As someone who’s lived in the North Arlington area for the past four years, I’ve put together a list of five reasons why you should head out to Virginia Square:
For those looking for coffee…
This local neighborhood coffee shop, located roughly halfway between the Clarendon and Virginia Square Metro stations, is great. For one, it’s more than just a coffee shop! In addition to great coffee, the place also doubles as a wine bar upstairs, and offers a variety of pastries, teas and hot chocolatey goodness to choose from. During peak hours, this place can get packed, so I’d recommend coming earlier in the day if you plan on lingering around to get some work done.
Hours of Operation:
- Monday – Wednesday: 6am – 10pm
- Thursday: 6am – 11pm
- Friday: 6am – 12am
- Saturday: 7am – 12am
- Sunday: 7am – 10pm
Northside Social
For those looking to eat…
The Arlington branch of this DC area barbeque joint is located just a 5 minute walk from the Virginia Square metro. Rocklands is a fast casual type of restaurant, making it the perfect place to head to if you didn’t have time to cook lunch or dinner. Every time I come here, I pretty much get the same thing: a pulled pork BBQ sandwich, with a side of fried okra and mac and cheese.
Hours of Operation:
- Monday – Thursday: 11am – 930pm
- Friday – Saturday: 11am – 10pm
- Sunday: 11am – 9pm
Rocklands Arlington
For those looking for a quiet place…
Central Arlington Library – If I’m in work-mode where I need a place to focus that’s not as crowded as Northside, I head on over to the Central Arlington Library. Located about a 10 minute walk from the Virginia Square metro, the library is the largest and main branch of the Arlington County system. Free wifi is excellent throughout the building, and it’s generally pretty easy to find an open desk on the library’s second floor.
Need a book? Search their catalog here.
Hours of Operation:
- Sunday: 1 – 9pm
- Monday – Thursday: 10 – 9pm
- Friday – Saturday: 10 – 5pm
Arlington Central Library
For those looking to be active…
Arlington Quincy Park – This regional park, located a short five minute walk from Virginia Square, is one of the largest in North Arlington. The park is located right next to Central Library, and has six tennis courts, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, baseball / softball fields and a bunch of open space to just relax around. One thing that I want to emphasize about this place is safety. The place is incredibly safe. I’ve come here
Make a reservation
- Reserve a baseball diamond
- Reserve a basketball court
- Reserve a volleyball court
- Reserve a tennis court
Should I make a reservation?
That depends. If you have a big event, I’d highly recommend doing so. I’ve only played tennis here before and have never bothered with reserving the space, but in case you wanted to be sure you have a court, you can reserve a tennis court. For tennis, prices are $10/hour for Arlington County residents, $20/hour for non-county residents.
Quincy Park
For those who like the arts…
Arlington Arts Center – I’ll be honest: I’ve only been inside here because it’s my polling location for elections. That being said, I’ve been meaning to explore more of this place. During the summer, there tends to be an outdoor exhibit or sculpture that they place out on the front lawn.
Gallery Hours:
- Wednesday – Sunday: 12pm – 5pm
- Or, by appointment
Arlington Arts Center
Getting to Virginia Square Metro
Virginia Square Metro Station
Virginia Square Metro is located in the heart of the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and is served by the Orange and Silver Lines.
- Street Parking: None
- Bikes: 12 bike racks and 32 bike lockers are available
- Carsharing: several zipcars are available
- Buses: The following bus routes serve this station:
- Virginia Square Bus Map
- ART 41 to Courthouse
- ART 41 to Ballston/Pentagon
- ART 75 to Shirlington