Hip/urban/young/historic areas nearest La Plata? (Glen Burnie, Annapolis: section 8, apartment)

[Musashi88]

Hi, I've been pouring over threads all day and haven't found what I'm looking for.

We currently live in Glen Burnie (which I don't like), and I'll be starting a new job in La Plata in a little over a month. I'm married, my wife is Japanese and grew up in Tokyo so she likes city life. We have two young children ,but not school age so we are not worried about great schools. We'll be moving in the next 2-3 years (before our kids start school).
We're looking to rent a apartment/condo/townhome in a safe, hip, urban, young, historic (any combination of these is acceptable) area as close to La Plata as possible. I'd rather not commute more than 30-45 minutes.

Something like Alexandria's Old Town or Annapolis would be great. We love the red brick buildings, sidewalk cafes, cobblestone streets, sophisticated young crowd, cool (sociable) neighbors, vintage collectible shops, bookstores and sushi bar would be great. Preferably 1000+ sq ft, 2-3 BD, 2 Bath. Our budget is $1200-1500.

[lscalder]

you will find that in Charles County..Try Washington DC

[Musashi88]

Hmmm, DC is probably a little out of my desirable commute time range. If I didn't mind driving for 1.5 hours I'd just rent something in Alexandria...

I've been to La Plata a few times for business, but I haven't really looked around. Are there no urban areas within a 45 minute drive of La Plata? I've read terrible things about Waldorf. Are there any areas in Waldorf that are not stricken with crime? We really like the idea of a city neighborhood but will not move into a Section 8 community just to have neighbors. Diversity is good, with my wife and children being Asian we'd prefer some diversity.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[FindingZen]

You're pretty much out of luck as you're in the midst of sprawled suburbia pretty much until you hit DC or your ideals of Annapolis and Alexandria. The closest thing I can think of might be the Arts District section of Hyattsville. A map search predicts about an hour commute, though. I'd have to defer to others on whether that would be in your price range.

[fjennell]

why not just live in Old Town, Alexandria - the commute would be against traffic to La Plata and is only about a half hour to 40 min. if there's no traffic.

[jayman1981]

Who in the world told this person about an urban area of Charles County. My friend there are no urban areas in Charles County. Don't believe the hype about Waldorf. While some developments are not as desirable than others, Waldorf as a whole is a safe community. Charles Counties definition of Urban is strip malls off of 301. Thats about it. Please people lets stop treating people on section 8 like that are a nuisance to your community. They deserve to be in a safe location like everyone else.

Why is it when people who can afford those McMansions in the suburbs, think the neighborhood is going downhill once section 8 folks move in. What's wrong are they bringing down your property value? Sometimes people around here forget that they are one catastrophe, one sickness away from having it all taken. Don't judge people or look down on them. That's my rant for the evening. Be blessed in your search.

[slowlane]

My family have lived in LaPlata for the past 3 years. Downtown LaPlata is steadily developing more charm with features such as: the Port Tobacco Players (stage) Community Theater (which is almost finished with their big building addition), the Friday evening concerts on the lawn of the Town Hall (built to highest LEED "green" standards), the Royal Tea Room, the free classical recitals in the historic Episcopal Church, the Casey Jones elegant continental restaurant, the two giant towering rococo-style marble fountain-sculptures on Centennial Drive, the charming gift shop in Martin's Garage which is also a social gossip center (in front of the Courthouse), and twice-weekly farmers' produce markets (behind the Courthouse). These aforementioned places are ALL on or near Charles Street (the Main Street) within a walkable area of each other. There's even a Moslem mosque. Much of the area of town South of Charles Street was re-built after the 2000 tornado destruction, therefore the buildings look new, even though it's downtown. Take a look at the new "EDELEN STATION" condominiums in downtown LaPlata which have a clubhouse and secured entry (google that name for info).

The College of Southern Maryland auditorium, a few miles from LaPlata, has frequent $5 vocal and instrumental concerts, plays, as well as free outdoor Chautauqua lectures each summer; there is also Hawthorne Country Club. LaPlata's campus is also the largest one of the 4 CSM campuses locations in the region.

WALDORF has plans in a few years to add an attractive "lifestyle" shopping area with meandering paths and benches. This will be near the newly-opened chain hotel (its name?) just west of the "Festival" shopping center on Route 228. This will all be sometime in future years.

Elsewhere in Southern Maryland, the town of Solomons (also called Solomons Island) and the growing town of Chesapeake Beach, both have some charm and are tourist destinations with hotels, art and gift shops, seafood dining, and boats. You may want to look into Solomons and Chesapeake Beach. Leonardtown is also developing more charm - Leonardtown has a French continental restaurant, a new Winery, a fancy new supermarket with sushi prepared before your eyes, a new downtown Hotel, a cute pet shop, a community-college, and THREE antique/ classic car shows, scheduled each year in town.

The principal Asian ethnic group in southern Maryland, are Filipinos. Several thousands of Filipinos live in Oxon Hill and in Fort Washington, MD. But I know they have little in common with Japanese.

[lscalder]

I am so sorry but nothing in your post say city life. The poster want more of a city living which does not exist in Charles County especially La Plata. I think in the next couple of years maybe 15-20 yrs La Plata might become more of a city when the Dc metro area is over developed and people can no longer afford to live close to the city then more people will start to look at La Plata. Right now La Plata is rural.

I have never heard someone mentioned the city and say the court house. Dc have so many attractions that the court house will be one of the last thing on the list to mention or it will never make some people's list as far as attractions.

Originally Posted by slowlane

My family have lived in LaPlata for the past 3 years. Downtown LaPlata is steadily developing more charm with features such as: the Port Tobacco Players (stage) Community Theater (which is almost finished with their big building addition), the Friday evening concerts on the lawn of the Town Hall (built to highest LEED "green" standards), the Royal Tea Room, the free classical recitals in the historic Episcopal Church, the Casey Jones elegant continental restaurant, the two giant towering rococo-style marble fountain-sculptures on Centennial Drive, the charming gift shop in Martin's Garage which is also a social gossip center (in front of the Courthouse), and twice-weekly farmers' produce markets (behind the Courthouse). These aforementioned places are ALL on or near Charles Street (the Main Street) within a walkable area of each other. There's even a Moslem mosque. Much of the area of town South of Charles Street was re-built after the 2000 tornado destruction, therefore the buildings look new, even though it's downtown. Take a look at the new "EDELEN STATION" condominiums in downtown LaPlata which have a clubhouse and secured entry (google that name for info).

The College of Southern Maryland auditorium, a few miles from LaPlata, has frequent $5 vocal and instrumental concerts, plays, as well as free outdoor Chautauqua lectures each summer; there is also Hawthorne Country Club. LaPlata's campus is also the largest one of the 4 CSM campuses locations in the region.

WALDORF has plans in a few years to add an attractive "lifestyle" shopping area with meandering paths and benches. This will be near the newly-opened chain hotel (its name?) just west of the "Festival" shopping center on Route 228. This will all be sometime in future years.

Elsewhere in Southern Maryland, the town of Solomons (also called Solomons Island) and the growing town of Chesapeake Beach, both have some charm and are tourist destinations with hotels, art and gift shops, seafood dining, and boats. You may want to look into Solomons and Chesapeake Beach. Leonardtown is also developing more charm - Leonardtown has a French continental restaurant, a new Winery, a fancy new supermarket with sushi prepared before your eyes, a new downtown Hotel, a cute pet shop, a community-college, and THREE antique/ classic car shows, scheduled each year in town.

The principal Asian ethnic group in southern Maryland, are Filipinos. Several thousands of Filipinos live in Oxon Hill and in Fort Washington, MD. But I know they have little in common with Japanese.

[DCnative1990]

Charles County is the country. You won't find anything what your describing there. lol

[slowlane]

If your children were school aged, I would advise you to live here in LaPlata, since there are many activities for them such as the summer "Kids College" at the community college, the summer childrens theater camp, horse-riding stables, and the county fair activities. All these things are 5 minutes away.

However, since your children are pre-school age, I would say the 2 nearest places that meet your description are "Old Town Alexandria" (45 minutes), and "National Harbor" (35-40 minutes) which has condominiums and where you can easily drive or ferryboat to "Old Town". At both Old Town and National Harbor, you can lounge outside and see visitors from all over the world - many of the ones at National Harbor being hotel convention guests. Literally right next-door to National Harbor is also a free, National Park Service-run facility called "Oxon Hill Farm" with animals and farm activities (at least I think it's still in existence). "Annapolis" is similar to Old Town in sophistication and charm (as I'm sure you know), but it's a full hour away from LaPlata.