Mixed thoughts on DC

[trogdor]

I worked in DC for a year. I cant say DC is safe, because EVERY DAY without exception i saw two abulances go by on my walk to the metro... Its a 10 minute walk, fyi.
I also had some random homeless guy threaten to kill me.
2 of my coworkers were mugged within 2 weeks of the start of the internship. (this was around NW Mass Ave.)  (NE is supposed to be the dangerous/sketchy part, btw)
There are SOOOOO many homeless people.  At least 2 per block.

Drinks are terribly expensive. expect to pay at least $5 per pint of beer. Yes, even bad beer.
Most of my friends commute in, I commuted from MD, but most people like VA better. The taxes are a better situation there.

i have never felt threatened in dc.  granted, i mostly stick to the nw, which is the best/safest part of dc, but yes, there is some crime.  yet, i would say i feel safer here than i ever felt in chicago, atlanta, san francisco, or la (haven't been to ny).  also NE is not the worst part, SE is. 

and drinks are expensive if you go on the weekends, but there are some GREAT happy hours.  there are lots of places that have $2 beer specials and $3 rails. 

i think one of the keys is to not act like a retarded tourist/new person to the city, just like any big city. 

[angmill08]

-- living in the city as opposed to VA/MD (is the fact that the metro stops at 11:30 on weekends really that big a deal?)

Hopefully people who currently live in DC will have advice on the other questions from the OP, but on this last one I can say -- if you don't have a car, getting to/from the city at night will be a pain. I don't know many people who live in VA/MD who don't have cars. Just getting around Arlington without a car (unless you live your whole life in Clarendon) is a pain. If you have a car, at night you can drive into the city and park on the street if you're going to a bar/club or even to school, and in the day, you can take public transport.

Personally, if you're going to school in DC, I would live in DC. I think that would afford you with more social opportunities. Also -- and this is just my opinion -- even if Arlington is as close to Foggy Bottom as, say, Columbia Heights, there seems to be a psychic distance between the city and the suburbs. I felt like I'd feel like a commuter student if I lived in Arlington, and a city student if I lived in DC.

[trogdor]

-- living in the city as opposed to VA/MD (is the fact that the metro stops at 11:30 on weekends really that big a deal?)

Hopefully people who currently live in DC will have advice on the other questions from the OP, but on this last one I can say -- if you don't have a car, getting to/from the city at night will be a pain. I don't know many people who live in VA/MD who don't have cars. Just getting around Arlington without a car (unless you live your whole life in Clarendon) is a pain. If you have a car, at night you can drive into the city and park on the street if you're going to a bar/club or even to school, and in the day, you can take public transport.

Personally, if you're going to school in DC, I would live in DC. I think that would afford you with more social opportunities. Also -- and this is just my opinion -- even if Arlington is as close to Foggy Bottom as, say, Columbia Heights, there seems to be a psychic distance between the city and the suburbs. I felt like I'd feel like a commuter student if I lived in Arlington, and a city student if I lived in DC.

this is true to an extent.  i would recommend living in dc if you can foot the bill and have time to spend looking for a nice place/good deal.  i currently live in maryland suburbs and commute to work daily as well as on the weekend when i go out.  i have a car so that makes it easier being in the burbs, but it's still a pain at times.  i definitely identify with the feeling of having a psychic disconnect from the city, even though i'm here all the time.  i can't just walk outside, down the street to some cafe or bar, etc.  however, there are also benefits to being in the suburbs, particularly if you have a car.  it's far easier to get groceries and other store-bought items, there are some cool places in md suburbs as well as NoVa that are fun to go to from time to time, and parking is problematic if you have a car and live in the city.  my advice is to only live in the suburbs (1) if you really need to save money and find a place that's cheaper/cost-beneficial, (2) you are within walking distance to a metro stop, and (3) you have a car.  that being said, don't live in some bad place in dc just to be in dc.

[Illusion18]

Regarding Columbia Heights, I was looking at a number of houses in that area in the past.  $500 sounds like a great deal.  We were going to pay $700 each for a four bedroom in Columbia Heights, but it was really close to the Metro, about a block down from the Giant.  As soon as the new Target gets built over that way, I think rent is really going to go up, so you may want to get in before that happens.  Personally, I like the character of Columbia Heights/U Street area more than the NoVa area, so I think that depends on personality, too.  You can also walk to Adams Morgan if you like the bar hopping scene.  And DC isn't nearly as dangerous as people say.  Just be smart.  I live in NE just blocks from H Street, and I feel safe.  Also, you can really find some good Happy Hour deals.  Just keep your eyes open.

[Towlie]

DC is awesome. The best east coast city by a mile.

[lovelovelovenyc]

I grew up in Arlington and would go out in DC on weekends in my teenage years (1990-94.) At that time, I rarely felt unsafe, although once I went to a parade and realized that the public pool on the street where I was hanging out was where several kids were gunned down by gang members earlier that year. (It was in NW, btw.)

I have many friends who lived in Mt Pleasant and Columbia Heights and will be moving into a rowhouse in Columbia Heights when I head to DC in August. (I've been away for over 10 years.) The rowhouse is totally remodeled and I'll share the kitchen, LR, a computer room and bathroom with a friend. We'll each have our own bedroom and pay $500 + utilities. From looking on Craigslist, etc, this seems pretty cheap. Can anyone with more DC rental experience weigh in on whether or not that's a good bargain? I'm not sure exactly where in Col. Heights it is (near 16th Street, I think) but I saw pictures and the street looks nice. What (if any) parts of Columbia Heights should be avoided?

I imagine I will have to walk and take the bus to get to school (GW) everyday, which is OK because I like to walk for exercise. (I currently walk to work where I live now, 15-30 min each way, 1-2 miles depending on which job I'm going to.) I am not really sure how far Col Heights is from GW, though, if one were to walk half of the way.

I'd love to hear more perceptions about DC, especially about the type of people there, quality of life, etc. A friend of mine was mugged at gunpoint near Logan Circle last year, which suprised and scared me. I never heard of anyone getting mugged in Mt Pleasant in the early 90s when I had many friends there. Is it different now? I thought the city had gotten safer in the past 10 years.

I am coming from a smaller city, so I am worried about all these "big city" things. Any advice would be appreciated.

If you are around 16th and Columbia you should be fine.  Obviously it being an urban area you need to be smart but that entire area has gotten so gentrified in the past decade that I would worry.  Incidents still happen, but they also happen in Georgetown, Dupont, and other "better" neighborhoods in DC.

On the plus side, you will be by one of my fave places in DC- ChiCha Lounge (right off 16th and U).  Go there and get the Sangria and hookah!  The whole area around you will be tons of fun, esp U Street and Logan Circle.

I would guess a walk to GW would be 45-60 min.   I live in Woodley and it takes me 45 minutes to walk to Foggy Bottm.  But on a nice day, it will be a lovely walk!

[Erapitt]

DC is awesome. The best east coast city by a mile.

This couldn't be further from the truth.  The public transportation sucks in the evenings, the city is transient as hell, it is pretentious, and there really isn't much of a night life compared to cities like NYC and Miami. 

It is a great city to kick off your career, but I would never raise a family here.  If I am going to spend this kind of money my entire life I expect something for it.  NYC, Boston, and other big cities offer a whole lot more than DC will ever have.

[ivywhore]

DC is awesome. The best east coast city by a mile.

This couldn't be further from the truth.  The public transportation sucks in the evenings, the city is transient as hell, it is pretentious, and there really isn't much of a night life compared to cities like NYC and Miami. 

It is a great city to kick off your career, but I would never raise a family here.  If I am going to spend this kind of money my entire life I expect something for it.  NYC, Boston, and other big cities offer a whole lot more than DC will ever have.

have you read jane jacobs?

[potato]

I'm still in sticker shock over apartments.  What are people generally paying (or planning on paying) for living out in NoVA on the Metro line?

[ivywhore]

1300-1500