Gaithersburg

Shady Grove, Maryland, is a suburb located between the cities of Gaithersburg and Rockville. Known as a part of the I-270 Bio Corridor, Shady Grove and the surrounding area is home to more than 370 biotech companies, which is a major draw for residents. Shady Grove offers an abundance of employment options, as well as proximity to the Baltimore and D.C. marketplaces. “People live here for all of the business and educational opportunities,” explains Alecia Scott, long-time area resident and Realtor with Long & Foster. “And for access to healthcare.” Locals also associate the area’s name with two of its longstanding and frequented amenities, the hospital—Shady Grove Medical Center—and Montgomery County’s major transit hub, the Shady Grove Metro Station. Residents of Shady Grove have easy access to several healthcare facilities, including the Adventist Healthcare Shady Grove Medical Center, a 266-bed hospital. The 600-acre “Life Sciences Center” has Montgomery County's largest concentration of advanced technology companies like Johns Hopkins University-Montgomery County Campus, the Universities at Shady Grove, and several other biotech companies. The Universities at Shady Grove Regional Education Center is a unique educational center offering students access to undergraduate and graduate degree programs from nine universities on one campus. Shady Grove offers plenty of retail outlets, like the Downtown Crown Shopping Center, located right off Sam Eig Highway. Featuring a Harris Teeter grocery store, an LA Fitness, Sephora cosmetics, and several casual dining options, this is a great place to grab everyday essentials. For fine dining alternatives, there’s the popular Ruth’s Chris’s Steak House and Coastal Flats seafood restaurant. The nearby Fallsgrove Village Center is another popular shopping spot known for its Safeway grocery store and the area’s Krispy Kreme donut shop. For an evening out, residents love Rio, a lakefront shopping and entertainment district known for its big-box stores, boutique shops and various restaurants. Locals can dine on crab cakes or prime rib at Copper Canyon, then catch a flick at the AMC Theater. For outdoor activity, visitors can rent a paddleboard and enjoy some lakeside views or take a ride on Rio’s carousel. Most properties in Shady Grove are recently constructed townhomes or condos that accommodate residents’ busy lifestyles. Prospective buyers can find a property for between $400,00 and $1 million, depending on size, condition and age. For renters, Shady Grove also offers plenty of apartment options. Students go to Montgomery County Public Schools. They can attend Fields Road Elementary School and Shady Grove Middle School, which get A-minus scores from Niche. They can finish their public education at Thomas S. Wooton High School, which boasts an A-plus. Thomas S. Wooton High School, or Wooton as locals call it, serves over 2,000 students, 90% of whom are enrolled in honors or Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Wooton also offers dual enrollment options for students who wish to earn college credits early and has a 100% graduation rate. When it's time for a change of pace, the area’s proximity to U.S. Interstate 270 leads locals to surrounding communities like Bethesda. For local travel, there is the area’s Ride-On bus system, and for commuters, the Red Line at the Shady Grove Metro leads right into Washington, D.C, about 20 miles south. Stream Valley Park spans 50 acres of woodlands, hiking and trails. Washington Woods Park features basketball and tennis courts, a playground and several hiking trails, offering something for everyone.

With its neo-traditional design, the Kentlands have served as a blueprint for other idyllic master-planned communities across the U.S. Designed by the same company that created Seaside, Florida – the home of “the Truman Show,” the Kentlands is a thoughtfully crafted community where everything is walkable and where neighbors get together for pool parties, races and live theatrical performances. “It was carefully and thoughtfully designed, by people who understand what brings community together,” says Meredith Fogle, founder of the List Realty and a resident of the Kentlands for more than 20 years. “It’s a mix of walkability, shared green spaces, relatively small lots and a very thoughtful design.” In the Kentlands, houses inspired by the architecture of New England and the mid-Atlantic sit on relatively small, green lots behind sidewalks. Brick colonials with shuttered windows and perfectly trimmed single-family homes with farmers' porches are typical and representative of the Kentlands lifestyle. Townhouses lined up next to each other and built with brick wouldn’t look out of place in Boston’s Beacon Hill. The community is fully built out, with about 8,000 residents, and the market is competitive, says Fogle. The average home price is $703,283 and prices tend to range from about $400,000 to $1.4 million. “There’s no inventory and a ton of buyer demand, like most of the country,” says Fogle. “Things don’t stay on the market for more than a few days unless they’re priced incorrectly.” People move to the Kentlands for the lifestyle, Fogle says. The neighborhood hosts events like bridge club, wine club, concerts and theatrical performances through the Kentlands Community Players. In the summertime, Fogle says, the neighborhood has a resort-like feel. People are out at the pool all day, having picnics on the green and enjoying live music outside. The Kentlands has two waterways – Lake Helene and Inspiration Lake. Paved pathways for running and dog walking surround both lakes, and Inspiration Lake has a hiking trail through a small, wooded area. Little Quarry Park, located next to the Kentlands clubhouse, has a pond and a picnic area. Locals play tennis, pickleball and basketball on community courts and workout in the Kentlands gym. Every year, the community and the nearby Lakelands host a 5K race and fun run for the Kentlands Community Foundation. All the amenities of modern life are available to residents of the Kentlands. Retailers like Whole Foods Market, At Home, Giant Food and Mattress Warehouse exist in the community’s commercial area. Locals can get healthy Mediterranean bowls from Cava or fried chicken sandwiches from Chick-fil-A, or kick back at sit-down eateries like Dog Haus Biergarten, where hot dogs come topped with things like jalapenos and bacon. Brews & Barrels serves ribs, bourbon and beer in a wooden brewery environment and Sin & Grin serves Mexican fare like fajitas and margaritas. “I often say we’re ‘inside the bubble,’ as in we’re either going inside the bubble or outside the bubble for dinner tonight,” says Fogle. “There’s no reason to go outside the bubble. Everything is here.” Kids in the Kentlands can attend Montgomery County Public Schools, considered one of the top public school districts in Maryland. Rachel Carson Elementary School has an A rating from Niche, and in 2012 it was named a National Blue Ribbon School. Kids can also attend the A-rated Lakelands Park Middle School and Quince Orchard High School. The Kentlands sits about 25 miles north of Washington, D.C. Driving there takes about 45 minutes. Public transportation is also available via Metro bus and subway routes. Locals can take the bus to the Shady Grove Metro station and board the Red Line into the city. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is 45 minutes away by car.