Huntingtown

Huntingtown is the kind of place you go for the quintessential suburban lifestyle – where days are spent fishing on the Patuxent River, hopping white picket fences to splash around in backyard pools and toasting a long weekend with margaritas. "Even though it's the suburbs, it is still somewhat of a Main Street, USA vibe," says Realtor Patti Stueckler of Keller Williams, who once lived in Huntingtown for many years and continues to sell homes there.

The large region is a veritable suburban escape of country roads and wide-open spaces intersected by many small creeks that feed into the Patuxent River, haphazardly segmenting parts of the peninsula Huntingtown sits on. Getting down to brass tacks, "Huntingtown is colonial country," says Stueckler. Many commuters and military personnel cherish the town's proximity to DC and its comprehensive collection of neo-colonial new builds and established Colonial revivals and ranch-styles. "We're also pool country down in Huntingtown because a lot of homes have inground pools, and those are a big selling point." With less than 40 miles of distance between it and DC, one might expect a place such as Huntingtown, with its location and supply of homes, to be very expensive. While a single-family home in Huntingtown often sells above the average for the U.S. and Calvert County, compared to other towns close to DC, a median of $640,500 is relatively competitive, especially when most sell between $400,000 and $650,000.

Huntingtown is a large area, meaning students might attend a number of Calvert County schools, which are highly rated. "People move from other areas specifically to Huntingtown just for the schools and their sports," says Stueckler. Every single school in Calvert County scores a B-plus or higher from Niche. Huntingtown Elementary offers gifted and special education programs and participates in Maryland's Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) program. Plum Point Middle also earns a Niche score of B-plus, while Huntingtown High earns a score of A. The high school is distinguished for its high-performing academics and awards-winning athletics and extracurricular programs, especially women's lacrosse and theater. "I remember one time my son told me that Huntingtown High is like going to school in 'High School Musical,'" says Stuckler.

When the fish are biting, and the horses are restless, locals flock to Kings Landing Park on the shores of the Patuxent River. With a public boat ramp for kayaking, canoeing and small craft, fishermen can either cast lines from the riverbank or on the water while horseback riders wave hello from either the trails or riding ring. There's even a pool at the park for those who prefer a wash of chlorine over fresh river water. On the other side of town, when little league baseball season starts, Marley Run Recreation Area's three baseball diamonds light up with activity as locals head there to practice pitching and to cheer on their friends and family. On a rainy day, a popular indoor activity in town is the Lord Calvert Bowling Center, where you can strike pins for $2.75 a game on Sundays or play two games for the price of one on Tuesdays. On the way home, stop by Mexico Restaurant, whose sizzling fajitas and ice-cold margaritas are essential to any diet in Huntingtown.

Owning a car is essential to living in Huntingtown. Though heavy traffic is not the primary concern, the distance you must travel for groceries, healthcare and work can be hefty. Many shoppers restock their pantries and get their teeth cleaned by driving roughly 6 miles south down Highway 4 to reach shopping in Prince Frederick. But in between, savvy locals stop by Cox Farm Produce for organic cucumbers, tomatoes and other botanical delights.

Written By

Tom Jakob

Photography Contributed By

Jesse Snyder

Video By

Nathan Allen