Mount Pleasant, Washington DC Neighborhood Guide

Have you been searching for a historic neighborhood with a cool, up-and-coming vibe? Then you'll want to check out Mount Pleasant real estate. This is a great little community that has sat for far too long in its big sister Adam Morgan's shadow. But no worries. Mount Pleasant is now ready for her deb party. Check out the following reasons why this community should be on your short list of places to live in DC.

It's Family Friendly

Nice sidewalks -- check. Relatively quiet tree-lined streets -- check. And lovely front porches that are great for families to linger on -- check! Mount Pleasant has all these, plus more. It is, for example, located so close to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park that some residents claim that they can hear the lions roar, which makes this a very special neighborhood for animal-loving children. The zoo also offers a plethora of great programs, including Boo at the Zoo. During this annual event, families can enjoy live entertainment while exploring the zoo's exhibits at night. Then there is the newly renovated Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library, where you can check out books or check out the amazing array of classes and programs. On Saturdays, for example, the library offers relaxing yoga classes. And for the kids, there are Lego building sessions and story times provided in both English and Spanish. This library even offers ESL classes for adults. Do you prefer being outside? Then check out Lamont Park. This unique, entirely paved pocket park is the site of numerous community events, including annual outdoor movie nights during the fall. And for health-conscious families who enjoy locally sourced foods, there is the Mt. Pleasant Farmers' Market, which occurs on Saturday mornings. You can find a variety of incredible edibles at this market, including fresh fruits, veggies, eggs and delicious baked goods. This market, which is held on the Mt. Pleasant Street Plaza, also features local entertainers and has become an unofficial community gathering spot for many residents. As for schools, little ones in Mount Pleasant attend Bancroft Elementary. This school has earned a four out of five community rating and a six out of ten state rating on GreatSchool.org. High school students in Mount Pleasant attend highly regarded Woodrow Wilson High School. However, the school boundaries were being reworked for possible changes in 2016,

Getting Fit and Having Fun

If you enjoy exercising in the great outdoors, you'll love living in Mount Pleasant, which is bordered on two sides by Rock Creek Park. At 1,700 acres, this park is twice the size of New York City's famous Central Park, and it offers fitness buffs an amazing array of activities. Love horses? You're in luck. The Rock Creek Park Horse Center offers riding lessons as well as rides on pretty wooded trails. The center also offers summer horse camps. Rock Creek Park also boasts 32 miles of hiking trails through rolling wooded terrain and, in some cases, along the pretty creek for which the park is named. In addition, parts of Beach Drive, which runs through the park, are closed on weekends and holidays to motor vehicles, but open for bike riding and jogging. And if you prefer your exercise on the water, you'll want to head over to Thompson Boat Center. Here you can rent kayaks, canoes and rowing shells on which to explore the Potomac River. Rock Creek Park also includes an 18-hole public course and a tennis center, where you can rent courts by the hour. Mount Pleasant also offers several different options for exercising indoors, including Fit360, a small gym located on 17th Street NW, and the Past Tense yoga studio.

Housing in Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant was once a sleepy little suburb separated from DC by vacant land. Because of this, its streets don't follow the same strict grid lines found throughout the rest of the city. This has turned out to be a blessing for Mount Pleasant. With few streets leading in and out, this neighborhood has remained slightly isolated from the rest of the nation's capital and is fortunately also less affected by DC's notoriously busy traffic. With its pleasant small-town feel and charming historic homes, it's not surprising that Mount Pleasant has earned the nickname "The Village in the City."

Have you always relished the thought of living in a historic rowhouse imbued with a lot of character? Then Mount Pleasant is the community for you. This neighborhood is known for its many two- and three-story rowhouses and single-family homes that date back to the early 1900s. Set on tree-lined streets, these beautiful and varied historic structures help give Mount Pleasant its small town charm and are also the reason why this neighborhood has earned a designation as a Historic District, in addition to a place on the National Register of Historic Places. These rowhouses are sure to wow you, especially the ones that are blessed with gardens or inviting front porches that are just perfect for enjoying a sultry DC evening. If, on the other hand, you'd prefer a newer condo or an apartment, you'll want to search around Mount Pleasant Street, which serves as this community's main drag. Some of the newest units in Mount Pleasant can be found in The Embassy, which is a 1920s Art Deco apartment building that has been converted into condos. Although house prices are still a deal compared to some other areas in DC, it's become harder to find a true steal in Mount Pleasant. The gradual gentrification of this neighborhood has resulted in a steady rise in home values. In fact, between 2009 and 2014, the median home prices in Mount Pleasant rose by 24.52 percent. And this figure is actually misleadingly low, as there were twice as many condos sold than the typically more expensive rowhouses in Mount Pleasant in 2014.