I'd love to hear from anybody who is younger and fresh out of college who headed to the Washington D.C. area. (I'm 23) I'm moving from Madison, Wisconsin. Do you enjoy the area? I've heard people in the area are 'generally unfriendly' is there truth to this? As long as I don't mind being holed up in a small studio apartment... is the cost of living doable on a 50k salary? How is the nightlife/singles scene? Is it easy and/or cheap to travel to NY or Virginia beach by rail? How is the metro system? I'll be taking it to Alexandria for work unless prefer biking? How is biking in the area? Sigh, if I can get any information from any of these it'd be very helpful... I'm moving in about 2 weeks. Thank you very much.
I’m not young, but my daughters are, and the one’s boyfriend lives in Clarendon, and I can give you some advice. Clarendon, while in Virginia is still really a part of the DC Metropolitan area. I’ve lived in the DC area all my life and I wouldn’t describe people as ‘generally unfriendly’, maybe it’s just busy and focused which may make them seem that way. You will be able to meet like minded people. Also, that area is a heavily populated area with a very diverse population … all nationalities, races and belief systems abound, you might have a bit of cultural shock. Clarandon is full of shops, services, clubs and restuarants — you’ll have no problem with that. There are lots of ethinic restaurants too, so you’ll have a chance to really try some new things out.
$50,000 salary is doable, for a single person…but that area has a really high cost of living, so be prepared for that.
Getting to New York is easy and not too expensive, there is easy access to Amtrac trains from Union Station in DC, plus the bus. NY is about 2 1/2 - 3 hours away. Virginia Beach you would have to take a Greyhound bus, and it’s about 4 hours away. You might be wanting to take trips to Baltimore and Philadelphia too, or the Virginia and Maryland mountains and country side. The Metro system is great and heavily replied upon, but it doesn’t go everywhere. Where will you be working in Alexandria (it’s a big area)? Unless you are an experienced and dedicated biker, I doubt that you will be biking to work on a regular basis, Alexandria is about 10 miles from Clarendon. The Metro goes to certain parts of Alexandria, it all depends on where you will be working…for example if your job is in “Old Town”, you’ll still be at least a half a mile a way from the Metro Stop. Other than that you’ll certainly have fun biking along the bike path the runs along the Potomac River. You will be able to bike to DC.
You will probably be spending a lot of time in DC and all it has to offer, too. Clarendon is very close and accessible to it.
To sum it up, you will be in a very busy and active area, depending on your interests you will really have no problem finding things to do, whether it’s art, culture, alternative-culture, nature — it’s all there. You will make friends, maybe at work, maybe where you are living, but you will make them. Good luck!
I’m a 23 year old who has live in the DC area for 5 years (including college) and am just now making the move from the Maryland suburbs of DC to Arlington, however I have gone out in Arlington plenty of times for bars, restaurants, etc. Don’t worry about finding things to do - between the Courthouse/Clarendon area, Old Town in Alexandria, and the short metro ride to DC you will find more than enough entertainment. There is also the Ballston mall, Pentagon City, and the massive Tysons Corner for shopping. I highly recommend checking out the Washington Post’s Going Out Guide on their website for entertainment guides and reviews as well.
As a native New Yorker, I can also tell you that this isn’t any more of an “unfriendly” area than you will find in any metropolitan region. If you smile and say Hi to people, they generally reciprocate. Of course you’ll see for yourself that each area in DC has its own personality-types and you can judge for yourself accordingly.
It’s a very walkable area, as well. I find the Metro to be pretty inconvenient in terms of getting you to where you need to be, and you’ll probably find yourself doing a lot of walking/biking regardless. I would recommend familiarizing yourself with other routes and means of transportation (walking paths, buses, etc.) because the Metro frequently has delays.
$50k will be more than enough for you to enjoy yourself and live comfortable (provide you shopped around a bit before you committed to an apartment and aren’t paying an insane amount). When I was fresh out of college, I was only making a salary in the low 30s and still managed to afford groceries, dinners, transportation (although metro can be pretty pricey) and multiple trips to the bar.
Overall, JaguarWoman’s response is pretty dead-on, but I thought it might also help to hear from someone your age, in a similar position as yourself.
I must say, New York is my favorite city and I resented DC for a long time, but the loner I’m here the more it’s growing on me. And there is definitely a charm to Northern Virginia.
I forgot to mention, check out megabus.com for some great deals on buses to NYC and other cities. Amtrak is pricey so most young people take buses back and forth. Also try Bolt Bus and Washington Deluxe.