Geek-friendly with decent commute?

[Old Guard]

If this is not a troll I would recommend DC. Though there are probably other cities that suit your needs better, such as Portland, Seattle and San Diego.

There is a large and vibrant gay community all around the DC area. Plushies and and such, not so much that it is like a "thing".

[FindingZen]

It might also be beneficial to look on meetup.com for groups with common interests. Odds are that they are spread across NOVA; they just don't necessarily congregrate in one town or community.

[DistrictSonic]

Originally Posted by G33kgirl

Hi!
We're looking for a geek-friendly community - liberal, with a diverse community inclusive of LGBT+, with events that focus on fandoms instead of football. Ideally with resources for our specific fandoms - larping, cosplay, speculative fiction, and comics/movies based on them. What we're not interested in: conservative, religious gun-culture. Places with no gay bars, belly dance classes, outdoor festivals, or vegan restaurants.

Does such a place exist in NoVa? Work will be in downtown DC so I'm hoping for a community on the VRE line.


Thoughts?

With NoVA you may be looking in the wrong place for you. While you have people in this group everywhere in the DC area, the real concentrations tend to be in Maryland and DC neighborhoods, specifically in Montgomery County and DC. When people in NoVA are saying you are better off looking in Maryland and DC, you may want to check out Maryland and DC, especially since you are working in Downtown DC, and will benefit from a better commute. This is not to say it doesn't exist in Virginia, it just tends to be a little more spread out and less concentrated. NoVA is still pretty liberal in the Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax/Falls Church area.

Let me echo this, you would love Takoma Park and Downtown Silver Spring. Seriously. This area is known as the Berkley of the east for a reason. Everything you are asking for screams these two areas. Takoma and Silver Spring...lots of outdoor festivals, very liberal, etc. Never mind AFI silver, a great comic shop, and well, just great communities.

Everything you describe basically fits Takoma, DC, Takoma Park, MD, and Silver Spring. The area is a magnet for LGBT folks, specifically, geeky LGBT folks.

Arlington and Alexandria are the other option, Del Ray in Alexandria specifically, but I think Takoma Park/Downtown Silver Spring is really the sweet spot.

Likewise, living inside DC is pretty awesome in you find the right neighborhood. Takoma, Woodly Park, and Glover Park would be the ones I would recommend.

Other options...College Park, and Greenbelt in PG county, especially if you are budget restricted.

You are looking in the wrong place, expand your search beyond NoVA. You will get a better commute, and a community you will like much more.

Let me just say this, Takoma and Silver Spring are awesome for what you are looking for. Maybe not everything on the nose, but most of it.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by DistrictSonic

Let me echo this, you would love Takoma Park and Downtown Silver Spring. Seriously. This area is known as the Berkley of the east for a reason. Everything you are asking for screams these two areas. Takoma and Silver Spring...lots of outdoor festivals, very liberal, etc. Never mind AFI silver, a great comic shop, and well, just great communities.

Everything you describe basically fits Takoma, DC, Takoma Park, MD, and Silver Spring. The area is a magnet for LGBT folks, specifically, geeky LGBT folks.

Arlington and Alexandria are the other option, Del Ray in Alexandria specifically, but I think Takoma Park/Downtown Silver Spring is really the sweet spot.

Likewise, living inside DC is pretty awesome in you find the right neighborhood. Takoma, Woodly Park, and Glover Park would be the ones I would recommend.

Other options...College Park, and Greenbelt in PG county, especially if you are budget restricted.

You are looking in the wrong place, expand your search beyond NoVA. You will get a better commute, and a community you will like much more.

Let me just say this, Takoma and Silver Spring are awesome for what you are looking for. Maybe not everything on the nose, but most of it.

Thanks for your informed opinion on Takoma Park (which validated my hunch) as well as Silver Spring which I had not thought about. College Park certainly makes sense. I never thought about Greenbelt.

Del Ray is indeed as close as NOVA gets to Berkeley but sounds pretty light for what the OP is looking for. Other than a relatively short commute to work and more options in DC, I think they would be disappointed.

[BarqCider]

ive seen many of those groups exist in the area, however most of them are on a certain meet up website. they are all over the nova/dc/md area, so id suggest looking there.

or just walk into a comic book store and ask. odds are, they are into the same stuff.

[G33kgirl]

Thank you for the suggestions of Silver Spring and Takhoma park. We honestly hadn't thought the commute from Maryland to Downtown was do-able but the community looks like it would be worth it. (There's even a pirate bar!) I appreciate your help!