Check out the area around Strasburg VA, and Wardensville and Capon Bridge WV. You can get a lot of house and land for $600K.

Basye, Va- Bryce resort. Houses are generally under $400k and there’s a lake, ski resort and other amenities. It’s under two hours from DC.

We have a small house on the Shenandoah River nestled under Massannutten (the mountain, not the weird resort). It's peaceful and beautiful and we love it. It's about 2 hours and 10 mins away from NoVA if there's no problematic traffic. Our river house is in Page County, just outside the town of Shenandoah. Our spot would meet all of your requirements except for proximity to a town -- we are right outside the town of Shenandoah like I said, but it is economically struggling and depressing; it certainly does not have a "cute town center." Harrisonburg is only about 45 mins away though.

The Shenandoah is a pretty big/long river, and there are many, many pieces of property along it that you might like.

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Bozman/8000-Bozman-Neavitt-Rd-21612/home/15344286

$329 on a golf course by the water in St. Michael’s

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Bozman/8000-Bozman-Neavitt-Rd-21612/home/15344286

Another one on the water in St. Michael’s, MD. Nice property.

https://www.redfin.com/MD/St-Michaels/24375-Widgeon-Pl-21663/home/192455858

St. Michael’s, MD

https://www.redfin.com/DE/Ocean-View/30399-Pavilion-Dr-19970/unit-14-6/home/192559943

4 bdrm $550k on bay in Ocean View, DE adjacent to Bethany.

There are a few oceanfront 1 bdrm condos in Sea Colony in Bethany between $550-650. That’s walking distance to town.

You could rent it out in the summer for $3k+ a week. Easily.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lost river? something like https://www.redfin.com/WV/Lost-City/1081-Settlers-Valley-Way-26810/home/15911544

or these new builds in chester gap let you walk into shenandoah...
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Chester-Gap/Forest-Dr-22623/home/144909220
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Chester-Gap/Apache-Trl-22623/home/16857702

Lost River is further than 2.5 hours and Chester gap has real problems with water/septic due to too much density for the geology/soil.

It's 2 hours 11 minutes without traffic out 66 from the Cathedral (picked a place in NW since I don't know where OP lives) to that house. I'm sure at times it will be over 2.5 hours but it isn't always.

Anonymous wrote:lost river? something like https://www.redfin.com/WV/Lost-City/1081-Settlers-Valley-Way-26810/home/15911544

or these new builds in chester gap let you walk into shenandoah...
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Chester-Gap/Forest-Dr-22623/home/144909220
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Chester-Gap/Apache-Trl-22623/home/16857702

Lost River is further than 2.5 hours and Chester gap has real problems with water/septic due to too much density for the geology/soil.

lost river? something like https://www.redfin.com/WV/Lost-City/1081-Settlers-Valley-Way-26810/home/15911544

or these new builds in chester gap let you walk into shenandoah...
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Chester-Gap/Forest-Dr-22623/home/144909220
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Chester-Gap/Apache-Trl-22623/home/16857702

Deep Creek will never be <2.5 hours from NW DC.

Harpers Ferry and the Sperryville area are good suggestions. The new HOV lanes on 66 from 495 to 29 make getting out of the city to the west relatively painless (and free if you've got 3 or more people in the car).

Buy these parcels and build what you like--you could even build one house on each parcel and rent one out/sell it off https://www.redfin.com/MD/Smithsburg/Lots-5-6-Raven-Rock-Rd-Unknown/home/190615353

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not just buy a home in Potomac or Great Falls with nice views and walks and enjoy it year round.

For 600k.
Hilarious

Just sell the house in northwest.

I would do deep creek if I had extra money lying are