Help Please....looking to relocate from San Francisco, CA to somewhere in MD that is 1hr or less to Philadelphia (Baltimore: rent, condos)

[Deorge]

Hi,

My wife is pregnant and is due in Sept. We'd like to move closer to our family at that point that live in Philly area. Unfortunately, job market sucks and my companies HR laws restrict relocation only to be in Maryland (due to tax reasons or something). So basically, I need to find a home in MD that is as close as possible to Philly ...ideally no more then an hour away. We don't want to just live in some outback dead small town, but ideally a community with some life and culture to it. So far my websearch is finding Aberdeen to be that spot.

Does anyone have any recommendation or advice out there?

tx,

[neecewh]

I would recommend Chesapeake City. It is a "small" waterfront town but it does have shops and restaurants. I will admit it is a little more "dead", as you put it, in the winter but it livens up in the warmer weather as it is a tourist town. If you like the water and boating I would definitely say Chesapeake City.

[Deorge]

...that seems like a bigger city and still only an hour from Philly.

[Deorge]

ps...money isn't an issue as much as just trying to find a beautiful place with as much culture as possible....or my wife will kill me How is Hors de Grace?

[scottfs]

Havre de Grace has nice places, others seemed kind of depressed. Same goes for Aberdeen. Aberdeen isn't like some super affluent cultural mecca but really none of the places in that area really are. I'm not saying they are bad and thats not an insult. They are just smaller towns. Not going to have a really awesome nightlife or something. Aberdeen is really tied to the Proving Grounds. Also they have the Iron Birds, a minor league baseball team if that floats your boat. I'd personally check out Bel Air, MD. I know it's a little farther from Philly but it's a very pretty area and probably what I would consider the nicest town in harford or cecil counties.

[PenguinSix]

If money isn't an object you could commute from Baltimore via the Amtrak Acela. About 1 hour from Baltimore to Philly. Regular trains are about 1.5 hours or so.

[Deorge]

thanks all. We aren't looking for nightlife anymore, been there done that. Just at least a town area with some life of people moving around, coffee shops, variety of resteraunts, etc.. Bull Rocke seems interesting. At minumum, the community events and clubs look like a good way for us to meet people and remain social. Is it like a retirement club or do they have younger 30's 40's couples/families too? Also, do they rent any of their Villa's there?

Tx again to all for advise.

[DDJJ]

I agree with a previous poster if you want more "life" happening somewhere in Harford County with easy access to I95 would be great for you because Bel Air is pretty central to this county and you can be there in a few minutes. Abingdon, Belcamp, or even Aberdeen are close to I95 for a commute to Baltimore or Philly and about 10 minutes to Bel Air. About 10 minutes to Havre de Grace, too for a nice stroll on the Board Walk on the weekend. There are hospitals in Bel Air and Havre de Grace (being that your wife is pregnant). All these places have different kind of housing from condos to mansions.
Also if you jump on I95 South it is about 12 minutes to White Marsh and that is where you have it all. All the big stores and restaurants and bigger malls. Check out "The Avenue" it's an outside mall with fountains and lights it is quite nice on a summer evening.

[Deorge]

Bel Air does look like the ticket! Thanks to all!

[vivo]

according to google maps bel air is 1 hr 39 min from philly