An unincorporated community located in central Montgomery County, Maryland, North Potomac is an expanding neighborhood with plenty to offer. Surrounded by green space and the Potomac River, this area is also within close reach of large cities and some MARC stations.

West of Rockville and South of Gaithersburg

North Potomac is bounded by Travilah Road and Valley Drive to the south, Lakewood Country Club to the east, Route 28 to the north, and Jones Lane along with Turkey Foot Road complete the boundaries to the west. Gaithersburg borders the area to the north, and beyond that are Germantown, Montgomery Village, and Clarksburg. Darnestown is to the west, Travilah is to the south, and Rockville dominates the surroundings to the east. Maryland neighborhoods like Potomac, North Bethesda, and Poolesville are all within reach. The Potomac River is just south of Travilah and acts as the Virginia-Maryland state line. The closest VA neighborhoods are Great Falls, Sterling, and Reston.

History of the Potomac

This neighborhood is relatively new, as it was created in 1988 from the peripheral fringes of Gaithersburg and Rockville. It lies parallel to the Potomac River, which itself is nearly two million years old. The Potomac River, in terms of area, is the fourth largest river along the Atlantic coast of the United States and the 21st largest in the United States. Over 5 million people live within the Potomac watershed, and this includes residents of North Potomac. The word Potomac is a European spelling of Patowmeck, the Algonquian name of a Native American village. Throughout the years the river has changed names but was officially decided upon as Potomac by the Board on Geographic Names in 1931.

I-270 and Rockville MARC

Route 28 is the area’s main road which links the town with Darnestown and Rockville. I-270 and I-370 are very close to the neighborhood with their intersection meeting near Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg. Drivers going southbound on I-270 will eventually hit I-495. This road runs around the nation’s capitol and hits neighborhoods like Bethesda and Silver Spring in Maryland, and Tyson’s Corner and Springfield in Virginia. There are also plenty of MARC stations located in both Rockville and Gaithersburg. The closest station to North Potomac is the Rockville MARC station which is accessible via Route 28 or the Ride-On bus service.

Condos, Townhouses, and Detached Homes

The area has recently seen a resurgence of newly developed housing complexes, with a new breed of urban lifestyle centers being built around town. These housing developments can range from condominiums to apartment buildings and feature a multitude of retailers. The majority of housing in the area is single-family detached homes. Properties closer to Muddy Branch Park are heavily surrounded by a wooded environment which provides a more secluded setting compared to the urban areas.

Washingtonian Center

This large, lakefront shopping center is situated on Boardwalk Place in nearby Gaithersburg and features many stores and restaurants, plus a movie theater, paddle boats, and a trail. For shopping, you can expect stores like Kohl’s, Target, Barnes & Noble, JoS. A. Bank, Pier 1 Imports, and Ann Taylor among others. The lakefront activities at this location are especially worth noting, as it’s a great place for families and dates. It provides a large carousel, a popular train ride, paddleboats, a walking trail surrounding the lake, and a playground overlooking the lake. Uncle Julio’s is a lively, group-friendly chain restaurant adjacent to the lake and features Tex-Mex classics and signature swirl margaritas. Other notable restaurants within this shopping mall include Grille Restaurant & Lounge, Tara Thai, Joe’s Crab Shack, and Copper Canyon Grill.

However, if you prefer to eat locally go to CAVA Mezze Restaurant which is situated on Traville Gateway in North Potomac. Across the street from The Universities at Shady Grove, this Greek eatery serves tapas-style bites and classic eats in an industrial setting. Some popular dishes among the locals are the chicken lollipops and the watermelon salad. Other restaurants in the area include Nantucket’s Reef, Sushi Oishii, Quench, and The Bukhara Indian Spice Craze which is a congenial eatery offering a broad menu of classic Indian cuisine, a lunch buffet, and sidewalk tables.

Muddy Branch Park

Muddy Branch is an existing stream valley greenways beginning in Gaithersburg and connecting the town to the Potomac River. This large green space dominates the western end of town and is a corridor owned by M-NCPPC and the city of Gaithersburg. A trail linking Blockhouse Point Park and the C&O Canal National Historical Park has been proposed. Blockhouse Point Conservation Park is adjacent to the Potomac River and is a 630-acre riverside park offering trails, wildlife-viewing, native plants, plus some Civil War ruins.

There are two golf clubs located around North Potomac: Lakewood Country Club and Bretton Woods Golf Course. Some other green spaces located in and around this neighborhood include Seneca Creek State Park, South Germantown Recreational Park, and Big Pines Local Park. The Potomac Horse Center is a notable business in the community and was founded in the late 1950s and has since become the premiere equestrian center located in the area.

Parallel to the Potomac River, North Potomac is a growing community within close distance to major cities and neighborhoods like Gaithersburg and Rockville. It’s mostly a residential neighborhood, but it’s within close reach of some terrific restaurants, a large shopping mall, and some MARC stations that make traveling to DC much easier.