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I've heard a lot of good things about Ballston in Arlington, VA. What do you guys think of it? Are there good places (non-chain) to eat? Any places to shop? any nice outdoor cafes etc? Is it safe? Ballston was recommended to me by several people, since they said Bethesda is nice but can be pricey.
If we lived in the Arlington area, how long would it take by the metro to get to Bethesda?
hey guys. I've heard a lot of good things about Ballston in Arlington, VA. What do you guys think of it? Are there good places (non-chain) to eat? Any places to shop? any nice outdoor cafes etc? Is it safe? Ballston was recommended to me by several people, since they said Bethesda is nice but can be pricey. If we lived in the Arlington area, how long would it take by the metro to get to Bethesda? Thank you!
Not surprising that people would recommend it. The Ballston Corridor (along the Metro Orange Line between the Ballston and Court House stations) is pretty much yuppie heaven. Plus-or-minus three blocks either side of the Metro is smart-growth, high-density development with more or less everything you can think of being within reasonable walking distance. There is all sorts of everything. Shopping, cafes, bars, restaurants, dry cleaners...the works. It can be pricey too, but all of the nicer areas are, and it's not really any worse than many others. The area is quite safe, unless encountering a drunken 25-year old or two staggering down the street at 2:00 am is something that would frighten you.
A Ballston to Bethesda commute on the Metro wouldn't be the most efficient, since you'd have to ride into town on the Orange Line, then change to the Red Line at Metro Center and ride back out again. Still, depending on where in the Ballston area you were, the train time (including the transfer) would run you 35-40 minutes.
Saganista is right, Arlington is a great place to live, but it's not cheap. Bethesda is a great place to live too, and also isn't cheap. I would think that prices in each area would be roughly comparable. Both areas have walkable commercial strips full of restaurants, stores, bookstores, etc. Both have great schools. Both have Metro stops. They're like doppelgangers -- Bethesda is Maryland's Arlington, and vice versa. Both are very close to the city. I think Arlington's commercial strip is bigger.
It sounds like you're going to be working in Bethesda, but your friends hang out in Arlington and want you hanging out there with them. That's fine, just figure out what you want to commute to -- job or friends. Metro isn't 24-hour, so living in Arlington and commuting to work in Bethesda makes sense. But I don't think you're going to find a cheap apartment there very easily.
I agree with the above posters, Ballston is a nice area (I live right down the road in Court House) but prices aren't really that much cheaper than in Bethesda. The commute is something to definitely think about as it will probably take at least 35 to 40 minutes regardless of whether you drive or take Metro.
I take the train to Bethesda quite a bit and it does average about 30 minutes (from Courthouse) I've also done it in 20 min. a few times. I don't think it's a bad commute at all.
The Ballston area is very nice. Lot's of places to walk, and outdoor places to hang out at and eat. It's pricey, but it's well maintained and if you're able to get in a newer building even better! Find a building with a gym so you don't have to buy a gym membership.
Personally I think Ballston is pretty dull, even compared to the other areas on "Wilson Corridor" in Arlington. You can probably find a place in Clarendon or Courthouse for a similar amount of money, and those areas have more to offer in terms of charm, bars, restaurants, etc. Ballston does have a lot of dry cleaners, if that's important.
All of Arlington is perfectly safe, you will not have any problems with crime.
I've always thought of Ballston as the quasi-urban life for white people who don't really want the urban life, but aren't ready yet for the suburbs.
That said - it is very smart growth oriented. There are more interesting subway suburbs closer in the Wilson corridor, but it's all pretty much young, white professionals creating a city that young, white professsionals would create to get the feel of a city without the risk.
Is that true? lol, looking at this map, Crime in Washington, DC there's like robberies and breakins everywhere!
Im thinking of moving to the arlington area and have used this map to find out which are the safer areas in the metro area. If compared to the rest of the metro area, arlington is really not hat bad crime wise, just a little break in here and there, with months between crimes...but look at the rest of the metro area, sexual crimes, robberies at gun point etc...so arlington really does look like one of the safer areas in DC.
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