Anonymous wrote:Have you tried the Northern Neck in Virginia - also on the Bay. Reedville? Edwardsville? Kilmarnock? My dad was from there and it's close and very beautiful. Not much going on though. Cheaper than the MD side.

Worst part of the bay. Avoid

Anonymous wrote:http://annapolis.homes-database.com/idx/photogallery/a004/AA8208804#PhotoSwipe1394500545569

Love this home in Sherwood Forest --- which is a gated community and private club which looks like a 1950s style summer resort (think: dirty dancing).

Great house. It was designed by DC architect Donald Lococo and has won many awards.

Anonymous wrote:Annapolis poster: do you know anything about Sherwood Forest?

I don't know a lot, except that when we were looking there were a lot of listings there. My DH wanted something more urban so we never considered them. It is supposed to have a great community clubhouse/pool. I would definitely ask a local realtor about that area. There are lots of great communities in Anne Arundel along the Severn and its adjacent creeks on both sides of the river if you are willing to give up a sandy beach. Many of the houses have deep water docks. It might seem strange to have a "weekend house" so close to DC, but for us it feels very separate from DC and the DC lifestyle.

http://annapolis.homes-database.com/idx/photogallery/a004/AA8208804#PhotoSwipe1394500545569

Love this home in Sherwood Forest --- which is a gated community and private club which looks like a 1950s style summer resort (think: dirty dancing).

Annapolis poster: do you know anything about Sherwood Forest?

Anonymous wrote:To the Annapolis poster: what zip code/area is near a beach?

I guess it depends on what you consider "the beach." I think if it as having a house on the water or a house that has a place to launch a kayak. Houses along Spa Creek in the Murray Hill neighborhood are on the water or houses in Eastport, where there is Cheasapeake Bay access and a couple of small public beaches. There isn't a big Rehobeth-style beach in Annapolis if that is what you are looking for. But, there is lots of waterfront property and a boat launch on every block for kayaks/canoes, etc. If you want a deep water dock, you can go across the bridge to houses on Weems Creek.

To the Annapolis poster: what zip code/area is near a beach?

We have a weekend house in Annapolis. 35 minute drive from the Hill. Great shops and restaurants. Ours is a few blocks from the beach, but that was our preference. There are houses on the water in Annapolis, even walking distance to downtown, if that is your preference. Best decision we ever made. We use the house almost every weekend, even with school age kids because we can go out after sports on Saturday and stay until Sunday night or even Monday morning.

I would recommend Lewes. Really cute town and a nice community.

And so is Lewes, DE.

To be blunt: southern Maryland is redneck country. Obviously, not everyone is a redneck, but it's super conservative (think: Sarah Palin) and very good ole boy waterman folks. I seriously doubt a gay couple would be comfortable there.

St. Michaels might be more gay-friendly (I think the ice cream parlor was owned by a gay couple at some point).

Rehoboth is under three hours away and is super gay friendly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking for a bay house for weekend getaways. Someplace closer in, if possible (two hour drive), and not too far from restaurants and shopping. A friend suggested the Solomons Island/Lusby, MD, area, but we don't know anything about it. Does anyone have any experience visiting the area or have any ideas of communities there that we should look into? Thanks.

Will you really use the house that much? As kids get older, they may want to stay close to home to be near their friends, etc.

OP here. My partner and I don't have kids, but thanks for the concern.

Well that's a snotty response - this is a parenting board so the PP's assumption is that most parents have, well, kids.

I didn't mean to be snotty and I'm sorry it came across as such. We aren't parents but know this board is a gold mine of information.

PP, guess that's another consideration for us to keep in mind. Thank you.

If you are a same-sex couple So MD is not very liberal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking for a bay house for weekend getaways. Someplace closer in, if possible (two hour drive), and not too far from restaurants and shopping. A friend suggested the Solomons Island/Lusby, MD, area, but we don't know anything about it. Does anyone have any experience visiting the area or have any ideas of communities there that we should look into? Thanks.

Will you really use the house that much? As kids get older, they may want to stay close to home to be near their friends, etc.

OP here. My partner and I don't have kids, but thanks for the concern.

Well that's a snotty response - this is a parenting board so the PP's assumption is that most parents have, well, kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking for a bay house for weekend getaways. Someplace closer in, if possible (two hour drive), and not too far from restaurants and shopping. A friend suggested the Solomons Island/Lusby, MD, area, but we don't know anything about it. Does anyone have any experience visiting the area or have any ideas of communities there that we should look into? Thanks.

My mother had a weekend home near Solomons Island. It was lovely. The shops and restaurants on Solomons Island are really nice and it is not as expensive as St. Michaels. I would definitely visit. There is also a wonderful marine museum with some of the oldest marine artifacts in the mid-atlantic region. My kids loved going there when we would visit. My mother sold it when her health started to decline but we really enjoyed spending time there.

OP here. Thank you for this. I think we will take a weekend down there to check it out and also contact a realtor.

Thanks to all for the suggestions, as well as getting me to think about jellyfish more than I otherwise would have!