Charlene

I will be attending a conference 11-13 Nov at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City but will be staying at the Courtyard Marriott next door. Could someone please give me some info regarding the area and hotel. Have option to stay elsewhere but don't know if car will be available. Are there restaurants, shopping within walking distance?

Postal

Crystal City is on the "underground," which includes several stores and restaurants within walking distance. Most of the stores close early (by 6 PM) but the restaurants are of course open later.

Half a mile away is the Pentagon City Mall area, which has many restaurants inside and outside the mall, and of course many shops in the four story mall.

ddd

Yes and no to your question. Crystal City is primarily active by day for business. As the above poster noted the mall has plenty of shops and (mostly chain) restaurants) Elsewhere there are pockets of shops and restaurants but to most people the overall impression is pretty sterile and univiting. If you don't have a car and are looking for a friendlier more local feel, take a cab to Old Towne Alexandria (tons of fun shopping and restaurants, lots of night life) or Ballston (lots of great ethnic restaurants). Both would be a short ride and are very accessible to Crystal City.

r-travels

I wouldn't even bother with the car. Take the Metro. The King Street stop is the area to be in Alexandria. I hear good thing about the Ballston stop (you'd have to change trains, maybe in Rosslyn), or go to Rosslyn station then jump on the Georgetown Shuttle (only 50 cents, or 25 if you get a transfer ticket at the Crystal City Metro. Anyone visiting DC should try the Metro.

gina

You can walk to a very cool restaurant street, (21st street maybe?) that is a real surprise, given the area. Lots of choices and a slice of nightlife in the concrete suburbs.

jjoey

The street is 23rd, there's a few restaurants around there.

Frankly, Crystal City IS mostly a sterile, daytime office area. I pass through here frequently and am amused by the tourists who come off the train and wonder where they are. Also, late night, this area can get a little iffy.

Also, I'd avoid Pentagon City; visit there and find out for yourself. Across from that mall, though, there is a Borders that's half-decent.

Tahl

On 23rd street, try the Saigon Crystal restaurant for a good Vietnamese meal in pleasant surroundings. Arlington has a very large Vietnamese population and so excellent restaurants. Can't miss it; as you walk up 23rd St. from the river (the direction you'd be coming from), it's on your left. It's my pick for the best of the restaurants on 23rd.

If your taste runs more to large expensive slabs of beef, amid the Crystal City office buildings on Crystal Drive near the river there's a branch of Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Ignore the weird name. This place does steak very nicely.