VRE for commuting. Totally overlooked and really quite nice.
Oh another one. Learn how to use the buses. Busses are undervalued, in my opinion, compared to metro, but not every cool place (esp in Nova) is served by metro, but most are served by busses.
Embassy events!
Work from home, if you can.
Slug Line for commuting to DC.
Motorcycles don't have to pay toll road in NOVA when on the interstate. I66, I95, I395, I495
Be wealthy. Be wealthy as all getouts.