Manchester was one of the four places I was considering while house hunting. The housing prices were good and there was enough local services if I was in a pinch. The thing that turned me off was the school/local taxes...so in the end I went somewhere else nearby (have no kids).

Not far from Manchester are John Rudy and Rocky Ridge Parks...one has nice paved paths, and the other one has unpaved trails and scenic views. From John Rudy, there is a bicycle path that connects to Maryland and then some. After this railroad underpass gets fixed, it would be 27 miles to the PA/MD border and another 18 miles to where the trail terminates near Cockeysville. There's a golf course nearby Manchester as well.