Washington DC, Where to Live?
 

A good friend of mine (guy) is looking to move to Washington DC and I'm looking for some suggestions on good places to live. For him this means lots available in walking distance, local coffee shop, pharmacy, bars, nightlife, however he is shying away from Georgetown for example which he feels the crowd is too young. He is 47 yrs old, but likes to go out and have fun. Also, he's outdoorsy (park nearby maybe) and will have a car, so defined parking spot or garage is key. Also, I was thinking it might be helpful to be along the RED line, since he will often take Metro to work in Bathesda.

It's kind of hard to get a feel for the neighborhoods not being from the area and I'm hoping you can provide some good suggestions.
Thanks!!!

If he can afford it, a place along the Red Line in either Woodley Park or Cleveland Park should fit the criteria you mention - easy access to coffee shops, restaurants, bars (including a few Irish pubs that often have music), Rock Creek Park.... There's a pharmacy near the metro stop in Cleveland Park and there's one near the Dupont Circle red line stop that is still 24-hour. Many (but not all) buildings in both neighborhoods have parking available for a fee. Both neighborhoods have a greater proportion of post-college age residents than Georgetown. (Van Ness and Tenleytown, further north along the red line, also have higher proportions of college-age residents and a more limited range of restaurants than Woodley Park or Cleveland Park.) I think both neighborhoods have a more residential feel than Dupont Circle (which is easily reached from either).

Hope that helps!

Yes, that is helpful, thanks!

Agree with the Woodley Park / Cleveland Park suggestion, and I'd say Bethesda itself should definitely be considered. Lots of restaurants and shops and theatres in 'downtown' Bethesda, with a nice, walkable vibe. Silver Spring at the other end of the Red Line also has an increasingly hip-ish vibe and would I'm guessing be significantly cheaper. Georgetown itself, btw, is hopeless for anyone hoping to use the Metro extensively, especially the Red Line, so it's good that he's not attracted to it.

You don;t say where you're/he's from - which will make a big difference. While DC is cheap compared to NY it's going to be expensive compared to a lot of other places. He shuld be looking at apartments online to get some idea of price range for the various areas.

Thanks tahl, I was thinking Bathesda might be considered as well, but not that familiar...

nytraveler, he is from S. Jersey outside of PHILA..it's prob similar in pricing, I would say his budget is around $3K per month.

It is Bethesda, not Bathesda. It is a nice area. I would love to live there if I could afford it.

Bethesda, got it!

Also tell him to check out Old Town Alexandria. Very nice for walking, coffee houses, wine bars, nice community feel, short metro ride in to D.C., lots of interesting residents his age.

The commute from Old Town to Bethesda would be deadly

Oh, I totally missed that he wil be working in Bethesda! Forget it!