Paul and I moved to this area about 20 years ago from the Washington DC area and we like living here so much better. So if you are thinking about moving to the Eastern Panhandle, here’s 10 things we think you’ll love.
When we lived Montgomery County – that’s right next door to Washington DC – the amount of traffic was just a fact of life – didn’t think too much about it. When we moved up this way, we saw how nice it is living in an area that’s not so congested. So that’s number one as far as I’m concerned. The lack of congestion. If you are on the beltway – that’s the multi lane highway around DC and you are in the left lane but your exit is 4 lanes over, then you need to plan ahead and have your affairs in order because that’s a death defying experience. Not having to deal with that fast paced environment is nice. Stress levels just go way down.
Number 2. The sense of history. You know Washington DC and nearby areas are full of important historical sites. But when there’s so many new high rises, large office buildings, and retail centers – you just don’t sense it as much.7 The downtown areas here have retained a historic sense with the older buildings – you feel like you are in a small historic town.
Number 3. The sense of community. When a densely populated area with a lot of transition – people moving in and out as is the case with DC – due to the change of government, the large employers – getting involved in community affairs is lots less likely. Here, local politicians are your neighbors – they don’t have body guards. You’ll probably run into the mayor at the grocery store. So you feel a part of the community.
Number 4. Safety. There’s crime everywhere but violent crime is less in this area so that’s a nice feeling especially if you’re like me and do a lot of walking
Number 5. The appreciation of nature. When everything is manicured and controlled, you don’t notice the change of seasons so much. The Eastern Panhandle has a lot of open countryside and wooded areas. You see Wildflowers that bloom in their season all along the roads and 11 incredible fall color all through the area. So you tend to notice how nature operates when it’s left alone.
Number 6. The availability of locally grown produce. There are lots of peach and apple orchards and farms here and some of them have a farmer’ market right there where they grow and harvest. Farmers markets are also weekend events in several of the towns here. Charles Town, Shepherdstown and Berkeley Springs to name a few. 13 You’ll see farm stands along the roads. And it’s cheaper and lots better then what you find at the grocery store.
Number 7. The diversity in lifestyle choices. If you like the convenience of ilving near a town, you’ll find that here. If you want to live on the water, we’ve got 3 rivers here and lots of waterfront properties, so you’ll find that as well.. And if you like living in the country or a wilderness environment, there’s some beautiful spots here. And it’s all accessible – which brings me to the next good thing about living here.
Number 8. The affordability. Whatever type of area or home you are looking for, it’s going to cost less here than it will in states bordering West Virginia especially as you get closer to the DC area.
Number 9 The proximity. The Eastern Panhandle is only an hour or two depending on where you are going – to the DC/Baltimore area – but if feels like a world away. The slower pace, open countryside, small towns are very different than what’s the norm in those larger metro areas.
Number 10. The friendly people. When we first moved up here I was surprised when perfect strangers would wave as they passed – and speak to me when I’m out for a walk. I think that’s part of the slower pace – not in such a hurry to get where their going so there’s time to acknowledge the people the encounter.
So those are some of the things that come to mind that make this area so appealing. We put together a Relocation Guide with some good information about this area plus things like how to register your vehicle, contacts for resources – schools, medical facilities, utility companies. You can download it at https://meetmeinthepanhandle.com/relocationguide.
