Rental Report: Bethesda’s Most Walkable Neighborhoods

Rental Report

Editor’s Note: This biweekly sponsored column is written by Rick Gersten, founder and CEO of Urban Igloo, a rental real estate firm that matches up renters with their ideal apartments, condos or houses. Please submit any questions in the comments section or via email.

Overall, Bethesda is considered a car-dependent city, with a Walk Score of 47. If you live here, you know some neighborhoods near Bethesda score much higher. But for newcomers, here is a quick rundown of the most convenient neighborhoods near Bethesda according to the Walk Score map.

Downtown Bethesda – The downtown Bethesda area is definitely on the top of the most desirable lists for many people interested in an urban lifestyle in Montgomery County. Downtown Bethesda boasts almost 200 restaurants, several art galleries, movie theaters and excellent retail.

Shopping here includes hundreds of stores, including Barnes & Noble, the Apple Store, and World Market, but also smaller, eclectic shops as well. For groceries, residents have several options including Trader Joe’s, Safeway and Giant. As for entertainment, just about anyone can find some fun here. There’s plenty of nightlife, music and art, and even tons of fun for the youngest Bethesda residents. And all of this is located directly around the Bethesda Metro Station.

Friendship Heights – Another active area is Friendship Heights/Chevy Chase. Located right at the border of D.C. and Maryland, Friendship Heights offers a more low-key lifestyle with quite a bit of residential housing, but with all the conveniences of great walkable neighborhoods.

Shopping here runs the gamut, from T.J. Maxx to Saks Fifth Avenue, Dior and Gucci. There’s a Whole Foods for grocery shopping, and some restaurant chains as well as local favorites for dining. Friendship Heights is the last stop on Metro’s Red Line in D.C., and is an excellent option for those looking for a more suburban lifestyle with all the convenience of urban living.

North Bethesda – North Bethesda is an excellent choice for those looking in the Bethesda area on budget. In North Bethesda, renters can generally save a few hundred dollars per month. Much of North Bethesda could be considered car-dependent, but the area around the White Flint Metro is under development and promises plenty of shopping, restaurants and new urban town centers.

 

Residents have a Whole Foods and Harris Teeter for their grocery needs. There are plenty of parks and train access for those looking for a place to run or bike. For entertainment, Dave & Buster’s is the place to be.

North Bethesda is close to Rockville and D.C. You may not be able to skip the car altogether here yet, but it is definitely an area to consider seeing as though there’s a lot on the drawing board. (See: Reasons to Consider North Bethesda)

Much of Bethesda and the surrounding neighborhoods have easy access to just about anything apartment hunters desire. There are plenty more neighborhoods worth a look, but these top neighborhoods according to Walk Score have most of life’s conveniences just a few steps from your door.

Community discussion guidelines: Our sponsored columns are written by members of the local business community. While we encourage a robust and open discussion, we ask that all reviews of the businesses — good or bad — be directed to another venue, like Yelp. The comments section is intended for a conversation about the topic of the article.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up