Pasadena

Located about an hour outside of Baltimore, residents of Jacobsville-Bayside Beach enjoy a variety of outdoor adventures. The local culture is quite nautical, and many homes overlook the inlets of the Patapsco River. “I was born and raised here, so I don’t know if I’m biased, but it’s a great central location. The draw here is mostly to the water and to the people; it’s a very tight-knit community,” says James Bowerman, a Realtor with the Real Creative Group who has been selling in the area for nearly a decade. “It feels a little more off the beaten path in Bayside Beach, which has one lane going each way, so it does feel more secluded and exclusive. Jacobsville is dead center and in a more developed area with planned communities like Chesterfield and Greenhaven, which can be more affordable than being on the water.” Boaters take to the river to fish or enjoy water sports, while those on land sit beneath umbrellas at the private Bayside Beach or at Fort Smallwood Park. The average house list price is about $615,000, higher than in nearby Green Haven and Pasadena. While several residences have private docks on the waterfront, there are also inland cottages and family homes. Locals can shop at Lakeshore Plaza or hit the links at the Compass Pointe Golf Courses. Students study within the Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Baltimore County Public Schools systems, both graded a B on Niche. For easy bay access, members at the Maryland Yacht Club take advantage of the club’s marina, its swimming pool, kayak launch, and waterfront dining room. Fort Smallwood Park, north of the club, has a playground and sports courts, a fishing pier and a sandy beach. Avid golfers enjoy the fairways at Compass Pointe Golf Courses, which has not one but two 18-hole courses, as well as a driving range and Bogey’s Grill restaurant. “I just played golf there on Monday. It’s a nice amenity to have so close,” Bowerman says. The Y in Pasadena has several indoor and outdoor amenities, including its large outdoor swimming pool, playground and sports courts. For history buffs out there, “Hancock’s Resolution is a historic farm that has been maintained. It’s a little bit around the corner from Bayside Beach,” Bowerman says. “It gives you a glimpse into the past and about what life was like around here. It was also one of the lookout points for keeping an eye on the British fleet.” Jacobsville-Bayside Beach features a variety of housing architecture and styles. Inland homes closer to town are a mix of split-levels and Colonial-inspired family homes on spacious lawns. Closer to the shoreline, cozy cottages may have only two bedrooms and overlook small inlets of the Patapsco River. “It’s a little bit more affordable here than, say, in Severna Park right down the road, which will be more expensive,” Bowerman says. “Once you get into Pasadena, including Bayside Beach and Jacobsville, you find more - relatively speaking - affordable detached single-family homes.” Larger waterfront estates include sprawling floorplans with private docks on the Chesapeake Bay. Depending on a home’s size and proximity to the shoreline, prices can range between $350,000 and over $1.5 million. Those near the many inlets and Patapsco River shoreline may experience flooding during heavy rainfall. The Mountain Road Library is a great space for attending weekly events. “Here at the library, we offer a program for babies every Friday and one for toddlers every Tuesday, as well as a preschool Storytime every Wednesday. It’s part of our kindergarten readiness program where we work to get young kids ready to go to school,” says Sandy Murphy, a Pasadena local who has been working in the local library system for 18 years. “Moms, dads, grandparents, caregivers, everyone shows up with their kids... They can make lifelong friendships by meeting here.” The library also offers a Dungeons and Dragons club for teens and afternoons where elementary students can learn STEM subjects through hands-on projects, such as circuit making and building with straws and Legos. “Being right on Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure. You get a lot of fishing, boating, and crabbing. It’s a great place to get on the water and enjoy summer,” Bowerman says. "There’s also a lot of small business owners and, for some reason, an entrepreneurial spirit that flows through the area." Right on Wall Cove, Sam & Maggie's Dockside Grill makes for a great place to have a meal and watch the sunset. Mike’s Crab House North on Colony Road is well-known for its crab cakes and patio tables overlooking the White Rocks Marina. Irv’s Basement Bar, located on Knollview Avenue, has been operating in the basement of Irv's home on the Chesapeake Bay since 1963. Visitors sign the walls, ceiling and articles of clothing, which they leave behind as a testament to their patronage at Irv’s. The man himself has recently celebrated his 100th birthday. The Rumor Reel is a waterfront tavern to the south and is a fan favorite among Lake Shore neighbors nearby. The tavern serves a Sunday brunch and fresh seafood, hosting live music nights overlooking the water. Closer to Jacobsville is Cookie’s Kitchen, a family diner famous for its breakfast and sausage gravy. Lakeshore Plaza, just down the road, houses familiar stores like Safeway, UPS Store and Costello’s Ace Hardware of Pasadena. Within the plaza, Two Rivers Steak & Fish House is known for its weekly specials and selection of cocktails. Fort Smallwood Elementary School serves students living closer to the water, while Jacobsville Elementary School teaches those living closer to town. Both schools teach kindergarten through fifth grade and are graded a B-minus on Niche. Chesapeake Bay Middle School, graded a B, is rated the No. 11 best public middle school in Anne Arundel County. Next door, Chesapeake High School, which falls within the Baltimore County Public School district, is graded a C. The high school is known for its athletic programs and after-school activities, such as a book club, art club and Spanish Honor Society. The neighborhood is about 19 miles south of downtown Baltimore, which can be reached in a little less than an hour via Route 10 and Route 2. Downtown features the Johns Hopkins Hospital, many restaurants, museums and the National Aquarium. For weekends away, the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is about 16 miles northwest via Route 100. Most residents of Jacobsville-Bayside Beach drive to get around town, following Bayside Beach Road and Fort Smallwood Road.

Located on the Chesapeake Bay in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Lake Shore is a nautical community, offering pocket beaches, marinas, deep water docks, and piers. “I think what draws people to the area is the love of the water and the bay. You feel secluded down there because it is a peninsula - there's one way in and one way out - so it has that sense of community,” says Michelle Blanchard, a Realtor with Keller Williams Flagship of Maryland who has been selling in Anne Arundel County for 21 years. Michelle has been living, working and playing in the Central Maryland area all her life. “There are so many wonderful things to say about Lake Shore,” Blanchard says. “You're tucked away, you're surrounded by water everywhere and you still have easy access to all the metropolitan areas.” Though most waterfront homes sell for at least $1 million, the average price is about $650,000 for Lake Shore dwellings, which is higher than nearby neighborhoods like Pasadena and Green Haven. Nearby Lake Shore Plaza gives residents a place to shop and dine, though there are some locally owned restaurants in town. Students attend schools within the Anne Arundel County Public School district, graded an overall B on Niche, which is the No. 3 best school district in the Baltimore area, and the No. 8 best school district in Maryland for athletes. Lake Shore has an overall CAP Index crime score of 2 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4. Because Lake Shore is right on the bay, there is no shortage of things to do out on the water. At Downs Park, locals can bring out their kayaks, boats or fishing poles and spend a day on the Chesapeake Bay or at the park’s public pier. “Downs Park is amazing. You can walk there from a lot of these communities,” Blanchard says. “It's got a pier, nature trails, walking paths and amazing views of the water.” The park also has an amphitheater, gardens and an aviary. There is even a dog park open seven days a week. Though Downs Park has an entry fee of about $6, which helps maintain the area, residents can purchase an annual park pass for $30. Compass Pointe Golf Courses has two public 18-hole championship courses, as well as events and benefits for members. Lakeshore Athletic Complex features several baseball fields, basketball courts, equestrian trails and a playground for locals to enjoy together. Residences in Lake Shore benefit from waterfront views and quiet cul-de-sacs with accessible tributaries from the Magothy River and Bodkin Creek. That means many homes here have their own docks and direct water access, though some may sit within possible flood zones. “In Pasadena, we have about 2,200 homes on the waterfront, which exceeds any other zip code in the county. It's a very recreational town, people enjoy their boats, kayaks and fishing or just cruising out on the bay,” Blanchard says. Contemporary waterfront homes with large bay windows, private docks and decks overlooking the river are rarely priced below $900,000, and some can cost well over $2 million. Inland houses on spacious lots vary from tall Colonial-inspired family homes to four-bedroom ranch-style and split-level residences. These can range in price from $450,000 to over $700,000, and often are within walking distance of a park, pond or creek. Large estates on the championship Compass Pointe golf course often cost over $1 million, with long driveways, private pools and a wall of mature trees for privacy. Next to the Bodkin Yacht Club on Main Creek is The Rumor Reel, a waterfront tavern on Poplar Ridge Road, featuring Sunday brunch, fresh seafood and live music nights. “The Reel draws locals and people from the outside of the area as well, but The Rumor Meal is very much a local hangout,” Blanchard says. “If you want to go out for the big game or listen to live music, you go there. If you've lived in the area a long time, you'll always run into something you know.” Angel’s Food Market is a locally owned grocery store offering weekly specials, prepared meals-to-go and an assortment of alcohol and bakery items. On Mountain Road, locals can enjoy comfort bar food and beer at The Irish Pub Next Door or enjoy Mexican cuisine at The Picantillo Restaurant. For longer grocery trips, Lake Shore Plaza has a Safeway grocery store, ACE Hardware and a few familiar chain restaurants like Five Guys and Dunkin’. Depending on their address, students may attend kindergarten through fifth grade at one of a few elementary schools. Jacobsville Elementary School graded a B-minus on Niche, may serve those living west of the golf course. Lake Shore Elementary can serve those in the middle of town, while a large majority of students living east of Lake Shore Elementary may attend Bodkin Elementary School. Both schools are graded a B. All students can then head to Chesapeake Bay Middle School and then Chesapeake High School, both graded a B. Chesapeake High School is known for its athletic programs and after-school activities, such as a book club, art club and Spanish Honor Society. The Dun-Pikin Farm sits between both campuses and is a family-operated horse boarding and lesson barn where anyone can learn to ride. Lake Shore is about 23 miles from downtown Baltimore, which locals can access via Maryland State Route 100, also known as the Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway. They can also take that road 15 miles west of town to reach the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center is 8 miles west. For those who commute to Washington D.C., it’s about 42 miles southwest via the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, taking most commuters an hour or so to reach the city.

Situated on a peninsula and originally marketed to blue-collar workers as a retreat from city life, the neighborhood of Riviera Beach was considered a summer resort well into the 1930s. At one time, it offered cottages with mortgages of $25 a month. Today, Riviera Beach has evolved into one of Pasadena’s largest and most desirable subdivisions. “It’s a water-oriented community,” says James Bowerman, a Realtor with the Real Creative Group. “It’s got a private beach, a boat ramp, and parks.” Riviera Beach’s location has made it desirable for decades, making it the kind of place people love to put down roots. “It’s really neighborly,” says Andy Schweigman, a local Realtor and team leader for the Schweigman Group at Douglas Realty who has lived in the neighborhood for 14 years. “A lot of people have grown up and been there their whole lives.” Thanks to its location along the Chesapeake Bay watershed, specifically Rock Creek, Stoney Creek and the Patapsco River, water-based activities are a part of life in Riviera Beach. Several marinas and the nearby Maryland Yacht Club provide residents with plenty of options for docking their boats. Riviera Beach Community Park is a small beach with a shared boat launch. According to Schweigman, there’s an informal fee of $25 a year to use the boat launch, but it’s voluntary. Rock Creek Park offers a playground, softball fields and a soccer field and Riviera Beach Community Park, Memorial & Playground offers soccer fields. Many of the community’s youth athletic leagues host games and practices at these parks or at the athletic fields of local schools. “it’s a big sports area, really big into baseball,” Schweigman says. “There are a lot of youth sports, a lot of opportunities to go out and engage.” When residents want to experience nature, they drive 6 miles to Fort Smallwood Park. Located on a neighboring peninsula, its 90 acres are home to a historic gun battery and barracks, walking trails and the 380-foot long "Bill Burton Fishing Pier," which is popular among fishermen and birdwatchers alike. The majority of Riviera Beach’s homes aren’t waterfront, but residents never have to go far to reach the water. These homes often feature small front yards on streets that lack sidewalks and feature a wide range of home styles. Ranch-style homes, Cape Cods and petite cottages are most common, but there are also split-levels and newer Traditional-style homes. Prices start at about $350,000 for an older and smaller home and can rise to $600,000 for new construction. Townhomes often fall into the $300,000 range while a large waterfront home with a private dock can easily surpass $1 million. “Inventory is low,” Schweigman says. “It’s hard to find houses, there’s not a ton of listings. So if a house is priced right, you get multiple offers on it.” Riviera Beach’s community throws regular events, including an annual Spring Fest. The Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Company also hosts a carnival twice a year, as well as a few other popular community events. “During the summer, they do food trucks one night a week so everybody can go get food,” Schweigman says. Residents pick up groceries at Geresbecks Food Market, which sits right at the heart of the peninsula, and get other essentials at Walgreens, CVS and local convenience stores. The Human Bean is a popular spot for locals to start their day, and when they’re hungry, they often head over to Stoney Creek Inn. “It was actually on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri,” Schweigman says. “They’re known for their crab cakes.” Primo Pasta Kitchen is a popular spot for Italian eats, from pizza to baked ziti. Niche gives Anne Arundel County Public Schools a B rating. Children can attend Riviera Beach Elementary School, which has a B-minus, and Northeast Middle School, which has a C-plus, before moving on to Northeast High School. Northeast High has a B rating and makes Niche’s list of top 10 best public high schools in Anne Arundel County. The Project Lead the Way biomedical science program allows students to use real tools to practice tasks like suturing, uniquely preparing them for future careers. Maryland Route 173 serves as Riviera Beach’s main thoroughfare. It takes just a few minutes to reach Interstate 695, Maryland Route 100 and Mountain Road, also known as Maryland Route 77. According to Schweigman, this proximity makes commuting nice, giving residents easy access to Baltimore, Annapolis and even Washington D.C.