Alexandria/Arlington Do's and Dont's (Great Falls, Washington: crime, how much, neighborhoods)

[Jandrew5]

Hey everyone, I'm moving to Arlington (right on the Arlington/Alexandria border) this weekend for an internship, but I'm hoping to end up there even longer. I visited Alexandria back in March, and I've been doing extensive research on both cities. I'll be commuting to Old Town.

My question is, what are the do's and dont's of both cities, and the immediate NOVA area? I'm 22, so I'll be routinely going in and out of DC, but are there certain places, roads, or transit to avoid? Or certain places or roads I should check out? Nightlife, restaurants, stores, landmarks, parks? Things I should expect and things I shouldnt? I'm moving from South Carolina.

I'll definately be spending time in Old Town, Crystal City, Gravelly Park, etc but I'd like recommendations and words of caution for other places from people who see it on a daily basis. This will my first time in my 22 year life moving to another state. I'm excited, just curious.

Thank you so much!

[smarterguy]

Overall, there really aren't any areas you should avoid in Arlington and Alexandria.

I haven't been a daily metro rider in a few years, but when going out, remember that the metro closes deceiving early on weeknights and weekend service can be very slow. And according to the news and friends, the metro has sorta nose dived recently.

[ersatz]

Ballston/Clarendon is where the 20 and unmarried 30-somethings tend to hang in NoVA. If you are trying to figure out safety in different areas in advance using online tools, check out Spotcrime.com, type in neighborhoods/addresses, and check out the type of crime that prevails. For example, in Old Town, prevailing crime seems to be opportunistic theft and vandalism. In northern Alexandria (Arlandia district), there are more assaults. In parts of DC and nearby MD, shootings/homicides are more of a concern. General word of advice - don't hang out in districts that regularly feature a lot of homicides.

[Zack]

There's a small part of Old Town to the north and a part of Crystal City to the southwest that have some crime issues, but otherwise the locales you mention are safe.

Both Arlington and Alexandria have lots to do and see. Do a search on the internet and you'll find lots of options and reviews.

[BarqCider]

do get mentally prepared for traffic 7 days a week. expect it to be worse when it rains or snows.

[bhouse]

Knowing nothing about your preferences and relative maturity level, and going solely on the fact that you're 22, I would say that you'll probably enjoy the bars in Clarendon (Arlington) and Adams Morgan (DC) the most. Old Town is nice, but caters to a much older crowd. Other areas you will enjoy are DuPont Circle, Georgetown, U st and (possibly) H st. Crystal City is boring, don't waste your time there.

DOs:
-Explore all the neighborhood areas when you get there and you'll find where you like and dislike
-Make a habit of taking UberX... they're cheaper than DC cabs and more convenient than the Metro
-Check out all the monuments, memorials and museums
-Check out all the parks and trails (Great Falls is a nice one for a day trip that is a bit further out from you)
-Go to a Washington Nationals Game (The stadium is nice and makes for a good gameday experience)
-Go to a concert at 9:30 Club (it's one of the best music venues in the country)

DONTs:
-Drive into DC unless you have to (parking sucks, drivers suck, roads suck)
-Expect the Metro to get you anywhere fast (they are about to start a year-long maintenance project)
-Go East of the Anacostia River in DC
-Worry extensively about crime in NW/SW unless you plan on wandering alone after dark away from the main streets
-Forget how much traffic sucks in the DC Metro area (plan additional transit time, especially if traveling in the afternoon/evening)

I hope I've been of some help. Let me know if you have any other questions... enjoy DC!