The DC Suburbs, Ranked

OK , we all know that a large share of mass who lay claim to be " from DC " are n’t reallyfrom DC.Most actually live in Virginia or Maryland , and head into DC for at least eight 60 minutes a sidereal day for afford our lilliputian aliveness back in the suburbia – myself include . But if you ’re a DC resident physician who ’s finally realise that you ca n’t really give to live in the city limits – or you just want some more room to stretch out and eat nuggets in your underpants , sans roommates – then your next step is belong to be figuring out where you want to hold out . After all , not all of the DC suburb are created equal – so use this pathfinder before you end up lease an apartment in a neighborhood where the unseamed option are limited to a exclusive moo-cow mooing in a nearby field .

15. Rappahannock County

acculturation : This really feels like V - I - R - G - I - N - I - A. Horses , tight denim , moo-cow stalls , long and winding road . If you develop up in New England and need to retire somewhere comparatively fond , but think Orlando is just too much , Rappahannock is probably your best bet . This is where horse farm and Virginia Wine Country get together . Transportation : An quondam , gray sawhorse name Traveller . Dining : You’ve got more options than you might expect . There are some real gems , but a lot of places seem to be converted grocery stores , or old Bob and Edith ’s . If you really want to impress , theInn at Little Washingtonis the place . This is n’t for the budget - witting , but for really fling . They do a three - course repast with an option for wine pairings . If you stay the dark , you could see that the restaurant is the first half of an exceptional experience . If you ’re like me and prefer something simple with a path more occasional vibration , tryMike ’s Smokin ’ BBQ.If you ’re look for a nifty small-arm of brisket and a chalk of cold tea , this is the place to be . I commonly stop by on my room back from a tramp in Luray , but if you ’re look for a quiet spot with well-disposed people , this is utter .

14. Loudoun County

Culture : This is where you subsist if you ’re a VP at a low - end Fortune 1000 company based in DC.Transportation : Four wheels . A Jaguar if you ’re on the top , an Audi if you ’re climbing , and an American fomite ( Tesla ’s excluded ) if you ’re somewhere in the midsection . Dining : These days , Loudon is about as authentically " rustic " as a Pottery Barn , but on the top , it has the comforts of Arlington County … and the space is much light , to boot . There ’s some seriously good food out here – tryJules BBQ(yep ) orThe Pit Stop . There are a lot of farms in the orbit , so restaurants can well get their meat locally ( and some even do ) . Just shy off from places that toss around terms like " gastronome " with abandon . While it might mean that the burgers are really good , they ’re credibly just pricey ( hey , Melt ! ) .

13. Charles County

refinement : Historically know as the spot where John Wilkes Booth was captured , this is a quieter , chintzy , and cleaner sleeping accommodation community of DC . People have townhomes , vast lawns , barbeque , and cookouts ( this is the South ; learn the difference ) . Charles County is beautiful , but remote . Transportation : A Quaker once got stuck out here after a party and everyone leave behind the next sunup while he slept in the toilet . Being resourceful , the cat walk to Walmart , bought a 10 - f number , and pedal back to DC . Only train two hour . Dining : Definitely skip the chain eating house ( they ’re everywhere ) and consider off up one of the many sure-enough - school diners … or go for the real delicacy out here , which is seafood . Captain Billy ’s Crab Houseis worth the trip . You know you ’re in the Mid - Atlantic when blue crab louse are on the menu , and this place does n’t let down .

12. Stafford County

refinement : Sometimes , during the daylight , when I ’m drive along I-95 , I feel like a spectacular chemical accident will bump at Quantico and a horde of snake god will come sprint down the hills that top onto the interstate highway . Transportation : Toyota Prius . Have you ever had to drive from Falmouth to Tysons Corner?Dining : If you ’re down for traditional Italian , tryZibbibo 73 - - it has a great selection of seafood dishful ( seek the Linguini Pescattore ) . Also , I likeEl Gran Charro , with its multiple type of delicious margarita and Taco Tuesday .

11. Fredericksburg

acculturation : Most people driving in the south from DC retrieve this position is made up alone of cheap gas stations . But that ’s not really Fredericksburg , that ’s just a revenue author . Go a little further , and you ’ll find a sleepyheaded lowly town , situated on rolled hills , cap by a definition - of - charming small Downtown surface area . The University of Mary Washington ’s pretty campus is located here , and there are plenty of older homes , with account of Virginia ’s yesteryear still standing – and some of them are really low-priced . The hoi polloi are nice , and this place is just small enough that unknown will wave at you . Transportation : Amtrak VRE and a grocery - getter are essentially musts . Dining : Poco Locohas an fantabulous spicy burger , aside from the Tex - Mex food for thought , and is settle in an old tavern house that ’s been updated . For a not - so - updated building , tryThe Tavern(seriously , it ’s good ) . It ’s got a solid bar selection and some corking blackened wings .

10. Harpers Ferry

Culture : Yes , this is a suburb of DC … a far - flung one , but still a suburban area . slew of people exchange to and from here every solar day . Once you hit the town , it ’s like step into a time machine : you’re able to have cheese stick where John Brown planned his fail foray , and take the air up and down winding street that have been fixed , but not update , since the 1800s , and feel like you ’re anachronistically dressed . When you realize that it ’s cool , and everyone else around you is in blue jean and polos , go on down to the local pub . transport : Amtrak , river tubes , and a fomite with four - wheel driveDining : The Anvilis pricey but delicious ( it makes an amazing great crab dip ) , or tryPotomac Grille . This situation has sandwich bigger than your head , and a peachy pick of cold beers after a daytime enjoying the beautiful surroundings .

9. Prince William County

acculturation : America , stop naming things after oppressive figures from your past . I do n’t name my cat The Insecurities of My Father Projected Onto Me . Most notably , the First Battle of Bull Run happened here , so there ’s a built - in piece of history right next to a condo exploitation ( not literally , but close ) . Nowadays , this is a legitimate suburb , with shopping sum and quiet cul - de - sac neighborhoods . Transportation : Amtrak , VRE , one of every S.U.V. in the landDining : While there ’s definitely no deficiency of chain restaurants in this area – you ’ll find plenty of Red Lobsters and Olive Gardens – there are some smashing local spot , too . For stand - out Thai , tryMum Mum : the blank space feels very sleek and cool , and the shrimp are perfect . I also likeThe Philadelphia Tavernfor its rustic look , and you take to try out the backstage and waffle bites . I dare you to eat few than 10 of them .

8. Fauquier County

Culture : This position is peaceful : it ’s surround by rolling hills and horse farms . Literally everyone I know from here knows how to ride a horse … not well , but better than I can . This is decidedly not NOVA , but rather , dependable Virginia : retrieve diachronic reenactment , prized pigs , and a compound flavour to the business district surface area . Everything is spread out , but everyone know everyone around here . fare : Stutz Bearcat to the weekend auto show . Dining : For breakfast , I can attest thatHidden Julles Cafehas powerful coffee and several slipway to make an eggs Benedict . I ’m a fan of the Julles Bene ( smoked salmon , hollandaise , capers ) , but you should probably be bold , ignore your arteries ’ cries for help , and go for the Monte Cristo . For dinner , visitClaire ’s at the Depot . The menu is n’t full of dateless options , but it does have 15 thing it does splendidly . I ’m not usually an appetizer person , so I go straight to the rib - middle . If you ’re an apps person , the cocoa palm shrimp is the true statement .

7. Falls Church

Culture : I’m unsure how this place exists as its own city . Do they have naked pic of Fairfax getting it on with Prince William County on a houseboat in the Potomac ? This place is nestled between Fairfax County and Arlington County , and somehow maintains its own feel . It ’s pretty modest , too – you could probably jog around the border in 90 minutes . There are small bungalows , one - story ramblers , sometime Tudor , and everyone seems to have a basement woodshop / rec elbow room . Transportation : Four - door Volvo Charles’s Wain if you ’re smart . Metro , too ( but did you cognize neither of the stations with " Falls Church " in their name are * in * Falls Church?).Dining : As we ’ve search in depth , Eden Center is both wonderful and overwhelming . It would likely help to know what to get if you knew Vietnamese , but if you ’re an English - only speaker , everyone here is professional and wants to help you . Try the banh mi at Cafe Trung Nguyen , which is both excellent and cash - only , so issue forth prepared . When you ’re done and necessitate a cold beer , tally out theSpacebar . This is the fancy short brother of Arlington ’s Galaxy Hut . It ’s got a howling collection of drafts and a vegetarian - focused fare . you’re able to get pith clobber , but the menu is friendly to all eaters ( and drinkers ) .

6. Frederick County

Culture : This further - flung commuter community serves Baltimore as well as DC . In feel , it ’s close to Old Town Alexandria , with an one-time and historical Downtown , and a surrounding country that has New exploitation . I believe the people who do this place right have a townhouse and a little G , and live near one of the many park or golf courses . This is a big property to live as long as you do n’t have to use 270 outdoors of commutation . Transportation : MARC , I-270 . ripe luck!Dining : One of theVoltaggio brothersopened a restaurant here a while back : the menu is wonderful , and loaded with unlike smart ingredient that are prepare in semi - unusual ways … conceive grill romaine with cashew nut and striped bass . So you should probably go , get a proficient bite to eat , and sneak a peep at aTop Chefcontestant . Frederick Wine House , as you might ask , has a corking selection of wine-colored , but it also has a really good array of beer , admit a tasting room . The stave is also really favorable and will help you find something that appeals to you .

5. Montgomery County

polish : Started from the top , now we stayin ' at the top ! Between Bethesda , Glen Echo , Gaithersburg , and Takoma Park , there ’s a diverse sample distribution of upward mobile citizenry : this is a mod - feeling area in a area surrounded by chronicle . While it ’s a great place to live , I wish they would preserve the more singular constituent of the area rather than renovating everywhere . If you leave the main Downtown area , there are beautiful colonial and Tudor - expressive style homes , but if you want to exist Downtown , a lot of the piazza have been made depressingly modern . transit : MARC , Metro ( though on the Red Line , you need alternatives like the J2 , J3 , etc . from the transit heart ) . Cute bicycle for the kids . dine : If you went and explored a eating place every daylight for a year , you ’d still have plenty of spot leave over . I likeRincon Peruano , but if you vagabond away from the ceviche , you ’re doing yourself a disservice . This is one of those meals that ’ll leave you feeling short than when you came into the eating place , but still satisfied . For something entirely different , the most powerful margaritas of my life were had atGringos & Mariachis . The brunch is fantastical , with a poblano Benedict that ’ll cure everything inside of you .

4. Fairfax County

Culture : A million people live here , and it feel like it . If you ’re young , the cops will chase you for skateboarding . If you ’re old , you ’re worried about school and place tax . This is one of the big , most diverse , and most economically muscular regions in Virginia . Dignitaries from Eritrea will live a few block from a self - made enterpriser from El Salvador . All the while , it seems like everyone here has a security clearance and is also mold on their second Master ’s level . There ’s also a side of Fairfax where large kinsfolk live in smaller , older neighborhoods … but for the most part , it feels like everyone here is hustling . transport : Amtrak , VRE , MetroDining : Fairfax has more than its mediocre portion of string eating place … which is okay , because sometimes a Bloomin ’ Allium cepa and an Outback rib - eye is all you really take . But there ’s some in earnest good food worth visiting this county for : Sisters Thaiis sea wolf . Order the Garlic Lover , but do n’t expect anyone to want to pay heed out around you after . Or correspond outBebop , a Korean - Mexican grill – the Gallus gallus greaser with savory kim chi is splendid . Really , the good part of dining in Fairfax is that due to the area ’s multifariousness , you may almost certainly find both the nutrient you grew up with ( no topic where you were raised ) , and dishes you ’ve never even heard of before ( ditto mark ) .

3. Arlington County

acculturation : The county has three distinct regions that fulfill different determination : North Arlington is now the business centre of attention ; the Ballston - to - Rosslyn corridor has high - rise , universities , tons of bar & eating house , and a mix of trapping ( most of which is n’t too low-priced ) ; and South Arlington is the highway community that Arlington used to be . The people who endure here enjoy that their neighborhoods are comparatively quiet ( except during rush time of day ) , and that the residential district is divers . Really , South Arlington ( Pentagon City / Aurora Heights ) is the kangaroo sack of the Pentagon and DC proper – a lot of people who live in the Aurora Heights neighborhood have been here or tenner , and it ’s well-fixed to see why . It ’s a valley within the Beltway that ’s quiet , but near everything . A little high on the mound are homes of some dignitary type , but I ’m not about to compliment them on getting the best views of the city . Transportation : Metro / bus , Ca - Bi , Car2Go . North Arlington is the vicinity that the Orange Line built , while Columbia Pike is re - inventing itself on 1950s base . There was almost a streetcar , but now they ’re moving toward Bus Rapid Transit . Dining : Go toTexas Jack’sfor the brisket , and some of the good nacho in the expanse . For a laid - back air and solid grub , check out the veggie dogs and beers atGalaxy Hut . They ’ve also got several colonnade games that function as tabletop . In South Arlington , stumble upLost Dog Cafefor some of the good sandwiches available . The pizza pie ’s great , but take them to make the impertinence a small crispy , because it seems like it ’s homemade , so it might not be as consistent as you ’re used to . If you want entertainment , thenArlington Drafthouseis a upstanding go - to . Headlining comedians show up regularly , it also has dollar movie nights , and it will regularly ventilate tumid sporting events for spare ( so earmark this for the Olympics ) . In really - South Arlington , Freddie ’s Beach Baris one of the in force . It ’s small , but for the ambience , the heavily - pouring staff , karaoke , and Drag Bingo , it ca n’t be beat .

2. Prince George’s County

Culture : This is in reality a more representative portion of the diversity in Maryland . There are hidden muffin , like Bowie and Mitchellville ; old neighborhoods like Hyattsville ; and neat memory access to the beach on Maryland ’s shore . If you exist here , you have a serious head start on anyone who ’s going to Dewey Beach . There ’s a flock more green space once you get away from 495 , so you do n’t feel like you live in a concrete hobo camp . Also , it does n’t pain that it ’s cheaper to dwell here than in Montgomery County . The only tangible downside is that hurricane time of year leaves you a little more vulnerable . Transportation : Amtrak , VRE , I-95 , I-495 . Everything go through DC basically leads through this county , so if you ’re heading anywhere further northeast , you have multiple shipping selection . Dining : PG County is the place to visit for a Caribbean fix . The Caribbean Palaceis my default – while plantains are more and more available everywhere , I just need oxtail every few months . They ’ll also make pikliz for some of the dish antenna , because who does n’t love a spicy cabbage ? And if you ’re going to Baltimore to see the O ’s play , but need a bit to eat , and you ’re not in the mood for stadium blackguard , tryYa Mon Island Grill . They ’ve got the traditional curry and jerk - spicery intellectual nourishment that are hot , but do n’t linger . A gingerroot beer to lave it down , and you ’ll be perfect .

1. Alexandria

Culture : This place palpate like someone opened an Apple Store inside an apothecary : it ’s pack with a mix of 30 - somethings and octogenarians , which is kinda charming . There are a lot of new families riding tandem bikes , fourth-year citizen stress ( not ? ) to hit them , and what seems like a farmers market on every quoin . There ’s a ton of history here , but it does n’t feel old . It feels properly preserved . This is a bang-up place to just take the air around . Whether you ’re with friends or family , this is a shoes to bury your claws into , and never countenance go if you’re able to . Transportation : Amtrak , VRE , Metro , Ca - Bi ( and great bike infrastructure ) . Be careful if you ’re biking , though , because an erstwhile lady is about to hit you with her Jaguar . fall apart a helmet . Dining : Old Town offer a reallyremarkable mixture of high - end and more accessible fare … it ’s truly some of the serious solid food on the Eastern Seaboard . While you ’re here , assure outVirtue Feed & Grain , which does a mass of farm - to - tabular array stuff , including offal , if that ’s your jamming . And if you have n’t been , stop byBilbo Baggins , a tap house with a great beer option and grotesque food for thought . There ’s a slightLord of the Ringstheme going here , but do n’t worry , no one coiffure as an Ent is going to serve you wings . Also , you ’re die to require to stop by Del Ray and visitEvening Star , which focuses on American classics . It has one of the effective apple Proto-Indo European I ’ve ever had from a restaurant . RT ’s Restaurantis also deserving fix a special trip for : it has a great creole carte , including crab etouffée , jambalaya pasta , and trout Orleans ( expect for a whole Pisces if you’re able to , eyes and all ) .

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A Virginia farmhouse