Mount Rainier, about 5 miles from Washington, D.C., is a former streetcar suburb where Sears houses and Craftsman-style homes line residential streets. It’s commonly called a city of contrasts – mature elm trees shade quiet residences occupied by artists and creatives. But, just outside domestic enclaves, Rhode Island Avenue serves as the Gateway to the Arts District – a 2-mile stretch featuring arts and entertainment venues. The community skips the mammoth mixed-use developments and high-rise residential complexes that are so often associated with inside-the-Beltway areas. Most of the buildings here were built before 1939, and the economy is largely supported by local businesses, making the Mount Rainier feel like the old streetcar community it is.
Mount Rainier boasts an aquatic center next to the Mount Rainier Nature Center.
Mount Rainier sits right over the border from DC in Maryland.
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The Gateway to the Arts District
Mount Rainier is a long-time haven for artists, and this is reflected in the creative venues peppered throughout the area. Joe’s Movement Emporium, the largest independent performing arts center in Prince George’s County, is at the heart of Mount Rainier’s creative community. Here, visitors can watch live performances, like comedy acts and concerts, or take a class, like belly dancing. Along 34th Street, Red Dirt Studio's warehouse brings together evolving artists and seasoned professionals to collaborate and learn from one another. At the Washington Glass Studio on Otis Street, sculptors create large-scale commercial and architectural projects, while its partner school offers instruction in glass-making.
Mount Rainier is a neighborhood full of color and life.
A Buddha lawn decoration reflects the serenity Mount Rainier residents cultivate.
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Mount Rainier Day
For over 100 years, crowds from all over Prince George’s County have flocked to the annual Mount Rainier Day. It starts with the Mount Rainier Day Parade, where marching bands pound drums and blare horns and decorative floats coast down balloon-lined Rhode Island Avenue. Afterward, visitors head to Mount Rainier Nature Center, where tents and food trucks line sidewalks and live music floats through the air. Over 60 local artists are vendors at the event, and children head to the Kids Corner to run around on the playground, jump in the bounce house or scale the rock-climbing wall.
What’s happening along Rhode Island Avenue
There aren’t shopping malls or big-box stores in Mount Rainier, but a smattering of well-loved businesses and restaurants line Rhode Island Avenue. Dodah’s Kitchen serves vegan renditions of classic soul food, like mac and cheese and ribs, while Potomac Fish House is a go-to spot for seafood. Collaboration and a communal mindset are not confined to the arts in Mount Rainier either. The area is home to Glut, an earthy food co-op that sells organic produce, nuts and grains in bulk, as well as natural remedies. The no-frills store is run as a worker-managed, not-for-profit organization that puts its proceeds back into the shop.
Mount Rainier's Glut Food Co-op is a grocery store on 34th St with a variety of healthy food.
Residents enjoying the outdoor seating at Pennyroyal Station in Mount Rainier.
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Sears and Craftsman-style houses
Residential roads are secluded and shaded. Locals sit on the front porches of their Sears catalog bungalows or Craftsman-style homes, painting or chatting with passing dog walkers. Some properties have the potential for renovations and personalized upgrades, while others are refurbished and updated. Many have even been in families for generations, with people passing homes down to their children – and their children to their children. A fixer-upper property will run potential homebuyers between $250,000 and $350,000, while homes with modern interiors typically range from $500,000 to $800,000.
This Mount Rainier Victorian home stands out among the crowd.
Porches are a feature of many homes in the Mount Rainier community.
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The Mount Rainier Nature Center and the Mount Rainier Community Garden
“Mount Rainier has access to a lot of outdoor space,” says Serenella Linares, Facilities Director of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The Mount Rainier Nature Center combines education and recreation. Kids attend learning exhibits and nature programs and pet live animals, while families and first dates crowd the outdoor amphitheater in the summer. A green space surrounds the nature center, with the paved Levee Trail running through. “It’s popular with bikers and families,” Linares notes. Residents can rent a plot and plant produce alongside their neighbors at the Mount Rainier Community Garden, which is near the nature center.
Mount Rainier Nature Center has a large soccer field that is popular among neighborhood kids.
Mount Rainier North Neighborhood Park has a community garden that is filled with native plants.
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Prince George’s County Schools
Most of Mount Rainier is zoned for Prince George’s County Schools. Students can attend Mount Rainier Elementary School, which Niche gives a C, before Hyattsville Middle School, which receives a C-minus. They can finish their public education at Northwestern High School, which gets a C and is known for its Jim Henson Visual and Performing Arts Program that prepares students for a career in dance, music, theatre or the visual arts.
Thomas S. Stone Elementary boasts large playing fields and a good reputation.
The Mount Rainier Branch Library is on the smaller side but is very conveniently located.
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Washington, D.C. is 5 miles away
Mount Rainier is about 5 miles from the heart of Washington, D.C., and locals can get there by car via Rhode Island Avenue. The WMATA Metrobus runs along Rhode Island Avenue and Maryland Route 500 leading to the nation's capital by public transportation. The nearest Metro train station is the West Hyattsville Metro station. “There are a lot of routes to get into D.C., which helps mitigate traffic,” Linares notes. And when it’s time to fly, the Ronald Reagan National Airport is about 9 miles southwest.
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