Moving to NoVA from Boston. Where should I live?

[paulfreakingh]

Thanks TheseGoTo11. Def. don't want to live in Framingham.

[rh71]

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

Publicly, they're saying 2013 for Wiehle Avenue and 2016 for Reston Town Center and Dulles. Realistically, probably more like 2014 and 2019, so your 10 years is probably right on, although the Wiehle stop should be open within 5.

If you live in Reston, where would you have to drive to in order to get onto the metro, and how long does that total trip take to DC? Or would it make no sense to do that - meaning people just drive it all the way. I'm trying to see if Reston is a good place to settle.

[bmwguydc]

You can take a Fairfax Connector bus from the transit center in Reston to the West Falls Church Metro station on the Orange Line. It's a question of time of day as to whether or not you would want to make the drive, since I-66 inside The Beltway is an HOV-2 highway during rush hour inbound (6:30-9:00 eastbound/4:00-6:30 westbound).

If you cannot use I-66, and the fines are stiff for violating HOV, including points, it's not an easy drive during rush hour from Reston. The alternative is to take Route 7 to Tysons Corner, then take The Beltway (north) to the George Washington Parkway (south) to one of the bridges to DC.

[ICS67]

Thinking a bit out of the box, you can also consider the neighborhoods in Washington DC along upper Connecticut Avenue, specifically the Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, and Van Ness stations of Metro's Red Line. The three stations are at about 3/4 mile intervals. Tons and tons of apartment buildings (great majority pre-war to 1960's) along this part of Connecticut, and charming houses going back to the Victorian era on the side streets. I lived by van Ness for four years without a car and did fine. I believe there is a major supermarket by each stop, and there are certainly a lot of restaurants. Of the three, Cleveland Park is probably the nicest and most desireable. Al three are in quite safe neighborhoods, and just minutes' walk from Rock Creek Park.

The only drawbacks I see are 1) taxes are higher in DC than Virginia, and 2) your commute to Rosslyn will involve a transfer at Metro Center from the Red Line to the Orange or Blue Line, but even so should still take you only 30 minutes or so in total. If you want a city vibe like in Boston, I think you'll be happier in these neighborhoods than in suburban Virginia.

Oh yes, and come prepared to laugh at the sheer panic even a forecast of snow induces in the entire Washington DC region. You'll know The End Is Near when the local tv stations show swarms of panicked shoppers stocking up on milk, bread, toilet paper, and bottled water in preparation for The Big One (The Big One as meaning one to two inches of snow).

[CAVA1990]

Would be awesome to work and live in the same place. I'd stay in Rosslyn if you can. You can even walk across the bridge to Georgetown and there's metro service to everywhere else you'd want to go.

[claremarie]

I wouldn't live in Rosslyn itself; it's kind of a sterile, high-rise place with not as much nightlife as other parts of Arlington. If you really like city living, do check out neighborhoods in DC. You don't have to worry about the schools, and Rosslyn is an easy Metro ride from many popular DC spots. In fact, you can walk there from parts of Georgetown, though the rents in Georgetown are probably beyond your price range. If you want to stay in Virginia, Arlington and Old Town are your best bets, with Arlington giving you a much easier commute.
Forget about Reston -- you'd be crazy to live there given what you're looking for.