Evansdale - Woodbridge, VA

Dale City came about thanks to real estate developer Cecil Don Hylton, who chose its name to honor the hills and dales of the Virginia Piedmont. Though he began his career as a huckster, selling farm goods at the markets in Washington, D.C., he swapped to home building during the post-war housing boom. He divided the area up into neighborhoods, one of which was Evansdale. These communities generally follow an alphabetical order from east to west and remain the same today as they appeared when Hylton planned them.

Though you won't find any museums in Evansdale, travel to the southeast border of Dale City to visit the Rippon Lodge Historic Site or the south to find the Weems Botts Museum, featuring civil war history. The city hosts an annual Independence Day parade on July 4.

Though somewhat limited options for dining and entertainment exist in the Evansdale neighborhood, you can access the rest of Dale City with very little trouble. To the north of Evansdale, at the crossroads of Minnieville Road and Dale Boulevard, you'll find a cluster of eateries in and around the Forestdale Plaza Shopping Center.

For hand-tossed pizzas baked on a seasoned baking stone New York style and Philly steak subs that locals flock to enjoy, try Brothers Pizza Subs. Sink your teeth into a hot or cold sub filled with eggplant parmigiana or ham and salami, or stick to the basics with a meat or plain cheese pizza. You can also sample a house specialty such as the stromboli calzone, stuffed with pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and black olives.

If Afghan cuisine tickles your taste buds, try the Ariana Afghan Restaurant. This local favorite has a banquet hall that seats up to 250 people and is available to cater any of your events. Though the menu does include some familiar favorites, such as fried shrimp and chicken curry, the majority of the entrees come from Afghan traditional recipes. Try the quabili palau, tender chunks of lamb and seasoned brown rice, or the aushak, broiled dumplings filled with leeks and spices.

For an extensive range of Chinese food, visit China Gourmet, also available for delivery within the neighborhood. As well as staples such as foo young, moo shi and fried rice, you'll find a range of combination dinner platters and entrees meant for groups of four or five people. Alternately, try one of the chef's suggestions, such as beef and scallops served with broccoli and water chestnuts or "spicy eight treasures," with eight ingredients, including diced pork, shrimp and cashew nuts.

Though you'll find Dale City Lanes in the same location for an evening of bowling, you'll need to travel slightly further outside the Evansdale neighborhood to find other evening entertainments. Luckily though Dale City Lanes does serve beer. Try the Glory Days Grill for beer, burgers and screened sports games or Uncle Julio's for its "swirl'ritas" take on the popular margarita.

You'll find a bus route operated by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission running through Dale City, with several stops in the Evansdale neighborhood. This local bus will take you to the Chinn Center, Mapledale Plaza, Center Plaza and the Mapledale Plaza. Additional routes also pass through the neighborhood, such as the Rosslyn/Ballston OmniRide and the Dale City OmniRide, connecting residents to both downtown Washington, D.C. and the Pentagon and Washington Navy Yard.

Neither friendly to cyclists nor convenient for pedestrians, Evansdale itself can be covered on foot, but you'll need a car to get your errands done further afield. Uber operates within the area, while you can also call a local cab company to arrange a pickup. When travelling by car, follow Dale Boulevard to reach I-95, or travel southwest to reach Dumfries Road, both of which will help you commute further into the city or in the other direction. You'll find a reasonable amount of parking, particularly when you stop at a local business.

To spend some time in the outdoors, head slightly north to Greenwood Farm Park or Logan Park, both heavily wooded areas with Neabsco Creek running all the way through the former, perfect for a hike, a bicycle ride or time spent with your dog. For fitness, check out the Sharron Baucom Dale City Recreation Center, with a large gymnasium, spinning and pilates studio and a swimming pool. Just to the south, watch out for the Anne Moncure Wall Park, with basketball and tennis courts as well as baseball and Little League for the kids, a playground and a picnic pavilion.

To make the most of the attractive surroundings of Evansdale in Dale City, you'll have to pay a premium. The cost of living in this neck of the woods comes in over 6 percent higher than the Virginia average and 15 percent above the national average. The average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the neighborhood sits around $885 a month, while reaching the city center on public transport will set you back up to $8. Expect to pay just under $8 for a pint of beer in a local pub or restaurant. The price per gallon of gas here hovers around 4 percent above the national average.

While the shopping opportunities within Evansdale exist, the city around this neighborhood provides residents with multiple stores and malls. In the neighborhood, Dale City Music has all of your instrument needs covered. This local store also rents and repairs band and orchestra instruments. Advance Auto Parts has all of your car needs covered and the local Petco provides plenty of food and treats for Fido.

Visit the Giant, Safeway and Angkor Mart International supermarkets when you need to restock your cupboards, or stop in for snacks and sundries at the 7-Eleven or the Super Selecto Grocery & Deli. Find the closest farmers market nearby, within the boundaries of the city, at the year-round Dale City Farmers Market. Almost 50 vendors sell their goods at one of the oldest open-air markets in the region, proffering items that must be either grown or made by the seller.