With access to nearby Annapolis and waterfront homes on the Chesapeake Bay, Mayo has that slow-living atmosphere many people crave. “Any of the communities off Mayo Road on the Mayo Peninsula are just nice, family-oriented communities with water access,” says Rachel Best, a Realtor with Re/Max Leading Edge who has been selling in the area for over 14 years. She was born and raised in Edgewater and now lives only half a mile from her childhood home. “People buy here because they want to have access to the water, and it’s more affordable when compared to other waterfront neighborhoods.” The neighborhood was named for Commodore Isaac Mayo who owned a large portion of the waterfront in the early 1900s. Today, with beaches, several marinas and popular fishing spots, Mayo is perfect for those who like to live a laid-back nautical life.
There are plenty of beaches and parks in Mayo
When it comes time for some fun in the sun, Mayo has several beaches and parks to explore. “One of the neighborhoods is Beverly Beach at the end of the peninsula. It has a huge beach that used to be private to the neighborhood for decades,” says Marcy Gaines, a Realtor with Century 21 New Millennium and a local resident for the last 29 years. “The public can only access it from Triton Beach, but it’s great. There's a swimming spot, a playground, and an area for people to play games such as spike ball, football, cornhole and lacrosse. People bring their dogs down there, too. Most people know who’s who in the area because they’ll see each other there a lot or walking around the neighborhood. This goes for any of the neighborhoods down here.” Beverly Triton Nature Park offers a mile of natural shoreline, five miles of trails, and a cartop boat launch. Not only is it a popular fishing spot, but it also has a playground complete with a giant plastic frog and toadstools for climbing. Mayo Beach Park has 22 acres of shoreline and man-made coves where residents like to sunbathe, swim, canoe and explore.
A range of housing options for all lifestyles
Housing options in Mayo consist primarily of detached single-family homes in a variety of styles. Smaller styles include Craftsman cottages and Cape Cods ranging from $350,000 to $600,000. Slightly larger split-level and Colonial-inspired residences may be new constructions or date back to the 1950s, listing at prices between $450,000 and $800,000. Expansive waterfront estates sit right on the bay and often have private docks and lifts for boats. “Edgewater is a great community that offers a range of housing options to suit all lifestyles. There are affordable homes starting at $375,000 to waterfront properties over $4 million,” Gaines says. “There are so many water-privileged neighborhoods that have their own beaches, boat ramps and marinas. My kids grew up in Mayo, and it is a great place to raise a family.” Depending on their size, location and how much waterfront they have, homes on the bay can range from $750,000 to over $2.5 million.
The Blue Angels take flight over the Naval Academy
During the Naval Academy’s graduation week, locals can gather at City Dock Harbor to watch the U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly over the city in celebration. “Everybody will take the kids out of school early and go out on the water together to watch the Blue Angels for Commissioning Week for the Naval Academy,” Gaines says. “They’ll do a practice run the day before, and we always go to that one.” Four different boat shows take place in Annapolis throughout the year between April and October, where enthusiasts can explore several different models of sailboats and powerboats, purchase boating equipment, or speak to industry professionals.
Dozens of dining options in Mayo and Edgewater
When asked about the restaurants in the area, Gains says, “There are too many to choose from! At Waterman’s, Monday night means half-off all their appetizers. Wednesday is five-dollar burger night at Urburger, and on Thursday nights at Adam’s, they serve turkey dinner like your grandma would make.” Edgewater Restaurant in town is famous for its delicious crab cakes, while Chad’s is known for its barbecue and wings. “There’s one restaurant on the water nearby; it’s now called Coconut Joe’s, and that’s where we take our boat. But we’ll sail up to Mike’s for crabs. Once you’re on the river, it only takes around eight minutes to get there,” Gaines says. Up the road, Old Stein Inn serves authentic German cuisine and imported German beer. It was featured on the Food Network and has won multiple awards for its Munster cheese and crab soup. For everyday essentials and grocery runs, Safeway, Weis Market and Giant are just a few miles north in Edgewater via Mayo Road. For retail options, the South River Shopping Mall is less than a 10 minutes’ drive north, and features a Weis grocery store, a bakery and an extensive variety of casual eateries and shops.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Mayo schools fall within the Anne Arundel County Public School district, which is graded an overall B on Niche. Home of the Mallards, Mayo Elementary School offers courses in art, general music and speech. Central Middle School has a Green Team STEAM club, which educates students about environmental issues and spearheads green initiatives around campus. Both schools are graded a B-plus on Niche. South River High School is graded an A and is the No. 3 best public high school in Anne Arundel County.
Navigating the Annapolis area
Mayo is close to Annapolis, which is Maryland’s capital city and is about 14 miles north via Route 214. Annapolis is home to the United States Naval Academy and St. John’s College. Annapolis City Dock hosts several annual events, and the Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center is about 3 miles down the road. About 10 miles north via Solomons Island Road, locals can access the Westfield Annapolis Mall, which has dozens of stores and an AMC movie theater. For weekends away, the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is 30 miles north via Interstate 97.
Edgewater and Mayo addresses and postal codes
Though Mayo is what long-time residents call this neighborhood, many addresses are listed under Edgewater. “The peninsula used to be called Mayo, but Mayo’s post office only has PO boxes and no hand-delivery services. Edgewater has a post office, so Maryland allows you to change your address from Mayo to Edgewater to have mail delivered to your mailbox,” Gaines says. “When builders buy land that is a Mayo zip code, they’ll often change it to Edgewater so new residents don’t have to worry about it.” Though newer residents may feel like they are living in Edgewater, those who have deep roots in the area will always know it as Mayo.
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