Easton: Named as one of the ten best small towns in America.
Easton is a long-established small town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. A center for arts and culture, Easton is an All-American hometown that blends the best of everything you've grown to expect from a small town with the convenience of being within range of major cities. Easton sports a vibrant downtown that is host to local chefs and artisans, and heavily supports local farmers and crafters at the local markets.
Moving to Easton
Travel
Downtown Easton is fairly walkable, and you can make do without a set of wheels if need be. Maryland Upper Shore Transit is a combined effort between Delmarva and Queen Anne's County that provides public transportation options in and out of the town, with fixed routes. If you live outside of the center of town, you'll need at least a bicycle, preferably a car. Easton is fairly close to a number of major metropolitan areas, including Baltimore, Washington and Wilmington -- commuting can be a bit miserable, especially in a car, but will be tolerable if you hop on to one of the commuter rail trains that have stops in the area.
Weather
Maryland's weather is temperate throughout the year, especially on the Eastern Shore. Winters can get a bit cold, and you will see snowfall consistently. Summers can get hot and humid, but a good breeze will sometimes roll in off of the bay to cut through the heat. You'll be best off checking out apartments with paid utilities to err on the safe side, though, as a truly fierce winter can lead to the need to run heat around the clock. Whatever you do, you'll soon learn that a sweatshirt will be your most-used piece of clothing.
Lead Time
Apartments for rent in Easton are in fairly high demand, with the region having a good mixture of leisure, jobs and hospitality. Vacancies get filled fairly quickly, so you'll need to be on the ball during your apartment search. Make sure that you start the search three months or more prior to your need of a place and have all of your references and paperwork in order and ready on demand.
Neighborhoods in Easton
Town Center: A great mixture of owners and renters, the Town Center of Easton is a great spot to start seeking out furnished apartments for rent. This neighborhood is active, highly walkable and has everything you will need, from stores and entertainment to a wide selection of restaurants. It is the one area of Easton where you can get away with not having a car.
Saint Aubins Heights: Right next to Town Center, this neighborhood is more residential, with plenty of townhouses for rent. It is just as convenient as finding a place in the center of everything, but without the heavy traffic you'll see living in the center.
Williamsburg: Sitting along the bay, Williamsburg is a relatively young neighborhood, with many of the houses being built since the 1970's. It is also primarily owner occupied, but if you are looking for coastal living, you may be able to find some rental houses in the area. Most rentals in this neighborhood will be in apartment buildings, leading to lower rental prices than other neighborhoods.
Manadier: The furthest inland of Easton's neighborhoods, Manadier is also the most expensive in terms of rental prices. You can find some very nice furnished apartments and rental houses in this neighborhood, and it is convenient for those who may want to travel into Delaware often.
Living in Easton
Every November, Easton caps off the festival season with the Waterfowl Festival, celebrating the migration of the Canada geese overhead. The festival promotes wildlife art and celebrates life on the Eastern Shore while raising money for projects along the Chesapeake. This is only the end cap of a season that includes concerts, gallery walks, the Chesapeake Vintage Marketplace Antique Show, a Gospel Festival and more.
Easton loves to shop local, with the Easton Market Square and the Amish Country Farmers' Market both bringing together local craftsmen, farmers and more. The Farmers' Market tends to lean more toward raw ingredients, with produce, meats and dairy products being the main offerings, as well as a handful of handcrafted items. The Market Square, on the other hand, tends to display locally manufactured goods, including wine from local wineries, baked goods, flowers and more.
Of course, if you want to enjoy local shopping on a daily basis, the vibrant downtown has you covered. Local artisans and shopkeepers are open every day, peddling all sorts of crafts and goods. They range from upscale women's boutiques to hand-crafted fair trade goods, with plenty for all tastes and budgets.
Speaking of taste, downtown isn't just shops, but also restaurants that feature all sorts of flavors. Hunter's Tavern is an award-winning restaurant that features seasonal menus, local produce and fresh, local seafood. If you'd rather go for some hearty southern 'cue, check out The BBQ Joint, serving incredibly tasty and incredibly affordable ribs, pork and more. Easton has international flavors covered as well, thanks to Brasserie Brightwell, offering a taste of Paris and House of Hunan providing quality Chinese fare.
Being right along the Chesapeake Bay makes Easton the perfect place to live for the avid outdoors lover. There are plenty of marinas to put in from, whether you own a boat or just want to rent one for the day. It is a prime spot for fishing, boating, crabbing, hunting waterfowl or just enjoying the sights and smells of the Bay. If you'd rather enjoy athletics, the North Easton Sports Complex has multiple fields, a field house, playgrounds and more. Or, if a picnic is more to your enjoyment, choose from one of the dozen or so parks that are open dawn to dusk.
Easton is a big supporter of the arts as well, with the historic Avalon Theatre playing host to local and national acts, including comedians, film and music. ArtHouse Live is a local theater company that performs shows at the Talbot County Historical Society Auditorium in downtown Easton, putting on a variety of plays from nationally recognized playwrights.
