OT: Moving to Fairfax

[Preds101]

Predators fan here from Milwaukee, WI but moving to Virginia in a few weeks for a job and looking for any information. I haven't been to Virginia at all, so any information will be helpful. I will be living on Willow Crescent Drive in Fairfax so if anyone has any specific information about that area, or just the general DC area it would be much appreciated. I will be there for about 10 weeks so I will hopefully be able to catch the Preds/Caps preseason game on the 25th.

Thanks for all the information.

Click to read more...

 

[Halpysback*]

Congrats, Fairfax is the best place I ever lived in.

What do you need to know?

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

Welcome to the area and enjoy what seems to be endless road construction in NoVA.

 

[DCRedhawk21]

Welcome to the area and enjoy what seems to be endless road construction in NoVA.

Haha too true... Anyways welcome to the area - I lived out near Fairfax for many years before moving to Arlington to be closer to work. Fairfax is about 20-25 minutes west of DC, which is easily accessible via I-66 East (be careful though, I-66 inside of the Beltway (495) is HOV only on weekday mornings and I-66 West inside the Beltway is HOV only on weekday afternoons and tickets for violations are outrageous).


In terms of getting to the Verizon Center for games, I always used metro when living in Fairfax. The Vienna metro station on the Orange line in a short drive away and you can take that line into Metro Center downtown. From there you can either take a 5-10 minute walk to the VC (it's a nice walk IMO) or you can switch to the Red Line towards Glenmont/Silver Spring and take it one stop to Chinatown/Gallery Place and that stop is right under the VC.

If you have any specific questions on getting around the area or good places for bars/food/shopping/etc. just ask.

 

[tycoonheart]

Welcome to the area and enjoy what seems to be endless road construction in NoVA.

lol. Tell me about it. Nothing ever gets completed.

I used to live about couple of miles up on 123 from where you will be OP. Its a fine area. The metro not to far away.

Stop by Vienna Inn and get some of their delicious loaded hotdogs.

 

[Preds101]

Congrats, Fairfax is the best place I ever lived in.

What do you need to know?

Thanks for all the information so far everyone. Mostly what I was looking for is good places to visit/eat and places/areas to avoid.

Thanks!

 

[ChibiPooky]

Thanks for all the information so far everyone. Mostly what I was looking for is good places to visit/eat and places/areas to avoid.

Thanks!

There's a lot of good food information in the out of town/ticket thread.

As far as places to avoid, I'll go ahead and say the Peter Pan buffet. I don't know if I've ever seen a restaurant get as many health code violations and still be operating.

 

[SlappaDaBass]

You're going to be living really close to me Preds so I can give you some information on eating. If you enjoy sushi, there is the absolute best sushi at Yoko which is a short drive down 123. There's really not too much else in the immediate area worth eating besides Yoko, IMO. If you drive 5-10 minutes into downtown Vienna I recommend trying Plaka Grill which is a phenomenal mediterranean restaurant. In that same area, Church Street pizza is the best new york style pizza you'll find. I would also try one of the Great American Restaurants while you're in town.

PM me if you want any other recommendations as far as bars and night life, etc.

 

[Robert Theodorson]

If you're driving anywhere, prepare for hell.

I've lived in different parts of NoVA most of my life and Fairfax was/is the worst of them all, expect maybe Tysons Corner where people will actively try to kill you on the road.

Fairfax has more stoplights per capita than people, not literally it just feels that way. The people who drive around the area most likely have not been driving for more than a year and if you are not an aggressive driver you're in trouble.

Other than my rants, the place is fun to live in, you've got everything you need if you're near the city center.

 

[Hivemind]

If Fairfax is the best place anyone has ever lived, they need to live more places. So glad I'm out of there.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

To be fair, it is one of the best places to raise a family, if you can afford it.

If you are single and/or have no kids, there might be a dozen better places within 60 miles.

 

[member 51464]

Hmm, like where?

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Hmm, like where?

Falls Church
Arlington
Alexandria
Chevy Chase
DC
Annapolis
Baltimore
Bethesda
McLean

Arguably:

Frederick
Springfield
Silver Spring
National Harbor

Don't get me wrong, Fairfax is a great place to live. It just depends what you're looking for.

 

[strungout]

expect maybe Tysons Corner where people will actively try to kill you on the road.

This made me LOL...because its true.

 

[Zoidberg Jesus]

If you're driving anywhere, prepare for hell.

I've lived in different parts of NoVA most of my life and Fairfax was/is the worst of them all, expect maybe Tysons Corner where people will actively try to kill you on the road.

Fairfax has more stoplights per capita than people, not literally it just feels that way. The people who drive around the area most likely have not been driving for more than a year and if you are not an aggressive driver you're in trouble.

Other than my rants, the place is fun to live in, you've got everything you need if you're near the city center.

I had the misfortune of going to a high school 10 miles west of me, so I was going with the traffic at all times. 40 minute commute both ways, longer when I was still taking the bus. It's especially bad since all the radio stations here are **** if you're not into pop or country.

 

[Halpysback*]

There's a lot of good food information in the out of town/ticket thread.

As far as places to avoid, I'll go ahead and say the Peter Pan buffet. I don't know if I've ever seen a restaurant get as many health code violations and still be operating.

If you wear a blindfold it becomes the best restaurant ever.

 

[Halpysback*]

If Fairfax is the best place anyone has ever lived, they need to live more places. So glad I'm out of there.

Pearls before swine man, pearls before swine.

 

[usiel]

If you're driving anywhere, prepare for hell.

I've lived in different parts of NoVA most of my life and Fairfax was/is the worst of them all, expect maybe Tysons Corner where people will actively try to kill you on the road.

Fairfax has more stoplights per capita than people, not literally it just feels that way. The people who drive around the area most likely have not been driving for more than a year and if you are not an aggressive driver you're in trouble.

Other than my rants, the place is fun to live in, you've got everything you need if you're near the city center.

Other than a three year period in Arlington (Ballston) lived in various parts of Fairfax county for 30 plus years and have worked in Tyson Corner for the majority of jobs I've had. The bolded definitely applies to the outer loop on 495 in the Tysons Corner area for sure.

I really liked living in Ballston but was a little late in taking the plunge into owning so couldn't afford it by the time I was ready. Was great being right on a metro line and going against rush hour traffic.

Traffic overall is pretty hellish. Thankfully working a PST schedule means I get to avoid everything.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

Falls Church
Arlington
Alexandria
Chevy Chase
DC
Annapolis
Baltimore
Bethesda
McLean

Arguably:

Frederick
Springfield
Silver Spring
National Harbor

Don't get me wrong, Fairfax is a great place to live. It just depends what you're looking for.

I can vouch for Annapolis. Lived here all my life, just a great place to grow up and raise your own kids, IMO.

I would take National Harbor off the arguably list. Did a lot of work at National Harbor during construction and post-construction. Place is not well made and way overpriced.

 

[Ajax1995]

I would take National Harbor off the arguably list. Did a lot of work at National Harbor during construction and post-construction. Place is not well made and way overpriced.

And in PG County...

 

[SpringfieldSkins]

Springfield represent!

Fairfax County in general is a very expensive place to live. Fairfax proper is probably among some of the more expensive areas.

So, the bad: people are frequently **********. The traffic is awful. There is a very "political" feel to the area. Political as in you'll kill your father to become the king of the land. People don't really know hockey here. They know the Washington Redskins (or the Pittsburgh Steelers, or the Dallas Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Patriots or whatever city they came from). Nobody is from here, nobody. Almost anyone who lives in the DC area came to the city to further career. Hope you like skinny jeans.

The Good: great schools. High level of education. Safe area (especially Fairfax). No lack of activities.


I've lived here my whole life. If I could make the same amount of money and live in an area that isn't so hectic I would in an instant.

Enjoy your stay.
(Really though, it isn't that bad)