Walnut Ridge - Frederick, MD

Frederick’s strategic location made it a key crossroads community in colonial times. The city was comprised of Indian trails, routes to the Chesapeake Bay and routes to the future cities of D.C. and Baltimore. The Civil War enriched the area further, as historic events and buildings populated the area. When the Pennsylvania Railroad made efforts to extend south into Maryland, immigrants and families in search of more land inhabited the area.

Today, locals leave the Walnut Ridge neighborhood to visit the Roads and Rails Museum or National Museum of Civil War Medicine in the heart of Frederick. Since Walnut Ridge lacks an art or music scene, residents go a few miles south to patronize The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, as well as a breadth of culture activities downtown. Residents of Walnut Ridge look forward to local events such as the annual Greek Festival and Frederick Festival of the Arts.

A humble food scene helps bring some flavor to life in Walnut Ridge. Although no local eateries reside inside the residential area. Residents appreciate the congregation of excellent restaurants along or just off Yellow Springs Road, in addition to the culinary gold mine in downtown Frederick.

Start with the Viet Gourmet, a Vietnamese café reputed for its black pepper dishes and chicken pho. For a satisfying dinner, order the roasted quail with a side of crispy spring rolls to savor the flavors of authentic Vietnamese food. Locals say you can’t go wrong with any pho dish the on the menu, but the hot and spicy beef pho trumps the competition. Wash it all down with creamy honeydew boba tea speckled with chewy tapioca pearls.

Transplant your tastebuds to Latin America with the flavors of Santa Rosa Restaurant, a Baughmans Lane eatery that puts an El Salvadorian twist on traditional favorites. The authentic restaurant concocts spicy and savory dishes, such as the pupusas that warrant devouring from your plate in seconds. Fresh chunky salsa and creamy guacamole add a finishing touch to your Mexican combination platter, especially if it contains fried plantains or pollos a la crema. Locals appreciate the wide selection of Mexican beers and liquors, especially since standalone bars are seldom found outside downtown.

The nightlife around Walnut Ridge is restricted primarily to chain sports bars and restaurants that also serve beer and mixed drinks. The most popular of these include Glory Days Grill and Callahan’s. Hardly any typical pubs reside around the neighborhood, with the exception of lively dive bars in downtown Frederick. The most notable of these are Guido’s and Bushwaller’s, both of which sit on Market Street. Thirsty locals choose these establishments to sip a cold beer while listening to live bands perform. In addition to extended weekend hours, these pubs host generous happy hours and particularly inexpensive beer specials. No dedicated music venues serve the area, but most Market Street eateries host live performances on a regular basis.

Living in Walnut Ridge without a car proves almost impossible, since 86 percent of residents depend on automobiles for their day-to-day transportation, including temporary rides such as local taxis. Uber doesn’t service the area, so locals looking for an alternative to navigating the neighborhood choose public transportation. Route 50 heads directly to the popular downtown area, while routes 40, 51 and 80 provide service to additional locations around town. Most destinations are too spread out to reach on foot, and bicycle infrastructure remains almost nonexistent. Many residential homes in Walnut Ridge have free, designated parking spots, but busy streets in downtown Frederick make locating a spot more difficult. Locals who commute outside Frederick on a daily basis use the Baltimore National Pike to connect to the Frederick Freeway. Interstate 70 also cradles the area just south of Walnut Ridge.

Small green spaces occur in and around Walnut Ridge, but locals in need of a prime outdoor oasis head to the free Whittier Lake Park, just outside the neighborhood’s boundaries on Whittier Drive. Cyclists and joggers appreciate the paved paths that encircle the picturesque lake. Picnic tables under pavilions make the park ideal for hangouts on sunny days. Pet owners consider the park perfect for strolls alongside their furry friends, since footbridges and plenty of open spaces keep the stroll interesting.

Families with children prefer Greenleaf Park off South Greenleaf Drive for its family friendly amenities, such as restrooms and water fountains. The real attraction at this park is the large playground and multipurpose field for sports. Entering the park doesn’t cost anything, but renting pavilions or reserving the field will require a bit of cash.

Residents of Walnut Ridge get decent bang for their buck, with an average cost of living about 19 percent lower than that in Washington, D.C. Residents pay less for almost all goods and services, such as health care, groceries and utilities. However, transportation costs sit slightly higher, since Walnut Ridge lies more than an hour away from the city. Fuel prices sit about 2.5 percent lower than the national average, but using public transportation for daily commutes accounts for the higher transportation costs. Monthly transportation fare for local routes runs $50, but students and seniors who live in town get discounts. Housing prices remain slightly more affordable in Walnut Ridge, with average monthly prices of $1,355 for a standard one-bedroom apartment. Overall, affordable prices also allow residents to enjoy small luxuries at discount prices, such as a beer for $3 at a local pub.

No retail options exist in Walnut Ridge, but a small cluster of shopping venues congregate along Yellow Springs Road. This retail hub houses the Walnut Ridge Shopping Center and a few groceries stores, such as Food Lion and CVS Pharmacy, where locals head to pick up all the essentials. A second cluster of shops sprouts up along Patrick Street, providing additional opportunities to purchase items from chain grocers and pharmacies. High-end boutiques and fashion retailers remain limited to downtown Frederick, but these unique accessories, antiques and one-of-a-kind closet staples reside less than 5 miles away from Walnut Ridge. Likewise, residents looking to peruse an all-inclusive mall head to the Francis Scott Key Mall.

For a nice local shop that can help any pet owner find the accessories, foods or advice they need, locals head to Rick's Fish and Pet Supply. Rick's caters to everything from birds to reptiles to fish and cats and dogs.

Grab farm fresh groceries from the West Frederick Farmers’ Market on Oak Street for the best selection of locally grown produce and organic meats. Frequent shoppers praise the selection of niche vendors, especially for delectable goods such as kettle corn and truffles. The market is part of a countywide coalition of farmers’ markets, which means locals can travel to nearby towns to indulge in the best of their neighbors’ markets as well.