Charming Towns Within Two Hours of Baltimore (Ellicott City, Frederick: cul-de-sac, apartments)

[BigCityToSmallTown]

Hi.

I moved to Baltimore from NYC nearly two years ago for a new career. Love the job, but I cannot love this city. The nature of my job is such that I work from home most days. I want to be able to get to the office a couple times each week so I don't want to move too far away.

I was considering Charlottesville, Va, but the three-hour-plus trip by rail was a little too long and a little too expensive.

I'm still new to the mid Atlantic, but am impressed with the history and charm of the region...except for Baltimore. What are my options?

Thanks.

[barante]

Lots of places, although their sophistication level varies.
Chestertown on the Eastern Shore, Frederick. I am not big on Annapolis, but you may disagree.
I'm sure others will pitch in.

[slowlane]

Shepherdstown (spelling ?) West Virginia. A very bohemian, intellectual and artistic college-town with its own Film festival, among other things. No more than 2 hours away.

Downtown Annapolis is very charming, but crawling with tourists. You may prefer a small and less-busy, and less expensive town.

Chestertown, Maryland. A college-town with beautiful stately colonial homes.

Purcellville, Virginia, which is at the end of the famous W&OD bike trail which goes all the way to D.C. Also, Waterford right next to it, is very unusual and looks like an old western movie set.

Frederick, Maryland has historic charm and a great downtown with many cafe's and boutiques, pretty rolling countryside, and is a growing city.

Westminster, Maryland has historic charm and pretty rolling countryside, and is a little smaller than Frederick.

[diamondeye]

I just love that town. It's charming, nestled in the mountains, very artsy, with a revitalized downtown and things to do both performance entertainment and outdoors. It's about two hours on the nose, and a local I talked to said that there are people who commute to Baltimore and DC every day from there. If I remember correctly, the homes there on the north side of town (which is still a bit hardscrabble but changing) are very inexpensive, and for that little money one gets homes with significant architectural elements.

I say it's worth checking out!

[barante]

The border area between Westminster and Pennsylvania is dotted with picturesque little towns. Emmitsburg is one; New Windsor another one. Depends how close to civilization one wants to be.

[sobo16]

I second the recommendation for Frederick. You might also want to consider Philadelphia or some of its Western suburbs - Media, West Chester, etc.

[sobo16]

It might also be helpful to share what specifically you don't like about Baltimore. That information would lead to recommendations for towns that are a better fit for you.

[eponena]

Ellicott City - very charming and close by. Annapolis, or Solomon's Island in Calvert County if you want water but less crowding than Annapolis, Frederick or New Market if you want quaint but don't mind being surrounded by unbridled development, Middleburg in VA if you like rural-horsey charm, maybe even Old Town Alexandria if you don't mind DC....

[BigCityToSmallTown]

Originally Posted by sobo16

It might also be helpful to share what specifically you don't like about Baltimore. That information would lead to recommendations for towns that are a better fit for you.

Hipsters.

I love charming, old urbanism. I love walkability and haven't had a car for over a decade. But I cannot abide the hipsters that are also attracted to these areas. I used to live a couple neighborhoods north of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and I couldn't stand the hipsters there either.

I don't think I'm cool enough for cities and have come to prefer the relative isolation of small towns. But I'm not looking for suburban garden apartments on cul-de-sacs either. Tried that as an escape to city living years ago. I prefer the comfort of a public house to the coolest and trendiest bars and a nice park to art galleries. When I lived in New York, my happiest times where in a historic family neighborhood in Queens, not in Manhattan itself.

So historic small towns with apartments on or near Main Street. Where I don't need a car for most activities. Like I said, Charlottesville, particularly the Belmont area, seemed ideal, but it's a bit too far.

Thanks for all the responses so far.

[sobo16]

There are not many towns in Maryland I can think of where one does not need a car. And unfortunately, very few towns have vibrant downtown areas with much to offer.

Historic Ellicott City is charming, but it is basically just the one main street. There are antique shops and a handful of restaurants and bars. A car is pretty much a necessity.

Havre de Grace is similar, though its downtown district seems to be larger than Ellicott City's. It is close to Amtrak and MARC trains.

Frederick (which should be a place to consider given your criteria) to Baltimore by rail is limited but doable. It involves changing trains in D.C.

West Chester and Media are very nice walkable towns in Pennsylvania. Both are close to SEPTA lines, which one could use to connect to Amtrak in Philadelphia.

Finally, Gettysburg, PA is a nice, small, walkable town that isn't too far from Baltimore.

Best of luck in your search!