East Falls Church - Arlington, VA

The area East Falls Church occupies today used to be a part of Washington, D.C. When the land south of the Potomac River was returned to the state of Virginia in 1846, the neighborhood fell into Arlington County. One of the Districts two original 1791 boundary stones still resides in Benjamin Banneker Park. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

No museums or art scene exist in this neighborhood, but residents have easy access to all the free museums and art scene in D.C. The Smithsonian museums likes Air and Space and Natural History as well as the National Art Gallery provide superb cultural activities.

Primarily residential, there are not many restaurants or nightlife activities in this neighborhood. Those that do exist surround the crossroads of the two major thoroughfares that pass through the neighborhood: I-66 and the Lee Highway.

Chasin' Tails serves up Cajun seafood at its finest. The casual atmosphere manifests itself in the brown paper lining the tables, the bibs tied on all patrons and the pails in which you're expected to dump empty shells. If you're looking to dig in and crack open some shells, go for the crawfish or snow crab legs. The jambalaya here also leaves nothing to be desired.

Just on the other side of North Westmoreland Street from Chasin Tails, the little French bistro La Côte D'Or Café proffers a little more civility with the relaxed and rustic country-style space. The spicy lamb sausage and raspberries au caramel highlight the classic French menu. The lamb reaches your table perfectly cooked to a medium rare.

For those who enjoy local bars, try Ireland's Four Provinces, located within walking distance of East Falls Church. For a night out, locals head instead into Ballston or Clarendon, just a 5- to 10-minute metro ride away. Bars such as A-Town Bar & Grill and Whitlow’s On Wilson highlight these more lively neighborhood's bar scene.

Public transportation and driving are the preferred modes of transport in this neighborhood. Biking also remains a decent option due to excellent bike lanes and the flat terrain, but walking proves too time consuming in this residential neighborhood.

The East Falls Church Metro Station provides transport in and out of the neighborhood for non-drivers. Serviced by the orange and silver metro lines, riders can go further west into Virginia or east in D.C. and Maryland. Metro rides range between $1.75 and $5.90, depending on how far you go and at what time of the day.

Metro buses and ART buses also run through the neighborhood, both charging a flat rate of $1.75 per ride. A reloadable SmarTrip card can be used on all three of these public transportation options and provides the most convenience for frequent riders. It also allows for free transfers between systems under two hours.

You won't find too many cabs driving around this neighborhood, which makes Uber service a great alternative. With a few taps on your smartphone, you can get door-to-door transport for the same rates that a regular metered cab would charge.

Metered street parking can become an issue at times for drivers, but access to major roadways makes up for it. I-66 and the Lee Highway cross paths right in the middle of East Falls Church, and Leesburg Pike and Arlington Boulevard lie just to the south as well.

The quantity and quality of the parks in East Falls Church certainly proves to be one of the neighborhood's strong suits. Adjacent to Tuckahoe Elementary school, Tuckahoe Park provides 12 acres of green space featuring a garden, amphitheater, walking trails, baseball diamond, tennis courts and a playground. The nearby Charles A. Stewart Park may only be four acres compared to 12, but the basketball court and gazebo provide features not found at Tuckahoe.

In addition to the historical features of Benjamin Banneker Park, this popular dog-walking area features trails along the picturesque Four Mile Run, picnic areas with grills, a playground and large open fields. If there's one thing these parks could use, it would be more community event or activities. Still, with all the resources these parks provide, East Falls Church residents of all ages have a wide range of activities to keep them entertained in the great outdoors.

The cost of living in East Falls Church comes in quite a bit higher compared to Arlington as a whole. The $2,238 average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment falls a whopping 38 percent higher than the already-pricey Arlington average of $1,621 per month.

Lower than average gas prices help cut down on costs a bit, but not much. With average gas prices 5 percent less than the national average, drivers have a little relief at the pump. Commuting into the city center via public transportation will price differently throughout the day, but can usually be done for under $2.50.

Other common expenses such as a meal at a local restaurant will run about $15 for an entrée and $5 for a beer.

For big commercial shopping, neighborhood residents head north to Tyson's Corner or south to Seven Corners. The latter has a wide selection of stores from Target, Best Buy and Bed Bath & Beyond to Pier 1, Old Navy, REI and Burlington Coat Factory. Tyson's has many of the same stores as well as an impressive line up of department stores, such as Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and T.J. Maxx.

Locals need not go quite as far for groceries, with a Safeway and Harris Teeter located just a mile to the east on Lee Highway.

The City of Falls Church Farmer's Market just to the south also provides grocery shopping opportunities close by. Make sure to try the peaches from Black Rock Orchard and the cow's-milk aged feta from Blue Ridge Dairy.