Shirlington
Shirlington is a young professional's playground. It is a bastion of convenience located a stone's throw from employers in Washington and Arlington. A stylish collection of restaurants and entertainment options, surrounded by a mix of apartments, condos, and traditional neighborhoods, it is hip enough to attract crowds from other parts of the metropolitan area, but still quiet and quaint enough to be a relaxing home to thousands of residents.
Like Columbia Pike, Shirlington is another urban village that is not directly centered on a Metro station. Rather, it is served by an extensive network of Metrobus routes that take commuters to the Pentagon City and Crystal City Metro stations, among other destinations. Shirlington Station at 2975 South Quincy St. offers bus riders an attractive waiting area and bus transfer location, as well as a Commuter Store.
Shirlington offers restaurant choices that range from a gourmet deli to Thai food to the Carlyle, a modern American restaurant with art nouveau décor that is one of the Washington area's favorite dining destinations. Nightlife is highlighted by the Capitol City Brewing Co, which serves several varieties of beer, brewed on-site, and Bungalow Billiards, featuring a dozen pool tables, huge-screen TV and darts.
Shirlington is home to the Tony Award-winning theater company, Signature Theatre, featuring contemporary musicals and plays, as well as reinvented classics. If you're more in the mood for a movie, the AMC Lowes Shirlington 7 offers seven screens. WETA, Washington's outlet for PBS television and NPR radio, is also headquartered here. With all this, "culture" is easy to come by in Shirlington.
Another great aspect to life in Shirlington is how much green space there is in close proximity. Most of the apartment buildings that surround Shirlington's shopping center are beautifully landscaped with rolling lawns and meandering walkways. In addition, there are several parks in the area, including Utah Park, Jennie Dean Park, and a dog park and exercise area. And the WO&D bike trail, which stretches into rural Virginia, originates very close to this area as well.
Shirlington Bus Station is Arlington's only enclosed public bus station and is the principal transfer point for Metrobus and ART bus service in South Arlington. The bike parking facilities located next to the Station make it convenient to ride your bike to the station, lock it up and take a bus to your destination. More than 2000 commuters use the station each day.
All these factors have combined to make Shirlington a prime residential location too, with a mix of garden apartments, high-rises, and condos, all near restaurants and shops. The area appeals not only to young professionals, but to demographic groups from families with children to seniors.
Plans to expand Shirlington, and add more commercial and residential space, are in the works. With a nice mixture of leisure activities, great housing, and of course, outstanding public transit access, Shirlington is another of the unique little neighborhoods that make Arlington great.
