Nottingdale

Though Dale City began as a subdivision with four small communities named in alphabetical order from A to D, the ever-growing area grows closer and closer to the letter Z. Once a region of hills and valleys, and now a neighborhood sprinkled with nearly 500 homes, Nottingdale acts as a connection point to local amenities and commuter destinations.

Less than 32 miles from Washington, the neighborhood comprises split-level- and colonial-style homes on similarly sized lots with paved driveways. Because Nottingdale’s formation began in the third wave of Dale City developments, most home constructions date back to the 1980s. Houses in the neighborhood include four or more bedrooms and at least 1,600 square feet, with prices starting below $500,000. For houses with over 2,500 square feet, prices range from $520,000 to $645,000. No matter the size of the home, prices in the neighborhood remain lower than surrounding areas like Turkey Branch. “They can literally be right around the corner, less than a mile from each other, and the same home is $20,000 more in another area,” Shalawn Hildreth of eXp explains.

Part of Prince William County Schools, Nottingdale gains access to the No. 3 Most Diverse School District in Virginia, according to Niche. Students begin at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, only steps from your front door. From here, students move to Stuart M. Beville Middle, where they can participate in after-school activities like Book Club, Debate Team, and Student Council Association. For high school, students attend C.D. Hylton High School, rated B+ by Niche. Hylton offers over 20 Advanced Placement courses and features an in-house planetarium known as Skydome.

In your free time, take advantage of the multitude of recreational activities right in the neighborhood at Andrew Leitch Park. Climb on the playground to burn off some energy or play a game of baseball on the field. Because the Neabsco Greenway trail system connects to the park, you can walk along its 3.5 miles of wooded trails while basking in the evening’s orange flow without venturing far from home. On sunny days in the summer months, splash and slide at the Waterworks Waterpark, also located within the park’s boundaries. On rainy days, check out a book from the Dale City Library, only 3 miles away.

When it comes to running errands, the neighborhood offers close proximity to all the essentials. Pick up fresh produce less than a mile away at Giant Food in the Mapledale Plaza, one of many small shopping centers along Dale Boulevard. Find Sheetz within the same parking lot to fill up your tank or grab a snack. A little farther down the street, find Petco, Safeway and fast-food chains like Taco Bell and Little Caesars. To broaden the scope of your options and shop at Virginia’s largest outlet mall, drive less than 7 miles to Potomac Mills. Home to over 200 retailers, like IKEA and Costco, the mall provides a one-stop shop for clothes, home furnishings, and bulk items. While Hildreth notes the area is “not a place for a date night,” you can still find chain restaurants like the Cheesecake Factory for more casual dining experiences in and around Potomac Mills.

Less than 10 miles from the Rippon Station Virginia Railway Express, Nottingdale streamlines commutes to the capital. “There is a VRE. The actual metro stops in Springfield, and then it’s all VRE down from there,” Hildreth says. If you prefer to drive into Washington, jump on Interstate 95, its nearest on-ramp 3 miles away off Dale Blvd. For transportation throughout Dale City and the surrounding area, utilize the OmniLink and OmniRide bus service, with stops right along Dale Blvd. Whether seeking adventure close to home or traveling beyond the local roads, Nottingdale is a convenient spot to call home.

Written By

Alicia Swain

Photography Contributed By

Tyson Le

Video By

Anthony Pesa