Our daughter will be moving to Washington D.C. this summer. She will be living there permanently. I remember about the times I moved when I was single, or after my husband and I got married, we did everything by mail and phone calls. Now things have become so easy! The internet has made looking for an apartment almost as easy as just a few clicks.
Our daughter is currently click, click, clicking through D.C.’s different metro (subway) stations, “walkability” ratings, tenant reviews, neighborhood police reports, let’s face it, everything! She is coming up with a list of apartment complexes she thinks look promising. My husband and I are then going to fly out and check out the complexes and their areas. We’ve done this before, but this time we decided that since she will be doing all of her commuting to and from work via the metro, we’re going to do the same thing.
This should be interesting! The last time I was on a subway was in Boston (the “T’ in Boston), and let me tell you, I was a little disillusioned with what I saw going on! Let’s just say that the subway today is a whole lot different than from what you might see in an old black and white movie! (Did they even have subway systems back then?!?) I was surprised to see men and women of all ages sitting on the T while eight-month pregnant women were forced to stand. Hmmm…
Even though our daughter won’t be moving for several months, my husband and I have discussed D.C.’s hot summer months, so we are planning on going during April. When our children were little we lived in Maryland for a while, so this will be a going-home of sorts for us. However, it will be our first trip to neither rent a car nor take our own, so this might prove to be … hmmm… fun. (???)
Carol says
The London Underground opened in 1863. France’s Metro opened in 1900 & New York’s opened in 1904. So yes, there were subways in black & white movie days. In many cases, the subways came after elevated railways & street cars. It’s probably helpful to think about the mass transit system as a whole rather than the underground trains alone. Also, you might want to also consider how bikable an area is, & to what extent you combine biking with mass transit. Some cities allow bikes on trains & have special racks for bikes on buses.
Anne says
Carol, I don’t know about Washington but in London you can “borrow” a bike at one point and drop it off at another. They’ve been nicknamed “Boris Bikes” after the current mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Carol, thanks for the underground information. It’s been years since I was on the metro in D.C., but sort of remember that once you get out of the city, it’s above-ground. Our daughter will be living outside of D.C., so her commute will not be bikeable. However, she may enjoy tooting around on a rented bike every once in a while on the weekends. (I know San Antonio has rentable bikes downtown, and am guessing D.C. probably does, too.)
Anne says
Danna, yr comment about yr subway resonates. I must tell you about a huge advert on a hoarding I saw the other day. It featured a white-haired (with a blue rinse) old lady grinning and the captions read “More Blue Rinses, Less Blue Language!” “Shreddies” are campaining for a better nation.”
Good luck with yr. forthcoming adventures.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Anne, that sounds like a cute ad. I wonder how effective ads like that are, though. I remember the “Just Say No” to Drugs campaign. I’m not sure it did that much to curb drug usage…
Margaret M. says
I LOVE D.C. and I can’t even count how often I have visited. I really like the subway system in D.C. But, I do prefer to travel above ground in our nations capital so as not to miss the beautiful city. As your daughter “clicks” away looking at apartments, I would remember air conditioning! Have fun on your visit.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Margaret M, when I mentioned the heat in D.C., I meant for my husband and me! It’s been a while since we lived in the D.C. area, but I remember a few times when it got pretty balmy. That’s why we decided to go in April instead of waiting for the summer…
Dru says
Also look at buses. You get a feel of the neighborhoods that are nearby.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Dru, I hadn’t thought about buses. You’re right. Thanks!
Sierrapen says
Since our son moved to the D.C. area last year, I have been there several times. Having lived only in California, and last 40 years in the high desert, I travelled on subways for the first time in D.C. I thought they were nice and clean. It is confusing, and I lose track of direction, but there are lots of maps to follow. D.C. is a great place to visit. Have a great time.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sierrapen, we really enjoyed living in the D.C. area when our children were little. After this apartment-finding trip, I think the rest of our times out there to see her will be fun. I can imagine how different the subways were for you the first time, after California and then the high desert!
Elizabeth says
It’s been a while since I’ve been in DC but my memory of the Metro is that it is clean and efficient. Highly recommend checking out apps like HopStop to help you find metro stops and times.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Elizabeth, my husband just added HopStop to his phone. Thank you! (I’m an old cell phone hold-out. No apps for me…)
Marja says
DC’s Metro is terrific! I rode it for years. Very clean and comfortable but it does close down late at night (unlike trains in NYC which run 24 hrs). So if ahe plans a night out dancing with friends she’ll need to plan on getting a car or taxi home. Buses at that hour can be scary. Taxis in D.C. have an odd zoning system: if you cross a zone (say by going from D.C. into Arlington VA) you are charged extra. A fair bit extra. “Uber” may be making this a thing of the past.
***Yes. A/C is essential.*** I remember one summer of 103 degree, high-humidity weather.
But living in D.C. is a wonderful experience … one I have never forgotten … the magnificence of the public spaces, the free and excellent museums, the world-class entertainment and dining …
… the beautiful marble buildings (These were crafted by slave artisans, incidentally, a fact that should be publicly recognized on each building — it’s not “just Black History,” it’s American History, and all American citizens should recognize the talents, excellence and intellect these artisans contributed to the beauty of our nation’s capitol even amidst their terrible life circumstances. [rant over]).
When you go, do enjoy a walk around the Tidal Basin. It’s lovely even when the cherry blossoms aren’t in full flower. I find I’m a bit envious!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marja, our daughter is going to have to commute to and from downtown, since she’s not planning on living in D.C. This means she has to have an apartment in one of the close-by areas that has parking available for her car. She lived in D.C. two summers while she was doing internships, and was actually able to live right downtown by the mall, at a women’s boarding place.
the reason I brought up the heat, is my husband and I had contemplated flying out to D.C. during late May/early June, but we remember the hit/humidity during the summer months up there.
You are so right about D.C. being a wonderful experience. I could spend hours in buildings like Union Station, both inside and out, just enjoying its architecture. I think it’s going to be a great place for her to live, although I would have loved to see her pick somewhere here in Texas, so we would be closer…
Marja says
Errata: Metro is clean and comfortable. If she plans on being out late get not a purring cat but a car with a purring engine
TXRed says
My daughter lived in the DC area for many years and in different locations. She always chose to live near a Metro station. When I visited I was often in charge of getting my little grandson to daycare/primary school. I never needed use of a car on all my visits. The metro was used by me and many mothers/grandmothers/nannies/fathers to transport kids. After dropping off my grandson, I took the metro many places for my day of sightseeing: Smithsonian museums, downtown for shopping at the huge Macy’s, on weekends to the Nationals ballpark with my daughter and grandson, to a movie theater. A car in DC can be a burden. Take the metro and you can go many places. I found it safe, clean, and easy to figure out. I was always a solo traveler and in the Metro or walking to my destinations I always felt safe. THe worst thing might be going down to the platform and finding you’re either on the wrong side of the track to go your direction, or at the big junctions of metro lines, you’re on the wrong level for your line. Have fun and enjoy the convenience of commuting on a great system
Danna - cozy mystery list says
TXRed, my daughter has decided to go ahead and take her car, although there is a chance that my husband and I might fly out in the future to get it and bring it home for one of us. She hasn’t made up her mind for sure.
My husband went to George Washington Univ. when we lived in Maryland, and he would drive to the park and ride, and then ride the metro downtown. However, we usually drove downtown when we went as a family to visit museums, etc. I’m looking forward to our future visits with our daughter, once she is living there. As for scoping out possible living areas, well, hopefully it should be interesting. All of the out-lying areas have changed so much since we lived there.
Marja says
Rental prices are quite a bit higher if the commuter lives near a Metro station, even a park & ride. 😛
They may fall the farther out you go, but I doubt she wants a 45-minute commute from car to train.
I used to live in Arlington VA and took the bus to Pentagon City [VA] station. Really short train commute from there.
Danna, bring layers to wear in case the heat comes early [ugh].
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marja, we’ll be taking layers and umbrellas! I sort of remember a lot of rain in D.C. She’s looking at apartment complexes that are a block or less from the metro, and she doesn’t want to make any metro changes. So, this should be challenging. You’re right about the prices. I can’t get over them! She doesn’t want to park and ride. My husband did while he has attending George Washington Univ., and she’s not crazy about following in his footsteps on this one!
TXRed says
My single daughter and young son lived in Arlington for several years and the Metro was a block away; there were shops and restaurants. To go to her office near The Mall (where most of the Smithsonian museums are) there were no changes of Metro. Her apartments in Arlington were always near the Courthouse area or a few blocks away along that main street. They had a 24 hr concierge to let non-tenants in or to accept packages, etc. 24 hours a day tenants went in/out, as when I took a shuttle van to the Baltimore Airport a couple of times; I was picked up at 3:00 a.m. or so and we made several stops for other people going to the BWI Airport.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
TXRed, those are exactly the types of apartments she is looking at. She would like a half hour (or less) commute on the metro. She’ll be getting off the metro at Judiciary Square or Gallery Place, so she’s looking at the red and yellow metro lines. Arlington would require her to change metros, which she hopefully won’t have to do.
Mary says
Hi! I was born and raised in Silver Spring, MD and lived there until a year ago. I commuted to my job in DC on the Metro. Don’t forget the cardinal rule for the escalators: Walk left, stand right! If you don’t, you’re liable to get bowled over. Take a look at Silver Spring for apartments. It has become a great place!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary, I wish more people in places like airports also knew that cardinal rule for escalators! We have a few Silver Springs’ apartments on our spread sheet. I think our daughter is mulling over not taking her car if she ends up there.
Plaidsneakers says
As someone living in one of those tall buildings a block from the Silver Spring metro stop, I love how much I don’t use my car. My husband’s commute is 20 min. to downtown DC, but groceries, farmers market (year round), movie theatres, concerts and more are all with in a block or 4. Now they just need to finish the new library. Invest in a smart trip card, it is good on the bus and the metro, it reduces the cost of your fare. You can always hang on to them for when you come back to visit. Happy House Hunting.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Plaidsneakers, we were supposed to fly out tomorrow morning at 4:00 AM, but my husband is ill, so we have had to postpone our trip. Our daughter has picked out two “tall buildings” by the metro that she is particularly interested in. I’m going to pass your comment on to her. She is still on the fence about taking her car. Thank you for the hunting tips!