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| *Travel Tips>>>Washington, D.C. Travel Tips |
Where is the best location to live near or by, Washington, D.C. ? |
Travel Info My Husband just got hired to work at George Washington University. So, we will be moving up to D.C. sometime in the Fall of 2007. I hear crime is bad in D.C. is that true? Travel Tips Welcome to D.C. Crime is bad in D.C., but it depends on the area and luck. There are murders in S.E. and in Georgetown-- things can happen anywhere. But, there are still millions of people who live/visit safely here. I'd suggest living even on/near the GWU campus if you don't mind living near students (noise, traffic, etc.). Try Colombia Plaza, Potomac Apartments, etc. The commute (a block) would rock. You could also try Rosslyn. That's popular, but it's got noise and traffic. Pentagon City and outwards on the blue line is fine-- but the blue line on the metro can be a pain. Clarendon, Ballston, etc. on the orange line are reasonably (relatively) priced and more more charming. Reston has better amenities, but it is an absolute NIGHTMARE to commute to Foggy Bottom/GWU driving every day. I couldn't think of anything worse. The metro subway or buses aren't much better. Living out there would mean at least several buses and train transfers. Don't live in Sterling, Tysons, College Park, etc. because commuting is a pain. Gaithersburg (and Maryland in general) would be a very unpleasant (long, annoying) commute to Foggy Bottom/GWU. Stick with either living literally in Foggy Bottom/GWU area or Northern Arlington. GWU is on the orange/blue line, so keep that in mind. Georgetown doesn't have a metro, so if you live in Georgetown or the Palisades area you'll have to drive, walk, or take the Georgetown bus. Others My aunt lived in Alexandria, VA, and it was verrry close to D.C. It was about 7 miles away IIRC. The traffic is horrible though. If your husband doesn't mind commuting too much, I would suggest the suburban area of Reston, Va. It's a popular destination for many people who work in D.C and crime is fairly low in the area. I personally love Reston for it's beauty, diversity and size so I would seriously suggest you consider reston as a possibility. I've lived in reston my whole life The commutes in the DC area are miserable at rush hour but GW has a metro stop and the metro's a good way to avoid hours of stop-and-go Beltway traffic. I'd recommend choosing somewhere in VA near the Blue or Orange line stations (because GW is on the Blue and Orange lines). Another option is living in Western MD and taking the MARC train into the city though that's not as direct a route. If he'd rather drive, Alexandria in VA is a nice place. DC isn't a place I would want to live, even after living in Foggy Bottom, but there are some nice communities. Unfortunately, everything nice is really expensive. Living outside the city is probably best. I'm a GW alumna. I used to live just south of Alexandria, and the traffic was bas, but there is public transportation. The crime is bad, but ask around, because there are safe areas to travel and live. In D.C. itself trhere are areas to avoid and times to avoid certain areas. Again, ask around. |
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