Arlington’s Original Downtown
The Clarendon neighborhood is considered by many to be Arlington’s ‘cool kid’. It’s the area that young urban professionals and families want to call home. Located along Wilson Boulevard between Rosslyn and Ballston, Clarendon is known for great restaurants and a booming nightlife. It’s the place to go in Arlington if you’re looking to hear live music, boasting such local institutionsas Clarendon Ballroom, Whitlow’s on Wilson, and Iota.
Clarendon is also the home of Arlington Independent Media (AIM), a public access TV station that provides a wide range of educational opportunities to local residents in the field of television production and video editing. Once a student completes one of their studio or field production classes, they can produce original programming that can be aired on AIM’s public access channel.
For those who choose to make Clarendon home, the vibrant urban village provides an appealing convergence of amenities ideal for modern living. Clarendon Metro Station affords quick access to other parts of Arlington and Northern Virgina, as well as downtown DC. There are also several trailheads that feed into the extensive trail system that many residents utilize for walking, jogging and cycling.
Each Wednesday afternoon from April through December, there is a farmer’s market in Clarendon Central Park, right by the metro station. In late September every year, the main roads in Clarendon are closed off for Clarendon Day. From Clarendon.org: Clarendon Day is the neighborhood’s annual street fair, featuring the Pacers 10K/5K/Kids Dash, two music stages, kids attractions, arts and crafts, and plenty of food, beer and wine. It is also a great opportunity for local businesses to meet their customers face-to-face.
Clarendon was Arlington’s original downtown, back when the trolley line connected the area to DC and beyond. Today, it remains one of the most economically and socially vibrant areas in Arlington, a gathering place for city residents, and a great place to live and play.