Moving to Arlington, VA - Any Suggestions?

[Binary_Digit]

I got a job offer I can't refuse, and in 5 days I'm leaving Tulsa and moving to Arlington, Virginia. I can't figure out which is worse - the excitement or the stress!

Overall I'm really stoked about the whole thing. It seems like this will be a great job, I'm generally ok with what I'm reading about the climate, and I can hardly wait to tour all the national monuments. But I'll be moving halfway across the country where I'm 1300 miles from anyone I know, and the extremely short timeline I have to work with is not helping either. Google has been able to answer most of my questions, but some are hard to search for, so I thought I'd ask you guys:

1.) I researched the cost of living (holy ****!!) and found an affordable apartment that had mostly decent reviews. MapQuest says it's 14.72 miles from work (in McLean) and estimates 25 minutes of travel time (assumes 35mph IMCAC), but I'm also reading that there are "Metros" (subways) which makes me concerned about traffic and whether 25 minutes is going to be realistic. I've lived in bigger cities before, but never one that has subways, so I'm not sure how to judge the traffic situation and whether it's feasible to plan on driving to work at all. I'm going to learn my route over the weekend, and I'd really hate to be late on my first day due to underestimating Monday morning rush hour. If anyone knows the area, roughly how long should it take to commute from Arlington (near the Ronald Reagan Airport) to McLean in the mornings?

2.) Along those same lines, what is the non-rush hour traffic like overall? Is it realistic to expect to drive pretty much anywhere I want on weekends, or is traffic so bad even on Saturdays that I'd be better off walking or taking a taxi?

3.) I'm also wondering about the outlying areas (Vienna, Annandale, etc.) and which, if any, are: a. generally cheaper than Arlington proper but not ghetto, and b. within a reasonable (30-min) daily commute distance/time from McLean. I took a 3 month lease on this apartment, which I figure will give me enough time to learn that stuff after I get there without being locked down for too long, but I'm still allowed to back out if anyone can suggest a better location.

4.) How are subways helpful when your car isn't waiting for you at the other end? Do most people take a taxi or bus after that? Are there any shuttles at the terminal (or whatever the "get on/get off" place is called) that take people around the more common places of employment?

5.) I had no idea how close this place is to the nation's capitol. I intend to tour the following locations:

The Capitol Building
The Pentagon
Washington Monument
Arlington National Cemetery
Lincoln Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
George Washington Masonic Memorial

Are there any others I should check out?

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

 

[Dav]

I live in Vienna so I should be able to answer your questions but alas I am too young and inexperienced :doh

All I can do is prepare you, in the form of rap:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T1RMuoQnKo"]YouTube - Arlington: The Rap[/ame]

 

[Glinda]

While in college, I spent a summer as a Washington DC intern. (Stop thinking that, you dirty people! :mrgreen: ) I lived with a host family in Arlington and worked in Roslyn, and took the Metro in every day. I got a lift to the Metro from the father of the family I was staying with (he worked at the Pentagon), but there were lots of neighborhood buses that connect up with Metro stops.

I can't tell you much about Arlington itself - I spent every free second at the Smithsonian and on the Mall - but I can tell you that the Metro was THE way to get around. Very fast and efficient, even if it was quite crowded during rush hour (I did have an occasional problem with having my butt fondled... of course, back then I had a very fondlable butt. Today, not so much.).

Other info: The weather sucks hugely. OMG. :shock:

 

[Binary_Digit]

Other info: The weather sucks hugely. OMG. :shock:

Too cold most of the time, and only one real month of "summer" weather?

 

[OxymoronP]

that white boy got skillz.

:lol:

 

[Dav]

Too cold most of the time, and only one real month of "summer" weather?

I actually don't know what she's talking about. It gets super hot around here for 2-3 months at least. It's very inconsistent though. Every year the weather is different.

 

[Oftencold]

Binary, do you have young kids? You'll be in driving distance to have weekends at the beach, or short vacations in Florida. The Appalachians offer a delightful variety of outdoor opportunities.

These were the first things that came to mind when I read your post.

 

[Binary_Digit]

Binary, do you have young kids? You'll be in driving distance to have weekends at the beach, or short vacations in Florida. The Appalachians offer a delightful variety of outdoor opportunities.

These were the first things that came to mind when I read your post.

No kids, no wife.

I wasn't sure if I'd be close to a beach or not, and I didn't even think about the Appalachians. Rock on!!

I found and bookmarked this trip planner, it will be very helpful until I learn the metro and bus systems:

WMATA - Rider Tools - Trip Planner

According to that, it arrives near the place where I work every hour on the hour, which means after walking from the bus station, I'll be 50 minutes early or 10 minutes late everyday. Seems kinda wierd that I can't get there on the half-hour; maybe I can work something out with the boss.

 

[Glinda]

I actually don't know what she's talking about. It gets super hot around here for 2-3 months at least.

Correct. And I was a summer intern. Arlington was as hot and drippily humid as a sauna. Nasty.

I can take just about any weather but that.

 

[Zyphlin]

I'm down 66 from Arlington but lets see what I can do to help you here....

May want to PM aps, point her to the topic as well. She's from up here.

Overall I'm really stoked about the whole thing. It seems like this will be a great job, I'm generally ok with what I'm reading about the climate,

Not sure what it's like in Tulsa, but be ready for horrible humidity. Its the worst parts of the summer/spring/fall here. You're in northern Virginia, so out of the mountains, so you'll avoid any major snow fall for the most part.

1.) I researched the cost of living (holy ****!!) and found an affordable apartment that had mostly decent reviews. MapQuest says it's 14.72 miles from work (in McLean) and estimates 25 minutes of travel time (assumes 35mph IMCAC), but I'm also reading that there are "Metros" (subways) which makes me concerned about traffic and whether 25 minutes is going to be realistic.

Alright, here's the deal.

First, prepare to bend over...cost of living now owns your ass.

Second, mapquest is the devil and LIES! Seriously, its really going to depend on when you're going where. Is it during rush hour times (6:30-9:00 ish mornings, 4:00-7:00 ish evenings) and on the beltway, 66, or 95? Expect a LOT of stop and go interstate traffic and your time close to doubling. If its mostly driving city/back roads, it may not be too bad. However, in general, never really trust Google Maps/Mapquest time frames for travel EXCEPT during non-peak hours.

Third, the Metro is wonderful useful if:

1) You don't want to try and maneuver through DC driving and find a parking spot
2) You're traveling into or out of DC during Rush Hour
3) You're traveling into or out of DC during a major event

In general the Metro would take longer than a car ride if you're going straight through without traffic. Otherwise, the metro's a lot less hassle. Also, fun note, the metro goes underground mostly in DC but is above ground as it moves away from the city for the most part.

Now the plus side if you're going FROM arlington TO McClain from work then you're at least somewhat going the OPPOSITE way of traffic so it won't be AS bad.

2.) Along those same lines, what is the non-rush hour traffic like overall? Is it realistic to expect to drive pretty much anywhere I want on weekends, or is traffic so bad even on Saturdays that I'd be better off walking or taking a taxi?

Traffics not TOO bad when its not rush hour. Weekend traffic, save for holidays or if there's a BIG event going on in DC, isn't too bad. From arlington though, if you're going into DC, I'd say just save yourself the hassle and get on one of the local metro's and ride into the city. Most anything you'd want to go to in DC is generally within a few blocks of a metro.

3.) I'm also wondering about the outlying areas (Vienna, Annandale, etc.) and which, if any, are: a. generally cheaper than Arlington proper but not ghetto, and b. within a reasonable (30-min) daily commute distance/time from McLean. I took a 3 month lease on this apartment, which I figure will give me enough time to learn that stuff after I get there without being locked down for too long, but I'm still allowed to back out if anyone can suggest a better location.

Hmmm...Vienna's not bad (But they destroyed midgetville!....long story). Sterling/Reston (out where I am) is a bit farther away from McClain then Arlington is but is a bit more reasonable (relatively speaking) price wise than Arlington. However you won't be extremely close to a metro and its not as much "city" like.

4.) How are subways helpful when your car isn't waiting for you at the other end? Do most people take a taxi or bus after that? Are there any shuttles at the terminal (or whatever the "get on/get off" place is called) that take people around the more common places of employment?

Generally there's a subway that goes into just about every major area of DC. As I said above, unless you're going to some niche place or visiting a friend, almost any place in DC people would want to go is around a Metro with a few things being excluded likely. When that's the case, yeah, taxi is generally the way to go.

On the other end of the Metro (as it goes away from the city) yeah, there's usually either buses or taxi's you could take to get where you're wanting to go. For those going INTO DC you usually drive to your closest metro spot, park (free on weekends), ride into DC and then walk from there.

5.) I had no idea how close this place is to the nation's capitol. I intend to tour the following locations:

The Capitol Building
The Pentagon
Washington Monument
Arlington National Cemetery
Lincoln Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
George Washington Masonic Memorial

Are there any others I should check out?

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

You should easily be able to see them all. There are a TON of museums in DC as well that you could probably go to one every weekend. I'm still wanting to go to the Spy Museum.

 

[Binary_Digit]

Not sure what it's like in Tulsa, but be ready for horrible humidity. Its the worst parts of the summer/spring/fall here.

Tulsa's average humidity during the day is 75%-80% and it can get over 100 degrees in the summer (without the heat index) for days in a row, so it sounds like Virginia will be a small break from that. But I'm actually very glad to hear it gets some "beach weather" in the summer. :2razz:

You're in northern Virginia, so out of the mountains, so you'll avoid any major snow fall for the most part.

That doesn't break my heart at all.

Alright, here's the deal.

First, prepare to bend over...cost of living now owns your ass.

O ya. When I saw that people were complaining about $1400 studios being run down, bug-ridden, in bad neighborhoods, and having poor management, I immediately wished I had negotiated a higher salary, but I'll still be ok. Next time (if there is one) I'll be looking at the specific region instead of doing a search on state-wide averages. Live and learn. :|

Second, mapquest is the devil and LIES! Seriously, its really going to depend on when you're going where. Is it during rush hour times (6:30-9:00 ish mornings, 4:00-7:00 ish evenings) and on the beltway, 66, or 95? Expect a LOT of stop and go interstate traffic and your time close to doubling. If its mostly driving city/back roads, it may not be too bad. However, in general, never really trust Google Maps/Mapquest time frames for travel EXCEPT during non-peak hours.

Thanks. I don't know what my work hours will be, but I'm pretty sure it's normal business hours during the day. The apartments say there's a metro within walking distance, and as best I could tell there's a bus station about 1/2 a block from work, so I've decided the car will pretty much stay parked until the weekends.

Third, the Metro is wonderful useful if:

1) You don't want to try and maneuver through DC driving and find a parking spot
2) You're traveling into or out of DC during Rush Hour
3) You're traveling into or out of DC during a major event

In general the Metro would take longer than a car ride if you're going straight through without traffic. Otherwise, the metro's a lot less hassle. Also, fun note, the metro goes underground mostly in DC but is above ground as it moves away from the city for the most part.

Cool!

Now the plus side if you're going FROM arlington TO McClain from work then you're at least somewhat going the OPPOSITE way of traffic so it won't be AS bad.

Nope, I will live in Arlington and work in McLean, so it looks like I'll be part of that problem instead of avoiding it.

Traffics not TOO bad when its not rush hour. Weekend traffic, save for holidays or if there's a BIG event going on in DC, isn't too bad. From arlington though, if you're going into DC, I'd say just save yourself the hassle and get on one of the local metro's and ride into the city. Most anything you'd want to go to in DC is generally within a few blocks of a metro.

Awesome, ok.

Hmmm...Vienna's not bad (But they destroyed midgetville!....long story). Sterling/Reston (out where I am) is a bit farther away from McClain then Arlington is but is a bit more reasonable (relatively speaking) price wise than Arlington. However you won't be extremely close to a metro and its not as much "city" like.

That's exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you thank you!!

Generally there's a subway that goes into just about every major area of DC. As I said above, unless you're going to some niche place or visiting a friend, almost any place in DC people would want to go is around a Metro with a few things being excluded likely. When that's the case, yeah, taxi is generally the way to go.

On the other end of the Metro (as it goes away from the city) yeah, there's usually either buses or taxi's you could take to get where you're wanting to go. For those going INTO DC you usually drive to your closest metro spot, park (free on weekends), ride into DC and then walk from there.

Rock on.

You should easily be able to see them all. There are a TON of museums in DC as well that you could probably go to one every weekend. I'm still wanting to go to the Spy Museum.

Someone else mentioned the Spy Museum in a PM. I had never heard of it before, but it's on The List now!

 

[Zyphlin]

If you live in arlington and work in McLean you shouldn't be part of the problem for trafic.

Mornings trafic goes ----> into DC

Evenign traffic goes <----- away from DC

Alrginton is actually CLOSER to DC than McLean is, so you'll be going away from DC (generally speaking) in the morning to head to your work and towards DC at the end of your day. Still will be traffic but you may be lucky and not hit the brunt of it.

I'd check if there is also a metro stop near your work, or a metro bus stop. I don't think a Metro stops in McLean but you may be lucky and have a bus stop near your work. Maybe the Orange line to East Falls church and then either taking the green metro bus lone...or take the orange line to ballston and take the light blue metro bus. The green and light blue seem to be ones that go to McLean

Yeah, the state average is all screwy. I previously lived in Roanoke Va. If I was making there what I'm making here I'd have a house with a good acre or more of land probably and living rather comfortably as middle class. Here I'm scratching by to pay my bills and resnt.

Rent over in Herndon/Sterling and Reston to a lesser extent would be a bit more reasonable. You could find a two bedroom apartment for example for around 1300, single bedroom likely closer to the 1100 range I think. I've even seen rather nice townhome rentals for 1500-ish a month. Problem would be that you don't have the same amount of metro options out there (that will change within the next couple of years) and it'd possibly be a longer commute.

Vienna/Fairfax may be a good middle ground that should be cheaper than arlington but about the same distance and still close enough to the major public transporation system.