Depends on where you live and if you’ll bring your car…the southern part of Arlington is very urban, and though there’s lots of nice trails and parks it’s in the context of a large (and growing) city. Northern Arlington is a bit more suburban and is close to nice parks and trails, but comes with a notable price bump and longer commutes to work. Also parking is more expensive (ie at least $100 per month) the closer you are to a major urban area. If you’re looking for nature, go closer to Falls Church or Fairfax county.
There should be enough farmers markets to satisfy you in the entire Metro DC area…at least during the right seasons.
As for making friends, the good news is that, aside from perhaps Clarendon, Arlington is a hub for introverts that would be more interested in hobbies and other nerdy passions. The bad news…is that Arlington is full of introverts, so it may seem hard at first to find people who are quick to make friends. My suggestion (for Arlington and in general) is to look up groups on meetup or other sites for your interests and see if DC, Arlington, or NoVA come up. In my personal experience, all my friends are outside Arlington.
Arlington is very liberal on social issues, but is more moderate-left fiscally and militarily (lots of defense contractors live here thanks to the Pentagon). In general, people are very tolerant of differing viewpoints as long as you demonstrate a willingness to listen and respond respectfully. If your job involves working in the federal government (as a civilian OR contractor), you are likely to be discouraged (and possibly forbidden) from being overtly political.
I think Arlington right now is good, but not great, in terms of livability. Public transit and diversity of things to do can hardly be rivaled, and you have DC across the river in case you want something more culturally enriching. However, it is expensive, and people living here are very transient, moving due to better jobs or the desire to own a bigger home. I think Arlington and NoVA in general is a good starting point for living an urban lifestyle if you can afford it.
NonamerMedia t1_j7ie896 wrote
Reply to do you like living in arlington? by leibesleid
Depends on where you live and if you’ll bring your car…the southern part of Arlington is very urban, and though there’s lots of nice trails and parks it’s in the context of a large (and growing) city. Northern Arlington is a bit more suburban and is close to nice parks and trails, but comes with a notable price bump and longer commutes to work. Also parking is more expensive (ie at least $100 per month) the closer you are to a major urban area. If you’re looking for nature, go closer to Falls Church or Fairfax county.
There should be enough farmers markets to satisfy you in the entire Metro DC area…at least during the right seasons.
As for making friends, the good news is that, aside from perhaps Clarendon, Arlington is a hub for introverts that would be more interested in hobbies and other nerdy passions. The bad news…is that Arlington is full of introverts, so it may seem hard at first to find people who are quick to make friends. My suggestion (for Arlington and in general) is to look up groups on meetup or other sites for your interests and see if DC, Arlington, or NoVA come up. In my personal experience, all my friends are outside Arlington.
Arlington is very liberal on social issues, but is more moderate-left fiscally and militarily (lots of defense contractors live here thanks to the Pentagon). In general, people are very tolerant of differing viewpoints as long as you demonstrate a willingness to listen and respond respectfully. If your job involves working in the federal government (as a civilian OR contractor), you are likely to be discouraged (and possibly forbidden) from being overtly political.
I think Arlington right now is good, but not great, in terms of livability. Public transit and diversity of things to do can hardly be rivaled, and you have DC across the river in case you want something more culturally enriching. However, it is expensive, and people living here are very transient, moving due to better jobs or the desire to own a bigger home. I think Arlington and NoVA in general is a good starting point for living an urban lifestyle if you can afford it.