Laid-back, Leafy Living in Chevy Chase, DC

Known as one of DC’s early streetcar suburbs, Chevy Chase still adheres to laid-back, leafy living. With a sort of small-town vibe, Chevy Chase is the kind of neighborhood where you’ll find comfortable homes, locally owned shops, and plenty of green space. 

This is thanks, in part, to Rock Creek Park, which borders the neighborhood. The large park almost makes you feel like you’re no longer in the city, with its streams, trails, tennis courts and golf.

There’s also the option of enjoying the playgrounds of Lafayette Park or heading to Livingston Park with its own playgrounds, a small water park, a dog park, tennis courts and sport fields. 

While you won’t probably find chain retailers in the neighborhood of Chevy Chase, you will find plenty of family-owned and locally owned markets, shops, and cafes. The old Avalon Theater still stands in the neighborhood, just as it has for nearly 100 years when it originally showed silent films.

As for the homes of Chevy Chase, you’ll find mostly single-family homes with mature trees and sometimes gardens. It’s common to find a mix of housing in the neighborhood, from Tudors and Victorians to Colonials and Cape Cods, most of which were built in the early 1900s.

Most of the homes and properties are well-kept, with flowering landscaping that further lends to the curb appeal of homes in the neighborhood. These days you may also find a smaller collection of condos and apartment buildings in Chevy Chase.

Many residents of Chevy Chase tend to commute elsewhere in DC or to nearby Bethesda. It’s easy to reach downtown by Metro or bus, but many people also tend to own cars in the neighborhood.

This makes it possible to enjoy the peacefulness of a suburban lifestyle, without sacrificing the many nearby sites and attractions of the surrounding DC area.