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Forest Hills Community Guide Real Estate Like living in a suburban forest close to all D.C. has to offer!

Updated 6/1/2023

History and Flavor

This northwest Washington D.C. neighborhood is bordered on one side by Rock Creek Park. Old oaks and maple trees tower over the area’s lovely diverse housing. The community is an official Tree and Slope Protection Overlay District. The height of buildings and the maximum ground coverage for each lot is limited. Forest Hills is often called “Van Ness” because of its proximity to the University of the District of Columbia (UDC)’s Van Ness campus and the Van Ness–UDC station on the Washington Metro’s Red Line.

The quiet, residential neighborhood is home to embassies and large single-family homes. The Hillwood Estate is a Georgian-style mansion dating from the 1700s with French and imperial Russian decor and is surrounded by formal gardens. 

Forest Hills has plenty of recreational opportunities. Soapstone Valley Park has a pretty, forested hiking trail along a tributary of Rock Creek. Forest Hills contains the former Civil War-era Fort Kearny site (which no longer remains).  Rock Creek Park is nearby and is a favorite attraction for all residents. 

Enjoy The Hillwood Museum, located in a home that belonged to philanthropist and socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post. It contains a vast collection of decorative objects, including several Fabergé eggs.

Several Asian and Italian eateries are on Connecticut Avenue near UDC’s Van Ness campus. Shopping and entertainment are close and unique. 

The embassies of the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Suriname, Hungary (and several others) are located in Forest Hills. You will also find the Howard University School of Law campus, the Levine School of Music, and the Edmund Burke School in the area. 

Entertainment

Music & Parks

  • Bobby McKey’s Dueling Piano BarTeams of pianists take audience requests & the staff dances at this show bar with a pub-fare menu.
  • Pearl Street WarehouseRock, country, folk, soul, bluegrass, rhythm, and blues acts from around the country take the stage nightly, offering every seat in the house a front-row music experience.
  • Nanny O’Brien’sPub offering music sessions, craft brews, and Guinness in narrow, wood-paneled digs with Irish signs.
  • Atomic BilliardsPool tables, shuffleboard, darts & board games in a no-frills sci-fi-muraled basement space.
  • Forest Hills PlaygroundOne large, fenced play area at the park with a sandbox and play equipment. Other park amenities include tennis courts, a basketball court, a ball field, and open space.
  • Soapstone Valley Park– Forested parkland offering a modest walking/biking path, wildlife & stream crossings.
  • Melvin C Hazen ParkA popular jogging/hiking trail bisects this forested green space with a creek & wildlife sightings.
  • Rock Creek Park– An urban oasis that borders Kalorama. With dozens of miles to hike and bike, wildlife to spy, historical artifacts, colonial homes, horseback riding, boats, and a planetarium, you’ll find the best of rural life right in the middle of the city.

Shopping/Restaurants 

Popular Shopping and Eats

  • Transcendence-Perfection-Bliss Of The BeyondQuaint gift shop featuring a range of greeting cards & small toys, including plush animals for kids.
  • Adas Israel Gift ShopJewish lifecycle gifts for all occasions: B’nai mitzvah, baby naming, Shabbat, havdalah, confirmation.
  • Femme Fatale DCA hub for women and non-binary creatives, entrepreneurs and organizers. We catalyze: a women-led economic ecosystem that advances intersectionality on a platform of equality. We are on a mission to amplify the influence of women by providing inspiration and practical support.
  • DC USADC USA is an 890,000-square-foot retail development in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. A Washington City Paper poll named DC USA the “Best Designed Retail Space” of 2009. The development is adjacent to the Columbia Heights station on the Yellow and Green Lines of the Washington Metro.
  • Sfoglina Van NessChef Trabocchi’s homemade pasta, hearty mains & soft serve gelato are offered in Italian villa digs.
  • Phở 14Showcasing a menu of noodle soups, sandwiches, and other Vietnamese eats in cozy digs.
  • Thai PadA menu featuring traditional Thai dishes with a modern, industrial interior and outdoor tables.

Schools

Best Public High Schools

Best Public Elementary Schools

Public Transportation

Buses/Trains

Nebraska Ave & Fort Dr – Bus stop

Connecticut Ave & Van Ness St – Bus stop

Porter St & Connecticut Ave – Bus stop

Nebraska Ave & Connecticut Ave – Bus stop

Park Rd & 19th St – Bus stop

Connecticut Ave & Brandywine St – Bus stop

Van Ness-UDC – Subway stop

Cleveland Park – Subway stop

Median Home Value

$923,000  as of 2023

Renters: 68%

Owners: 32%

Demographics

Population  11,500

Median household income –  $106,089

Median age: 38.5

Families with children – 11%

High school diploma or equivalent – 1%

College Degree: 97%

69% White

11% African American

11% Hispanic

6% Asian

3% Other

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