Submitted by yunnifymonte t3_10n3bb6 in washingtondc
I feel like recently there has been a bit of negativity on this sub, and at times it feels like a DC Hate-Community, especially regarding crime, that isn’t to say DC is perfect, but I feel like we need a little bit more of positivity!
So, what do you like, or LOVE about Washington, DC? Is it the different Neighborhoods? The Nightlife? Transportation? The Museums? Oh! And, let’s not forget Metro’s gorgeous Underground Stations? Anything!
I grew up here and legitimately didn’t know other museums weren’t free until I rolled up to one in NYC and they asked for a credit card. It blew my mind.
This is one of my favorite things too, but this new trend of needing timed passes for certain museums or the zoo puts a big damper on the magic of a last minute stroll into a museum. I appreciate they’re free but I don’t want to have to plan in advance.
I agree with this -- especially the zoo. Most of the Smithsonians I've been able to walk right in, but the zoo is especially a tough one -- especially since I have a toddler.
Hard agree! As an extension of this, the zoo being free is amazing.
As much as yall shit on the metro. I really love not having to have a car to get around. I got rid of mine when I moved here.
I'm from somewhere that has little to no reliable public transportation
I’m currently in NYC and I also appreciate how clean the metro is relative to other cities
We shit on it, but in reality, it's one of the best metros in North America. RM transit made a amazing video on it! I'll link it
I absolutely loved that video, as RMTransit has said before Metro has the bones to become a world class system, but if Metro wants to get to that status, we’ll definitely need to fix some things, but we are getting there, SLOWLY.
Says everything you need to know about North America compared to the rest of the world when it comes to public transit
I came across that video a couple weeks ago and found it fascinating
Yes I agree! I drove an hour to work for 5 years and now I rely on biking and metro. The majority of the bike portion of my commute is via bike lanes and my metro portion is great! Everyone shits on the Silver Line but I love it, at least way more than driving.
This! And with the lines still growing, it’s really nice. Getting to Dulles from our place in Capitol Hill is awesome.
Rock Creek Park. Not to mention all the other wonderful green space. It’s a walkable city with decent transit, diverse population and some really amazing people. There’s no other city I’d rather live in.
I heard coyotes last time I walked in Rock Creek Park. Wonderful but the deer will invade your backyard garden so take precautions.
+1 for Rock Creek Park. Without taking a car I can “leave” the city and be transported into nature. It’s really beautiful. I went for the first time in the fall and I think I would like to make that a yearly fall experience.
I’m so excited to go back and share with 11! It was one of my favorite places when I was a kid.
I love the low building heights. You can see the sky while still having walkable neighborhoods. Lower density creates nice neighborly feeling where you know everyone on your block. Comparatively to other cities, lots of trees and greenery too.
The high rents that result are pretty sweet too. Love supporting medium sized businesses.
NYC has higher rents. And taller buildings.
Their population is also 12x higher. In either case, that doesn’t mean restricting the supply of rental units doesn’t increase rent. Lower supply + constant demand = higher price
Honestly I don’t think the height restrictions are the primary cause of high rents. AFAIK most housing in this city is in the form of a 2-story townhouse.
2 story housing in a densely populated city is still really low. It sounds like you’re describing the suburbs, not a city.
Why do you think rents are high then? Simply by the law of supply and demand, keeping supply low is going to raise the price.
Not denying there are supply constraints, only saying that building height is not the primary limitation IMHO.
Who’s to say what the entire range of causes is. But my point was that prohibiting people from expanding housing supply vertically when horizontal space is at a premium can only place upward pressure on prices
Lots of residential neighborhoods are zoned to only 40 ft tall. That’s why they’re townhomes or small apartments.
Our population would increase if we had taller buildings too. High rents are caused by a lot of things. The argument that building height is the only cause is not fair. I understand why it is used when advocating for a policy position that this thesis supports.
I will also point out that you live in Logan Circle. One of the highest per sq ft rents in the city. And what makes Logan so beautiful and desirable? Lack of tall buildings, beautiful old homes, etc. If you added tall buildings there it would not be as desirable and everything that makes you want to live there, could be lost. I love walking around Logan Circle. Just like I love walking around Georgetown. But I live in a more affordable area of the city. There are plenty of beautiful neighborhoods with much more affordable rents. More affordable than the suburbs.
I’m not saying it’s the only cause. But as a basic fact of supply and demand when expanding housing supply vertically is prohibited and horizontal space is at a premium that’s inevitably going to place upward pressure on prices.
I’m not arguing that higher buildings make a place more pretty. Just that allowing them let’s supply keep up with demand.
This is a complex issue but it’s well known and established that it’s largely an issue of supply
So full transparency: I live in Maryland, just on the border of DC & MD, but my life (work and play) are all in DC and I’m in the process moving into DC. Some of the top things I love about this city include:
How every neighborhood has a similar, but different vibe. Idk how to explain it but I mainly hang out at the wharf (near where I work), Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle and Shaw neighborhoods and I love them for different reasons.
There are so many different cuisines to try!
The desire to support local businesses is strong.
Communities are also really strong (i.e. the art community)
The ability to participate in important, arguably historic protests or other types of moments is available to me at a leisure. For example, I’m able to pop over to the Supreme Court for a protest after work. This is something I really try not to take for granted.
Cultural events! I am so, so grateful to be able to enjoy events by embassies, the Kennedy Center, the Museums, etc. — and any other smaller events that bring communities together.
The recreation in this city is fantastic. Between what you can do on the Potomac to exploring Rock Creek Park or the arboretum to just hanging out on the National Mall on a nice summer day is perfection.
The sports scene is great. I am a huge Capitals fan and the sports community is so welcoming. It’s not hard to bond over favorite teams.
That’s just my two cents 😊
That i can walk, bike, take the metro or the bus to almost everywhere i need to go.
This is also my favorite thing about dc. I’ve been car-less for 10 years now.
Four things stand out as things I genuinely love about this area:
(1) DC has an incredible high end dining scene for its size. I'm relatively certain it has the most Michelin stars per capita in the US (if we generously associate the likes of the French Laundry with SF). The starred restaurants are also very varied in their speciality and price point, you can probably get out of Rooster & Owl with a tasting menu & a bottle of wine for ~$130pp all in while you could do Minibar and easily blow $500+ per person.
Even outside of the star circuit, you've got places like Marcel's which are superb.
(2) There are 3 relatively easily accessible airports with almost every major city covered with a direct flight. The competition also keeps a lid on prices, you'll find a flight you can afford even if you have to trek out to BWI (my least favorite of the 3 needless to say!), we aren't hub captive like folks in Charlotte would be to AA for example.
For bonus points: you absolutely cannot beat a river visual approach into DCA sitting on the DC side on the plane, or indeed taking off to the north. A free sightseeing flight on every departure. Side note that for avgeeks here, Gravelly Point & Udvar-Hazy are fantastic to have accessible.
(3) The weather. Sure it gets hot in July/August, but we have relatively mild weather, mostly no significant disruptive events to worry about (one off derechos aside!) and a tangible 4 seasons, even if we're struggling for some powder this year.
(4) The ability to travel 3ish hours from here and get a completely different experience. NYC. Delaware/MD beaches. Shenandoah. VA vineyards. Snowshoe. Most places are lucky to have one of those things accessible.
The number of theaters and theater companies, the number of music venues, the museums, the monuments, the trees, the book stores, and the roller rinks. We've got SIX rollerrinks nearby including the only roller rink that is part of a national park.
I dont want to see that play. Really, well there are several others playing the same night. It is an embarrassment of cultural riches.
Plus you are in driving range of beaches and mountains.
And three airports.
And it is still CC.
Could you tell me what those roller rinks are? That's awesome and I only spotted a few on Google when I was scoping out the area, though I did see lots of ice skating rinks. I've started rollerblading where I'm from (Denver) and I'm hoping to continue when I move to the area here in March :)
There’s an awesome one in anacostia!
I think not all of these allow inline skates. Ive seen them only at the last two. https://temple-hills-skate-palace.business.site/
https://lanhamskatecenter.com/
https://laurelskatingcenter.com/
https://www.nps.gov/anac/planyourvisit/roller-skating.htm
I see inline skaters the most on the mount vernon trail but that is because of where i live. https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/mtvernontrail.htm
There are probably other popular places right in dc.
Running by the mall
It’s like a less overwhelming and much cleaner NYC. Tons to do and lots of diversity, plus one of the best food scenes in the country.
This sub generally sucks, clearly not a reflection of this great city.
This city is fucking awesome. GOOD people are everywhere! This sub is lock step with network news pessimism. The reality is that far more great things happen more often than not!
I like the ease of getting around with the Metro, the museums, the bars and restaurants around.
Diversity of people, and the foods, festivals, cultural events that come with that.
I can bike to anywhere in the city in under an hour. There are more restaurants I want to try than I can so always new food on the horizon.
It has the right amount of density. We have the "missing middle" that a lot of other American cities don't - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCOdQsZa15o - which makes it very walkable and livable without being too crowded.
What we don’t have is the “missing top”
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I didn't want to get lit up in that thread, but I go to this park all the time to read and I love watching the dogs play. I can't have a dog in my apartment so I live vicariously through those dogs. I wish I could pet them!
Dogs aren't allowed on grass
Walkability and incredible restaurants/bars casually everywhere. Love DC.
Everything. I grew up in a rural community and this is a beautiful city to me.
Great post op. DC needed a bit of love.
Thank you!
ethiopian food!
There is a TED talk about how walkable this city is. It took some traveling for that to sink in. Other places are entirely designed for cars.
Yep, even the downtown cores of large cities south and west of us. Phoenix, Atlanta, Nashville. “Drive everywhere” cities are truly the worst of both worlds.
The cherry blossoms are just lovely!
I seriously love jogging here. So many monuments, memorials, and historical buildings. It’s such a treat. And everything is close by too. There are people in this country who have yet to visit DC as a tourist. It’s amazes me that I can jog to the Washington monument, Lincoln memorial and the capital building all during my lunch break.
Most days my bike commute goes right by either monuments, museums, the white house, the capitol. Still gets me everytime! So crazy.
If I’m being totally honest it’s you. The people here are endlessly interesting and always have something new to show me. It’s the first place I felt like I belong. So thank you.
I like that it's exactly the middle in terms of urban and suburban lifestyle. As a southern person who lived in suburban or rural areas most of my life, I find NYC to be a bit too chaotic and impersonal to be appealing. I always wanted to live in a big, but not too big city, and D.C. is the happy middle ground.
There are four seasons but none are too extreme. It's super walkable with robust public transportation networks. You don't need a car, but a car can be helpful. Plus we have three airports and Amtrak to connect you to other cities on the East coast, which makes it a great launchpad for getting elsewhere in the country or around the world.
Much of the shopping, food, culture, sports, arts, activity, and nightlife that can be found in large cities can be found here to some extent. D.C. is expensive but, due to it's regional nature, there is more "value" to be found here in terms of trade offs that must be made for the sake of lifestyle vs cost of living.
Personality wise, D.C. is slightly less superficial than places like NYC, LA, and Miami. While people here are still status driven, and elitism and wealth culture still remains very much a part of D.C. social life, people do seem to genuinely value and appreciate intellect and career accomplishment a bit more than beauty and materialism. As a result, I find people here to be more interesting.
I love all the ways I can volunteer doing something that makes our city better, like pulling invasive plants with Rock Creek Conservancy, or picking up litter with District Cleanups.
I also like being able to be car free—I moved back here after 10 years in Southern California, where a car is necessary for everything (and most trips involve a freeway), and busses are infrequent, slow, and dirty. I gave away my car, which makes my frugal life here (just barely) affordable.
DC is so navigable and beautiful. There are not many other cities left in America where you can truly walk or take cheap public transit and it be convenient and enjoyable. I love not needing to rely on a car to get around, and the city features so much beautiful architecture and tons of green space (at least in NW and NE). Another thing we all take for granted is that, compared to places like Boston and NY, we have a ton of new real estate that pushes down prices and generally makes it more affordable to live in a walkable area.
Hirshorn Sculpture Garden, botanical gardens, Arboretum, art galleries like the Freer, Sackler, and Portrait Museum, not to mention 19 Smithsonian Museums + the Zoo all free and amazing.
I like the friends I’ve made here. I have amazing neighbors. People hang out, bbq, relax and do good things. I like working with people that have a cause in life, are committed to helping others. Good food. Walkability. Lots of dogs to pet (yes I ask first). Honestly I cannot imagine living anywhere else. Well, I might try New Orleans one day but DC is amazing.
The diversity. So many other cities may have more “diversity” on paper, but in DC I feel like it’s not nearly as segregated as it was in LA (where I grew up). Almost any event or party we go to is full of people from everywhere (geographically, ethnically, socio-economically). It’s great. Living in NYC for a while I realized how homogenous my friend group was compared to what it is in DC.
walking - there’s nowhere i can’t get too on foot, which is way more than most cities can say
Cherry blossoms around the tidal basin are just magic. The historic homes tightly squeezed along narrow streets in Georgetown. And I love those moments when you’re just commuting and catch a glimpse of the Capitol dome or the Washington monument in the distance or rearview mirror. Structures some people wait their whole life to see are just part of the daily fabric of our lives. It’s just neat.
This subreddit is disgusting and full of mask-off racism. It is not representative of what I see in the city.
The other points have already been touched on but I'll add something else. I have a hobby where I am at the top of it being just a hobby and not my job. DC has a high concentration of people just like me. I run marathons but I imagine that you can pick any hobby and DC will have other top performers.
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There are great restaurants here for men and women alike
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The rats creeping at night , make me dance while walking 🕺💃
Lol made a joke before but real things I like: Walkability History Architecture with character Low rise buildings , I do not enjoy tall skyscrapers like other cities, I like that they cannot go above the Washington Memorial. Makes it like Paris or other cities that also have height restrictions.
I love going to the Amazonia room at the free zoo at opening. They feed all the free roam animals at that time and it's so magical.
It's one of the greenest (in terms of plants/parks) cities in the US, even in the poorer neighborhoods too.
I’ve always viewed DC on a Boston/DC/NYC continuum.
NYC is very exciting but less livable - good luck finding in unit W/D or AC for a reasonable rent!
Boston is less exciting but a solid NE city with lots of career opportunities in my field (technology)
DC has a bit of Boston and NYC - not nearly as vibrant as NYV but far more so than almost anywhere in the US. Super livable (trees? Grocery stores nearby? Quiet spaces?) DC is a major city yet also it’s not so in your face you can’t meet and know your neighbors.
The bike lanes here are amazing. I got a Bikeshare membership despite owning a bike, because it’s such a convenient and safe way to get around the city. I can take a bike over to 14th street for happy hour with my friends, and then Uber home. I also bike as part of my commute.
hate the climate, love the people
I like that the museums are free. :-)
Love being able to drive my car to a bar (great cocktail scene) and then Uber home relatively cheap.
All of the beauty in DC! The museums, the good food, the architecture of buildings (not you FBI building), the vibrant and unique neighborhoods, our parks, the rivers, the metro stations, cherry blossom season, etc. I can live car-free. The job opportunities was something I never could have dreamed about coming from a small town in the south. I was drawn to this place after visiting for the first time in 2017.
Growing up I never wanted to visit here cause I would hear from snowbirds how it couldn’t compare to NY, or how it wasn’t even a city with a skyline or how it’s only here to host the government.
All of those things are just jaded opinions. DC has a ton of beauty. I’ve been here for a few years now and I’m not even done exploring.
There are numerous great live music venues within a few miles of each other. They attract a wide variety of acts.
-Largely a progressive city -Museums -Not super big and sprawled out (I never feel overwhelmed driving through DC) -Job opportunities in the metro area -Nice metro system (I grew up in a city with no metro, so I appreciate it) -Walkability -Native DC culture is cool -Love the architecture (townhouses, federal buildings, monuments) -Nightlife can be great at times -Highly educated city/metro area
It’s beautiful. Smaller town feel with big city amenities. Walkability and accessibility to so much.
Might be cliche and romanticized but really is the people I meet, totally expanded my mind.
Met so many people who came to be journalists, NGO workers, involve in politics and also grassroot activists, it's inspiring to know people are coming and hustling daily with aspirations to "make the world a better place". Also humbling to meet many brilliant minds in ways different from my engineering STEM background, and to learn about the world through them.
I enjoy the architecture. The older buildings are just pretty to me
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Washington,_D.C
Love how small the city is on a bicycle.
Also how much nicer it is now compared with 20 years ago.
I'm from Miami, which probably has the worst public transit of any big city in the US. I appreciate how accessible public transit is. Also the free museums are dope.
what everybody else said, plus the weed. woo.
The neighborhoods, the cleanliness, and the greenspaces.
initiative 71 baby
DC is a great place to live. Tons of stuff to do, great food scene. and compared to most "world class" cities in the US its actually relatively affordable to live in the urban areas.
While cyclists love to gripe (and legitimately about their safety) for a city its size the DC metro area has a pretty robust road cycling and triathlon scene. In that vein, its amazing to be able get up early and go for a run or bike through the monuments.
I’m a Houstonian and absolutely love the fourth largest city in the country, but I sure do love visiting your city! The metro is great, for the most part, people are friendly, it’s not too crowded, the architecture is beautiful, and I’ve had some pretty good meals there. Always look forward to going back every year.
I truly value The diversity here in the district. There's something about being surrounded by so many brilliant intellectually driven black and brown people. There's really nothing like it.
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OMG, too much to list. The general friendliness and warmth of the people for a city this big, the smorgasbord of parks, the diverse communities, especially in the burbs, the excellent transportation (that's slowly getting even better), the free museums, and the unbelievable number of jobs. Oh and the food, especially from hole in the wall places. And the history. And the education at secondary and postsecondary levels. And...haha.
The different neighborhoods from downtown, CoHi, Brookland, H st, Wharf, etc. also got together with my now wife at the Black Cat.
I like the feel of a medium density city like DC. When I go out, I often run into people I know, which gives the place a friendly vibe even in an urban space.
Lots of free amenities and lots of nature both within and nearby the city
Thank you for this post. We could all use a good dose of positivity. I find DC history interesting. I have always taken pride in the fact that DC is diverse and most people here value education and culture. I love the free museums, free festivals, and variety of great restaurants. Metro is clean and you can walk to anywhere in DC.
Free museums, embassy events, theatre scene, walkability, metro, people
The authentic people. By that, I mean the natives. I've always had great fun and convo with them. Dig the vibes from them.
The museums are great for raising kids in the DC area.
In my old city, I really struggled with finding people who gave a shit, but this could not be further from the truth for the people I've found here. There's a degree of selection bias in my opinion, I know. I'm just really happy that I know people who inspire me, challenge me, and push me to be better.
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I love our culture of music and arts
• The trails. All of them.
• Distinctive neighborhoods—Anacostia is not like Georgetown which is not like Wharf which is not like NoMa. It’s a GOOD thing to have different neighborhoods with their own vibe, and to have a mix of the historical stuff with new shiny modern things.
Go-Go
I love all of the off-leash dogs wearing balaclavas getting into cars with MD temporary tags in Navy Yard.
Also Dan’s cafe.
I just left from a trip and had the worst time with a fucking parking deck that I was told was at capacity, and when I tried to leave the valets thought it was appropriate to park cars in the up ramp so I end up ruining a new car against a support beam when some chick blocks me in Colonial Parking on Pennsylvania ave
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I LOVE getting car jacked and seeing the punks who did it face no punishment. And I LOVE getting a new bike every 6 months because mine keeps getting stolen. Is that the kind of positivity you're looking for?
Is it exhausting being this miserable?
Some people just attract misery.
Isn't it exhausting continually denying that DC's high crime rate has an impact on the people who live here?
What's exhausting is having to get a new bike so often because yours gets stolen so often. What's exhausting is getting your car repaired multiple times after several hit and runs. What's exhausting is getting robbed at gun point with your family while walking to dinner and having to get a new cell phone, license, and credit cards the next day.
Dang. Sounds like you hate it here. Maybe you should move?
I saw your other reply before your deleted it. Thanks for reminding me about the other thing I LOVE about DC; the people on this sub who attack you and down vote you when you point out the issues this city has instead of painting a pretty Bob Ross picture where violent crime is just a "happy accident" to be accepted.
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Maybe people should stop accepting that being robbed and subjected to crime is not a great way to live.
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The laziest rebuttal ever. Why don't you just acknowledge that shitty stuff happens here. Your turn will come eventually.
Damn dude. I’ve lived here for 20 years in various neighborhoods and never had one of those things happen to me. Maybe bring your bike inside?
So it's my fault for not bringing my bike inside everywhere I go?! Why didn't I ever think of bringing it inside when I could?!?! Perhaps I should keep it inside and only Uber everywhere.... then it will never get stolen. And it often is inside where possible, but it's been stolen from "secure" garages and locked bike rooms before.
So your bikes are sooooo wanted that they’re stolen outside, inside locked garages, and locked bike rooms? Are they made of gold? Are you the star of a bike theft movie? This just sounds absurd and made up.
Yeah.... no one has ever heard of bikes being stolen in the city and it could NEVER happen more than once!!. I'm sure you'd question a rape victim as well and blame them for "asking for it".
Eh, I just think you’re a liar.
And I think you're a horrible person for victim blaming if they don't let your criteria. Now go tell some women how they're "asking for it" by wearing something revealing.
Just so we’re on the same page, you think having your bike stolen is the same as being raped? Jesus dude. Just because your story is so obviously fake doesn’t mean that anyone questioning it doesn’t believe the victim of a violent sexual crime. Step back into reality, please.
You're the one victim blaming... now move along little fella. The world does not have to justify itself to meet your approval.
Move to Arlington then since it seems like you solely are being targeted in the city. Oh wait, then you’d complain about consultants right?
Making stuff up like that.... you must work for Fox news.
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yeah you nailed it
just_another_classic t1_j66nm9c wrote
The free museums are amazing. Being able to just pop into a museum on the weekend whenever you're trying to think of something to do and not pay money for it? Amazing.
DC also has a lot of green space, which is very pleasant.