Neighborhoods in Arlington, Alexandria or Fairfax with close, family communities? (Annandale: big house, high school)

[athousandlogins]

I live in 22046. It definitely meets the requirements of walkable, good schools, and family-friendly. Overall, I adore the area. However, I will say that most of my immediate neighbors are significantly older than me and don't have young children at home. And even those that do are typically 2 income families who don't have time to socialize much. So I don't tend to meet other families just by hanging out in the yard.

But the City does have a lot of events and also many parks; I've met several other young families out and about around town that way. The other day I had a conversation with another mom on the sidewalk because she wanted to ask about my double stroller, but she doesn't live on my street so I wouldn't have met her if I wasn't walking around. They are here, it just takes effort to find them if your house doesn't happen to be sandwiched between them.

Also, Falls Church isn't terribly attractive - it doesn't have a cute little downtown center area like Fairfax City, and Rt. 7 blasting through town can be annoying - but it's very utilitarian. All the stuff that is here is stuff I actually use and walk to on a regular basis (groceries, dry cleaning, pharmacies, even our doctor - you name it). This has been a big selling point for me.

[live_strong28]

Originally Posted by athousandlogins

I live in 22046. It definitely meets the requirements of walkable, good schools, and family-friendly. Overall, I adore the area. However, I will say that most of my immediate neighbors are significantly older than me and don't have young children at home. And even those that do are typically 2 income families who don't have time to socialize much. So I don't tend to meet other families just by hanging out in the yard.

But the City does have a lot of events and also many parks; I've met several other young families out and about around town that way. The other day I had a conversation with another mom on the sidewalk because she wanted to ask about my double stroller, but she doesn't live on my street so I wouldn't have met her if I wasn't walking around. They are here, it just takes effort to find them if your house doesn't happen to be sandwiched between them.

Also, Falls Church isn't terribly attractive - it doesn't have a cute little downtown center area like Fairfax City, and Rt. 7 blasting through town can be annoying - but it's very utilitarian. All the stuff that is here is stuff I actually use and walk to on a regular basis (groceries, dry cleaning, pharmacies, even our doctor - you name it). This has been a big selling point for me.

Fairfax City does have traffic from Chain Bridge Road blasting through it, as does Vienna with the uber busy Maple Ave.

You won't find too many SAHM's in expensive areas. People need that second income. If there are SAHM's, they're busy with their personal trainers, yoga classes, training for triathlons, or lounging by the pool. If anything, you'll be socializing with nannies and au paires vice parents.

Also, peak socializing time is typically during the spring and summer months when people are typically outside doing gardening or enjoying the nice weather.

Unfortunately in this area, a lot of people farm out their yard work and instead of hanging out in front of their house, they join swim and tennis clubs.

There are at lest 5 or 6 of them inside the beltway in McLean/FAlls Church.

I don't think I've come upon many neighborhoods that have block parties.

[athousandlogins]

Originally Posted by live_strong28

You won't find too many SAHM's in expensive areas. People need that second income. If there are SAHM's, they're busy with their personal trainers, yoga classes, training for triathlons, or lounging by the pool. If anything, you'll be socializing with nannies and au paires vice parents.

Hahahaha, is that what I do all day? Sounds like fun.

No, I know I'm an oddball around here. I do see other moms around here on weekdays but it's not common. And a lot of times they're just on maternity leave or working from home that day, instead of actually being SAHMs. We can only do the SAHM thing because we rent and we have no debt, and even still we're stretched a little too thin right now.

[JEB77]

Originally Posted by live_strong28

Fairfax City does have traffic from Chain Bridge Road blasting through it, as does Vienna with the uber busy Maple Ave.

You won't find too many SAHM's in expensive areas. People need that second income. If there are SAHM's, they're busy with their personal trainers, yoga classes, training for triathlons, or lounging by the pool. If anything, you'll be socializing with nannies and au paires vice parents.

Also, peak socializing time is typically during the spring and summer months when people are typically outside doing gardening or enjoying the nice weather.

Unfortunately in this area, a lot of people farm out their yard work and instead of hanging out in front of their house, they join swim and tennis clubs.

There are at lest 5 or 6 of them inside the beltway in McLean/FAlls Church.

I don't think I've come upon many neighborhoods that have block parties.

I think there are just more SAHMs in Vienna (at least in 22182) than in McLean. McLean does seem to have more professional couples who definitely need two incomes to pay the expensive mortgage. While the housing prices in Vienna aren't cheap by any stretch, there are quite a few families who get by on one income.

And block parties have been regular events - at the beginning of the school year, at Halloween, etc.

[michgc]

Originally Posted by JEB77

I think there are just more SAHMs in Vienna (at least in 22182) than in McLean. McLean does seem to have more professional couples who definitely need two incomes to pay the expensive mortgage. While the housing prices in Vienna aren't cheap by any stretch, there are quite a few families who get by on one income.

And block parties have been regular events - at the beginning of the school year, at Halloween, etc.

I totally agree - tons of SAHMs in Vienna. Most of the parks have a majority of moms versus nannies (at least a 75/25 split I'd guess). We've had several block parties, too in my 22180 zip code in Vienna. When I was pregnant with my son and regularly going to doctor's appts. in Arlington, we'd always visit a park in N. Arlington. I was surprised by how many more nannies were there than in Vienna. Of course we're much farther out from DC so there are trade-offs.

[athousandlogins]

We used to hang out at Meadow Lane Park in Vienna, and I agree about the 75/25 split.

[michgc]

Originally Posted by athousandlogins

We used to hang out at Meadow Lane Park in Vienna, and I agree about the 75/25 split.

That's where we hang out, too! We live quite close to there. I've probably seen you.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by live_strong28

Fairfax City does have traffic from Chain Bridge Road blasting through it, as does Vienna with the uber busy Maple Ave.

You won't find too many SAHM's in expensive areas. People need that second income. If there are SAHM's, they're busy with their personal trainers, yoga classes, training for triathlons, or lounging by the pool. If anything, you'll be socializing with nannies and au paires vice parents.

Also, peak socializing time is typically during the spring and summer months when people are typically outside doing gardening or enjoying the nice weather.

Unfortunately in this area, a lot of people farm out their yard work and instead of hanging out in front of their house, they join swim and tennis clubs.

There are at lest 5 or 6 of them inside the beltway in McLean/FAlls Church.

I don't think I've come upon many neighborhoods that have block parties.

Not at all true. There are tons of stay at home moms in Vienna. There's a whole group of them that write a SAHM newsletter. On my Court in Vienna we only had no working moms when the kids were little. Two went back to work, part time, when the kids were in high school. Oh, and one family, both parents worked part time. There are always moms and kids walking around Vienna and kids at all the playgrounds, any time of day. We also had block parties as did the two streets behind us.

I know 12 to 15 families in an expensive section of Oakton. ALL of them stay home with their kids. The whole neighborhood is like that, with few exceptions. None of them have Nannies. If the are at the pool, they are there with their kids. Surely you are aware of the 10,000 kids on swim teams in NOVA, with parents who are VERY involved. Neighborhood pools are filled with Moms, Dads, and kids, not women sitting around the sides popping bonbons.

One of my good friends lives a HUGE house in McLean. Guess what? She's a stay at home mom, without a nanny or even a maid. Ditto my friend who just moved to a big house (with pool) in Great Falls. Lots of dads are doctors, lawyers, pilots, own businesses, or consultants, who make lots of money, enough for their wives to stay home and raise their kids. For many people in Vienna, Great Falls, and McLean that's a priority.

You seem to have lots of strange, rather prejudiced, ideas about people who live in Vienna and McLean.

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by live_strong28

I don't think I've come upon many neighborhoods that have block parties.

My neighborhood has an annual block party and *ssshhh!* I live inside-the-Beltway in Annandale.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by OrangeFish

My neighborhood has an annual block party and *ssshhh!* I live inside-the-Beltway in Annandale.

There Ya go! Some people have rather distorted impressions of our area.