Columbia

While ten villages make up Columbia, Maryland's first planned community, Columbia Town Center serves as its nerve center. The town center was designed to be the community’s gathering place for shopping, restaurants and entertainment, and it includes a mall, movie theaters, several eateries, outdoor pavilions and a dinner theater. “Recent buyers were thrilled about having live music within walking distance,” says Realtor Andy Rubin with Re/Max Realty Centre Inc. “The area has a high walk score, with tons of places to eat, shop and enjoy the outdoors.” With so many conveniences in one place, it’s no wonder that Columbia is ranked one of the happiest cities in America by WalletHub. Residences in Columbia Town Center are designed for the urban lifestyle and feature a mix of townhouses and condos. “Many of the homes here are relatively new, built in the early 2000s,” Rubin says. “Because of architectural requirements, they all fit well together and maintain curb appeal, whether they were built in the ’70s or more recently, a testament to the planning.” Many homes offer special touches like hardwood floors, double windows with bench seating, French doors that open onto back decks and gourmet kitchens. Others feature gas fireplaces, attached one-car garages and covered balconies. However they’re designed, Town Center homes are within steps of shopping, restaurants and more. They can list for between $225,000 for a beautiful one-bedroom starter condo to as much as $575,000 for a three-bedroom, three-level luxury townhouse. The schools that serve the village all received top marks from Niche. Bryant Woods Elementary received an A-minus. During Black History Month, the school encouraged students to learn about ground-breaking African American STEM innovators. Wilde Lake Middle, another A-minus school, received a LEED certification on the environmental sustainability of its building, a valuable lesson to students. At Wilde Lake High, which scored an A, students can choose from career academies in culinary science, engineering, marketing and teaching. Recreation around Lake Kittamaqundi abounds in Columbia Town Center. Residents can enjoy the playground at Bailey Park, walk under the Kittamaqundi Fountain or stop at the Columbia Lakefront Stage for live concerts. The “Lake Kitt” Loop is a paved trail that encircles the lake, good for morning runs or peaceful walks with geese. A fishing pier and boat launch also make this shallow, manmade lake a fun recreational spot. Wilde Lake Park nearby has similar amenities, including walking paths and playgrounds. Sports facilities can be found near schools and subdivisions, such as the Vantage Point tennis courts and Smooth Meadow basketball courts. Ranked fourth out of the top ten amphitheaters in America by Rolling Stone, Merriweather Post Pavilion was designed by architect Frank Gehry to create a concert experience married to nature. Symphony Woods, a 36-acre park, surrounds the concert venue. Artists from Jimi Hendrix to Led Zeppelin to Florance and the Machine have performed here. Residents can shop at the lakefront Whole Foods or Lidl, part of the massive Mall in Columbia. The mall itself features over 200 retailers and a comprehensive food court. For a night out, locals might head to Union Jack’s for a pint or to the Walrus Oyster and Ale House for a seafood supper. Afterward, they can catch the latest movie at the local IMAX theater. Residents can access MTA and Howard Transit buses, and almost 100 miles of paved trails connect Town Center to other villages in Columbia. Routes 29, 32 and 108 and Interstate 95 are minutes away, taking commuters into Baltimore, 20 miles away, and Washington, D.C., 30 miles away. The closest MARC train can be boarded at Dorsey Station, a 10-mile drive, and Baltimore-Washington International Airport is less than 20 miles. The Central Branch of the Howard County Library is next to Merriweather and offers classes, events and special collections. In the heart of Columbia, Howard Community College offers two-year degree, transfer and trade certification programs. Next door, the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center offers a full range of hospital and wellness services from one of the country’s premier academic medical systems.

Harper’s Choice is one of 10 villages that make up Columbia, Maryland’s first planned community designed and founded by James Rouse. His intent was to create a city that would both respect the land and provide growth of the people, which can be seen through the miles of green space throughout Columbia and the all-inclusive supermarket and shopping centers of each individual village. Within Harper’s Choice are three subdivisions: Longfellow, Swansfield and Hobbit’s Glen. “Each community in Harper’s Choice has its own personality,” says Jill Lapides, a 35-year local of the neighboring village and Realtor at Cummings & Co. with more than 2 decades of experience selling in the Columbia area. In Longfellow is the elementary school, where the community gathers for seasonal events like the Fourth of July Festival. And in Hobbit’s Glen, avid golfers and racquetball players can practice their swings. “Located between Washington and Baltimore, Harper’s Choice is a bedroom community with great amenities,” says Lapides. Residential options in Harper’s Choice include units in multifamily complexes to single-family ranch homes and million-dollar estates. On the lower price end, 1,000- 1,500-square-foot townhomes, condos and apartments typically cost between $200,000 and $400,000 for units with more recent updates. “Of the surrounding villages, this one has more modern contemporary architecture, among other styles,” Lapides says. Split levels and Colonials with attached garages, some nestled in quiet cul-de-sacs, range from 1,500 to 3,500 square feet in size and around $350,000 to $850,000 in price. Larger, 4,000- to 7,000-square-foot Colonial Revival and modern estates hidden behind mature trees or along the golf course can cost from about $950,000 to upwards of $1.5 million. Harper’s Choice residents don’t have to go much farther than their backyards to embrace the fresh air at one of the many green spaces and walking trails. “There are thousands of miles of walking and biking paths in Columbia, says Lapides. “It’s a very outdoorsy area. You can walk from Harper’s Choice to downtown Columbia easily.” On the east side, Cedar Lane Park offers 93 acres of playgrounds, athletic fields and courts and even a dog park. Sitting adjacent is Columbia SportsPark, where locals can mini golf, take a swing in the batting cages and practice at the skatepark. This park also hosts school events and community fundraisers throughout the year. Also nearby is Columbia Athletic Club, complete with a fitness center, indoor pool and athletic courts. Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club is a membership-based course, but the driving range and short-game area are open to the public. Students living in Harper’s Choice can begin with a 12-1 student-teacher ratio at Longfellow Elementary School, which Niche grades an A-minus and ranks in the top 15% of best public elementary schools in Maryland. “Every summer, the surrounding villages come out to the school to watch the Fourth of July Parade. It’s a fun time,” Lapides adds. Learners can then advance to an 11-1 student-teacher ratio at Harper’s Choice Middle School, which receives a B-plus grade. Wilde Lake High School – which Niche grades an A and ranks in the top 13% of best college prep high schools in the state – offers more than 55 student-led clubs, including International Club and Mock Trial Team. When in need of groceries or a quick bite, residents head to Harper’s Choice Village Center. The shopping plaza has a Safeway, salons, storefronts, a gas station and several fast-food eateries including a Guatemalan taco take-out spot. For a more upscale dine-in, locals might indulge in modern burgers and seafood fare with a seasonal cocktail at The Turn House, a restaurant overlooking the golf course greens. “Columbia is going through a renaissance of development, and one thing that’s really growing is the restaurant scene,” says Lapides. “There’s a lot happening in the downtown area, including the Meriweather Post Pavilion. This huge outdoor venue is always hosting a famous musician.” The main thoroughfares around Harper’s Choice are Clarksville Pike and Harpers Farm Road, the latter leading to downtown Columbia in less than 4 miles. The Patuxent Freeway and U.S. Route 29 are nearby, making commutes easy for those working in the big cities. The RTA bus system picks up passengers throughout town, dropping off at big stops like Johns Hopkins Howard Medical Center on the south side. For further travel, the BWI airport is 20 miles east.

In the 1960s, James Rouse developed Maryland’s first planned community consisting of 10 villages that would respect the natural landscape and promote the growth of its people. One of these villages is Hickory Ridge, a suburb with miles of walking trails and top-rated Howard County schools that’s just about as close as residents can get to the action in downtown Columbia. “It’s a bedroom community with nice amenities, as many people commute to either Washington, D.C. or Baltimore,” says Jill Lapides, a lifetime local of Hickory Ridge and Realtor at Cummings & Co. with 22 years of experience in the Columbia area. “There are bicycle paths on all the main roads, making it an outdoorsy and friendly place to be.” Hickory Ridge residents can walk along the shaded sidewalks or drive the quiet residential streets – many ending in cul-de-sacs – to reach their townhomes or single-family dwellings. On the lower price end, 1,000- to 3,000-square-foot condos, apartments and townhomes, some complexes with contemporary architecture and others featuring decorative stone or contrasting vinyl coloring to differentiate each unit, typically cost between $225,000 and $650,000. Cape Cods, ranch homes, Split levels and colonials – many with front yard space and fenced-in backyards – can range between 2,000 and 3,000 square feet in size and from $400,000 to $800,000 in price. More spacious colonial and new traditional homes on larger lots, secluded in the woods, can cost upwards of $1.2 million. As developer James Rouse planned it, there are plenty of ways for residents to enjoy the outdoors. “There are thousands of miles of walking trails and biking paths throughout Columbia,” says Lapides. “I walk from Hickory Ridge to downtown Columbia all the time.” Nature enthusiasts can learn all about the local ecosystem at Robinson’s Nature Center, an educational facility located on 18 acres of land that borders the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, a wildlife preserve with trails featuring nearly 150 species of birds and more than 40 species of mammals. Centrally located, Hawthorn Park offers a playground and swimming pool for local members. “Each village has their own swimming team because most have their own pools,” Lapides adds. Students living in Hickory Ridge can begin their public school education at Clemens Crossing Elementary School, which Niche grades an A and ranks in the top 6% of best elementary schools in Maryland. Learners can advance to a 13-1 student-teacher ratio at Wilde Lake Middle School, which receives an A-minus grade from Niche, before graduating from Atholton High School. Niche grades this school an A-plus and ranks it among the top 6% of best high schools for college preparation and the top 9% of best high schools for athletes in the state. Howard Community College – located at the village’s north side – is the No. 2 best community college in Maryland, according to Niche. Each village in Columbia has its own local shopping center, Hickory Ridge Village Center being the one for its namesake. There, residents can grab groceries at Giant, fill up their tanks at the gas station, run errands at the shops and dine on hibachi at Koto Sake Japanese Steak House & Sushi. For more shopping and dining options, locals can skip a village over to Town Center where there’s The Mall in Columbia or to the downtown area itself. “Columbia is going through a renaissance of growth, and one area that’s really developing is the restaurant scene in the downtown area,” Lapides says. Residents can easily hop onto U.S. Route 29, which runs along the east side and connects to major thoroughfares like Interstates 70 and 95. For those without convenient vehicle access, the RTA public bus system picks up throughout Hickory Ridge. And the Baltimore/Washington International Airport is about 17 miles to the east. For those looking for a place to worship, there are several Christian options within town, including Methodist, Adventist, Lutheran and Presbyterian denominations. “People who live in Hickory Ridge are considered to live in inner Columbia,” Lapides says. Being so close to the energy of downtown opens the doors for a more dynamic lifestyle outside of the suburbs. “We’re close to Columbia’s two manmade lakes: Wilde Lake and Lake Kittamaqundi, where there are beautiful paths around the water,” she says. “And the Merriweather Post Pavilion is right there, where famous musicians come and play at the outdoor venue all summer.”

Kings Contrivance features oak tree-lined streets, lush community green spaces and award-winning schools tucked among Columbia’s extensive trail system. “This is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Columbia,” says Brian Pakulla, a Realtor with Re/Max Advantage Realty who has been selling homes in the area for over 25 years. “When it was developed, it was spread out nicely. There’s a shopping center, lots of mature woods and direct access to Interstate 95.” The community is the southernmost village of Columbia, and I-95 provides access to Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and beyond. Kings Contrivance consists of three neighborhoods: Macgill’s Common, Huntington and Dickinson. Macgill’s Common sits above Route 32 and is the village’s first neighborhood. Homebuyers in this area can find traditional Colonial Revival and ranch-style homes built throughout the 1950s to 1970s for around $475,000 to $775,000. Huntington and Dickinson are south of Route 32 and feature split-level, Colonial Revival and ranch-style estates built around the 1980s. Prices in these two neighborhoods range from about $500,000 for a four-bedroom split-level home to $900,000 for a five-bedroom Colonial Revival estate. Mature trees and an average lot size of just under half an acre offer residents plenty of privacy. Homebuyers can also find townhomes scattered throughout the village, with prices starting at about $285,000 for a two-bedroom and reaching $540,000 for a three-bedroom. Children in the area attend the Howard County Public School District, which earned an A-plus from Niche and was ranked the best school district in Maryland. Kids in the village begin their education at Atholton Elementary School, Hammond Elementary School or Gorman Crossing Elementary School. All three elementary schools are rated an A. Older kids attend Oakland Mills Middle School or Murray Hill Middle School, both of which earned an A-minus. Teens attend the A-minus-rated Oakland Mills High School or A-rated Hammond High School. The district offers several career academies offering teens hands-on experience in accounting, biotechnology, computer programming and more. All three neighborhoods in Kings Contrivance have a community green space with a playground, sports courts and an outdoor pool. Over 114 miles of trails connect the villages of Columbia, including the Patuxent Branch Trail. Residents can walk, run or bike along the paved path, which runs parallel to Little Patuxent River and connects to Lake Elkhorn. The Kings Contrivance Village Center is less than 3 miles from most homes. Residents can pick up groceries at Harris Teeter or head to Trattoria E Pizzeria Da Enrico and enjoy authentic Italian dishes in their homestyle dining room. Not to be confused with the village itself, The Kings Contrivance Restaurant offers a fine dining experience. “It’s a cool spot; it used to be the Kings Contrivance Inn,” says Pakulla. “The restaurant is inside this historic mansion on acres of land, and they serve American fare.” Kings Contrivance is just west of Interstate 95. “That makes commutes to Washington, D.C. and nearby cities a breeze,” Pakulla says. Residents are about 25 miles north of the district and 20 miles south of Baltimore. The Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland provides local bus service to the community, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is about 20 miles northeast. The Kings Contrivance Community Association hosts community events at Amherst House, located in the Kings Contrivance Village Center. “Our Halloween event is very popular, we usually have over 300 people,” says Beverly Myers, the Village Manager of Kings Contrivance. “We also have pool parties for the residents at the Dickinson Pool.” Residents are about 6 miles south of Meriweather Post Pavilion, an outdoor amphitheater and popular concert venue. John Hopkins Howard County General Hospital is about 7 miles northwest of Kings Contrivance. The hospital includes a Primary Stroke Center and is designated as a Perinatal Referral Center.

Part of Maryland’s first planned community of Columbia, the village of Long Reach is a true blend of atmospheres, with shopping hubs, residential pockets and parks within walking distance. “The area was designed so that you could be part of this larger 100,000-person community, but you still have the small town feel of the village itself,” says Craig Barton, who manages the community association for the neighboring village of Owen Brown. Communal amenities like tot lots, trails and free little libraries are abundant, and the Long Reach Village Town Center is home to retail and casual eateries. With most homes here developed in the 1970s, styles range from colonials to ranch and split levels. As the neighborhood grew in the late 1990s, new traditional homes developed. Decorated front porches, painted shutters and small gardens add a personal touch. Price points fall between $450,000 and $775,000, depending on the number of bedrooms, typically ranging from three to five. The neatly patterned neighborhood means nearly every property has an equally sized lot of land, usually around a quarter acre. Lush greenery and trees tower over the manicured front lawns and provide a canopy for neighbors walking on the sidewalks below. Long Reach also has an extensive number of townhouse and condo communities, a convenient option with minimal upkeep and monthly homeowners association fees hovering in the mid $100s. Prices for these homes start around $200,000 and climb up to $450,000. The village's titular park is situated behind Long Reach Hill School, with ball fields and tennis courts primarily used by the high school. There are walking trails open to the public around a large grassy field. Locals also stretch their legs along the Elkhorn Branch Trail, which connects them to neighboring communities. The path winds through wooded areas and wetlands, providing a peaceful setting for a walk or bike ride. Head to Jackson Pond, tucked within one of Long Reach’s subsections, to cast a line from the fishing pier. Kids can burn off some energy at one of the many tot lots peppered throughout the neighborhood, including those off Stonecutter Road or Hayshed Lane. Community centers, including Stonehouse and the Locust Park Neighborhood Center, offer spots for people to host celebrations and small events. Stonehouse also features yoga and dance rooms, while Locust Park offers a covered terrace and fenced-in playground. The latter sits next to one outdoor pool that fills up quickly once summer rolls around. Long Reach is home to the East Columbia Business District, which offers residents multiple shopping centers and office hubs in one centralized area. The Columbia Gateway Business Park is home to more than 50 companies, providing jobs for more than 17,000 people. “People like living in Long Reach because of its convenience,” explains Eileen Robbins, a Realtor with Long & Foster. “You’re right by Target and Walmart, right off of Rouse Parkway, and all the major shops.” The Shops at Columbia Crossing and Dobbin Center sit on each side of the roadway and offer additional big-box retailers like Nordstrom Rack and DICK’S Sporting Goods. Laid-back restaurants are dotted around the complexes, including The Ale House Columbia, where locals pull up a stool to the bar to sip on craft brews while catching a game on TV. Nearby, THB Bagelry & Deli is the go-to breakfast spot in the village. At the heart of Columbia is its expansive mall, jam-packed with stores like H&M, J. Crew and JCPenney, complete with a food court and movie theater. Students are within walking distance of several highly rated Howard County Public Schools. Phelps Luck and Jeffers Hill Elementary schools sit within Long Reach and earn A-minus ratings from Niche. They’ll later filter into A-rated Bonnie Branch Middle School or B-rated Lake Elkhorn Middle School. Three area high schools serve students in Long Reach, including Howard High School, which gets an A from Niche. Long Reach High School sits in the heart of the village and earns an A-minus from Niche. Students who attend A-minus-rated Oakland Mills High School will be learning on a new campus in the near future. The school board has approved a $61 million project to construct a new school building, set to open in 2027. Small-scale community projects and events are designed to maintain the village, like the Long Reach CARES bluebird nest and monitoring project, community clean-ups and gardening classes. The village also hosts a yard sale in May, along with yoga and game nights. Music lovers will thrive at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, where artists like Led Zepplin, Gladys Knight & The Pips and Jimmy Buffet have performed. Concerts are held on-site throughout the summer months. Around the holidays, the venue transforms for the Symphony of Lights. Locals rarely have to leave Columbia for essentials, including Johns Hopkins Howard Medical Center, about 5.5 miles from Long Reach. Taking State Route 100 for just over 11 miles east will lead to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, while a 16-mile commute north along Interstate 95 links locals to the heart of downtown Baltimore.