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Old 04-05-2016, 08:43 AM
 
11 posts, read 9,994 times
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We are relocating from central PA, and looking for some help deciding. Kingstowne feels more like home, but Arlington feels more like the excitement of the area. I have 2 elementary aged children, and a dog. My husband work in Alexandria. Can you give me the pros and cons from a deeper level?
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Old 04-05-2016, 09:05 AM
 
Location: West Hollywood, CA from Arlington, VA
2,768 posts, read 3,528,042 times
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I have lived in both Kingstowne and Arlington within the last 3 years.

Arlington Pros
  • Tons of restaurants and bars > great nightlife
  • Very walkable and transit friendly in most parts
  • Good schools
  • Convenient to highways
Arlington Cons
  • Some neighborhoods are exorbitantly expensive
  • Not as family friendly in some neighborhoods (like along Wilson Boulevard)
  • Older homes than Kingstowne
Kingstowne Pros
  • Very family friendly and pretty good schools
  • Kingstowne Center is a decent shopping center with some decent restaurants & movie theater
  • Close to newly-remodeled Springfield Town Center that has some good restaurants & another movie theater
  • Tons of glorified sidewalks the HOA likes to call "trails"
  • Newer homes than Arlington
Kingstowne Cons
  • Pain in the ass to get to freeways like 395 in my opinion (however not an issue for your husband to get to Old Town)
  • Not as happening nightlife as Arlington
Honestly, it's very difficult to generalize all of Arlington. Lyon Park and Ashton Heights, for example, are very family friendly and quiet neighborhoods. However, right next door is Ballston and Virginia Square which are much less family friendly and have tons of millennials.

The bottom line: how much do you value nightlife and walkability/transit access? If you move to Arlington, you are paying for those amenities, so it doesn't make sense for you to move there if you don't take advantage of them. If you're more of a home body and don't care about being close to amenities like the Mount Vernon or W & OD Trails, then Kingstowne probably makes more sense for you.
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Old 04-05-2016, 09:27 AM
 
11 posts, read 9,994 times
Reputation: 16
Wow that was a great rundown! Nightlife not so much! My husband works out of Mark center so he can take van dorn the whole way from Kingstowne, we did it at 5:40 yesterday *no accidents just rush hour, and it was less than 20.

I really like Alexandria city, but for a TH we seem to get more bang for the buck in Kingstowne. Plus Alexandria HS has an insanely competitive AP route, but I fear safety, as it also has an insanely high drop out rate.
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Old 04-05-2016, 09:59 AM
 
Location: West Hollywood, CA from Arlington, VA
2,768 posts, read 3,528,042 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Annabanananicole View Post
Wow that was a great rundown! Nightlife not so much! My husband works out of Mark center so he can take van dorn the whole way from Kingstowne, we did it at 5:40 yesterday *no accidents just rush hour, and it was less than 20.

I really like Alexandria city, but for a TH we seem to get more bang for the buck in Kingstowne. Plus Alexandria HS has an insanely competitive AP route, but I fear safety, as it also has an insanely high drop out rate.
Kingstowne has better schools than the City of Alexandria. Half my neighbors in Kingstowne worked for DoD too, so you guys won't be the only ones between Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon, Bolling AFB, and Andrews AFB.
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Old 04-05-2016, 10:25 AM
 
12,905 posts, read 15,654,531 times
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I like both areas (and have not lived in either) but I would choose Arlington. I just like the walkability and proximity to the city much more so than Kingstowne.
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Old 04-05-2016, 10:41 AM
 
11 posts, read 9,994 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChristineVA View Post
I like both areas (and have not lived in either) but I would choose Arlington. I just like the walkability and proximity to the city much more so than Kingstowne.
I agree that I'll be giving up the city to move to Kingstowne, that's the exact piece I am struggling with.....
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Old 04-05-2016, 11:07 AM
 
12,905 posts, read 15,654,531 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Annabanananicole View Post
I agree that I'll be giving up the city to move to Kingstowne, that's the exact piece I am struggling with.....
Here's how I feel about Kingstowne. I have been there many times: either for shopping/dining or work. It's a fine place, and the housing around it seems nice, but I don't think I'd want to live there. It's just not got enough for me and seems very limiting. I just wouldn't want to live there and being close to Springfield Mall even is not a plus. Even with the upgrade, it's just depressing to me. But it is close to a Metro and close to major roads so there's good access. But it's not walkable at all, IMO. I think I would enjoy Arlington living a WHOLE lot more. In fact, I know I would.

But it would come down to how much more it would cost be in Arlington I guess.
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Old 04-05-2016, 11:45 AM
 
11 posts, read 9,994 times
Reputation: 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChristineVA View Post
Here's how I feel about Kingstowne. I have been there many times: either for shopping/dining or work. It's a fine place, and the housing around it seems nice, but I don't think I'd want to live there. It's just not got enough for me and seems very limiting. I just wouldn't want to live there and being close to Springfield Mall even is not a plus. Even with the upgrade, it's just depressing to me. But it is close to a Metro and close to major roads so there's good access. But it's not walkable at all, IMO. I think I would enjoy Arlington living a WHOLE lot more. In fact, I know I would.

But it would come down to how much more it would cost be in Arlington I guess.

Thank you for your feedback! If money were no object, I'd be in old town! I feel like Kingstowne might be a good transition into the northern Virginia life for my family, not a forever place in northern Virginia.
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Old 04-05-2016, 11:59 AM
 
Location: Falls Church, Fairfax County
5,162 posts, read 4,484,998 times
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If money were no object Arlington or Falls Church City would be an easy choice for me.

Recently I have been very partial to Falls Church City but I fear they are overbuilding it right now.

Good luck.
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Old 04-05-2016, 12:16 PM
 
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
26,700 posts, read 41,727,010 times
Reputation: 41381
I live in Arlington and go to Kingstowne a lot. It is really a matter of whether you want a more urban environment (Arlington) or more a planned HOA environment (Kingstowne). I will add in one thing to consider. The schools in South Arlington can leave some to be desired by some folks. A lot of them have a high ESL population as well as Alexandria City Public Schools. Also, Kingstowne is not in the top cluster of Fairfax County Public Schools. But I have many friends who attended all three and have been satisfied with them all. I think it is hard NOT to get a solid at any school in Northern VA however.
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