Burleith / Hillandale

I must have driven by this neighborhood a thousand times and never noticed it. Located just north of Georgetown University, Burleith / Hillandale is a neighborhood located in the northwest section of the city. In general the boundaries of the neighborhood are defined by the Whitehaven Parkway N.W., Wisconsin Avenue N.W., Reservoir Road N.W. and the Glover Archbold Park. In many ways the homes are very similar to those found in Georgetown, with a variety of attached and detached single family homes found and are quite expensive.

This is a residential neighborhood so dining and shopping options here are very limited, but because of the proximity to Georgetown, many opportunities are nearby. Shopping is also on parts of Wisconsin Avenue N.W., including grocery shopping at a Safeway. Schools include the Washington International School, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Hardy Middle School. Glover Archbold Park is a dedicated green space although you will find many tree lined streets here as well. There are numerous Metro Bus stops providing access to the expanded Metro system.

Recent crime statistics indicate that the area is relatively safe with just a handful of crimes against people and property occurring. Most are located towards the Wisconsin Avenue N.W. part of the neighborhood. As always be sure to review recent crime statistics to make an informed decision as to the crime risk in any neighborhood.

Burleith is the cheaper, but still quite tony, neighbor of Georgetown. It is to the north of the University, and shares many facilities with Georgetown. Unlike most countries who have their post on Embassy Row, the French chose to put theirs here. Burleith is almost exclusively residential, but still convenient to most services. Mass Transit serves the area abundantly. there is a good neighborhood association, and everyone knows everybody. If you live in Burleith long enough, people will know you by name. As a result, outsiders with less than honorable intent are watched. when the residents need help from the city for anything, they tend to get it quickly. In addition, the area children go to some of the best public schools in the District--if they don't attend private school instead.

Burleith is fairly expensive, but not as outrageous as Georgetown: houses run about a million bucks. Out of reach for many, but in reach for quite a few more than the famous neighbors. As a result, public servants like senators and cabinet members can and do live there. Overall a great place to live if you can afford it.

Burleigh, and its inner sanctum, Hillandale, is one of the nicest and most expensive neighborhoods in Washington. For clarity’s sake, you need to understand that Hillandale is not so much a neighborhood as a very exclusive gated community located in a corner of the Burleigh neighborhood. Hillandale’s private, controlled environment has attracted such famous Senators and Congressional leaders as Presidential hopeful Joe Leiberman. Burleigh, on the other hand, is the site of the French Embassy.
Interestingly enough, the neighborhood is not as stuffy as it might be. This is because it also plays home to students from nearby Georgetown University. While these kids are obviously from the wealthier families in the nation, they have not always gotten along with other neighborhood residents. This has been a problem from time to time in the past, as older, more staid residents have expressed concerns over some of the student’s youthful antics. Today, both groups have worked out their differences and now live in harmony, at least most of the time.