Crystal City - Arlington, VA Area Guide

Crystal City sits in Arlington County, originally known as Alexandria County. The name was changed to Arlington in 1920 to avoid confusion between the county and the city of the same name. Over time, many government agencies and organizations set up their headquarters in Arlington, just across the river from Washington, D.C. itself.

Due to its proximity to the national capital, you'll find many museums and memorials all around Arlington. In Crystal City, watch out for a museum and visitor’s center dedicated to the Drug Enforcement Agency as well as the Arlington Historical Society Museum located near S. Arlington Ridge Road. In nearby Clarendon, mark your calendar for the annual arts festival, which features work from over 100 artists in all disciplines available for purchase.

Indulge your appetite with the great variety of restaurants in Crystal City, ranging from national chains to local favorites.

The luxurious Fyve Restaurant Lounge, located in the Pentagon City Ritz-Carlton, features regional specialties for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Browse an extensive wine collection with an emphasis on new world producers as well as a range of mixed drinks and beer on tap. If you’re looking to enjoy a high-end lunch, complete your visit with a grilled chicken and mango sandwich, a local favorite.

For a taste of authentic cuisine from Thailand, local chain Thai Phoon serves a variety of dishes for either lunch or dinner. While there, try the cashew chicken. This dish features battered chicken breast deep fried with sauteed onions, scallions, and cashew nuts in a sweet and sour sauce.

For a dining experience a bit more down to earth but still serving a menu with international flair, try Athena Pallas Restaurant. This family-owned and -operated neighborhood eatery provides authentic Greek favorites all made from scratch. Once you’ve had your fill of the entrees, be sure to leave some room for galaktoboureko. This delicious Greek pastry ends your meal perfectly.

O’Malley’s Pub located in the Crystal City Holiday Inn provides a rich Irish pub atmosphere with grub options and a full bar.

The Andalusia Tea Room and Hookah provides a unique after-bar atmosphere, ideal for unwinding after a night out. This venue stocks a range of teas and other drinks to complement its hookahs, which themselves come in a wide range of flavors. Plus, this establish offers additional flavor modifiers if you’re feeling adventurous.

The most common methods of transportation within Crystal City include public transit, personal automobile and limited biking or walking. The excellent public transportation available includes roughly 20 bus lines and two metro lines passing through the neighborhood. Ride-share service Uber operates within the Washington, D.C. area, which also services Crystal City. Watch out for a limited number of public parking garages with meters, as well as a small amount of on-street parking.

Though Crystal City lies near two major roadways, the Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway and the Jefferson Davis Highway, neither of them pass directly through it. Even so, you can easily access both via personal automobile. You can also reach many amenities and buildings in the area by foot and bike, making this a friendly neighborhood for cyclists and residents who prefer their own two feet. Find plenty of infrastructure in place for bicyclists, including bike lanes on most major roads.

You'll find two parks located in Crystal City: Virginia Highlands Park and Metropolitan Park, with Fort Scott Park also very near to the neighborhood’s borders. Visit Virginia Highlands Park to enjoy an urban park that features playground equipment, athletic fields, basketball courts and tennis courts. Metropolitan Park meanwhile offers green space with some paths for walking and greenery.

Fort Scott Park provides natural paths for walking or jogging, a playground, athletic fields, a tennis wall and basketball court. Unless otherwise noted, all pets should be kept on a leash at all times. Virginia Highlands Park and Fort Scott Park both offer extensive trails useful for exercise-minded visitors in addition to several athletic fields, basketball courts and tennis courts. Virginia Highlands Park frequently hosts regular events and activities, most revolving around the sports complex.

The cost of living in Crystal City, Arlington sits marginally higher than that of Washington, D.C. proper. Expect to pay from $1.75 to take a bus into Washington D.C. or up to $4 to reach the center of Washington, D.C. via metro. The average rental rate for a one-bedroom apartment hovers around $1,927 a month. A pint of beer at a local pub sets you back around $9, while a gallon of gasoline sits around 4 percent higher than the national average.

Most shopping options in the Crystal City neighborhood can be found to the north of the neighborhood, within Pentagon City. Pentagon Row, an outdoor shopping mall and skating rink, includes boutique destinations. A Visual Affair, a high-end eyewear store as well as Solar Planet for sunless tanning both call this shopping center. Another local boutique, Gossip on 23rd, features women's designer clothing.

When it comes time to get your grocery list taken care of, Harris Teeter provides fresh produce, meat, seafood and a wide range of brands. The Crystal City FRESHFARMS Market operates annually from April until November.