markyscott

I write this post with reluctance for revealing how great this neighborhood really is. I like to think of this neighborhood as my own little DC secret paradise as for how few people know about it. I have been living in this neighborhood for two and a half years and I am sad to say I will be leaving it soon.

Just take a walk down Lanier Place, the heart of this sub-neighborhood of Adams Morgan, on a sunny evening and you will fall in love with it just for the diversity of people going about their daily lives - from joggers passing through the less crowded sidewalks, children throwing football with the firemen at the local fire station, professionals returning home from work downtown, or just a couple out for an evening walk. There are always people on the tree-lined street which makes it feel safe even for a late night walk home from downing several drinks.

Lanier Heights is truly a residential neighborhood with very few public businesses within its boundaries, but with plenty of restaurants, bars, stores, just within a short five minute walk. Living here you have all the access to great vibrant commercial districts without having to deal with crowds or late night noise. 18th Street of Adams Morgan, the main commercial district and popular college-age bar scene, is just one block away. Mt. Pleasant, just to the north of Lanier Heights, has an incredible selection of ethnic restaurants as a vibrant and heavily Hispanic neighborhood (also with a cute farmer's market).

Transit routes pretty much go around Lanier Heights on the busier streets of Calvert St., Columbia Rd., 16th St. (not through it - which is good in my book). Within a short 5 minute walk you can access numerous bus lines that would take you all over the city. By bus, downtown is about fifteen to twenty minutes. If you prefer to walk, downtown is about a 30-40 minute pleasant walk through Adams Morgan and the Dupont circle neighborhood. Metro, on the other hand, isn't as easily accessible - about a 15 minute walk to both the Columbia Heights Metro Station (yellow & green) and the Woodley Park Metro Station (red) - but when you live this close to downtown, metro isn't nearly as important. Bus lines and Captial Bikeshare stations become more relevant.

A truly unique and incredible amenity of living in Lanier Heights is its closeness to Rock Creek Park and the National Zoo. I often tend to overlook both of these amenities but when I have free time and/or visitors, I am reminded by how great they really are. Lanier Heights overlooks Rock Creek Park - a wooded National Park with bike paths and running trails that run directly from Georgetown to Maryland passing right by Lanier Heights. Via the bike path, Georgetown is a twenty minute bike ride from Lanier Heights. There is also a back entrance to the National Zoo from Lanier Heights. Within a 15 minute walk from neighborhood you can be viewing the lions, tigers, and bears...for free!. It is truly a unique aspect of the neighborhood that very few others in the city (or country) can provide.

I wouldn't classify Lanier Heights as trendy, but more of an established, stable diverse community. It is an excellent place to live, no matter who you are. I am happy to call Lanier Heights as my home for two and a half years and if I ever move back to DC, I know exactly where I'd move. .