Moving to DC soon - Please Help!!
 

I will be moving to DC area for a job. Would appreciate advice on where to move - will have car and pets. I would like to be near restaurants, nightlife, museums, but where do city-dwellers park their cars on a monthly basis? Drove through Rock Creek Park but did not see much activity. Is it safe? Would like to live in a safe area where I can jog day or evening. I am female and lived many years in NYC so can understand city sensibilities. Thanks to all for your help.

I'd look at Capitol Hill--easier to find a place to park your car than Dupont Circle or some other NW neighborhoods. No matter where you are, you need to be careful at night, just like other cities. Since you've lived in NYC, you won't be as shocked at the rental prices as others are--there's a real lack of available rentals now and prices are high.

Relocating what is your money situation. How much can you spend a month. Also do you have to live in DC? There are great places to live right over the bridge in virginia. I live in Old Town Alexandria. Would love to help you but what is your budget?

Will probably be looking in NW DC or nearby Maryland. Capitol Hill looked very nice but kind of isolated. How easy is it to get to activities other than museums/Capitol/White House? What other safe, interesting neighborhoods would be recommended for easy access to restaurants, nightlife, parks. I am intrigued by townhouse living, too.

Relocating (you're not an in-coming Republican, are you? :), <BR> <BR>Assuming you are young, single and childless, I'd probably suggest that you not consider suburban Maryland. I am very happy here, but I have three kids. If you are looking for something other than soccer mom heaven, then D.C. or Old Town is probably a better bet. <BR> <BR>That said, suburban Maryland would meet one of your specs. The jogging in the neighborhoods is great and very safe. The Friendship Heights area of Maryland (right on the border with the District) is OK, but the apartments there are highrises and they don't look that inviting to me. But you won't be that close to museums and night life. <BR> <BR>A few other random thoughts: Jogging near Capitol Hill wouldn't be my favorite place. You could certainly jog on the mall, but I suspect that would get old after a while, and Capitol Hill might be a little suspect at night. You might consider Adams Morgan in the District, but others will have to advise further on that. <BR> <BR>Good luck, and welcome!

Well, I recommend Dupont Circle, but then I'm biased because that's where I live. It's very safe, but the parking situation is abysmal. If you want to be assured of someplace to park without circling for hours, you really have to buy or rent a parking space. Otherwise it's just on-street parking, and DC has this "zone" system where you have to go to the police station and get a sticker for your zone (e.g. where I live is zone 2), which basically allows you to leave your car in one place without moving it constantly -- but there are very few spaces like that, and you do have to move it on certain days for street cleaning, etc. It's a huge pain, and one of the major reasons why I sold my car when I moved here. I just use the metro and walk everywhere, occasionally take cabs, and if I want to take the occasional weekend road trip I just rent a car at the Avis down the street, which is a lot cheaper than keeping a car here with gas, insurance, taxes, etc. Anyway, Dupont Circle is great and very safe and has lots of joggers and fellow pet lovers. Aside from parking, the only other downside is that housing is expensive, whether you're renting or buying.

I would not recommend living in the Maryland burbs--Bethesda's not too bad, but it still can't compete with the city. Also, where will you be working? Consider which Metro line is closest to your office, and then look at neighborhoods around there. Based on your original info, I would say Dupont Circle or Cleveland Park. Cleveland Park is north of Dupont Circle, with the added attraction of bordering Rock Creek Park. <BR> <BR>Apartments in the city usually have long waiting lists for garage spots. There are some private garages that will rent to you. Just stop in to one close to where ever you choose to list and see what they say. <BR> <BR>Depending on where you are working, the Courthouse or Clarendon neighborhoods in Arlington might also work. You're a lot more likely to get parking there. There are quite a few bars, restaurants, coffee houses, several metro stops, etc. If you're at Courthouse, it's two stops to Foggy Bottom (the first stop in D.C.--it's at GWU), and just a couple more to Farragut West (in the middle of the biz district). <BR> <BR>Also, I like Capitol. Lots of trees, houses with character. Yes, there is more crime up there, but I'm sure less than what you're used to. I have several friends who have lived on the Hill since graduating from college 9 years ago, and none of them have ever had any problems. And the area really isn't isolated at all. <BR> <BR>Good luck--I've loved living in D.C. ever since I came here in 1987 to go to college. It's a great place, but very transient, so count on the friends you make eventually moving away!

I just posted a long message and it got lost so I'll try to repeat the key points as I think I had some useful info for you. First, I live here and think upper NW, Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Old Town Alexandria and Arlington would all be good; for a newcomer, I prefer the city. Capitol Hill does have a little better parking, but it's not great--I used to live there and still had to get home by about 7 pm or could not find a spot within 4-5 blocks of my apt and it was too scary, I got tired of looking over my shoulder all the time so I moved (at night) even though I liked it there a lot. The problem is there are mostly renovated townhouses which can be charming but there is rarely included parking. I think Dupont Circle is great (ditto Adams Morgan) but pkg is very difficult to get, you may have to wait months for a garage spot. I do know some older large apt complexes in Georgetown have parking, you could try as it's a great location, although also not close to a metro stop. Frankly, I do not think it is safe to jog at night about anywhere around here--there have been muggings, rapes, etc in all those paths (in Arlington and Rock Creek Parkway). The Mall actually might be about the safest as it is the most open, I'm sure it will get no more boring than any other place you always jog. I think upper Connecticut Ave is good as there are a lot of apt bldgs up there, it's convenient to metro and nightlife, and I think more of them include parking. I looked at one place that might be perfect for you at 2501 Porter St (overlooking Rock Creek Park), they accept pets and have a garage, and it's very nice (toll free 877-370-0819); about $1300 for a 1 BR, +$100 for pkg, it's considered a "luxury" rental but that's about what you will have to pay for a nice 1 BR in a good area. (to be cont)

Another place that fits almost all of your criteria I'd suggest is McLean Gardens on Wisconsin Ave in upper NW DC (phone 202-364-8114). This is a huge campus-like apt complex, but it is older apts and they are nice. They have highrises and townhouses, plus accept cats and have plenty of parking. Their 1 BR townhouses, with walkin closet and FP, are again about $1400 (think that includes the pkg). Because it's a large complex, they almost always have vacancies and you could jog right on the property, it's a large campus and very pretty. The only disadvantage is it's about 5 blocks to the nearest metro stop (Tenley) but you can't have everything as it's got most other things you want. I think buses must go down Wisconsin, also. So, you have a lot of stringest criteria that will make it very difficult to find something (allows pets plus parking) and the rental mkt here is tight, so if you find something decent, don't delay. The pets things limits it a lot, here is a local URL that lists DC apartments that allow pets, probably a good start for you: www.petloverscompanion.com You can also search www.apartments.com by criteria and location.

Your best bet for being able to walk around at night with nightlife and being able to jog, etc is downtown Bethesda. If you have pets, the Bethesda Crescent Trail is popular for people to walk their dogs. <BR> <BR>You can walk to tons of different restaurants, and also enjoy bookstores, movies, etc, and the metro is in downtownn Bethesda as well. You can take the metro from Bethesda straight to downtown DC, if that's where you will be working. <BR> <BR>Another suggestion in MD is the area that is near the "Grosvenor" metro stop. Right at the border between Bethesda and Rockville. Very safe, lots of people out walking their dogs, etc. However, you will not be able to just step outside and walk to restaurants, as it is more residential, but still very well located in terms of getting to and from. <BR> <BR>I've heard that taxes in DC are higher to live in, than in MD, so you may want to think about that. Also, D.C., unfortunately, is still trying to get better with services such as police, ambulance, etc. Maryland is a much better bet--my husband and I go in to DC from the Bethesda area almost every weekend, and it just takes about a 20 min. metro ride.

Thanks, all, for your advice. It sounds like the place to be would be around Dupont or Capitol Hill. Is Adams Morgan,Kalorama, and Mt. Pleasant safe, too? They seem to be close to RC park where I can exercise and bring the dogs. I will be working in Bethesda so the counter-commute might be easier. Would it be better to commute by train or car? (I could not bear the NYC subway system). I'll be going to DC again in a few weeks for more neighborhood explorations. Please send me your recommendations for a lively restaurant/cafe/coffee shop for a taste of the "DC scene" and maybe a place to listen to live music. It's too cold now to take a walk in the park. I'll wait for spring to do that. Thanks, again!

I have lived in Foggy Bottom, Dupont East, Rockville, Chevy Chase/Friendship Heights, and Crystal City. <BR> <BR>Everybody is different, but here is my ranking of those locations (keep in mind that I am/was an 18-25 year old male). <BR> <BR>1. Chevy Chase/Friendship Heights-see below <BR> <BR>2. Foggy Bottom- a quiet spot in a big city <BR> <BR>3. Rockville-a classic suburb. Too many Best Buy type strip malls for me. <BR> <BR>4. Dupont East- not the best neighborhood, but other sides of the Circle are better. <BR> <BR>5. Crystal City- Cement kingdom...avoid this area. <BR> <BR>IMO, the Friendship Heights area has it all for a maturing 20 something and up. <BR> <BR>It is a safe, chic area with too many good restaurants to count. The shopping is outstanding: a free-standing Saks Fifth Avenue, little shops in downtown Bethesda, and other upper level brand names such as the Versace shop on Wisconsin. <BR> <BR>The commute to K Street is about 30-40 minuntes. The parking is OK. If you live in any of the apartments, I am pretty sure they have garages. If you can afford your own house or have housemates, the upper NW area between Wisconsin and Connecticut Ave is, IMO, the prettiest part of the city. <BR> <BR>I lived off Wisconsin betweeen Bradley Blvd. and the Saks, and there was ample street parking (although you need a permit). <BR> <BR>This area can be pricey...but if youre on a budget look at an apartment complex that is near the corner of Bradley and Wisconsin that is quite inexpensive. Ill try to find the name of if it and post it for you. <BR> <BR>-Tony

huh?

Moving to DC soon - Please Help!! <BR> <BR> <BR>You'll need it. Boring as heck....you'd do better to live in Va. or MD.

ttt

I wasn't aware that you had dogs (Iwas thinking cats), and more than one--I <BR>think you will find it very difficult to find any place that will allow that, espec. in the city, so your limiting factor could just be that. Some indiv. owner-rented places, like renovated townhouses on Capitol Hill, might be more amenable to that than apt. buildings. Rock Creek park isn't the only park in DC, you shouldn't think you have to go there (some woman was <BR>assaulted jogging in Rock Creek Park last week about 3 pm and she died, BTW, <BR>no suspects so far--although that was north of the District line in MOntgomery County, not too far from Bethesda). I think dog owners walk <BR>their dogs in Stanton Park on Capitol Hill, I know there is some regular <BR>dog-walking park in NW but I don't have one so don't know the name. Mt Pleasant is not very safe on the safeness scale, it's the worst of the <BR>places you named (for crime and gangs) and not very convenient, anyway. Frankly, I much prefer DC to Bethesda for living, but I know a lot of people live in apts in Bethesda so must like it--it's just not much of a real place to me, just a suburb, and not that great for nightlife anyway except for restaurants. One of its few live music places just shut down (Lewie's). There are some uninteresting chain bar/restaurant places there where some young people go after work to pick up <BR>people, but it's not very urban to me. I don't like Friendship Hts, myself, I think it's pretentious and dull and conservative unless your idea of a great time is shopping at Saks all the time and eating in mall restaurants with suburban families; so you can see the problem as some guy above recommended it (although he did say it was good for Saks and Versace shopping, which kind of does illustrate who lives up there and what it's like). As for the commute, if you work near the metro station, definitely take the metro, it is much nicer than NYC's subways. Traffic around here is horrendous just about any time now, going anywhere, so it may be marginally better going north but I'm not even sure of that. Lots of people work up that way and will be doing the same thing. <BR>

As for where to hear music and hang out, I'd recommend Tryst in Adams Morgan as the best coffeehouse (2459 18th St at Columbis)--it turns into a bar at night. Near Dupont Circle, Soho is very popular (at 21st and P), as are the two Xando's (just south of Dupont Circle metro and a new branch around R or S and Connecticut). On Capitol Hill, there's a Xando's also around 3rd and Pennsylvania SE. For music, tghere are more big popular dance club places, some with name acts and pretty good (ie, 930 club), but I guess I'd recommend Felix and Madam's Organ on 18th St in Adams Morgan for music, Felix has a little bit of everything, fun, jazz, alternative country, THursday is good, things get real crowded in any good club on weekends. State of the Union is good around 14th and U St, also. there isn't much live music on Capitol Hill, just a few bars, but Mr Henry's has some and is a local hangout, it's at 601 Pa Ave SE (jazz on Fri), it's popular with local gay/lesbian crowd, but not solely. For upper NW Wisconsin Ave, Cafe Deluxe around 32nd is great as coffeehouse and bar at night. there are a few billiards places where people go and hang out, also, that are pretty popular--Buffalo Billiards around Dupont Circle and Bedrock Billiards in Adams Morgan.

Thanks, all, for your helpful info. Christina, you definitely know how to stay active after work in DC. I hear the Kennedy Center has free performances. Is it worth the trip?