North East offers small-town living near the Chesapeake Bay
The North East offers small-town living with quick access to several outdoor and dining destinations. This town of under 5,000 people is located along the North East River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Private docks and marinas line the shores, and locals can spend their off days cruising the bay on a speedboat or small yacht. Within town, Main Street anchors a quaint and walkable neighborhood with restaurants, cafes and boutiques. “North East is a charming, water-oriented town,” says Carolyn Quelly, leader of the HQME Team at Integrity Real Estate. “There are some restaurants, shopping and a lot of community events. It has festivals, Christmas parades, Unicorn Fest and a lot of different seasonal activities. It really has a small-town spirit.”
Homes range from townhouses to upscale Colonial Revivals
Homes in town are located along roads with sidewalks. In some areas outside the town, tall and mature trees surround houses on more spacious lots than those within North East. Houses here include ranch-style homes, Craftsman bungalows, Colonial Revivals and a few homes with Gothic features. “One of the great things about the community is there are properties ranging from the $200,000s all the way through to multimillion-dollar farms or waterfront properties,” Quelly says. “You really do have a full spectrum.” Many homes under 2,000 square feet sell for between roughly $200,000 and $540,000, while larger ones can run from $590,000 to $900,000. Several waterfront homes go from $1 million to $2.3 million, while townhouses mainly sell between $210,000 and $380,000.
Students may attend North East schools
Students may attend a few schools in town. Both North East Elementary and Middle schools receive a B-plus from Niche, while North East High gets a C-plus. Students in some areas west of town may start at Charlestown Elementary School, which gets a B. They may then attend C-plus-rated Perryville Middle and B-minus-rated Perryville High. Others may go to Elk Neck Elementary, which receives a B-minus. North East has The Tome School, a private school that covers kindergarten to 12th grade and gets a B grade. Tome has many clubs, one of which runs a literary magazine. North East is home to Cecil College, which offers programs in areas like STEM, skilled trades and nursing.
Main Street restaurants serve seafood, steaks and coffee
Many dining staples are in the Colonial Revival and other buildings along Main. Woody’s Crab House has been a seafood destination for years, where patrons can get anything from crab bisque and raw oysters to Maine lobster and freshly caught Maryland blue crab. The restaurant neighbors its sister dessert shop, Woody’s Ice Cream Valley, which diners will spot when they see cow, elephant and tortoise sculptures. Noir Bakery and Coffee Co. serves organic espresso and bakes its own breads. The cafe is part of the West Street Village, a small indoor mall. Chesapeake Bay Coffee Co. is another cafe popular for its pastries and pirate-themed decor. “They have phenomenal doughnuts,” Quelly says. The town has a Walmart and a Food Lion for grocery and retail shopping.
Parks provide water sports, hiking and bayside attractions
Located along the river, North East Community Park offers several recreational activities. The park has a playground, several pavilions and piers for anglers and boaters. A fly fishing destination, the North East River has plenty of bluegill, crappie and different types of bass, catfish and perch. The town is about 10 miles north of Elk Neck State Park, which has more boat ramps and several miles of hiking and biking trails that wind through woods and marshland. Its beaches draw swimmers and sunbathers in the summer, while cliffs offer views of the Chesapeake Bay. One of those cliffs has Turkey Point Lighthouse, one of the park’s main attractions.
Unicorn Quest brings in a fairytale atmosphere
In August, people come to Main Street for the annual Unicorn Quest. The event allows children to receive candy and free books and pose for photos with pirates, a mermaid, ponies dressed as unicorns and a dragon. The event provides exposure for several Main Street businesses and brings in food and craft vendors. Attendees can grab some smash burgers and funnel fries before shopping for crocheted unicorns and jewelry.
Commuters have access to Cecil Transit, U.S. 40 and I-95
The Cecil Transit has several bus stops in town, but residents here drive to commute. U.S. Highway 40 passes through town and goes to nearby Elkton, 6 miles east. Elkton has ChristianaCare’s 103-bed Union Hospital, one of the nearest facilities for emergency care. North East offers direct access to Interstate 95, which commuters use to travel to Wilmington, nearly 30 miles northeast. North East is less than 50 miles southwest of the Philadelphia International Airport, the region’s hub for air travel.
