Why I Moved to Arlington, VA (and Why I Am Moving Back)

Last Updated: June 10, 2026

I lived in Arlington for seven years. In 2025, my wife Leah and I found a house we loved so much that we moved down the road to Falls Church City. But we did not sell our Arlington Forest place. We still own it, we plan to hold it for a long time, and for our next home, we are moving back to Arlington. People around here have started calling me Mr Arlington, and I will take it. So let me tell you, as honestly as I can, what made me move here in the first place, and why I miss it every day.

TL;DR — What This Post Covers

• Why I picked Arlington when Leah and I first moved to the DC area

• The single thing about Arlington I underestimated until I left

• What I do in Arlington every day even though I live ten minutes away

• The neighborhoods I keep coming back to

• Why my next move is back across the county line

What Brought Me Here

Leah and I both took jobs in DC, so Northern Virginia chose us before we chose it. We picked Arlington for the reasons most families pick Arlington. The commute is short. From most of the county you are fifteen to twenty minutes from the District. Everything you actually use day to day is close. Trails, parks, restaurants, grocery stores you can walk to. And Arlington puts real money back into the things you use, which is why the parks feel maintained and the community center programs feel like someone cares about them.

We landed in Arlington Forest for the first stretch and never left the county until last year. That was seven years of evening walks, Saturday morning coffee runs, and watching neighborhoods I used to drive through casually become the ones I knew block by block.

The Thing I Did Not Appreciate Until I Left

My commute. From Falls Church City, I am ten to fifteen minutes further from my office than I used to be. Some of you are reading that and thinking, Blake, that is nothing. I would have said the same thing in 2024. But every single one of those extra minutes shows up on the days I am trying to make it home for dinner, or get a kid to a community center class, or just sit on the porch before the day ends. Arlington's geography is its quiet superpower. You stop noticing how close everything is until it is not.

What I Still Do in Arlington Every Day

Living in Falls Church City did not move my life. My office is in Arlington. My kids are in Arlington's community center programs. I run Discover Arlington, which means I am writing about, photographing, and walking around this county constantly. Most weeks I am in Arlington six days out of seven, and I notice the difference between being a resident and being a daily visitor. The dog walks at sunset, the spontaneous coffees on Lee Highway, the neighbors waving from the porch — those belong to people who live here.

The Neighborhoods I Keep Coming Back To

I get asked all the time which Arlington neighborhoods I would actually move my family into. Honest answer: there are more than people think. A few I love for different reasons:

• Westover — A real small-town feel with a Saturday farmers market and a beer garden.

• Yorktown — Established trees, deep lots, families who stay for decades.

• Donaldson Run — Quiet, leafy, the trail system runs right through it.

• Lyon Village — Walkable to Clarendon, but still feels like a neighborhood.

• Cherrydale — Character homes, a tight community, and an unbeatable location.

I am not going to tell you any single one of these is the right fit for your family. That is a conversation I would rather have over coffee. But each of them is a place I would gladly call home, and several of them are on my own list for the move back.

What I Eat, Where I Walk, Where I Take the Kids

Arlington is built for families who like to be outside. The Custis Trail runs the spine of the county, the Mount Vernon Trail follows the river, and on any given weekend I am at one of three or four parks with my kids. For food, the 2026 Arlington food and drink guide lays out the spots I rotate through, but my short list is short on purpose. A Saturday morning at the Westover farmers market, a slice somewhere in Clarendon, and a slow walk back home is most of what I want out of a weekend.

Why I Am Moving Back

I loved one house enough to leave. That is the truth. But seven years told me everything I needed to know about whether Arlington fits the life Leah and I want to give our kids, and the answer was yes. We are holding the Arlington Forest house because I believe in owning real estate here for the long haul. And our next move, whenever it comes, is back across the county line.

If you are weighing the move yourself and want to see what Arlington life actually looks like, follow along on Discover Arlington. We post the neighborhoods, the parks, the restaurants, and the moments that make this place feel like home. Come walk it with me.

Resources & Next Steps

• Search the Market: View all Homes for Sale in Arlington

• Go New Construction: Explore Arlington New Builds

• Neighborhood Deep Dive: The Complete Arlington Neighborhood Library

• Eat Like a Local: Our 2026 Arlington Food & Drink Guide

• Join the Club: Get Access to the Local Perks Club

• Let's Talk Strategy: Book a Discovery Call with The Davenport Group