Anyone live in Frederick, MD??

[SingingMUA]

I am a DC girl... have been all my life. I grew up in DC and then in PG County and now live (and work) in Montgomery County. I am contemplating a move to Frederick very soon, and I'm wondering for those of you who live there, where do you work?? What is your commute like? I currently work in Silver Spring, so I would be commuting from Frederick to Downtown Silver Spring during the week.

Do you drive?? Take MARC? How long does it typically take you to get to work (or wherever you go in the DC Metro area)? What is it like living in Frederick? I've visited a couple times and think it's a beautiful area, but I would love to get opinions from those who actually live there. Thanks!

 

[Uuaww]

I was there for job training for 3 months. It was awful... so cold!!! The downtown has some good food places but outside of that it is like every other suburb it seems. Except it's freezing in the winter.

 

[SingingMUA]

I was there for job training for 3 months. It was awful... so cold!!! The downtown has some good food places but outside of that it is like every other suburb it seems. Except it's freezing in the winter.

Ha! Thanks for the reply... looking at your location info, I'd bet Frederick DID feel cold to you ... Since I already live in Maryland (and have pretty much all of my life), and I don't live too far from Frederick now (about 40 mins), I know what to expect as far as the weather! I do love good and interesting places to eat, so thanks for the tip about the restaurants!

 

[Christine]

Maybe wvjules will chime in. I think she lives there.

I've always heard it's a nice place.

 

[wvjules]

I live in Frederick!

I work at Ft. Detrick and live in Walkersville. Its about a 10 minute commute.

My BF works in Owings Mills and has about a 45 minute commute but its NOT on 70 which is wonderful. He drives on a country road the whole way (Rt 26)

The worst tihng about living here and commuting, for you, will be the traffic on 70. Does the MARC go to Silver Spring? I've never been on it.

Downtown Frederick is beautiful and has LOTS of great places to eat.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[SingingMUA]

I live in Frederick!

I work at Ft. Detrick and live in Walkersville. Its about a 10 minute commute.

My BF works in Owings Mills and has about a 45 minute commute but its NOT on 70 which is wonderful. He drives on a country road the whole way (Rt 26)

The worst tihng about living here and commuting, for you, will be the traffic on 70. Does the MARC go to Silver Spring? I've never been on it.

Downtown Frederick is beautiful and has LOTS of great places to eat.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Yay!! The MARC does go to Silver Spring, in fact, my current job is right next to the Silver Spring metro station/MARC station, so I could get on the MARC and then walk to work. However, I'm in the process of searching for a new job, so that could be changing. I'd love to work in the Germantown or Gaithersburg area, or even Rockville or Bethesda. But I'm also looking at jobs in the city.

The area I'm considering moving to is Wellington Trace. There's a long, sordid story as to why I'm looking at moving there. Not so much because I'm in love with the idea of moving to Frederick (though it does seem like a nice area... and I will spend more time exploring it tomorrow), but it's out of necessity...

Are you familiar with that area? My biggest issue with the move is the commute. I know that it will add some time to my commute (and my partner's commute... she works in the city). But, it would be totally worth it for peace of mind.

Do you ever go into the city?? What's the drive time like? What about cultural activites (plays, concerts, etc...)?? Thanks!!!

 

[wvjules]

Yay!! The MARC does go to Silver Spring, in fact, my current job is right next to the Silver Spring metro station/MARC station, so I could get on the MARC and then walk to work. However, I'm in the process of searching for a new job, so that could be changing. I'd love to work in the Germantown or Gaithersburg area, or even Rockville or Bethesda. But I'm also looking at jobs in the city.

The area I'm considering moving to is Wellington Trace. There's a long, sordid story as to why I'm looking at moving there. Not so much because I'm in love with the idea of moving to Frederick (though it does seem like a nice area... and I will spend more time exploring it tomorrow), but it's out of necessity...

Are you familiar with that area? My biggest issue with the move is the commute. I know that it will add some time to my commute (and my partner's commute... she works in the city). But, it would be totally worth it for peace of mind.

Do you ever go into the city?? What's the drive time like? What about cultural activites (plays, concerts, etc...)?? Thanks!!!

Downtown Frederick is very easy to navigate. Its not as crowded as downtown DC, obviously. There is a beautiful park with a pond, tennis courts and outdoor concert shell, Weinberg Theater, great old shops, awesome restaurants, the mural bridge http://bridge.skyline.net/. It seems like there is always something going on down there during the summer.

Downtown is not a far drive to the Marc train so look at row houses or apartments. http://www.fskapts.com/ <--BF used to live there and loved it.
Anything in the Ballenger Creek area will be close to the Marc too.

 

[agnes!]

Hey, one of the finalists on "Top Chef" has a restaurant in Frederick("Volt")...I'd consider moving there just for his food!

agnes!

 

[designermv]

I'm a little further west in Hagerstown, but I just wanted to say that downtown Frederick is beautiful! So many cool shops and restaurants. I'm working on getting my husband to take me to Volt for my birthday in a few weeks.

Good luck!

 

[wvjules]

Hey, one of the finalists on "Top Chef" has a restaurant in Frederick("Volt")...I'd consider moving there just for his food!

agnes!

I'm a little further west in Hagerstown, but I just wanted to say that downtown Frederick is beautiful! So many cool shops and restaurants. I'm working on getting my husband to take me to Volt for my birthday in a few weeks.

Good luck!

We've eaten there a couple of times...before the finale. Now, it is really hard to get a reservation. The food was good, price but not too pricey.

deisgnermv, I would try to make that reservation now and cancel if you need to. I would advise against waiting until the last minute. If you do go make sure you get the dessert "taste of chocolate" yummy!

 

[designermv]

We've eaten there a couple of times...before the finale. Now, it is really hard to get a reservation. The food was good, price but not too pricey.

deisgnermv, I would try to make that reservation now and cancel if you need to. I would advise against waiting until the last minute. If you do go make sure you get the dessert "taste of chocolate" yummy!

Guess I am not going there for my b-day . Just checked OpenTable and nothing available for the dates we want.

Have you been to Acacia? (sorry to OP for slight hijack)

 

[wvjules]

Guess I am not going there for my b-day . Just checked OpenTable and nothing available for the dates we want.

Have you been to Acacia? (sorry to OP for slight hijack)

No we have not been to Acaia (on our way to Patrick's). We walked past it last night and DBF commented that we need to go there soon.

If you like steak go to The Tasting Room. They have the best Filet Mignon you will ever have. Another good place to go would be Dutch's Daughter. They have awesome crab cakes and cream of crab soup. Actually, you can't go wrong with anything there. Good steak, great crab, nice atmosphere.

 

[SingingMUA]

Well, due to us having to move to a community that is managed by the same company as my current apartment, we would be moving to The Apartments at Wellington Trace. It's off of New Design Road and looks to be in the Ballenger Creek area.

LOVE the restaurant suggestions... keep 'em coming... and feel free to hijack away!

 

[KristaTX]

My brother moved to Frederick a year and a half ago after having lived his entire life in Oklahoma and Texas. He LOVES living in Frederick and that part of our nation. He is even now engaged to a Frederick native, and they just bought an old home they are going to fix up. He works for the Veterans Administration.

We haven't gone out to visit him yet, but will be doing so this summer .

 

[ryanpatricksmom]

We have a second home in Western Maryland, and for awhile, we would drive in on the first morning that we needed to be at work after the weekend. We don't do that anymore. Why? The commute from Frederick to downtown Bethesda would take on average 1 1/2 hours. I live in North Potomac, and our typical commute is around 40 minutes, so the extra 16 miles took 50 minutes. Not good. To be fair, if we weren't able to use the HOV lanes, our regular commute would take longer than 40 minutes anyway, and there are no HOV lanes between Frederick and Gaithersburg.

We would start in Garrett County and fly until we hit 270...then everything came to a grinding halt. It took us less time to travel the first 120 miles than it did to travel the last 30.

I love Frederick, but unless you are prepared to MARC it everyday, I would not live there and work in downtown Silver Spring.

 

[wdwmom2]

Another good place to go would be Dutch's Daughter. They have awesome crab cakes and cream of crab soup. Actually, you can't go wrong with anything there. Good steak, great crab, nice atmosphere.

Oh, I the Dutch's Daughter. I was just there last week. They have the BEST blackened Salmon topped with crab imperial!!!!! This summer I would love to take DH there for their Sunday brunch. He has never been there. I have been there many times for drug rep dinners.

 

[Por1968]

I live in Point of Rocks which is in the Southern part of Frederick County, about 10 minutes from Wellington Trace. I am a regular commuter on the MARC. I would recommend taking it from the Point of Rocks station instead of Frederick. The Frederick train is not part of the Brunswick line and only has a few trains a day. At Point of Rocks you have more options. The big issue with the MARC is the reliability. When it runs on time it is great, but it is not unusual for there is be delays. Especially in the winter, this is no fun. Once or twice a year the delays will be very long or the trains won't run at all and you have scramble to find a way home.

The good think about the southern part of the county is that Leesburg is not far away, so when you go out, you have the option of going south to Leesburg or north to Frederick.

 

[SingingMUA]

We have a second home in Western Maryland, and for awhile, we would drive in on the first morning that we needed to be at work after the weekend. We don't do that anymore. Why? The commute from Frederick to downtown Bethesda would take on average 1 1/2 hours. I live in North Potomac, and our typical commute is around 40 minutes, so the extra 16 miles took 50 minutes. Not good. To be fair, if we weren't able to use the HOV lanes, our regular commute would take longer than 40 minutes anyway, and there are no HOV lanes between Frederick and Gaithersburg.

We would start in Garrett County and fly until we hit 270...then everything came to a grinding halt. It took us less time to travel the first 120 miles than it did to travel the last 30.

I love Frederick, but unless you are prepared to MARC it everyday, I would not live there and work in downtown Silver Spring.

I live in Point of Rocks which is in the Southern part of Frederick County, about 10 minutes from Wellington Trace. I am a regular commuter on the MARC. I would recommend taking it from the Point of Rocks station instead of Frederick. The Frederick train is not part of the Brunswick line and only has a few trains a day. At Point of Rocks you have more options. The big issue with the MARC is the reliability. When it runs on time it is great, but it is not unusual for there is be delays. Especially in the winter, this is no fun. Once or twice a year the delays will be very long or the trains won't run at all and you have scramble to find a way home.

The good think about the southern part of the county is that Leesburg is not far away, so when you go out, you have the option of going south to Leesburg or north to Frederick.

Thank you both for this insight! I do realize that I would have to commit to taking MARC everyday, unless I'm prepared to sit in traff for 1.5 hours. Like I said, I'm not thinking of moving to Frederick because I've always had this burning desire to live there (though it does seem like a very nice city... very charming which I like very much), but because the nicest property managed by the company that manages my current apartment complex is there. The other properties that they manage here in MoCo are.......... shall we say "undesireable". And I really don't want to move into yet another apartment in my current complex. This latest experience with them has really turned me off from the complex all together.

Also, moving to Frederick WOULD give me a nice change of scenery that I have really been craving. Thankfully, I have a job that has very set hours and I never work overtime, so I will always (well as long as I continue to work here) have the same start and end time everyday...

Again, thank you all very much for all the information!! Please, continue to share any other thoughts or things I should consider.


Oh, and I think while I'm up there tomorrow checking out the area and the potential apartment, I will have dinner at the Brewer's Alley. Anyone ever eaten there??

 

[designermv]

LOVE Brewer's Alley! I've done more drinking there than eating but from what I recall the food is good.

 

[wvjules]

Thank you both for this insight! I do realize that I would have to commit to taking MARC everyday, unless I'm prepared to sit in traff for 1.5 hours. Like I said, I'm not thinking of moving to Frederick because I've always had this burning desire to live there (though it does seem like a very nice city... very charming which I like very much), but because the nicest property managed by the company that manages my current apartment complex is there. The other properties that they manage here in MoCo are.......... shall we say "undesireable". And I really don't want to move into yet another apartment in my current complex. This latest experience with them has really turned me off from the complex all together.

Also, moving to Frederick WOULD give me a nice change of scenery that I have really been craving. Thankfully, I have a job that has very set hours and I never work overtime, so I will always (well as long as I continue to work here) have the same start and end time everyday...

Again, thank you all very much for all the information!! Please, continue to share any other thoughts or things I should consider.


Oh, and I think while I'm up there tomorrow checking out the area and the potential apartment, I will have dinner at the Brewer's Alley. Anyone ever eaten there??

Brewer's Alley is ok. They have $12.95 Lobster or Steak on Thursday nights. I know that doesnt' help you for tomorrow though. lol

As an alternate you could try Isabella's Tapas Bar and Restaurant. They have really awesome asparagus fries and the most awesome bacon wrapped scallops. (We eat out WAY TOO MUCH!) lol

May I ask why you need to stay with the same rental company you are with now? There are a lot of nice apartment complexes up here.