Still very confused about where to live in DC (sublet, apartment)

[RLCMA]

I've posted on here several times because I'm interested in knowing more about the DC area and what places are good to live in for a single, young professional who likes to have a lot of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops around. I hear different things about Adams Morgan and I'm really not into hanging out with college kids. Dupont Circle seems nice. Now I'm hearing the U Street Corridor and Chinatown are also great places. It's really confusing because I'm being pulled in all kinds of different directions. Does anyone have suggestions that knows the city well?

[JimGriffith]

A. What's your budget?
B. Where will you be working and what sort of commute would you like?
C. Have you ever visited?

[Rayma]

You're probably getting pulled in lots of different directions because the criteria you listed above is pretty generic - you can satisfy your desire for a good area with lots of restaurants, coffee shops and bars for a single, young professional in a lot of places. Neighborhoods like Adams Morgan, the U Street corridor and Dupont Circle are all potential good fits, but knowing what'll be best is partially going to be a gut reaction when you're there. Will you have a chance to visit these neighborhoods before you move?

Don't get down and don't fret, because you've already eliminated a lot of choices. It sounds like you'll definitely be in Northwest ... likely relatively central within that quandrant. How close to you actually want to be to nightlife? Do you want to be in a neighborhood where you'll actually hear people partying/returning home late at night? That's a very real possibility in Adams Morgan and around U Street. Just north of Dupont Circle, you'll be close to a bunch of neighborhoods populated by young people (not primarily college kids ... you won't find that kind of rager activity unless you're actually on a campus), but you'll be able to bow out to the quiet when you're ready to go. If you look into the northern Dupont area, you'll be able to hop on the Metro or take the quick walk to U Street/Adams Morgan and elsewhere in the city. I'd expand your potential search to include Woodley Park.

I don't know much about Chinatown as a residential area, but I will say that I don't associate it with a place that young people reside. It strikes me as more a place to go out, but not a place to call home ... there are some extremely obnoxious people out LATE into the night around there, and I've also had personal experiences with some unsavory characters once the restaurants close. Just my impression, though, maybe somebody else has better information about that area.

[juniperbleu]

Really, all those areas are good. It's really more about where you find an apartment you like for a price you can afford. If you end up with several specific places you like in each neighborhood, you can ask about them on here to get street-by-street (or building) opinions.

For me, Adams Morgan is best during the week. That's when all the drunk college kids and stay closer to home (or maybe even sober) so you just have people from the neighborhood hanging around. Beyond that, the big thing with Adams Morgan is knowing "where to go". Dupont Circle is also really nice, and has more of a reputation of being "upscale", so you don't have as many people drunkenly wandering the streets. Personally, I love the U Street area. It's grittier, which you have to be ok with, but there's an eclectic mix of bars, restaurants, and cafes around. Chinatown has more recently been redeveloped, so it's got more chain places (Ruby Tuesday's, Legal Seafood, Fuddrucker's), but also some great non-chains as well. With the Verizon Center's lights and big TV screen it's almost Times Square-esque. A big plus is also that you've got 3 of 5 metro lines at the Gallery Place station, and then the other 2 just a few blocks away at Metro Center, so you've got great access to anything around. Just because of the redevelopment, the other areas feel more like a "real" neighborhood to me, but that's just me (that said, I'm always in Chinatown as it's one of the closest to my house).

Really, like I said, they're all good options. Picking one over the other won't make-or-break your experience. I live in the SW Waterfront area and always find myself in other areas of the city. Also, keep in mind that Dupont, Adams Morgan, and U Street are all easily walkable from each other (and you can also get to Logan Circle, as well). You can technically also walk to Chinatown, but it's easier to just take the metro. I'd just look for places in each of these areas, and see what you can afford and where.

Forgive me for not remembering, but what's your budget and where are you going to work?

[RLCMA]

I would say $2,000/month is my limit for a studio or one bedroom. I'll be working in Fairfax, VA but I would like to live in DC. I keep hearing Arlington is nice as well. I'm very confused.

[JimGriffith]

What specifically is causing you so much confusion?

Plenty of neighborhoods in Arlington could indeed be described as "nice," no doubt about that.

With your budget you could afford at least a decent place in almost any neighborhood.

You should really just come down for three days or so and scout it all out. If that's not a possibility, you can always move into a 3-month sublet at first.

[ceejamon]

I agree with the above - come down, or plan to move into a short-term apartment with most of your stuff in storage until you figure out what scene you're most into. DC has lots of nice areas that will fit your budget.

Logan Circle is a very nice area, is walkable to Dupont/U St. for night life, and has a Whole Foods if that matters to you at all. Dupont is very nice, but tends to be overpriced for what you get even in DC. Follow the Red Line NW of there and check out those areas. Anywhere in NW DC sounds like it would work for you.

I wouldn't go for Chinatown, if only because it'd be a harder commute for you.

If you're going to be working in VA, I would strongly consider Arlington. It's quite nice and is still on the DC Metro if you want to do something in DC. It's less urban than DC, but the areas around the Metro are still very walkable. It's kind of like little "urban pockets" around the metro stops. Check out the Clarendon stop specifically.

[juniperbleu]

If you're working in Fairfax (and I'm assuming taking the metro?) then aim for places near an orange line stop. From Dupont you can typically walk to Foggy Bottom or Farragut West, and from Logan Circle you can walk to McPhereson Square. In Arlington check out Clarendon or Ballston. Otherwise, from the red line you'll have to transfer at Metro Center (which is a pain).

[ffknight918]

juniperbleu... Do you mind sharing some info about where you stay near the SW Waterfront? That's only of the areas that I've been leaning towards. Seems like its going to be going through a lot of renovations.

[aristotlenova]

Originally Posted by RLCMA

I would say $2,000/month is my limit for a studio or one bedroom. I'll be working in Fairfax, VA but I would like to live in DC. I keep hearing Arlington is nice as well. I'm very confused.

Where exactly in Fairfax are you going to be working? Whether your work is accessible by Metro or not will have a huge impact on where you should live. If it's along the Orange line, then Foggy Bottom would be a really good choice. And Arlington IS very nice, but it depends on what you want. Rosslyn, Courthouse, Clarendon, and Ballston are all great areas IMO but they are VERY different then living in Adams Morgan or U Street.