Do you live in a community that is family friendly? (Arlington: apartment complexes, HOA)

[midlifeman]

Okay,

You guys have been great about answering questions about schools, but let's talk about community (Try and forget the schools for a minute). I'm looking for a sense of community or place for my family.

House size: 2,500 square feet minimum (loudon or fairfax county)

When I think of community for families here is what comes to mind:
-Does it have a nearby playground
-A park or field
-sidewalks
-nearby swimming pool
-trails
-does it have an HOA, that host events like picnics, halloween parades, does it have a list serve or facebook page that shares ideas etc, with the fellow neighbors.
-are the houses close together?
...bottom line can i go for a walk at night after dinner and not get home until after 9pm because I've been chatting it up with the neighbors along the way.

What say ye families?? Feel free to brag about you neighborhood.

[mikebnllnb]

I live in the Broadlands in Loudoun. I am more than happy here. It's a large HOA that has many amenities there are three community pools (home to two different very large community swim teams) Basketball and tennis courts. A nature center with an Audubon naturalist on staff that also has classes for younger kids. Playgrounds a plenty. And several miles of walking trails. The HOA also host several parties throughout the year for adults as well as kids. We also have a concert series in the summer. There are mom groups in the community and the HOA runs a bus the the brewfest in Leesburg every year. Oh and a couple of stocked fishing ponds.

Most of the larger communities in Ashburn will have many of the same amenities. You can't really go wrong if you find a house you really like I think you'll be happy.

[cdmurphy]

I live in Brambleton. We have all that, and more.

[mdcrim]

I live in Ashburn Farm. Same as cdmurphy and mikebnllnb in regards to community offerings. The larger Ashburn communities are built for families. We've been in Ashburn since 2000 and have watched it grow up around up. It is a wonderful place to raise a family in my opinion. My section of the neighborhood seems to be able to get together socially at least once a month.

[CAVA1990]

You may not get answers from people living in smaller communities that have those things if they don't want to give their location away. I'll just say there are many communities like that here in Mount Vernon. Just look for the ones with community pools. Most HOAs have a website.

[michgc]

Our community is a bit different then the ones in Ashburn. I lived (until 1 year ago) in Town of Vienna. I loved it, and still miss it. While there are different neighborhoods, they are mostly not as planned out as those in Ashburn. The neighborhoods run together more. But the whole town has a great community feeling. At the heart of the town is the Vienna Community Center with classes and special activities, as well as a teen social hall. There is a library and town hall. The fire station holds regular open houses and pancake breakfasts. The W&OD Trail runs through town. There is a big Town Green that holds regular concerts all summer long as well as story times for the kids.

Church Street (1 block off and paralleling Route 123) is our "historic main street." On it are several locally-owned restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream shops, some retail and services. It also is the scene for our annual Viva-Vienna fair over Memorial Day Weekend and the Holiday Stroll before Christmas. Each fall there is a Halloween Parade that closes off Route 123 that has been going on annually for over 50 years! And every summer there is an Independence Day Fair and Fireworks. Also scattered throughout town are plenty of parks and playgrounds along with tennis courts, baseball fields, and basketball courts and two local swim clubs.

What I particularly like about Town of Vienna is the huge feeling of community there. If you walk around town or shop at the local stores or take a class at the community center, you will run into friends from across town or kids from your children's school or someone from your basketball league. There are also old timers and families who have lived there for generations that gives it a unique touch for the DC area.

Before moving to Vienna, I lived in Silver Spring, Rockville, Bethesda, and Falls Church, and I never felt the sense of community that I did when I lived in Vienna.

[mikebnllnb]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

I live in Brambleton. We have all that, and more.

But at a terrible price......Brambleton is built on top of an old Quaker cemetery which in turn was built upon an old Indian burial ground. Living there is like Poltergeist and Pet Cemetery combined. What ever you do don't go into the light....


Plus the people there are just a bit touched....lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etyILx5Qg8o

[marie5v]

Originally Posted by midlifeman

Okay,

You guys have been great about answering questions about schools, but let's talk about community (Try and forget the schools for a minute). I'm looking for a sense of community or place for my family.

House size: 2,500 square feet minimum (loudon or fairfax county)

When I think of community for families here is what comes to mind:
-Does it have a nearby playground
-A park or field
-sidewalks
-nearby swimming pool
-trails
-does it have an HOA, that host events like picnics, halloween parades, does it have a list serve or facebook page that shares ideas etc, with the fellow neighbors.
-are the houses close together?
...bottom line can i go for a walk at night after dinner and not get home until after 9pm because I've been chatting it up with the neighbors along the way.

What say ye families?? Feel free to brag about you neighborhood.

Bonnie Brae in Fairfax, near the Burke border. Has almost everything you describe except trails, but it does have a lake with a short walking path. Also Middleridge, next door. But they are not walking distance to the elementary school, as Bonnie Brae is. Homes range from $450-750.

[Caladium]

I think that describes quite a few of the communities in northern VA. Nova is a very family-oriented area, especially out in the burbs. Not so many activities for the hip crowd or the 20-somethings, but most of the communities have plenty of activities for families, plus all the features you requested. The only feature that's missing in some of the older communities would be sidewalks, but most of the communities built since the 90s have them. And that's not always a problem--in some of those older communities it's no big deal at all to walk in the street.

Where I live (Lowes Island) it is common to see families out and about and to stop to talk to a neighbor. Also, since crime is really low you'll see people out and about taking walks at night (although we don't seem to have that many kids playing outside after dark--seems like they go home for dinner and then stay home).

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by midlifeman

Okay,

You guys have been great about answering questions about schools, but let's talk about community (Try and forget the schools for a minute). I'm looking for a sense of community or place for my family.

House size: 2,500 square feet minimum (loudon or fairfax county)

When I think of community for families here is what comes to mind:
-Does it have a nearby playground
-A park or field
-sidewalks
-nearby swimming pool
-trails
-does it have an HOA, that host events like picnics, halloween parades, does it have a list serve or facebook page that shares ideas etc, with the fellow neighbors.
-are the houses close together?
...bottom line can i go for a walk at night after dinner and not get home until after 9pm because I've been chatting it up with the neighbors along the way.

What say ye families?? Feel free to brag about you neighborhood.

I live in South Arlington near Columbia Pike and Ft. Myer. I really cannot recommend this area for families. It seems like it is much better suited for older professionals without children and younger professionals who don't have the funds to live in Clarendon or along the Orange Line east of Ballston. The homes are older and smaller and the apartment complexes usually have no bigger than 2 bedrooms.

The area works perfect for where I am at right now in life but I would not live with a family here (actually I highly doubt I'd ever do the family thing period.)