Groveton - Alexandria, VA

The first use of Groveton was in 1859 when a man advertised his 160-acre Groveton Farm for rent. This was when Groveton was rural with scattered farms.

In 1892, the electric trolley line from Washington to Mount Vernon opened, and because Groveton was in the middle, it grew. The main road, Route 1, was paved in 1918 to allow for movement of heavy equipment for World War I, and as cars came into use and the streetcar declined, Groveton continued to grow, because people could now commute.

Groveton built two airports to support the efforts of World War II, and the area still serves as a community where members of the USAF live. But by the 1950s, urban sprawl began affecting Groveton; the highway widened, hotels and homes were built, and the airfields began to close. Today, the Beacon Hill Shopping Center lies where the Beacon Field Airport once was.

Thanks to the diversity of the Groveton neighborhood, you can find several ethnic restaurants along Route 1. The first one you should check out, Cosmopolitan Grill remains a local favorite, as this family owned and operated restaurant serves food inspired by the Balkan region. If you have a craving for something from Croatia or Bosnia, stop in for a bite to eat. Everyone raves about the huge Bosnian Burger. If you feel a little more adventurous, try the much raved about cevapcici or the schnitzel.

Named one of the best restaurants in the country, Peking Duck remains the place to go if you have a hankering for Asian food. Despite the outdated decor, locals love this place for its authentic recipes. Peking duck proves, unsurprisingly, one of the best things on the menu, but the crispy Szechuan beef with red peppers makes an excellent choice, and of course, the traditional egg drop soup remains a hit.

La Mexicana Bakery & Taqueria remains the number one restaurant in Groveton. Not only do the Benitez's serve incredibly delicious and authentic burritos, tacos, and menudo, this place also has a good-sized bakery with authentic offerings such as bolillo, polvorones, taquitos de queso crema and Mexican pound cake.

Groveton is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, lying almost directly south of Washington D.C. by 11 miles. At only 3 miles south of Old Town Alexandria, that historic area lies an easy bike ride awaylies from Groveton.

With sidewalks lining one side of the roads, Groveton proves to be a fairly walkable community. Because Route 1 runs through the heart of the neighborhood, all of your major shopping needs can be found while on foot. Because this remains such a major thoroughfare, however, this frequently congested four- to five-lane highway does not have bike lanes, so biking isn't recommended in this area.

The WMATA, the transit system that services Groveton, does have a Bike and Ride program that helps make riding more convenient, allowing riders to carry and store their bikes, even full-size ones, on the bus and trains.

Groveton is served by two different bus lines on the Washington Metro, with easy connections to both rail and different bus lines, making it easy and convenient to get around the entire D.C. metro area.

The closest Metro rail station sits only 2 miles away in Huntington, and you can take the yellow line right into the heart of DC in 20 minutes for $3.05.

There exist many cab options in the Groveton area, including the GoGreen Cab Company or the award-winning Red Top Cab. In addition to the traditional taxicab services, newer options, such as Lyft and Uber, have become available, however, with a ride from Groveton to the White House running you at least $25, the Metro might be your best option.

There exist a few parks scattered across the Groveton area, the biggest being Huntley Meadows Park.

If you are in need of some nature, head over to Huntley Meadows. With gorgeous scenery, it makes a beautiful respite in the midst of urban life. Huntley Meadows Park has over 1,500 acres, and from the short boardwalk trail and observation tower, you can easily spot beavers, frogs and herons. Huntley Meadows remains known as a prime birding spot, with over 200 species identified. If you want a little more exercise, try out the easy 4.5-mile trail, easily walked in only about 2 hours, which makes it perfect for both kids and dogs. If you want a dogs-only park, try the Westgrove Dog Park over in Alexandria.

In addition to the nature, Huntley Meadows also proves historical. In colonial times, this land was part of the extensive plantation holdings of the Mason family. George Mason was the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. His grandson built a home on the property, now known as Historic Huntley, and the home lies on the National Register of Historic Places. Now open to the public, scheduled programs and tours occur during the school year and on Saturdays from April to October. The park remains free, but the home requires admission.

You should also check out the Mount Vernon Rec Center, located right next to the wooded Mt. Vernon District Park. The rec center offers a 25-meter heated indoor pool, fitness center, dance room, multi-purpose rooms and a year-round indoor ice arena.

Groveton sits so close to the nation's capital, so you should expect to pay a little bit more for your standard of living. The overall cost of living index in Groveton runs 18 percent higher than the state average.

Gas is 15 percent higher in Groveton than the rest of the state and 12 percent higher than the rest of the nation. Getting a cup of coffee costs you about $4.50, and a beer runs you around $5 for a domestic draft.

Renting a one-bedroom apartment costs you anywhere between $1,200 and $1,400 a month.

With Groveton sitting so close to the rivers and ocean, it makes sense that you might want to take up diving. If that's the case, visit Aquatic Adventures. This store offers scuba classes as well as dive trips, and of course, sells equipment. Aquatic Adventures remains the region's first National Geographic Scuba Dive Center and first DAN Training Center.

If your equipment isn't a scuba suit, but instead a sewing machine, pay a visit to SunSewVac, a long-time local business that sells, services and repairs both sewing machines and vacuum cleaners. SunSewVac also offers classes to learn how to use your sewing machines and even has an embroidery club for those more intricate designs.

You can find groceries easily located on Route 1, with stores such as Giant, Target and Walmart.

Your best bet for a farmers' market lies about five miles north in Alexandria. The West End Farmers' Market remains open May through November.