I was stationed at Fort Meade years ago. It was always a decent base, as it wasn t overly huge and was fairly easy to maneuver around. It also had a very nice weather climate in that the winters never were brutally cold compared to the Midwest and the summers were...well hot and humid, but definitely tolerable.The other thing that I really enjoyed about Ft. Meade was it s location. It has good access to BWI airport in Baltimore and it is located right along the Baltimore Washington Parkway, for easy access to both cities. We also were able to venture as to the Maryland seaboard, Philadelphia and as far south as Richmond. It really was a nice location.As to your thoughts about Baltimore and DC, they are like most other cities. They are meant to be explored and can be fun. I fell in love with DC though. I love the history in the city, the monuments, Capitol, museums. It is really a great place to visit. A couple of my favorites to do there are the Cherry Blossoms in the spring...simply gorgeous. In the summer, it s the Fourth of July concert fireworks on the National Mall the evening of July 4th. Amazing place to spend that holiday. A nice parade..lots of people. It also has a very friendly Metro Rail transit which can be accessed from the collar communities and taken directly into DC, thus avoiding traffic, driving and parking hassles.I think you ll enjoy the time spent there...and don t miss the opportunity to explore the surrounding areas.
I m not familiar with Fort Meade, but I ve lived near or around DC most of my life, and I really urge you to give the cities a chance. Maybe you ve heard that Baltimore and DC are crime filled and dirty, and that s true in the sense that you can find dirty and crime filled neighborhoods if you look for them. But the cities are mostly great places, especially the downtowns. DC has not only the National Mall and the museums and monuments, which you should definitely visit, but nice neighborhoods too. In mine, just a 10 minute walk from the Capitol, you ll find parks filled with kids playing and dogs running. I go to Baltimore occasionally and enjoy the inner harbor and the various neighborhoods. You ll also be near Annapolis, which is a nice little historic port town.Also, you re luck to get here in April. Spring in DC is absolutely spectacular - make sure to come and see the cherry blossoms!Go to the library or bookstore and get a guidebook to DC and one for Maryland. If you are going to be here for even a few months, they will be a valuable resource. I like Frommers guides, but there are a lot of good ones. They will give you ideas of what to see, where to eat, how to get there, how to stay safe, etc. You can browse them here: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/was�� and http://www.frommers.com/destinations/mar��Welcome to our neighborhood; I hope to make it to Texas soon! Yes, there are lots of differences, but there are lots of good people all over the country!