Calverton - Silver Spring, MD

The county line divides Calverton right down the middle, between Montgomery County and Prince George’s County. For a long time the area was primarily made up of tobacco farms. Today it retains that rural feel even in the midst of subdivisions.

Not many museums or cultural events exist in Calverton proper, but if you head 8 miles out of town, you can visit Montpelier Mansion, a historic home sitting on 70 acres. Both George Washington and Abigail Adams stayed here, and today you can visit the home, come for tea and even rent it out for weddings.

In College Park, 7 miles away, the University of Maryland hosts many art galleries, such as the Maryland Art Gallery, which features more than 300 pieces by artists from all over the state.

With several different shopping and eating centers, chain and local restaurants are easily accessible from all over Calverton.

Let the music take you across the border as you enter Sierras Grill & Taqueria. Art by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera hangs on the walls, and Sierras serves standard Mexican food like enchiladas, burritos and tortilla chips, but by using fresh ingredients, the taste leaves you coming back for more.

Fit right in with the locals and order the buttered chicken when you visit Maurya Kebabs & Curries. Serving Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi food, Maurya has an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet, making it a popular spot during the noontime hour. Because of the diverse ethnicities in the area, the restaurant only serves halal meat so that even Muslim customers can eat here with ease.

A few miles south, you can find Old Line Fine Wine, both a bistro and a liquor store. Don't be fooled by the casual and comfortable atmosphere. With items like zucchini pancakes with garlic aioli, crab and sherry bisque, or white truffle mac 'n cheese, Old Line doesn't serve your typical bar food.

And if you’re hoping to check out the local nightlife, head on down to Rem’s Restaurant in neighboring Beltsville. It’s only three miles away and stays open until 2 a.m. during the week, 3 a.m. on the weekends. Featuring bar food you’d expect, such as pizza, sandwiches and fried food, this bar also has karaoke nights on the weekends and trivia nights on Thursday.

Located right between three major thoroughfares, Calverton has quick access to the highways, making it easy to get to Washington, D.C., Gaithersburg, or Baltimore.

Because Calverton is split down the middle by two counties, you’ll want to pay attention to which transit line you’re riding on. RideOn in Montgomery County serves only the western side of Calverton, while the Washington transit service, WMATA, serves the entire area.

Several cab companies run in the Calverton area, like Laurel Taxi Cab Service and Tad Taxi Service. If you have a smartphone, you can also check out Uber.

For your average resident, a car will be necessary, and while most of the neighborhoods have sidewalks, overall Calverton is not a very walkable community. Side streets normally have plenty of parking, and most businesses have adequate parking lots.

Some of the main roads have parallel trails for bikers, but very few have dedicated bike lanes.

Calverton-Galway is the main local park. With over 60 acres, it features playgrounds, with a separate playground for toddlers, ball fields, tennis courts and a biking and hiking trail. Visit on the weekends and you might even see some cricket games.

Leaving the residential areas for nature comes easy when you use the Paint Branch Stream Valley Park Trail. This three mile path, just west of Calverton, starts at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park, follows the Paint Branch Stream and runs north.

For your dogs, the closest dog park, Wheaton Regional Dog Park happens to be right next to Wheaton Regional Park, making the short drive to Silver Spring worth it for the whole family. The dog park is both free and fenced, while the regional park, located on 536 acres invites you to ride the train, ride your horses, fish in the 5-acre lake, or have a picnic.

When you want a day on the links, head up to Cross Creek Golf Course. Known for its narrow course, even experienced golfers will enjoy the challenge. Not only can you do business on the course, the clubhouse makes a nice venue to hold your next breakfast meeting or trade show.

Most community-driven annual events happen 10 miles south in Silver Spring. There you can enjoy the sounds of the Silver Spring Jazz Festival in September. During Halloween, take part in the free Zombie Walk held every year.

Cost of living in Calverton is almost 9 percent greater than the rest of the state, coming in at 26 percent higher than the national average. But gas costs about the same in Calverton as it does in the rest of the state, being only 1 percent higher than the national average. The monthly rental rate for a one-bedroom apartment runs around $1,225, and grabbing a domestic beer at night costs $6.

One of the benefits to living in a higher-end community, the public transit system makes it easy to get around. You can pick up the bus in Calverton, ride it to the metro station on the Green line, and take it to downtown D.C. in only 50 minutes for $4.40.

Calverton has a few separate shopping centers, all populated by national chain stores such as Home Depot, Staples, Target, hotels and a movie theater.

If you want to get a little sporty and purchase a high-end vehicle, go to the northwest section of town to find BMW, Audi and Mercedez-Benz dealerships. Alternatively, take a spin around the dance floor on foot when you step inside Hollywood Ballroom Dance Center. Several nights a week, this establishment features social dances with a lesson an hour beforehand. Sign up to take classes in ballroom dancing, salsa, swing and samba.

To find home decor ideas, head over to Kuglers Home Fashions on Industrial Parkway for a wide selections of shutters, blinds and curtains to make the inside of your home look cozier. Locals love this place not only because of its high-quality window dressings and unique gifts, but also because of the friendly service they receive when they step into the store.

The main grocery store, Giant, sits on the east end of town. Bangla Bazaar provides for your ethnic grocery needs, selling halal meat, fish, vegetables, and other Indian and Bengali food. For other grocery stores, head to Beltsville to find an Aldi, Costco and Mi Barrios Latin Market.

The closest farm market, Spicknall's Farm Market, sits just across I-95. Open daily March through December, this local farm sells produce it grows or imports from the surrounding regions.