Arlington
Arlington, Virginia sits just across the Potomac River from Washington. The nation's smallest county, Arlington is densely populated with more than 200,000 residents. The commute into DC is fairly painless, which makes it a popular residence for young professionals.In addition to sparkling new high-rise apartments, you'll also find quite a few historical and political landmarks here.
Arlington is home to the massive Pentagon office complex, seat of the U.S.'s Department of Defense. There you will also find the moving Pentagon Memorial, 184 benches commemorating those who died there on September 11, 2001.
Nearby, you will likely need several hours to visit Arlington National Cemetery, one of D.C.'s most popular and stirring sites for visitors. The iconic Iwo Jima Memorial is also located in Arlington in its Rosslyn district. On July 4, locals stake out a spot around the Memorial to enjoy a good view of the fireworks on the Mall while avoiding the hassle of Mall-related traffic.
Clarendon is one of Arlington's better known neighborhoods. There are plenty of laid back pubs, funky little bars and restaurants here, such as Tallula and Liberty Tavern. Up and coming local bands play almost nightly at Iota and Galaxy Hut.
