LIVE
The distinctive homes within this cluster of Northeast Baltimore neighborhoods run the gamut, from Parkside’s spacious, porch-front rowhouses to Arcadia’s regal standalone bungalows, colonials, and cottages, to the attractive Tudor revival duplexes (and even some surprising Pueblo revival dwellings) of the charmingly named Beverly Hills. Families here prize the wooded escape of Herring Run Park, the increasingly lively main commercial strip in neighboring Lauraville, and proximity to several schools.

SHOP
Residents enjoy a bounty of grocery options, plus a weekly Tuesday farmers markets at Lauraville’s Harford Road community space offers local produce for sale, as well as prepared food and Baltimore-made goods. For gifts, check out Found Studio Shop, Habitual Work+Shop, and Snug Books.

DINE
Foodies and casual carryout fans alike can indulge here. Lauraville alone has Koco’s (famous for crab cakes), cozy farm-to-table stalwart Maggie’s Farm, elegant-yet-approachable Cafe Campli, Zeke’s Coffee, and more. And just up Harford Road, options include beloved Silver Queen Cafe, Micky’s Joint, Hamilton Sports Bar & Grill, Diasporan Soul, Lost in the 50s Diner, Stoko’s, and Big Bad Wolf BBQ.

PLAY
These communities sit just north of Herring Run Park, a 375-acre refuge of trails, woods, and so much more to explore along the namesake stream. Play areas abound, from Lake Montebello’s reservoir walking loop to the ballfields at Hooper Field to Hall Springs, a streamside picnicking spot with swings, a playground, and a half-basketball court.

ARTS/CULTURE
Neighborhood parties and festivals bring the community together frequently. Favorites include the Lauraville Fair in September (38 years running), Arcadia’s block parties, and the Harford Road Spooktacular come Halloween. Harford’s commercial strip also hosts monthly First Fridays at art galleries, and boasts yarn and sewing shop Domesticity, the Strand Theater in Hamilton, and music lessons at Four-Hour Day Lutherie and Hamiltone Music.

NEIGHBOR SPOTLIGHT

Josie Rhodes, 40, is a Northeast Baltimore native. She has lived with her family in Arcadia for three years and previously owned Red Canoe Cafe in Lauraville, a family business she took over from her mother.

“Arcadia just turned 100 years old and it’s right next to the park. There are a ton of trees, these really giant oak trees, and a ton of children. Our kids are 10 and 12, and it just seems that our house ends up being the epicenter of activity. I grew up that way in Mayfield on the other side of Herring Run, with an abundance of kids running around. It’s a nice mix of young families and then families who have been in Arcadia forever. A lot of the kids I went to school with, their parents still live here.

“It’s huge being near Lauraville, to have proximity to an over-100-acre park and then walkability to farmers markets and retail and a grocery store. I feel like I’ve watched that main street struggle for so long to turn into something. And in the last 10 years, it’s really blossomed.”

NEIGHBORHOOD STATS
Population: 4,120 Occupancy Rate: 90 percent Owner/Renter Split: 85 percent/15 percent Median Home Purchase Price: $250,000 (Arcadia)/ $280,000 (Beverly Hills) /$120,000 (Parkside) Estimated Monthly Mortgage: $2,161 (Arcadia) / $2,420 (Beverly Hills) / $1,037 (Parkside) Estimated Rent: $2,177 (Arcadia)/ $1,375 (Beverly Hills) / $1,961 (Parkside) Walk Score: 24 Transit Score: 42

—Sources: Baltimore City Department of Planning/Live Baltimore