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This is sort of subjective and however you'd define it, and can certainly include downtown, too. I've really only seen Georgetown and Alexandria before as far as the urban core goes. Feel free to include sections of immediate suburbs in on this to (IE, Arlington). If you want to come with or share a Top 5, feel free! Or just, whatever you feel. This trip specifically, I have a short visit. Because of my specific sightseeing goals and limited time frame, I think that the 3 neighborhoods I'll manage to spend a little bit of time in are:
-U Street (while here, I plan to eat at Ben's Chili Bowl)
-Logan Circle (while here, I like seeing new or experimental retail/etc. concepts, so I'd like to see inside an Amazon Fresh store on my walk, looks like there's one at the corner of 14th and Riggs.)
-Downtown/Penn Quarter/Chinatown (I don't know that it's correct or appropriate to combine these 3, so correct me because I'm looking from what the combined defined neighborhood is in Google/WalkScore, and will probably have my walk take me through parts of all 3. I will also be doing other stuff on the National Mall and probably visiting the National Gallery and perhaps Natural History museum.
As far as defining vibrancy in urbanism, I feel like that can be whatever you make it.
-Pedestrian/etc. activity and movement and friendliness.
-Design and layout of street and quality of architecture (aesthetic matters here too, some at least, I think)
-Transit connectivity, business density, etc., whatever else you'd weigh as important
This is sort of subjective and however you'd define it, and can certainly include downtown, too. I've really only seen Georgetown and Alexandria before as far as the urban core goes. Feel free to include sections of immediate suburbs in on this to (IE, Arlington). If you want to come with or share a Top 5, feel free! Or just, whatever you feel. This trip specifically, I have a short visit. Because of my specific sightseeing goals and limited time frame, I think that the 3 neighborhoods I'll manage to spend a little bit of time in are:
-U Street (while here, I plan to eat at Ben's Chili Bowl)
-Logan Circle (while here, I like seeing new or experimental retail/etc. concepts, so I'd like to see inside an Amazon Fresh store on my walk, looks like there's one at the corner of 14th and Riggs.)
-Downtown/Penn Quarter/Chinatown (I don't know that it's correct or appropriate to combine these 3, so correct me because I'm looking from what the combined defined neighborhood is in Google/WalkScore, and will probably have my walk take me through parts of all 3. I will also be doing other stuff on the National Mall and probably visiting the National Gallery and perhaps Natural History museum.
As far as defining vibrancy in urbanism, I feel like that can be whatever you make it.
-Pedestrian/etc. activity and movement and friendliness.
-Design and layout of street and quality of architecture (aesthetic matters here too, some at least, I think)
-Transit connectivity, business density, etc., whatever else you'd weigh as important
Dupont Circle-Adams Morgan-Logan Circle more/less link together and in my opinion best exhibit the criteria you mention and given the seamlessness are equally worthy of exploration.
In my opinion, the most vibrant areas in the city ( in no particular order) are Georgetown, Downtown/Chinatown/Penn Quarter, Navy Yard, SW Waterfront, Logan Circle, Adams Morgan, and U Street. I don't view Dupont as being vibrant. This might have been the case years ago but now it's mostly just people trying to get somewhere else. Lots of the most popular spots years ago are now shuttered and most people have migrated over to Logan Circle for better bar and dining options.
In my opinion, the most vibrant areas in the city ( in no particular order) are Georgetown, Downtown/Chinatown/Penn Quarter, Navy Yard, SW Waterfront, Logan Circle, Adams Morgan, and U Street. I don't view Dupont as being vibrant. This might have been the case years ago but now it's mostly just people trying to get somewhere else. Lots of the most popular spots years ago are now shuttered and most people have migrated over to Logan Circle for better bar and dining options.
The dozens of restaurants/shops up and down Connecticut Ave from M Street up through to R Street certainly seem to capture a fair amount of those "trying to rush through to someplace else"...
The dozens of restaurants/shops up and down Connecticut Ave from M Street up through to R Street certainly seem to capture a fair amount of those "trying to rush through to someplace else"...
Whatever. If you think Dupont is vibrant then I guess our definition is different. Dupont lost it's luster several years ago as other areas have developed. I can't think of one person I know who intentionally goes to Dupont as a destination anymore. Restaurants are going to have people in them regardless of where they're located. Is that vibrant to you or you just looking troll because you have nothing better to do with your life?
Whatever. If you think Dupont is vibrant then I guess our definition is different. Dupont lost it's luster several years ago as other areas have developed. I can't think of one person I know who intentionally goes to Dupont as a destination anymore. Restaurants are going to have people in them regardless of where they're located. Is that vibrant to you or you just looking troll because you have nothing better to do with your life?
Didn’t you move away from DC years ago? Why are you still constantly commenting on DC posts? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black with the “nothing better to do with your life” comment.
Didn’t you move away from DC years ago? Why are you still constantly commenting on DC posts? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black with the “nothing better to do with your life” comment.
Vibrant core areas Georgetown- touristy, buzzy and international during the weekends. It's DC main(maybe only) retail district. It can be quiet after 9pm as it isn't a big nightlife area anymore. It probably has DC's most sustained foot traffic between M Street, Wisconsin and the waterfront. Logan Circle- Logan/14th street is arguably DC's most urban area for residents with several blocks of retail, it's also the heart of the NW core neighborhoods with proximity to Shaw, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Dupont Circle, Downtown.
Second Tier central areas: U Street- U Street is basically a bar district at this point. There are few sit down restaurants and almost no retail. That leaves it feeling dead at certain times earlier in the day, and hopping when 14th street is quieter later at night. Safety is also more of a concern as the area can get crazy at night. Adams-Morgan- this is a big nightlife area like U Street. But, it has more restaurants and small scale retail places. Downtown/Chinatown/Penn Quarter- the areas was badly hit by the pandemic. The small/mid-sized retail corridor on F Street is basically dead , the 7th and H Chinablock area was also devastated. It's come back a bit from it's lows, but it struggles with telework and crime/loitering which keep many people away. City Center has held up, but its fairly small. Outside of those area, DT DC was mostly 9-5 offices, so it isn't necessarily less crowded on the weekends, but a lot of the lunch shops, starbucks/CVS, cell phone stores have closed. Its also struggled to attack the big name destination restaurants which now go to the Wharf/Union Market.
Active, but somewhat off by themselves. Navy Yard- this is a big development area, so its never been busier as new apartments and restaurants opened through the pandemic. This area is slammed when the stadium is in use. It's busy when it is a nice day at the yards park. But, the distributed nature of the retail prevents it from have a concentrated block-upon-block commercial strip. Wharf- similar to Navy Yard although this area has more destination restaurants and tourists. These two areas are proximate, but not really seamlessly connected. There are some lower density garden style public housing complexes and vacant lots that make the areas feel a little further apart then they are. Union Market/NOMA- Also a huge development zone getting more vibrant by the day. The area around Union Market is very active on the weekends as the area has been getting more restaurants and retail. It's the closest DC has to a trendy warehouse district. It also feels a little off by itself away from the central NW neighborhoods. Maybe someday it will all grow together, but right now walking from Noma to Galley Place/Mt Vernon is patchy with lots of lots and drab office buildings.
Honorable mention- Columbia Heights/Mt Pleasant- closely linked to AdMo/14th&U. Near the Columbia Heights metro is one of the busiest most active areas in DC. This maybe DC's most internationally diverse neighborhood with a fairly high population density and lots a small Asian/Latin restaurants. You also have restaurant rows up 14th, Mt. Pleasant Street, 11th street and arguably Georgia Ave on the edge of the neighborhood. Unfortunately crime is an issue, especially south of the metro.
Connective areas- these areas are so so, but they complement and link together more vibrant areas. Dupont Circle/Conn Ave- this was once the premier area of DC. Unfortunately, its declined over the decade as other areas boomed. It isn't dead, but it is a fraction of its former self. The retail is basically gone and cafes and boutiques have been replaced by lounges and pot shops. While it is no longer a destination, it does have beautify architecture, some nice restaurants and is centrally located between Gtown/Admo and Logan Circle. Shaw/Mt Vernon- This area rose in the late 2010s as new developments sprouted up around the Convention Center. Its stalled a little in recent years as development has leveled off. It doesn't really have sustain foot traffic or a cohesive commercial strip like other areas. But, it is a central link between U Street/Logan Circle and Mt Triangle/Downtown. West End/Foggy Bottom- This area always seemed like it could be better with the proximity to Georgetown and GW. Not a destination, but it does have some restaurants along M Street and the Western Market and serves as bridge between Gtown and the central NW neighborhoods.
Somewhat removed, but active areas. Eastern Market/Barracks Row- This is an upscale restaurant row for Capitol Hill. It's busy on weekends with the market. But, it doesn't have the density of central DC areas, so it feels quiet once you head into the surrounding rowhouse areas. Its somewhat connected to Navy Yard, but not seamless. H Street- This was hot in the early/mid 2010s as development spiked. Its stalled recently as development dried up and crime remains a concern. Like Eastern Market it is proximate to a hot development zone (Noma/Union Market) but with lower density rowhouses on the side streets. Less upscale than Eastern Market, but with a lot more nightlife.
Beyond that you have some smaller commercial strips here and these.
Takoma, Tenleytown, Brookland, Anacostia, RIA,Glover Park, Cleveland Park, Uppper Georgia Ave, etc.
Plus, the inner suburbs Arlington's 2 metro corridors, the DTs of Bethesda and Silver Spring, and Old Town Alexandria. All of which are very active urban zones in their own right.
Last edited by jpdivola; 07-19-2023 at 08:35 PM..
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