Moving to Southern MD!!

[Tounces]

You're welcome pokey. I hope you enjoy your new home. I really think you'll like the change from PG county.

[pokey939]

Originally Posted by Tounces

You're welcome pokey. I hope you enjoy your new home. I really think you'll like the change from PG county.

Hi Tounces:

Thank you, too Tounces. Can you suggest some nearby malls besides St. Charles Towncenter in Waldorf that is close to where I will be moving to? I noticed on my way back to PGCo. that there is a Pier 1 Imports. Can you suggest other inexpensive stores sort of like Pier 1 Imports or Ikea? I know Ikea is in College Park, MD, but that is a long way from where I will be moving to. I also noticed through my research that there is no Safeway in the area. Did I miss anything? How about some restaurants besides Outback Steakhouse which I do not care too much for? Any Chinese restaurants, etc.?

[rewardgal]

Don't know if this will help or not but when we drive down to Lexington Park we have noticed the tremendous growth! There are four good sized shopping centers on the right going south. I would think that you could find almost anything but maybe furniture there! They keep adding to these places!

[somdhpfan]

I realize I'm getting into the discussion (potentially) very late in the game. However, to the question of Huntingtown vs. Leonardtown (high schools), one thing you should absolutely consider is whether or not your husband wants to cross the Solomons (Thomas Johnson) Bridge each day. I would argue that if you don't have to, you shouldn't.

We have lived in St. Mary's County for the last nine years. That bridge has been shut down and/or blocked numerous times. For Calvert residents who need to get to the naval base at Pax River, that means going all the way back up to Prince Frederick and crossing the Patuxent River via the Benedict bridge. Conversely, if you live in St. Mary's and you need to get to Calvert Cliffs and the bridge closes, you have to take that detour.

Bottom line to me: live on the same side of the bridge as where you work.

Regarding the school question, we were in Great Mills for the first 6 years or so. Our kids went to Esperanza Middle School and Great Mills HS. The last two and half years we have been in Leonardtown. We were able to move our two youngest from Great Mills to Leonardtown HS at the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year in anticipation of moving to our new house in November.

Best thing that every happened to my boys, IMHO. The atmosphere was so much better at LHS, due in large part to the principal, Scott Smith. He did a great job, interacted well with the students, and generally kept a really upbeat attitude. He moved on to a desk job for the county school system before the beginning of this past school year. The new guy got hit with several really tough situations (e.g., firing of the football coach for alleged rules violations - VERY unpopular action with the parents) right out of the gate that made his start a rocky one. He had settled in pretty nicely by the end of the school year, though.

Way more info then you were looking for probably...

[xusnatc]

Live in Northern Calvert County. Your commute to the plant will be opposite direction of the mad rush northbound in the morning. Northern Calvert is nice, quiet, and the schools are GREAT !! Mt. Harmony Elementary is the BEST Elementary in Calvert County. Was ranked number 10 (June 2007) out of the top 100 Maryland schools reference to Reading and Math Scores. check out Owings.

[PenguinSix]

Also coming in late but echoing the same thing--avoid that bridge! When it is empty, it's fine, and actually a lovely view, but in traffic, or if there is a jumper, it is a 100% effective roadblock and there simply isn't another option (short of driving 40 miles around to the next bridge up river).

Huntingtown has very good schools (as does most of Calvert) but you have to understand this is a very rural area. There is little in the way of nightlife outside of a few dodgy bars and chain restaurants, and shopping is only done for necessities in county (you goto DC or Annapolis for nice things).

Still, it is very quiet and peaceful at times.