|
Moving to DC? |
HOUSING | TRANSPORTATION | SHOPPING | ENTERTAINMENT & SOCIALIZING | ALUMNI CHAPTER
Housing
Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill, Cleveland Park, Dupont Circle, and Georgetown are some of the more popular Washington, DC locations that recent college graduates choose to live. The City of Alexandria and Arlington County in northern Virginia, and Bethesda and Silver Spring in Maryland are popular suburb locations. Most of these locations are great "reverse commutes" to outlying areas and businesses while providing easy access to the city.
Apartments and group townhouses are in ample supply in a wide variety of price ranges that are higher compared to Ohio but lower compared to a city like New York. Use the Apartment Guide for a listing of major apartment complexes, and Washington Post and Craig's List for alternatives like rooms to rent or apartments to share.
Transportation
The Metro subway system and public transportation is very convenient for traveling around downtown Washington, DC and to main corridors in Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia and Montgomery County in Maryland. Go to www.wmata.com for more information. There is an abundance of bike paths; you can even take your bike on the Metro. Taxicabs in DC charge by zones while those in Virginia and Maryland use meters.
Driving in the area can be a challenge because of confusing roads and limited parking; be sure to have a map and spare change for parking meters and garages. During the summer, traffic backups are more common due to an influx of tourists. Amtrak trains run frequently up the Northeast corridor to Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston. The DC area is served by three area airports: Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) in Maryland, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Virginia, and Ronald Regan National Airport (DCA) which is just minutes from downtown DC and accessible by the Metro subway.
Shopping
Pentagon City Fashion Centre and Tysons Corner Mall and Galleria are the more popular shopping destinations in Northern Virginia. Downtown DC shoppers frequent Georgetown Park and The National Shops. Outlet shopping within an hour of DC is also popular. South of DC is Potomac Mills, with over 100 outlet stores while its sister outlet, Arundel Mills, is north towards Baltimore. Leesburg Corner outlets are northeast of DC.
Entertainment and Socializing
There are a wide variety of places and activities to enjoy ranging from famous monuments to obscure art exhibits and interesting locations. Theaters in Washington, DC include the Arena Stage for local productions, the Folger Theatre at the Shakespeare Library, the Kennedy Center of Performing Arts for national productions, and various smaller venues. There are plenty of museums, many of them free to the public.
You can enjoy outdoor concerts and entertainment at the Wolf Trap, the Nissan Pavilion, and Merriweather Post Pavilion. The 9:30 Club, Clarendon Ballroom, Clarendon Grill, and Blues Alley are great for live entertainment. The Smithsonian often offers free concerts during the summer at various locations. Each summer, HBO and Citi team up for Screen on the Green, a showcase of classic movies on The National Mall. The Washington Redskins football team, Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles baseball, Washington Capitals hockey, and Washington Wizards basketball teams provide all-year round entertainment for the sports fan. In May, the Virginia Gold Cup is a gathering place for horse race lovers.
The DC area boasts a wide selection of restaurants from American bar and grill to Asian and Ethiopian to German and Moroccan cuisine. There are an ample supply of bars, dance clubs, pool halls, and movie theaters for all different types of tastes in the downtown areas as well as the nearby suburbs. The DC Society of Young Professionals is free to join and provides weekly email updates of dozens of activities going on around the area.
Alumni Chapter
The Washington DC metropolitan area is home to thousands of Miami University alumni. The local chapter holds dozens of social and networking events each year including monthly happy hours, theatre and sports events, and faculty lectures. For more information about local chapter events, join our announcement list (sign-up form to the right) and our local community listserv. |
|
|
|
12/10 - Toys for Tots Happy Hour @ Irish Channel Pub, 6-8:30PM
|
|
|
|
