Newcomers Guide to Washington D.C.
If you are planning on moving to Washington D.C. or are new to the area, you may have many questions about establishing your life in this influential and hectic city. The following is some information on various neighborhoods in D.C., helpful relocation information for your move, information on public and private schools and universities, health care options, employment opportunities, and entertainment.
Neighborhoods
There are several neighborhoods in Washington D.C., each with their own sets of resources, activities, and costs.
Capitol Hill
The Capitol Hill neighborhood boasts the most famous part of Washington D.C. Here you will find the White House, several national monuments, and some of the most historic residential houses in the area. Capitol Hill also houses Union Station, the Library of Congress, several beautiful parks, and upscale restaurants and hotels. To live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood would require a great deal of money, although it is a great place to visit for people living in other areas of Washington D.C.
Georgetown
Located right on the Potomac River and home to the prestigious Georgetown University, this upscale residential neighborhood boasts many fine restaurants and shops. Here they also have a beautiful waterfront park and several other lovely areas to visit. The residential row homes have been restored making this a nice, but still expensive, area in which to live.
DuPont Circle/Embassy Row
This is a very trendy neighborhood that contains a very well known and active nightlife in Washington D.C. Here you will find everything from foreign embassies to restaurants to the epicenter of gay social life. In addition to these activities, there are a variety of well known museums and historic homes in this neighborhood.
Adams Morgan
This neighborhood has the most popular night life scene in D.C. Mostly inhabited by young single professionals, there exist a variety of specialty shops, coffee shops, bars, and restaurants.
Penn Corner/Chinatown
Located just north of Pennsylvania Avenue, this once run down area has been restored and is now the home to great museums, restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries, and theatres.
Anacostia/Southwest
This neighborhood is located next to the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and is currently experiencing rapid employment and economic growth. Here there is a beautiful riverwalk, national parks, and the new baseball stadium. Because it is currently experiencing growth and revitalization, this is a somewhat more affordable place to live than the already well established neighborhoods mentioned.
Relocation Information
If you are interested in moving to Washington D.C., a good place to start gathering information is the official city website: www.dc.gov. Here you can find job listings, information on apartments, police reports on neighborhoods, information on getting low-income government assistance, and much more. If you are making a move to D.C., it is a good idea to gather as much information as possible regarding housing, jobs, neighborhoods, and, if you have children or are interested in furthering your own education, schools. Once you have gathered this information about the various neighborhoods, try to schdedule a visit so you can see the neighborhoods first hand, look at apartments or houses that you are interested in renting, and possibly apply for jobs. If there is any way you can secure a job, even if it is just a part-time job, before you move to D.C., then do it. The cost of living is extremely high in D.C., and the cost of moving there along with start-up costs can quickly eat up your entire savings. If you cannot find a job before moving to D.C., then be prepared to hit the ground running. Come to D.C. with a list of jobs you can apply for and an updated resume and begin applying for jobs immediately. Also, try to find a place to live before moving to D.C. or before moving to a different area within D.C. The best idea when looking for an initial place to live is to find an apartment that lets you rent by the month. This keeps you out of a long-term lease and gives you time to seek out your dream place to live.
Depending on your budget and the amount of stuff you are moving to D.C., you may or may not want to hire movers. If you are not moving furniture or other large items, you may be able to make the move by yourself. If you are moving the entire contents of your home or apartment, however, you will need help. Remember that you will probably have to contend with issues such as stairs, elevators, and parking constraints. Hiring a moving company to do this for you can relieve a lot of your headaches. There are several moving companies within the Washington D.C. area if you are making a local move, and several nation-wide moving companies if you are moving from another state. Go ahead and take your time to shop around and get written quotes from various companies. If you find companies that want your business, you may be able to negotiate prices down through having companies compete to provide you with the lowest quote. Most importantly, however, make sure you check up on the reputation of the movers. The last thing you want is to arrive in D.C. to find out all of your valuables have been broken or lost!
One big decision you will have to make when moving to D.C. is whether or not to have a car. If you are going to live and work close to the same area, you may be able to survive on public transportation alone which can be much cheaper than the high cost of maintaining a car. If you will need a car, however, make sure you investigate the parking possibilities in the residential areas you may be living and in the area you believe you will be working in. This will save you several headaches with regards to tickets, towing, traffic, and time when you finally move to D.C.
Education
Washington D.C. is home to several universities and community colleges including Argosy, DeVry, Georgetown, George Washington University, and Trinity College. With all of these options it is easy in D.C. to find a college and program to continue your education and training in most any field you desire. If you are interested in going to college while in D.C., go ahead and contact admissions offices in the colleges you are interested in to find out their admissions criteria, dates of application, and available programs.
D.C. also has several public and private school options for children. If you are moving to Washington D.C. with children and are going to enroll them in public school, go ahead and schedule to visit some of the public schools in the area you are interested in living in and learn the boundaries of each school district. This way if you find a school you love, you can plan to move to the district area for that school so that your child can be enrolled in that location. Learn more about the best schools in Washington D.C by visting great schools (http://www.greatschools.org/washington-dc/)
Health Care
As with anything in D.C., there are a range of health care options encompassing everything from free clinics to top range research hospitals. If you are going to be short on money in D.C., be sure to check out the D.C. city website: www.dc.gov, to find discount programs, apply for free health insurance, and identify clinics and hospitals that accept your type of health insurance, medicare, or who provide free or discount services.
Employment and Business
Whatever your field of expertise, Washington D.C. probably has jobs that fit the bill. The only trick is to find the job opening and to convince the employer that you are the best employee for the job. If you are not already settled into a job in Washington D.C., there are several online sources you can use to search for available jobs in the area. The city website www.dc.gov has listings of government jobs that are available, and employers post jobs on websites such as www.washingtonpost.com and www.dcjobs.com. As with any employment application, it is a good idea to send in your application and then call the employer to follow up after a few days. Although Washington D.C. boasts a large job market with many opportunities, it is also a competitive job market and anything you can do to stand out will be helpful when trying to find a job.
Entertainment and Recreation
There are many entertainment and recreation opportunities in Washington D.C. Even if you do not want to spend a dime, there are a wealth of free activities on a daily basis that are good for people of all ages and stages of life. There are several public libraries, including the Library of Congress, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, and the Capitol View Library. There are also hundreds of museums that feature everything from books to artwork to historical artifacts. Some interesting museums to visit when arriving to the area are the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Crime and Punishment, The Mall (that contains all of the Smithsonian museums), and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. If you are a sports fan, you may want to make frequent visits to the Verizon Center where you can go to enjoy several sports and concerts year round. For the recreationist, there are biking paths, opportunities just outside the city for skiing and snowboarding during the winter, and plenty of parks for skating, running, and other forms of recreation.
If you have young children in D.C., you will be pleased to find out that there are a variety of wonderful activities for children in the area. The Adkins Arboretum is a beautiful botannical garden for children interested in flora and fauna, nearby Baltimore is home to the infamous Baltimore Aquarium, and D.C. houses the National Zoo. In addition to these sources, there are countless museums, beautiful parks, and historic sites to visit with your children. There also always exist a variety of celebrations and festivals that are family friendly, and many are free. You can keep up-to-date on these activities at www.washingtonpost.com.
