New job in Reston, want to move to Arlington - thoughts/advice? (Herndon: apartment complex, for rent)

[mlaughery]

I have lived in downtown Raleigh NC for the past 6 years, and love being able to walk to pretty much anything I want to, and not move my car for days at a time. I just accepted a job in Reston, VA, and Reston Town Center doesn't really fit my lifestyle. I am looking for a place with more random bars, and closer to DC as I am a HUGE Nats fan and will be hitting up many games.

So Arlington seems to be the best fit - somewhere near 66 - Ballston, Courthouse - something like that. I am in my mid 30's, single, and love going out. So does that area fit me?

Also, driving to Reston till the Metro is all the way to towncenter (2017/2018 I hear?) should I expect about 45 minutes each way? I know I am going against traffic, but this is the DC area, so that doesn't mean much.

As for an apartment, I don't want to rent from a standard apartment complex (had bad luck in the past) so hoping to find a condo for rent with both parking and a washer and dryer in them, very close proximity to bars, restaurants, shopping, and hopefully metro for trips to DC.

Thanks!

[CallOnAnna]

Arlington sounds like the perfect fit for you. Unfortunately it tends to be pretty pricey so keep in mind that what you can get in Reston, won't get you as much space in Arlington. But you can find a condo with a washer/dryer and parking as long as your budget allows it. If you are looking in the $1500 or under range, it might be pretty tough to find the washer/dryer in unit.

Reston is getting the Metro in March/April already. From Arlington 30-45 min to Reston sounds about right.

[DC area refugee]

There aren't a lot of good ways to make that commute (I run it in the "normal" direction). In a car, the good news is that with the reverse commute you'd be able to use 66 in a single-driver vehicle, but unfortunately the traffic can actually be worse because no HOV restriction (I-66 is HOV-only inside the beltway in the "normal" rush direction 6:30-9 and 4-6:30). Someone else may have better suggestions, but I'd count on ~45 minutes from Clarendon to Reston in a reverse commute by car (it's 25 minutes no traffic). Also, to take 287 ("the toll road") will cost you $3.50 each way -- $140/month!, but taking 7 through Tysons would be miserable.

You could also take Metro: Orange line from Arlington or DC to West Falls Church and then bus to Reston TC (555, 505 - buses every half hour or so in opposite direction (Route 555: Sunset Hills Park and Ride - West Falls Church Line*- Fairfax County, Virginia)). Once it opens in a few months, you could also take Silver line to Wiehle and local bus from there to RTC (I don't know what the routes will look like once metro opens @ Wiehle, but it'd be only a 5-10 minute bus trip). You could also bike from Wiehle to RTC along the W&OD trail). I currently commute via transit (bus from RTC to WFC then Metro to Courthouse); including a 10-15 minute drive to RTC from north Herndon, I go door-to-door in almost exactly an hour.

Seems like you'd be ~45 minutes either by car or transit from inner Arlington, a little longer from DC (no idea where on the orange line in DC would be a good location). A train change to another line obviously adds time - 5 minutes or so during rush (15 minutes or more non-rush).

Another option would be to suck it up and live in RTC. The restaurant/bar options have grown a lot in the last few years and will likely continue to grow w/ metro moving in. But it still doesn't strike me as much of a bar hopping/nightlife kind of place & you're probably correct that DC or Clarendon/CH is more your speed. To be honest, I am actually looking to move a little closer in myself, as I find this part of NoVA to be far enough out that I just don't get into the city as often as I thought I would. Getting to a Nats game is a good 90+ minutes from here each way.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by CallOnAnna

Reston is getting the Metro in March/April already.

Yes, Reston is getting the Metro soon, but the station isn't in Town Center. It is at Whiele Ave which is about a mile from the closest part of Town Center. Now, that isn't a huge distance, but will seem so when it is either 95 or 10 degrees. (certainly, some companies will provide shuttles; hopefully yours is one that will.)

[stateofnature]

There are only a handful of bars in Ballston and Courthouse. If you want a lot of bars in one walkable area, Clarendon is pretty much the only neighborhood in Arlington that fits the bill. The crowd at bars there at night tends to be a bit fratty and preppy, in my opinion, which might be a plus for many, but then there's also Iota and Galaxy Hut which get more of a hipster crowd. Iota is an awesome live music venue!

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by stateofnature

There are only a handful of bars in Ballston and Courthouse. If you want a lot of bars in one walkable area, Clarendon is pretty much the only neighborhood in Arlington that fits the bill. The crowd at bars there at night tends to be a bit fratty and preppy, in my opinion, which might be a plus for many, but then there's also Iota and Galaxy Hut which get more of a hipster crowd. Iota is an awesome live music venue!

Kind of a side note, but the state of Virginia does not allow "bars". All "bars" must serve food and achieve a certain amount of their revenue from food. To find true bars, you must go into DC.

[stateofnature]

Ok, maybe they're not technically bars, but you know what I mean. Bars, clubs, nightlife venues... places that stay open late and most people after dinner hours are there to drink, not to eat. Clarendon has more of them than anywhere else in Arlington.

[mlaughery]

Appreciate the updates/advice, folks.

A few more questions - is Clarendon a quick jump to 66 like Ballston is? I am more a fan of dive bars than fratty bars, so sounds like Ballston might not be a fantastic fit, other than just a quick metro ride to DC.

Also Clarendon seems more expensive than Raleigh based on a 60 second craigslist search. Is that the case? Or just what I happen to be seeing on craigslist.

Lastly, would there be anywhere decent and fun in DC to live that would be about the same distance/time to Reston? Or close to it anyways?

The 45 minute drive + tolls won't really bother me, except on the days where that 45 turns into 1.5 hours on the way in. On the way out, if traffic is that bad, time to stop for an early dinner to let it pass.

Thanks again for the advice so far!

[JfromReston]

Live in Reston and hang out a Jimmy's in Herndon.

Jimmy's Old Town Tavern

[Deeman804]

Originally Posted by mlaughery

Also Clarendon seems more expensive than Raleigh based on a 60 second craigslist search. Is that the case? Or just what I happen to be seeing on craigslist...

Rule of thumb, everything around here of equal amenities will be more expensive. DC has a higher cost of living.