Cape St. Claire is a beachy community on the Magothy River
Hemmed by the Magothy River, Cape St. Claire in north Annapolis was originally platted to become a beach resort in the early 1900s. However, the project lost funding during the Great Depression, and by the 1940s, developers pivoted, slowly building Cape St. Claire, where coastal living is still at the forefront. Today, locals spend their days kayaking across calm water and pulling their boats out of marinas. A lively Fourth of July celebration and the longstanding Strawberry Festival are held on the private beach. The community, now home to around 8,700 residents, is also self-sufficient, with its own shopping center, fire department and several youth sports facilities. “People live here and they never have to leave for anything,” says Liz Osborn, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty who has sold several homes in the area. “It still feels like a vacation spot because it’s on the water, except everybody lives here year-round.”
Cape St. Claire is a laid-back community with a lot to offer.
You can find amazing beaches in Cape St. Claire.
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Shady streets and a wide variety of house styles
Several neighborhoods make up Cape St. Claire’s oak and maple tree-shaded streets. Atlantis has split-level and bi-level houses built between the 1940s and ‘80s. Townhouses and New Traditional homes from the 2010s dot Deep Creek Village’s sidewalk-lined roads. Similar styles are in Magothy Meadows, a 55+ community. Some homes in the area back up to the water with private docks and boat slips. Townhouse prices range from about $315,000 to around $665,000. The median single-family home price is $565,000, though waterfront properties can cost between $1 and $2 million.
Heavy rainfall and tropical storms may cause the Magothy River to overflow. Some houses here are in FEMA-designated flood zones, and flood insurance is mandatory for homeowners in those areas.
You can find bi-level homes within the trees of Cape St. Claire.
There are many waterside homes that are up on the water for more privacy in Cape St. Claire.
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Boating, swimming and Little League games in the neighborhood
The community's marinas have kayak racks and powerboats tied to wooden docks. Two marinas are resident-only, while Fairwinds Marina is open to the public. A playground sits in front of the small, private beach on River Bay Road's eastern end. The clubhouse hosts weekly aerobics classes and community meetings across the street from the sandy shoreline. Blue umbrellas shade the lap lane pool at the Cape St. Claire Swim Club, where the Dolphins swim team practices regularly. The Broadneck Baseball & Softball Club has games at Cape St. Claire Park’s baseball diamonds. Osborn says locals take various modes of transportation to get to these community recreation spaces. “A lot of people here have golf carts that they drive everywhere. I also see tons of kids on bikes during the summer.”
There are many docks like Lake Claire Pier in the Cape St. Claire area.
There are so many boats docked on the waters of Cape St. Claire.
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The Cape St. Claire Shopping Center offers a grocery store and restaurants
Nail salons, small offices and an Ace Hardware fill the mismatched storefronts of the Cape St. Claire Shopping Center. Locals can get groceries at Graul's Market, a regional, family owned chain. Fast-food restaurants include Dunkin’ and Subway, but Osborn says the center’s locally owned options are more popular. “These are the kind of restaurants where the waitresses remember your name and order.” Baristas pour seasonal lattes and scoop ice cream at Blue Rooster Café, an eclectic breakfast and lunch spot. Burgers, crabcakes and margaritas are on the menu at Broadneck Grill & Cantina, which offers weekly live music and dancing.
Cape St. Claire loves the selection at Graul's Market.
The Blue Rooster Cafe takes care of all Cape St. Claire residents.
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A-minus grades and higher for Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Anne Arundel County Public Schools serve the area. Kids can attend Cape St. Claire Elementary and Magothy River Middle, which both earn an A-minus from Niche. They may continue to A-rated Broadneck High School, where the Apex Arts Magnet Program offers guitar, piano and orchestra classes. The Harbour School on Green Holly Drive is an unrated institution for children with learning disabilities. Anne Arundel Community College, less than 5 miles west, has over 160 certificate and degree programs in fields like health and criminal justice.
Cape St. Claire Elementary School is a great place for young minds to start.
Broadneck High School is here for Cape St. Claire students to be their best.
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Annual events include the Fourth of July Parade and the Strawberry Festival
The community celebrates several annual events. Kids decorate their bikes in red, white and blue for the Fourth of July Parade, which starts at the Cape St. Claire Volunteer Fire Company and ends at the beach with an egg toss and watermelon eating competition. Bounce houses, face painters and vendors selling strawberry-flavored food fill the beach parking lot during the Strawberry Festival, held every June since 1965. Rentable garden plots and barns dating back to the 1800s dot Historic Goshen Farm, where locals can bring camping chairs and picnic blankets to enjoy the summer concert series.
Cape St. Claire Volunteer Fire Company is the starting location of the 4th of July parade.
Residents of Cape St. Claire keep Goshen Farm & Education Center looking great.
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A golf club, park and public beach are near the community
Cape St. Claire is near other recreation spaces, including the 18-hole Bay Hill Golf Club, 4 miles west. Broadneck Park, on the community’s southern end, has off-leash dog areas, a pirate ship playground and hiking trails. Water rolls against the beach at Sandy Point State Park, just 4 miles east. Despite this proximity, Osborn says locals don’t frequent the public shoreline. “There’s so much traffic to get there during the summer, and once you get in, you might not even find a decent spot on the beach because of all the tourists.”
Play a round of golf at the Bay Hills Golf Club near Cape St. Claire.
Cape St. Claire is a great place to enjoy private beaches.
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Route 50 reaches downtown Annapolis and D.C.
Though locals often ride bikes and drive golf carts, Cape St. Claire is car-dependent. Route 50 is along the community’s southern edge. An 8-mile drive southwest on the highway leads to downtown Annapolis, where Georgian and Federal-style storefronts house boutiques and cozy restaurants. The Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center is in the same area. Washington, D.C., is 37 miles west on Route 50, while Baltimore is 27 miles north on state Route 2. There are no bus stops here.
You never know what you will find in Cape St. Claire.
Residents of Cape St. Claire enjoy the close proximity to the water.
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Written By
Meghan Baker
Photography Contributed By
Alan Battles
Video By
Kyo Nguyen
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Scott Smolen,
an experienced agent in this area.
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