There is a point in every Arlington summer where "go play outside" stops being a viable parenting strategy. 👉 Want to know where else we take the kids to cool off this summer? 💬 Follow us, then comment GUIDE and we will send it to you. By mid-July the backyard is too hot, the playground equipment is somehow hotter, and even the youngest is over the sprinkler. These are the five spots we are rotating through this summer to keep everyone sane. 📍 Ocean Dunes Waterpark at Upton Hill is the only spot on this list where the kids genuinely wear themselves out for the day. The slides, the wave action, and the day pass model make it worth the drive even from North Arlington. 📍 Lyon Village Park splash pad is walkable for anyone in Lyon Village or Clarendon. The smaller scale is a feature for younger kids who get overstimulated by the bigger setups. 📍 Virginia Highlands Park splash pad is in the Pentagon City area and has a bigger play area than most of the North Arlington splash pads. There are sports fields and a playground next to it for when the kids are done with the water. 📍 Mosaic Park splash pad is the newest of the group, over in the Ballston area. The design is modern and there are shade structures, which matters more than people realize when you are sitting next to a splash pad in July. 📍 Long Bridge Aquatic Center has indoor and outdoor pools, which makes it the only entry on this list that works on rainy days. You can buy a day pass or get a membership. The slide setup is a hit with the older kids. None of these are perfect. The crowded weekends, the parking, and the inevitable meltdown when it is time to leave all come with the territory (we have had memorable meltdowns at every one of these). But the alternative is the kids asking us for the hundredth time if they can have screen time. 👉 Want our full guide to Arlington with kids this summer? 💬 Follow us, then comment GUIDE and we will send you our Arlington Locals Guide. Where is your family's go-to for cooling off in Arlington this summer? 💛 #ArlingtonVA #DiscoverArlington #ThingsToDoInArlington #ArlingtonWithKids #ArlingtonFamilies

You walk through this house and forget which side of the windows you’re on. Donald Lethbridge designed it that way in 1952. 👉 Want all the listing details? 💬 Follow us, then comment THURSDAY and we’ll send the listing link straight to your DMs. A 1952 Lethbridge-designed mid-century modern in Dover Crystal. 6 beds, 6 baths, and it just hit the market at $2,899,000. ▫️ Dover Crystal sits in North Arlington, on a quiet cul-de-sac with no thru traffic. 0.57 acres backing to trees, which is double or triple what most Arlington lots come with at this price point. Sweeping views toward Rosslyn, downtown DC, and the National Cathedral from the main living areas, best when the leaves are down. ▫️ Lethbridge was an acclaimed mid-century modern architect in the DC area. The 1952 design features cantilevered overhangs engineered to welcome winter sunlight while shielding from the higher summer sun, walls of windows that dissolve the line between inside and out, and stone floors that flow from the interior into outdoor terraces. On a sunny day, most of the lights stay off! ▫️ The renovation: the current owners added a roof over what used to be the original exterior atrium, turning it into the heart of the house. The 1950s sliding doors are still in place, hidden steel beams open the spaces, and the original windows were replaced with high-performance insulated glass that kept the sightlines. ▫️ Schools are the Taylor / Dorothy Hamm / Yorktown cluster. One important note: this house is for sure not for everybody. Each room is its own distinct space rather than one continuous great room, and the kitchen is tucked off the main living areas the way 1950s design intended. If you want a 6,000 sqft new craftsman with everything open, this isn’t that. If you want a house where every material decision was deliberate, this is exactly that. 📍 Dover Crystal, North Arlington. Cul-de-sac, backs to trees, minutes to the Metro, the GW Parkway, and the Potomac. 💬 Follow us, then comment THURSDAY and we’ll send the listing link straight to your DMs. ✨ Listed by Chris Owens + Jeff Wilson | TTR Sotheby’s International Realty #dovercrystal #midcenturymodern

Twins Ace Hardware has been an Arlington staple in Courthouse for a decade. Their second location just opened in National Landing, and we had to pop in for opening weekend! 👉 Want access to exclusive deals at 60+ local Arlington spots, including 10% off at Twins Ace Hardware? 💬 Follow us, then comment LOCAL and we'll DM you the link to join our Local Perks Club for free. The biggest difference at this location is the size: 8,000+ square feet stocked with everything from decorative hardware to plants, lawnmowers, gardening supplies, pet supplies, school supplies, even Legos. Keep walking and you find moving supplies, lumber, and the coolest Big Green Egg setup we've seen. Did we mention plants? We came in on a paint mission. Their team helped us pick a color, mixed our samples on the spot, and sent us home with the best quality paint (we're already obsessed with one of the Benjamin Moore greens, RIP to our budget). Twins Ace is family-friendly, pet-friendly, and full service. They validate two hours of free garage parking with Ace, which is a serious perk!. If you're closer to Courthouse, the original Twins Ace is still at 2001 Clarendon Boulevard. 👉 Want in on those 60+ Arlington discounts? 💬 Comment LOCAL on this post for our Perks Club link. Which new businesses are you most excited about in National Landing? 💛

Five ways to celebrate Juneteenth right here in Arlington this year ❤️ 👉 Want the full details, times, and links for every one of these?
💬 Follow us, then comment EVENTS and we’ll send you our full Arlington events roundup for June! On June 19, 1865, federal troops reached Galveston, Texas, and enslaved people there finally learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Here are a few ways to honor this historical day around Arlington: 📍 June 18: Author Talk with Nicole Taylor at Arlington Central Library in Ballston (free)
📍 June 19: Halls Hill/High View Park Juneteenth Celebration on N. Dinwiddie St (free)
📍 June 19: 3rd Annual Juneteenth Community Day with Challenging Racism at Wakefield High School (free)
📍 June 19: “I Am Not Your Negro” screening at Alamo Drafthouse in National Landing ($12)
📍 June 20: Jubilee, A Juneteenth Celebration at the Plaza at Mason Square in Virginia Square (free) Nicole Taylor wrote the first cookbook built around Juneteenth, so that library talk is one we’d grab a seat for ASAP. And the Halls Hill celebration has barbecue, a moon bounce, and the Faycez-U-Know band, which makes it an easy one to bring the whole family to. Which one are you heading to? Tell us in the comments 🤎 #arlingtonva #discoverarlington #JuneteenthInArlington

From this front door you can walk to Sfoglina, two Metros, and the bridge to Georgetown. The condo behind it is south-facing and just hit the market. 👉 Want all the listing details? 💬 Follow us, then comment THURSDAY and we'll send the listing link straight to your DMs. A south-facing 2-bed, 2-bath at 1800 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn. 1,047 sqft, 9-foot ceilings, and it just hit the market at $735,000. ▫️ 1800 Wilson Blvd is in the heart of Rosslyn, blocks from both Rosslyn and Courthouse Metro. South-facing means real light into the living room, not just into another building's facade across the way. ▫️ Inside: open floor plan, 9-foot ceilings, hardwood floors running into both bedrooms. Center island kitchen with counter seating, granite counters, soft-close wood cabinetry. Custom Elfa closets in both bedrooms, walk-in in the primary. ▫️ Building amenities: attended front desk, fitness center, package room, bike storage, business center, courtyard with a fire pit. One parking space conveys, which matters more than it sounds in Rosslyn. ▫️ Outside the front door: Sfoglina, Maman Bakery, Compass Coffee, Tupelo Honey, and South Block. Target a few blocks west. Two Metro stations, the GW Parkway, and the bridge to Georgetown. One important note: 1,047 sqft is condo-tight. The 9-foot ceilings, open floor plan, and custom Elfa closets make it work harder than the number suggests. If you want a 3-bed family layout, this isn't it. If your wishlist is walkable to the Metro, light-filled, move-in ready, and a bridge ride from Georgetown, this is the one to bookmark. 📍 1800 Wilson Blvd, Rosslyn. Blocks from two Metros, the bridge to Georgetown, and the trails along the Potomac. 💬 Follow us, then comment THURSDAY and we'll send the listing link straight to your DMs. ✨ Listed by Blake Davenport | The Davenport Group at TTR Sotheby's International Realty #tourthursday #arlingtonva #rosslyn #arlingtoncondos #davenportgroup

We've been keeping tabs on Altitude for months, and it finally is opening along with five other new Arlington businesses we're excited to check out! 👉 Want discounts at 60+ local businesses? 💬 Follow us, then comment LOCAL and we'll DM you the link to join our free Perks Club. Here's what's new: ▫️ Cielo Supper Club in Clarendon is a Latin supper club with live DJ sets ▫️ Altitude Wine Bar & Listening Lounge in Crystal City keeps a real vinyl library you can dig through ▫️ The Scoop N Scootery on N Irving Street delivers sundaes til 2am, and the Clarendon night crowd is going to love that it's open late ▫️ Title Boxing Club on Columbia Pike runs heavy bag rounds, and you don't need any experience to walk in ▫️ Pizzeria Paradiso Pronto at the National Landing Water Park, and it's the only Paradiso location doing pizza by the slice ▫️ Constellation Cafe & Market in Crystal City does coffee, lunch, plus you can snag a few groceries on the way out We make a round up of new businesses in Arlington every month, so circle back in a couple weeks to see what else has popped up! Tell us in the comments which one you're hitting first 💛 (Constellation Cafe image courtesy of ArlNow) #ArlingtonVA #ClarendonVA #CrystalCity #ArlingtonVirginia #NewInArlington

The hottest Arlington neighborhood right now is Westover Village. Once you spend a Sunday there, you understand why. 👉 Want more Arlington neighborhood deep dives like this? 💬 Follow us, then comment NEIGHBOR and we'll send our free resource to explore the Neighborhoods of Arlington in more detail. The pull of Westover Village isn't just one thing. It’s a stack of small things that compound. The Italian Store anchors the village. People drive across Arlington for their sandwiches and prepared food, and the Westover location is the one most locals consider home base. The Westover Beer Garden and Market sits a few steps away. It has outdoor seating, rotating taps, and welcomes both kids and dogs. It’s the rare neighborhood spot that works for both a Tuesday after work and a Saturday afternoon. The Sunday farmers market runs year-round in the same village center. You can do The Italian Store, the farmers market, and a walk through Westover Park in one morning without ever moving your car. The streets around the village are quiet, leafy, and walkable in a way most of Arlington is not. Kids walk to school. Dogs get walked. Neighbors actually know each other. The school feeder pattern is Cardinal Elementary, Swanson Middle, and Yorktown High. All three rate strongly on GreatSchools.org, which is one of the bigger drivers of demand here. The trade-off is that everyone else has figured this out too. Inventory moves fast and the price floor keeps inching up. But the lived experience of being there is the reason buyers keep showing up. 👉 Want to dig into each Arlington neighborhood in more detail? 💬 Follow us, then comment NEIGHBOR for our free Arlington Neighborhood resource. #ArlingtonVARealEstate #ArlingtonVA #WestoverArlington #ArlingtonNeighborhoods #NorthernVirginiaRealEstate

Watching the DC fireworks from Arlington is one of those local moves you only figure out after one bad trip into the city on the 4th. The view from this side is better, and the drive home is too. 👉 Want more Arlington recommendations from a local? 💬 Follow us, then comment GUIDE and we'll send over our free Arlington Locals Guide! 📍 Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) has an open lawn facing the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. Get there earlier than feels reasonable! 📍 Netherlands Carillon is right next door. The hilltop is slightly quieter and the view is the same. If the Marine Corps lawn is packed, walk over here instead. 📍 Gravelly Point is north of Reagan National Airport, right on the Potomac. Planes landing low overhead are an added thrill or a sensory overload (depending on your kids of course 😅). 📍 Air Force Memorial sits up on the hill near the Pentagon. The three soaring spires frame the fireworks, and it is usually less crowded than Iwo Jima. Parking is free but limited. The Navy Annex Bus Stop is a block west by transit. 📍 The cheat code is a friend with rooftop access in Rosslyn or a boat on the Potomac. If your building doesn't have a rooftop, perhaps befriend someone who does! Here are a few notes for whichever spot you pick: 🕰️ NPS has not officially announced a start time as of June 16th, 2026, although previous years would suggest fireworks may start around 9:00 PM. 🇺🇸 For the 250th birthday of the country, organizers are aiming to break the Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks show.Expect more than 30 minutes of pyrotechnics, nearly twice last year's length. 🚔 Expect heavier security. The July 4th celebration got a National Special Security Event designation, the highest possible level and a first for July 4. 🚆The Metro is free after 5 PM on the 4th 👉 Want more of our recommendations for things to do in Arlington VA? 💬 Follow us, then comment GUIDE and we'll send it over! Where are you watching the fireworks this year? 💛 #ArlingtonVA #DCFireworks #4thOfJulyArlington #DiscoverArlington #ThingsToDoInArlington