Northern St. Mary's County

[NewtoMD]

Hi,
We're considering a move to St. Mary's County and looking for information. One spouse is remote and the other works in PG county. We're drawn to the schools and lower cost of living. We're looking at Northern St. Mary's County (Charlotte Hall, Mechanicsville) right now. We have a toddler and I'm wondering how far these areas are to activities (parks, trails, community pools, etc). Would it be better to look more towards Leonardtown, Hollywood, California to have closer access to those "amenities?"
Any information is much appreciated!

 

[SamSpade]

There's more "stuff" down here. I live in Hollywood and it's a short drive to pretty much everything you could want.
My buddy lives in Mechanicsville in a development near where 5 meets 235. But his whole family - except for him - works down my way.
I know any number of people who live in Mechanicsville, and they're used to driving all the way down here - or up to Waldorf.

I just like the fact that I can get to anything I want in a few minutes, but still live far enough out that I have farmland and maybe even
weak cell reception. Dark enough at night that you're walking by starlight at night. Rural enough you might have to be careful driving into deer.

And I can still get to a convenience store in five minutes.

I work in DC but - I can catch a commuter bus right there in Charlotte Hall and my employer covers it.

You have a lot of options.

 

[NewtoMD]

There's more "stuff" down here. I live in Hollywood and it's a short drive to pretty much everything you could want.
My buddy lives in Mechanicsville in a development near where 5 meets 235. But his whole family - except for him - works down my way.
I know any number of people who live in Mechanicsville, and they're used to driving all the way down here - or up to Waldorf.

I just like the fact that I can get to anything I want in a few minutes, but still live far enough out that I have farmland and maybe even
weak cell reception. Dark enough at night that you're walking by starlight at night. Rural enough you might have to be careful driving into deer.

And I can still get to a convenience store in five minutes.

I work in DC but - I can catch a commuter bus right there in Charlotte Hall and my employer covers it.

You have a lot of options.

Thank you! How long does it take you to get into DC? I suppose it varies greatly depending on the time one would leave.

 

[SamSpade]

Thank you! How long does it take you to get into DC? I suppose it varies greatly depending on the time one would leave.

If you take an early bus - no more than forty minutes tops. Later buses add time as traffic begins.
I typically nap, especially on the way home, since there's no other stops after mine.

 

[Kyle]

If you take an early bus - no more than forty minutes tops. Later buses add time as traffic begins.
I typically nap, especially on the way home, since there's no other stops after mine.

Be careful doing that... Some riders have awakened to an empty bus lot.

 

[BernieP]

Be careful doing that... Some riders have awakened to an empty bus lot.

I use to take the train home from school, next to the last stop. So I know people who ended up on a dark train, sitting at the last station, which was in the next state over - funny if it's not you

 

[OldHillcrestGuy]

Ive lived in Charlotte Hall for 41 years, we are located right in the middle of everything in the Tri-County area. We are within 20 miles of 3 hospitals. Don't have the big box stores, but are within 20 miles of them in 4 different directions. We have the longest section of the Three Notch Trail that is completed about 11 miles long I think. We have a very large park with many baseball fields tennis courts football and soccer fields. Very large commuter lot with another one still to be built. Just into Charles County, the College of Southern Maryland building huge campus in Hughesville, In off hours the trip to DC is about 50 minutes or a bit less. Metro on the Green Line is about 25 minutes from No. St Marys to the Branch Ave station. Nats Park by car is about 45-50 minutes away. My neighborhood has been crime free for all the years I have lived there.
Depending upon where in Northern part that you might settle there are 3 different elementary schools that your child could end up going to. Theres one middle school and one high school that serves the area.

 

[Grumpy]

Be careful doing that... Some riders have awakened to an empty bus lot.

Had a friend of mine fall asleep on the Metro to New Carrollton late one weekday night, woke up in the Metro car lot in Vienna after Metor closed for the night..$70 cab ride home..

 

[luvmygdaughters]

If you're in Leonardtown, plan on at least an hour drive to get to the Beltway. Not sure if your other is in Southern PG county or not. Clinton is about 45 -50 minute drive from Leonardtown and as mentioned in an earlier post, traffic is terrible from 5 am to 8 am and 3 pm to 6 pm.

 

[slowlane]

What part of PG County is your job in , you need to be more specific ? Brandywine, or (hopefully not) Laurel, or somewhere in between?

Sam Spade said "40 minutes, tops, to DC on an early bus" - perhaps only if you leave home around 4:30 a.m., and only if you get off at the first stop into D.C. such as Navy Yard...….You can triple that time, if leaving home after 6 a.m., and if your worksite is around Farragut Square or Foggy Bottom.

 

[SamSpade]

What part of PG County is your job in , you need to be more specific ? Brandywine, or (hopefully not) Laurel, or somewhere in between?

Sam Spade said "40 minutes, tops, to DC on an early bus" - perhaps only if you leave home around 4:30 a.m., and only if you get off at the first stop into D.C. such as Navy Yard...….You can triple that time, if leaving home after 6 a.m., and if your worksite is around Farragut Square or Foggy Bottom.

Well, I did say - "tops" - and that includes ideal weather, early ride and so forth. For whatever reason, for every ten minutes past 5, you can add 20 minutes to your commute, more or less. If the commuter bus doesn't take you all the way in, I'd certainly consider taking one to a Metro for the rest of the way.

I love living out here, but I telework as much as the job will allow. The commute's a bitch.