I'll get on board with the poster that equated Annapolis to Bethesda, kinda.

My main thing with the sophistication level of Anne Arundel is that you'll hear some very serious conversations about cheer squad politics -- and that is the most important thing. That's the ceiling. You probably won't hear stuff like that in DC, but if you do, not as important.

My second home in Anne Arundel is on the water. Never go to restaurants for crabs. Find trusted dealers and pay for the big ones live and steam them yourself. Or if the weather is nice, take the jet ski to the boat before they get to shore. Bring cash.

I don't buy the argument that the Annapolis or water oriented lifestyle is healthier. Maybe more outdoors, but marina culture is booze heavy -- AND FUN.

Anonymous wrote:If you moved from DC to Annapolis, can you share your experience? Especially if you moved with young kids? We are thinking of doing this (both will still work in DC, will have to commute in 2x a week). I'm wondering if it was hard to make new friends. What are some neighborhoods to look into for families with young children?

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I moved to Annapolis from DC and LOVE it! Not sure what your budget is, but check out Bay Ridge and Fishing Creek Farm on the South River. Pricey, but very family friendly, water oriented with beaches and pools. Hillsemere is very nice also, and less expensive.

OP here - would you mind sharing what you love about it? And maybe what you miss about DC?

I love living on the water and in general, it's a more healthy lifestyle out here - there's boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, swimming (pools and beaches),etc and the people are more laid back and down to earth. I don't really miss a lot about DC because I am only an hour away for concerts, dining, museums. I'd rather live here and go there occasionally, than the opposite.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in the area and left... I live in West Springfield now. My best friend growing up was one of the 5 POC in our high school (very slight exaggeration). I wanted my kids to grow up with diverse friends and found it here.
Annapolis is nice, but conservative. Both Annapolis and Severna park have their own kind of snobbery. Annapolis revolves around boating culture and Severna Park has cache in the area, but .... wasn’t for me. It is trying to be Gibson Island lite. (I know the Island fairly well as I was a sitter there during high school/college).
I miss the water we had growing up, and consider going back, but then visit my friend and remember why I left.
OP it all depends on what you want. I would commute a few days from a hotel in Annapolis before committing!

FWIW Key School is pretty diverse. I think the whole area has been getting more diverse really.

I don’t understand having a house in AA county and living in DC. A second house at the beach, absolutely and I openly covet, but why AA county? Is it a boating issue. We love Annapolis and would consider moving there for the middle schools and water views, but at that point would sell our house in DC.

I grew up in the area and left... I live in West Springfield now. My best friend growing up was one of the 5 POC in our high school (very slight exaggeration). I wanted my kids to grow up with diverse friends and found it here.
Annapolis is nice, but conservative. Both Annapolis and Severna park have their own kind of snobbery. Annapolis revolves around boating culture and Severna Park has cache in the area, but .... wasn’t for me. It is trying to be Gibson Island lite. (I know the Island fairly well as I was a sitter there during high school/college).
I miss the water we had growing up, and consider going back, but then visit my friend and remember why I left.
OP it all depends on what you want. I would commute a few days from a hotel in Annapolis before committing!

When I first moved to DC I was pretty astonished by the lack of sophistication. It’s gotten better but I still don’t think there’s much to miss out here in Annapolis.

Anonymous wrote:Live in DC and own a second home in Anne Arundel.

Do not underestimate how Maryland centric it will be. It's so, so different. You'll notice it after living in DC, but the locals will not.

I couldn't live in Anne Arundel full time.

Ok, I'll say it. It's less sophisticated.

We don't want you here either.

If "less sophisticated" means lower suicide rate, less snobby neighbors, and being more laidback, then yes, Anne Arundel is. But in terms of white-collar professionals? There's plenty of those in Annapolis, Davidsonville, Severna Park, Crofton, Gambrills, Odenton, Arnold, Severn, Crownsville, and even certain parts of Edgewater and Pasadena. Anne Arundel County has several federal jobs in Fort Meade and tech jobs in Hanover, plenty of residents work at the numerous hospitals in Baltimore--including Johns Hopkins, and the Western part of the county has a decent share of DC professionals as well.

There are many parts to Annapolis. Some have very bad crime. Some are gorgeous.
There is a thread in the school section about AA county schools. There are some issues but not unlike other locations.
I have lived in DC and AA county and life is slower, people are nicer and there is more of a community in AA county. While it may not be as “sophisticated” as some have said, that is okay when you are picking crabs with your friends on your deck overlooking the bay.

The Naval Academy is so revered by so many in the Annapolis area, I don't think I could live there.

Anonymous wrote:Live in DC and own a second home in Anne Arundel.

Do not underestimate how Maryland centric it will be. It's so, so different. You'll notice it after living in DC, but the locals will not.

I couldn't live in Anne Arundel full time.

Ok, I'll say it. It's less sophisticated.

I genuinely say this mostly kidding and not to be snide but I did have to laugh...you’re telling me that a county that contains mostly suburbs and rural areas, as well as a nice, small city is different than the capital of one of the most powerful cities in the world? Glad you had to work your way up to admitting that.

Absolutely agree Annapolis is very Maryland centric, though I wouldn’t quite equate Annapolis with the rest of Anne Arundel county as a default. You’ll get a lot of Marylanders throughout the state who have a knee-jerk exasperation with DC people as well, which can be both irritating and a good kick in the butt if you’ve been in the DC bubble too long.

That said, I don’t really find suburbs like Bethesda or whatever any more “sophisticated” than Annapolis, just different centers of gravity. Betty Bethesda and all that, as unfair as that stereotype is in many ways.

Live in DC and own a second home in Anne Arundel.

Do not underestimate how Maryland centric it will be. It's so, so different. You'll notice it after living in DC, but the locals will not.

I couldn't live in Anne Arundel full time.

Ok, I'll say it. It's less sophisticated.

For just regular good food - go to Eastport Kitchen. Super casual, but my favorite spot when I’m in Annapolis.

Anonymous wrote:I moved to Annapolis from DC and LOVE it! Not sure what your budget is, but check out Bay Ridge and Fishing Creek Farm on the South River. Pricey, but very family friendly, water oriented with beaches and pools. Hillsemere is very nice also, and less expensive.

OP here - would you mind sharing what you love about it? And maybe what you miss about DC?

I moved to Annapolis from DC and LOVE it! Not sure what your budget is, but check out Bay Ridge and Fishing Creek Farm on the South River. Pricey, but very family friendly, water oriented with beaches and pools. Hillsemere is very nice also, and less expensive.