Love/Hate relationship
-
11/3/2014
Love love Montclair, Va. Fantastic neighborhood with winding sidewalks and "almost" pristine lawns. Tree lined avenues with many a cul-de-sac backed up by a green hilly golf course or perhaps a creek and woods. The schools are pretty decent, everything you "need" close at hand. However, zero night life, long drives to anything that matters and that edgy crossover of politics that screws with your identity. Not necessarily a bad thing, but unnerving when you just want to have a peaceful and agreeable conversation. Everything is a reason to get charged up. It is very politically diverse. Be mindful, just because you get a long with your neighbor and think they are nice doesn't mean they are of the same persuasion as you.
Virginia is a beautiful place with lots to do, if you are willing to drive. The only way to go north and south is I95. Getting West or East is a challenge if not a total headache. It takes longer to go to anywhere east of Raleigh Durham than all the way to Myrtle Beach, SC from here.
If you want a boring place to live, but absolutely LOVE your house, schools, neighbors, and neighborhood, live in Montclair. But if you think your going to swing into to DC a couple of times a month for a good night at the Kennedy Center or to a professional sports game, live further north. But by all means, do not live further south if you are interested in any frequent DC city activity. What lives in Fredericksburg, stays in Fredericksburg. Stafford is an option and less expensive, but be very careful where you choose to live, some schools are not that great, so I hear.
Must say, Montclair does have the very best garage sales I have ever encountered. Must be the strong military presence.
Not a ton of churches to choose from, if you are from a place rich with a faith based environment. Even the Catholic Church is jammed pack with no room on holidays. They really need more locations.
Zero music venues to speak of. Again a lot of driving. Granted the driving feels worse than it actually is and feels further than it actually is. You cannot depend on good traffic flow ever.
At the end of the day, when I am in my house with the fireplace roaring and it is snowing outside, there is no place I'd rather be than Montclair, Va.
Janet | Montclair, VA