The traffic is a non-starter for me. The federal workers clog the streets like a clockwork. It is job security and good schools what drives the growth and it shows in all ugly ways. I find Virginia more approachable than the Maryland side. More fun? There is a big tech presence in Columbia MD and Reston VA. I like Reston better. Downtown? No way $$$! Avoid the east side, PG County. Come to think of it. When you enter a metro station in DC and approach one the machines that tries to sell you a metro pass, you have to stop and ponder: What kind of people find this machines usable or convenient? It really drives the point of the way-of-life of the inhabitants of the DC area..