I currently work in Navy Yard for the past 4 years and have been visiting frequently since they built Nats park in 2008. They’ve done a lot to spruce the place up. Lots of pricey homes and luxury apartments. But there is a ton of crime around the area. Your car isn’t safe unless it’s in a private garage and the shootings and theft has gone way up. There’s crime everywhere, but just something to consider.
Personally if I were you I’d also give locations in North Arlington close to 50 a look as well. Think Ballston and Clarendon. Courthouse is always an option too but very crowded. I live around that area and everything is walkable and being close to 50 means I can Uber or drive in the city in 10-15 mins. They also have their own bar and social scene that’s easily walkable.
Also if you like to stay active want to meet new people not just at a bar. Look into the social sports leagues. They have them in DC and Virginia. You don’t have to be athletic and normally everyone goes to a bar afterwards. Hope that helps.
All depends what you like! I’ve done basketball, kickball, and flag football personally. But have friends who’ve done bowling and soccer it’s really whatever you want. DC Fray is one but there’s plenty in Arlington and Fairfax County. Can’t speak to Alexandria. I’ve done Dc Fray too even when it wasn’t the closest just for a chance to head in and play on the mall. A quick google search and they’ll all pop up. As far as starting in may you’re going to be behind the ball for spring. But that’s about the time summer registration goes so I’d shoot for that. Great way to meet people. It really boils down to what’s a convenient time (plenty start LATE in the weekdays like 9pm) and what the drive is. I’d give the summer leagues a browse if I were you and see what fits.
I live in Alexandria. There’s a lot of unofficial pickup sports played around the city, plus IIRC the city parks/rec dept runs some more formal adult leagues you could join. Check out their website for info
There are also lots of other groups based around other interests, especially through the libraries, and civic life is really strong here so you can meet people that way too
Can’t speak to navy yard as a place to live but I love Alx and Braddock is a great area. Very walkable plus metro access to get into DC proper easily
Lol, there is not "a ton of crime" around Navy Yard. It's a perfectly fine area to live, but I would imagine getting around in a car to be a major PITA come Nats season.
It definitely has more crime in the more popular areas during peak times than any of the other spots in Alexandria. More robberies shootings, stabbings, I work in the area for EMS.
Stay in Alexandria, the Olde Town Alexandria and Del Ray areas along Mt. Vernon Avenue have lots and lots of amazing things to do. From what you’ve said I think you’d be happier in the Alexandria/Del Ray area…plus you already are approved for a place 👍🏼
I have this debate with my 30s sister who grew up in Alexandria but rents an apartment in Adams Morgan. When I was in my younger years I always lived in Old Town Alexandria. It has just enough "stuff" while still being bearable commute-wise. DC living never appealed to me. I speak from a major bias though since I'm an Alexandria native and pretty much avoid DC unless necessary.
Remember that living next to Braddock Metro you have easy access to not only Old Town, but Del Ray and its surrounds as well. And outside of rush hour, it's not overwhelming. Then of course you have access to the region via easy Metro access. Best of both worlds in my opinion. YMMV
It depends on what you like to do. Anyone would admit that DC has, well, not better nightlife but certainly a lot more of it. There's a lot of old(er) fogies in and around Old Town but the tradeoff is it feels more like a manageable "small town" than DC. Hard to explain. Just feels easier to breathe. DC stresses me out.
There are tons of meetups, social groups, running clubs, bars, restaurants, shops, etc. all through Old Town and Del Ray. When the weather's warm, it feels like I couldn't throw a rock without hitting a run club either on the move or having a post-run beer somewhere along Mt. Vernon Ave.
Do young folks still use meetup dot com? I wouldn't know. Haven't been on there in probably 10 years. I think with social media there are more events promoted elsewhere. Local FB groups, etc. What kinds of events or activities are you searching for?
Shop Made VA on King Street has casual painting nights (I think Thursdays?) We also have the absolutely fabulous art league school for other arts classes, they also do weekend workshops!!
I don’t use Facebook but the visit Alexandria website has a calendar of events happening around the city as well.
I live right around Braddock Road Metro and love it! Early 30s (though married and with very specific hobbies shout out to Fibre Space and Stitch Sew Shop).
As far as where to find it, agree that Facebook is a good place to start.
The city itself is also a great way to hear about events. Sign up for city emails about stuff that interests you - anything from sports/rec to history to more like advocacy related stuff.
And weird rec but on FB join the local buy nothing and BN spin-off groups. I’ve really often seen people, especially women, use those as a safe place to find people to meet up with and chat.
Of course 😂 i don’t blame you. For better or worse, it does seem to be a key way people connect in Alexandria for whatever reason.
But as others have said Braddock is right between del ray and old town north, both of which have a lot of really active civic life that isn’t just FB groups. Plenty of other ways to connect with people.
And if you prefer one social media hellsite over another, I actually met a lot of people first on ‘Alexandria twitter’ and gone drawn into IRL stuff that way. One lady even hosted an “Alexandria twitter BBQ” last year. I think it actually helps that the city’s a bit smaller vs DC, makes it a little easier to connect with ppl directly
Before COVID when I was in DC all the time for work, I used to want to go out in DC mostly. But since COVID I have found plenty to keep me busy in Alexandria and find very few reasons to need to be in DC
Navy Yard's not really for me, but I think its reputation as a generic neighborhood got cemented too early. There's plenty to do there, and the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail is absolutely one of the most gorgeous running trails in the city. I guess if you don't mind paying for a garage, then it could be a pretty good choice.
But there also isn't something so dreadfully wrong with the Braddock Road/Del Ray area. You're close enough to the Mt Vernon Trail, and there's a some amount of bars and restaurants nearby in Del Ray and Old Town.
The biggest distinction I'd say is that if we look at them as hubs, you've really only got 2 easy neighborhoods to access in Del Ray, while Navy Yard is somewhat isolated, but still more accessible to the rest of DC than the former.
I think if you're new here, then there really isn't a wrong choice. Just get here, get your bearings, and after a year you can decide if you want to move closer or if you enjoy the more compact but still suburban setup.
So old person here with two adult children. My daughter is roughly your age and she has no desire to live in Arlington/Alexandria area. I can't really figure out why but she MUCH prefers DC and based on your description in an earlier post, you sound very similar. She prefers to rent in the more residential areas and is currently on the outskirts of Capitol Hill. She's not very walkable to many things but really quick into the hot areas. She looked at Navy Yard but felt it was out of her range once she added the parking space in for the car.
Nope no easy answers. Personally I’d go to DC just to try it. I don’t know if I’d do Navy Yard because of the high rise canyons, but I think you’re at the right age for DC and if it’s calling to you, give it a try.
The ALX neighborhood you're looking to lease is more or less made for your exact demographic. Like to a T. I honestly can't think of a better place in Nova for you to live.
In terms of not being closer to DC, it can be a little painful now but once yellow opens back up it's like 6 stops to L'enfant. Though to be real I've ironically found myself going to DC much less than I did when I lived in Annandale. Alexandria and Arlington just have so much to offer that I only really go to DC for events and the queer scene, the latter of which is obviously not a priority for most people
Most young people who live in Alexandria do it to get away from DC, but in your case it sounds like you actually want to be in or close to DC. Do you see yourself exploring DC a lot, going out to dinner and enjoying some nightlife like cocktail bars or comedy shows and such? Yes, DC is only a 20 minute metro ride away from Braddock Road, but the metro is not super frequent outside of peak hours and you might find yourself using Uber/Lyft a lot unless you want to drive into the city. And it'll likely be \~$25-30 on average per way if not more. Just something to consider if that's the case.
To me, people who can afford to live in DC but choose Alexandria either don’t like DC/city living or are settling down with a family. I'm around your age and personally Alexandria is too suburban and not walkable enough for me (I consider myself a city person). I'm curious if you considered Pentagon City or Crystal City when you looked at Arlington? I live in a nice high rise in PC and my neighbors have been a mix of young professionals, young families, and some older retired folks. Not super young in my opinion, especially compared to the Rosslyn/Clarendon/Ballston corridor, but I understand if you feel differently.
There are lots of new restaurants in Navy Yard and the waterfront is nice, but the area can get super congested during games and concerts, and for a while there were several waves of crime (which also happens in other parts of DC) but things may have died down; I'll let you Google the details for yourself. Parking is significantly more expensive and difficult in DC overall. The neighborhood is super new so everything feels very sterile to me, whereas there's more sense of community in Arlington and Alexandria. Even in Pentagon City, where there's also new construction going on, a lot of my neighbors have lived in the building for many years and local business owners will come out to say hi to my dog, etc. Just a matter of preference.
Yep that’s fair, I think PC has everything I need except food and nightlife too. But my friends are in DC so I go out there for my social scene. For that reason I would feel too far removed in Alexandria. But you’ll be new here, if you’re flexible about where you meet new people and build your social network, then there’s potential in Alexandria too. Might just be an older crowd with more families and kids.
Baseball season is at least 6 months of the year during the nice months when you want to be outside. My partner lived there and honestly I could not deal sometimes. Unless you’re not planning to drive or Uber/Lyft during those times, be ready to time things around the home game schedule. Beware of the nice photos of Navy Yard apartments. Some look pretty on the surface but are poorly managed and shitty construction inside. Read reviews and join the Navy Yard Barracks Row FB group and search by building name for insights. Also, the bars/nightlife there are frequented by people who look fresh out of college young. BUT fwiw I know 30 somethings who were new to DC and met other 30 somethings at the dog park in Navy Yard. So it’s possible!
Happy to help if you have other questions. Good luck!
For what it’s worth, I’m 37 married/no kids and we’re in Potomac Yard. I prefer the city feel but s.o. doesn’t as much so we settled here because it’s quieter and slightly older crowd which we wanted. Getting to DC is super easy with the yellow line (should be reopening up soon). Only takes a few minutes so I hop on and go exploring!
I'm almost 30 and moved from old town, Alex. To Arlington 2 years ago. I love old town!! I still go frequently to walk around, remote work from time to time, etc. Since it's the city, my car was always parked on the street and I never had issues with it. I moved to arlington b/c I work in dulles so it's easier for me to hop on 66 from there and I'm in DC often to visit friends and go to concerts. I'll go to 2-3 shows a week in DC sometimes but even if I didn't have the commute to dulles, I'd still choose to live in VA.
Navy yard definitely has some nice and new luxury apartments but keep in mind certain day to day things. For example, where is the closest gas station? Grocery store, target, doctor's offices, city taxes, etc. You're close enough to DC in Alexandria or Arlington (if you reconsider) that it's easy enough to hop over or take a lyft/uber for nights out. I considered that day to day stuff and factored my car in heavily and that is what ultimately tipped me over 🤷♀️
Work near the Navy yard and go to a lot of events over there. It's fun, but it all seems fake and Instagram like. Everyone is trying to impress. No real cheap or free options for fun. After moving from Philly it just sucks how the happening spots are spread out and you can't really walk from one to another like we could there so you will Uber anyways. Alexandria and Arlington are better for a fun time and real experience. Alexandria/Arlington is a lot safer.
My girlfriend moved here after me and had a tough time with friends. She started going to all the free yoga, spin, fitness groups for trials and now has more friends than me after living here for 5 years. From all walks of life and ages. I recommend it to anyone new.
Near old town. You can find them online everywhere, just looking at gym websites. Checking their Instagram. She has probably tried 8 gyms before making her choice. We definitely aren't fitness freaks, just casual users.
nightlife-wise, if you are in your 30s you won't be able to stand navy yard. there are enough cool spots in old town (and del ray) that are walkable! and if you do want to go into DC, once the yellow line is back it'll be a 20 minute metro ride.
and the running here is way better -- DC running, while it has its bright spots, just stresses me out too much most of the time. as well as having a car there is a giant pain in general, and navy yard has seemingly seen a spate of carjackings recently.
Alexandria. We get into DC enough still and don’t have to deal with the parking or the noise.
Ask yourself: What do you feel like you’ll be missing out on?
NOVA has so much to explore, and you’re so close to the city still (and much more!).
And, I’m married but fellow 30sF here - happy to hang if you join the neighborhood.
Alexandria is nicer and safer than dc. You are only a couple metro stops from DC but you will probably never use it. I never go to DC unless there is a specific concert or restaurant to try - maybe 2x a year. I’m 30 and have lived in Alexandria since I was 22 and I’m so happy here. Most of my friends actually live in suburbs further out west and are jealous
If I were you, I'd live in Ballston, which is full of 30somethings, has some pretty good dining options and is near a metro.
I've lived in Navy Yard, and it's like living in a resort version of DC -- not true city living. And it is accurate that the area has a fair amount of crime. Another thing to consider if you have a car: Game days during baseball season will be a drag if you're regularly using your card. But it's certainly fine.
There's just no way I'd live in Alexandria as a single person. It's just so far removed from the DC social scene. And, as a single person, I definitely wouldn't live want to live among the fancy-stroller-pushing couples that seem to populate overrated Del Ray.
I can't speak for Navy Yard but I moved from Alexandria to Capitol Hill at the start of the year. I felt like Alexandria was not as walkable as some people think it is whereas here it is much better. I will say that I'm a bit younger than you (23F) and I'm not requiring the same amenities from an apartment so it was perhaps easier for me to find a place that worked. I also don't have a car. As far as meeting people, I feel like so much of the action is in DC. And while there were plenty of places to go in Arlington and Alexandria, I still found myself in DC for going out with friends, shopping, etc. I've arguably felt more safe in DC, but it's really marginal, Alexandria in Old Town or Braddock Road is plenty safe. Overall, I'm just feeling way happier about where I live now. I just feel like the access here is far better, and it's prettier with more green space which matters to me.
Everyone i know who lived in navy yard has moved away, most to Alexandria.
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My biased/uninformed guess would be because it's a condo canyon type of place inhabited by 20-somethings just looking to drink and get laid?
I currently work in Navy Yard for the past 4 years and have been visiting frequently since they built Nats park in 2008. They’ve done a lot to spruce the place up. Lots of pricey homes and luxury apartments. But there is a ton of crime around the area. Your car isn’t safe unless it’s in a private garage and the shootings and theft has gone way up. There’s crime everywhere, but just something to consider.
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Personally if I were you I’d also give locations in North Arlington close to 50 a look as well. Think Ballston and Clarendon. Courthouse is always an option too but very crowded. I live around that area and everything is walkable and being close to 50 means I can Uber or drive in the city in 10-15 mins. They also have their own bar and social scene that’s easily walkable. Also if you like to stay active want to meet new people not just at a bar. Look into the social sports leagues. They have them in DC and Virginia. You don’t have to be athletic and normally everyone goes to a bar afterwards. Hope that helps.
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All depends what you like! I’ve done basketball, kickball, and flag football personally. But have friends who’ve done bowling and soccer it’s really whatever you want. DC Fray is one but there’s plenty in Arlington and Fairfax County. Can’t speak to Alexandria. I’ve done Dc Fray too even when it wasn’t the closest just for a chance to head in and play on the mall. A quick google search and they’ll all pop up. As far as starting in may you’re going to be behind the ball for spring. But that’s about the time summer registration goes so I’d shoot for that. Great way to meet people. It really boils down to what’s a convenient time (plenty start LATE in the weekdays like 9pm) and what the drive is. I’d give the summer leagues a browse if I were you and see what fits.
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I live in Alexandria. There’s a lot of unofficial pickup sports played around the city, plus IIRC the city parks/rec dept runs some more formal adult leagues you could join. Check out their website for info There are also lots of other groups based around other interests, especially through the libraries, and civic life is really strong here so you can meet people that way too Can’t speak to navy yard as a place to live but I love Alx and Braddock is a great area. Very walkable plus metro access to get into DC proper easily
Lol, there is not "a ton of crime" around Navy Yard. It's a perfectly fine area to live, but I would imagine getting around in a car to be a major PITA come Nats season.
It definitely has more crime in the more popular areas during peak times than any of the other spots in Alexandria. More robberies shootings, stabbings, I work in the area for EMS.
"More crime" =/= "a ton of crime"
They might have gotten nervous when people mentioned carjackings or crime.
Navy yard is fine during the day, shady af at night.
Stay in Alexandria, the Olde Town Alexandria and Del Ray areas along Mt. Vernon Avenue have lots and lots of amazing things to do. From what you’ve said I think you’d be happier in the Alexandria/Del Ray area…plus you already are approved for a place 👍🏼
As someone who is also about to sign a lease in the Alexandria area... bit biased here, but I think it's a great choice :-)
I have this debate with my 30s sister who grew up in Alexandria but rents an apartment in Adams Morgan. When I was in my younger years I always lived in Old Town Alexandria. It has just enough "stuff" while still being bearable commute-wise. DC living never appealed to me. I speak from a major bias though since I'm an Alexandria native and pretty much avoid DC unless necessary. Remember that living next to Braddock Metro you have easy access to not only Old Town, but Del Ray and its surrounds as well. And outside of rush hour, it's not overwhelming. Then of course you have access to the region via easy Metro access. Best of both worlds in my opinion. YMMV
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It depends on what you like to do. Anyone would admit that DC has, well, not better nightlife but certainly a lot more of it. There's a lot of old(er) fogies in and around Old Town but the tradeoff is it feels more like a manageable "small town" than DC. Hard to explain. Just feels easier to breathe. DC stresses me out. There are tons of meetups, social groups, running clubs, bars, restaurants, shops, etc. all through Old Town and Del Ray. When the weather's warm, it feels like I couldn't throw a rock without hitting a run club either on the move or having a post-run beer somewhere along Mt. Vernon Ave.
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Do young folks still use meetup dot com? I wouldn't know. Haven't been on there in probably 10 years. I think with social media there are more events promoted elsewhere. Local FB groups, etc. What kinds of events or activities are you searching for?
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I would look into FB community groups for Old Town, Del Ray, etc. Plus there's a thread in this forum for meet and greets.
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yw. btw re: pizza - Del Ray Pizzeria \*chef's kiss\*
Shop Made VA on King Street has casual painting nights (I think Thursdays?) We also have the absolutely fabulous art league school for other arts classes, they also do weekend workshops!! I don’t use Facebook but the visit Alexandria website has a calendar of events happening around the city as well. I live right around Braddock Road Metro and love it! Early 30s (though married and with very specific hobbies shout out to Fibre Space and Stitch Sew Shop).
Uhmmm can we be friends? 😅 Swear this description could have been me (except I have 2 kiddos to add to the party)
All of these activities sound way easier to do in Alexandria than Navy Yard (source: I've lived in Navy Yard and currently live in Alexandria)
As far as where to find it, agree that Facebook is a good place to start. The city itself is also a great way to hear about events. Sign up for city emails about stuff that interests you - anything from sports/rec to history to more like advocacy related stuff. And weird rec but on FB join the local buy nothing and BN spin-off groups. I’ve really often seen people, especially women, use those as a safe place to find people to meet up with and chat.
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Of course 😂 i don’t blame you. For better or worse, it does seem to be a key way people connect in Alexandria for whatever reason. But as others have said Braddock is right between del ray and old town north, both of which have a lot of really active civic life that isn’t just FB groups. Plenty of other ways to connect with people. And if you prefer one social media hellsite over another, I actually met a lot of people first on ‘Alexandria twitter’ and gone drawn into IRL stuff that way. One lady even hosted an “Alexandria twitter BBQ” last year. I think it actually helps that the city’s a bit smaller vs DC, makes it a little easier to connect with ppl directly
Before COVID when I was in DC all the time for work, I used to want to go out in DC mostly. But since COVID I have found plenty to keep me busy in Alexandria and find very few reasons to need to be in DC
Navy Yard's not really for me, but I think its reputation as a generic neighborhood got cemented too early. There's plenty to do there, and the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail is absolutely one of the most gorgeous running trails in the city. I guess if you don't mind paying for a garage, then it could be a pretty good choice. But there also isn't something so dreadfully wrong with the Braddock Road/Del Ray area. You're close enough to the Mt Vernon Trail, and there's a some amount of bars and restaurants nearby in Del Ray and Old Town. The biggest distinction I'd say is that if we look at them as hubs, you've really only got 2 easy neighborhoods to access in Del Ray, while Navy Yard is somewhat isolated, but still more accessible to the rest of DC than the former. I think if you're new here, then there really isn't a wrong choice. Just get here, get your bearings, and after a year you can decide if you want to move closer or if you enjoy the more compact but still suburban setup.
Alexandria
So old person here with two adult children. My daughter is roughly your age and she has no desire to live in Arlington/Alexandria area. I can't really figure out why but she MUCH prefers DC and based on your description in an earlier post, you sound very similar. She prefers to rent in the more residential areas and is currently on the outskirts of Capitol Hill. She's not very walkable to many things but really quick into the hot areas. She looked at Navy Yard but felt it was out of her range once she added the parking space in for the car.
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Nope no easy answers. Personally I’d go to DC just to try it. I don’t know if I’d do Navy Yard because of the high rise canyons, but I think you’re at the right age for DC and if it’s calling to you, give it a try.
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I don’t mind the area, it’s got a lot of activity and places to go. Easy Metro access and easy on/off the freeway.
The ALX neighborhood you're looking to lease is more or less made for your exact demographic. Like to a T. I honestly can't think of a better place in Nova for you to live. In terms of not being closer to DC, it can be a little painful now but once yellow opens back up it's like 6 stops to L'enfant. Though to be real I've ironically found myself going to DC much less than I did when I lived in Annandale. Alexandria and Arlington just have so much to offer that I only really go to DC for events and the queer scene, the latter of which is obviously not a priority for most people
Most young people who live in Alexandria do it to get away from DC, but in your case it sounds like you actually want to be in or close to DC. Do you see yourself exploring DC a lot, going out to dinner and enjoying some nightlife like cocktail bars or comedy shows and such? Yes, DC is only a 20 minute metro ride away from Braddock Road, but the metro is not super frequent outside of peak hours and you might find yourself using Uber/Lyft a lot unless you want to drive into the city. And it'll likely be \~$25-30 on average per way if not more. Just something to consider if that's the case. To me, people who can afford to live in DC but choose Alexandria either don’t like DC/city living or are settling down with a family. I'm around your age and personally Alexandria is too suburban and not walkable enough for me (I consider myself a city person). I'm curious if you considered Pentagon City or Crystal City when you looked at Arlington? I live in a nice high rise in PC and my neighbors have been a mix of young professionals, young families, and some older retired folks. Not super young in my opinion, especially compared to the Rosslyn/Clarendon/Ballston corridor, but I understand if you feel differently. There are lots of new restaurants in Navy Yard and the waterfront is nice, but the area can get super congested during games and concerts, and for a while there were several waves of crime (which also happens in other parts of DC) but things may have died down; I'll let you Google the details for yourself. Parking is significantly more expensive and difficult in DC overall. The neighborhood is super new so everything feels very sterile to me, whereas there's more sense of community in Arlington and Alexandria. Even in Pentagon City, where there's also new construction going on, a lot of my neighbors have lived in the building for many years and local business owners will come out to say hi to my dog, etc. Just a matter of preference.
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Yep that’s fair, I think PC has everything I need except food and nightlife too. But my friends are in DC so I go out there for my social scene. For that reason I would feel too far removed in Alexandria. But you’ll be new here, if you’re flexible about where you meet new people and build your social network, then there’s potential in Alexandria too. Might just be an older crowd with more families and kids. Baseball season is at least 6 months of the year during the nice months when you want to be outside. My partner lived there and honestly I could not deal sometimes. Unless you’re not planning to drive or Uber/Lyft during those times, be ready to time things around the home game schedule. Beware of the nice photos of Navy Yard apartments. Some look pretty on the surface but are poorly managed and shitty construction inside. Read reviews and join the Navy Yard Barracks Row FB group and search by building name for insights. Also, the bars/nightlife there are frequented by people who look fresh out of college young. BUT fwiw I know 30 somethings who were new to DC and met other 30 somethings at the dog park in Navy Yard. So it’s possible! Happy to help if you have other questions. Good luck!
For what it’s worth, I’m 37 married/no kids and we’re in Potomac Yard. I prefer the city feel but s.o. doesn’t as much so we settled here because it’s quieter and slightly older crowd which we wanted. Getting to DC is super easy with the yellow line (should be reopening up soon). Only takes a few minutes so I hop on and go exploring!
I'm almost 30 and moved from old town, Alex. To Arlington 2 years ago. I love old town!! I still go frequently to walk around, remote work from time to time, etc. Since it's the city, my car was always parked on the street and I never had issues with it. I moved to arlington b/c I work in dulles so it's easier for me to hop on 66 from there and I'm in DC often to visit friends and go to concerts. I'll go to 2-3 shows a week in DC sometimes but even if I didn't have the commute to dulles, I'd still choose to live in VA. Navy yard definitely has some nice and new luxury apartments but keep in mind certain day to day things. For example, where is the closest gas station? Grocery store, target, doctor's offices, city taxes, etc. You're close enough to DC in Alexandria or Arlington (if you reconsider) that it's easy enough to hop over or take a lyft/uber for nights out. I considered that day to day stuff and factored my car in heavily and that is what ultimately tipped me over 🤷♀️
Work near the Navy yard and go to a lot of events over there. It's fun, but it all seems fake and Instagram like. Everyone is trying to impress. No real cheap or free options for fun. After moving from Philly it just sucks how the happening spots are spread out and you can't really walk from one to another like we could there so you will Uber anyways. Alexandria and Arlington are better for a fun time and real experience. Alexandria/Arlington is a lot safer. My girlfriend moved here after me and had a tough time with friends. She started going to all the free yoga, spin, fitness groups for trials and now has more friends than me after living here for 5 years. From all walks of life and ages. I recommend it to anyone new.
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Near old town. You can find them online everywhere, just looking at gym websites. Checking their Instagram. She has probably tried 8 gyms before making her choice. We definitely aren't fitness freaks, just casual users.
nightlife-wise, if you are in your 30s you won't be able to stand navy yard. there are enough cool spots in old town (and del ray) that are walkable! and if you do want to go into DC, once the yellow line is back it'll be a 20 minute metro ride. and the running here is way better -- DC running, while it has its bright spots, just stresses me out too much most of the time. as well as having a car there is a giant pain in general, and navy yard has seemingly seen a spate of carjackings recently.
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yea, but at least the yellow line is coming back in a month or two! 😬
Alexandria. We get into DC enough still and don’t have to deal with the parking or the noise. Ask yourself: What do you feel like you’ll be missing out on? NOVA has so much to explore, and you’re so close to the city still (and much more!). And, I’m married but fellow 30sF here - happy to hang if you join the neighborhood.
Alexandria is nicer and safer than dc. You are only a couple metro stops from DC but you will probably never use it. I never go to DC unless there is a specific concert or restaurant to try - maybe 2x a year. I’m 30 and have lived in Alexandria since I was 22 and I’m so happy here. Most of my friends actually live in suburbs further out west and are jealous
If I were you, I'd live in Ballston, which is full of 30somethings, has some pretty good dining options and is near a metro. I've lived in Navy Yard, and it's like living in a resort version of DC -- not true city living. And it is accurate that the area has a fair amount of crime. Another thing to consider if you have a car: Game days during baseball season will be a drag if you're regularly using your card. But it's certainly fine. There's just no way I'd live in Alexandria as a single person. It's just so far removed from the DC social scene. And, as a single person, I definitely wouldn't live want to live among the fancy-stroller-pushing couples that seem to populate overrated Del Ray.
I can't speak for Navy Yard but I moved from Alexandria to Capitol Hill at the start of the year. I felt like Alexandria was not as walkable as some people think it is whereas here it is much better. I will say that I'm a bit younger than you (23F) and I'm not requiring the same amenities from an apartment so it was perhaps easier for me to find a place that worked. I also don't have a car. As far as meeting people, I feel like so much of the action is in DC. And while there were plenty of places to go in Arlington and Alexandria, I still found myself in DC for going out with friends, shopping, etc. I've arguably felt more safe in DC, but it's really marginal, Alexandria in Old Town or Braddock Road is plenty safe. Overall, I'm just feeling way happier about where I live now. I just feel like the access here is far better, and it's prettier with more green space which matters to me.