Maryland Official Visitors Guide - 2026 Maryland Official Visitors Guide
Build Your Own Maryland Vacation
2025-11-04 05:33:21
Jump-start your vacation planning with these trip ideas. Stick to one or mix and match things to do … whatever floats your skipjack.
Nature and Outdoors
In Cumberland, wander Rocky Gap State Park’s rhododendronand mountain laurel-lined trails. The colorful blooms perfectly complement the sapphire waters of Lake Habeeb — a hot spot for fishing, paddling and swimming. At Rocky Gap Casino, Resort & Golf in nearby Flintstone, soak in the verdant beauty of Maryland’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course or unwind in the shade of a cabana on the resort’s exclusive lakeside beach.
Not even two hours east in Thurmont, you’ll find more of nature’s magic. Catoctin Mountain Park’s Chimney Rock and Hog Rock hikes are calfburners that reward with vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains’ textured green canopies. Let the interpretive signs of the Catoctin Furnace African American Cemetery & Trail guide you through the roles of enslaved African-American ironworkers in building the industrial might of our nation. The area’s epic scenery pairs perfectly with reds, whites and rosés at Catoctin Breeze and Links Bridge vineyards. Call it a night at familyowned Ole Mink Farm Recreation Resort, where luxury log cabins, hot tubs and firepits welcome you.
While in the area, visit Cunningham Falls State Park to cast for brook and brown trout on Big Hunting Creek. This leg of Maryland’s Fly Fishing Trail enchants anglers with its small waterfalls, riffles and pools. Earn hiker bragging rights by bagging a section of the Appalachian Trail via Greenbrier State Park. Victorian-era stylings make for storybook dreams at Hollerstown Hill Bed and Breakfast. More on p. 84
Wellness and Spa Stays
At Wellspring Manor & Spa in Upper Marlboro, utter indulgence is the name of this cheery, red-brick manor’s game. You’ll be greeted by welcoming hosts, plush robes, daily hors d’oeuvres service and an on-site art gallery with a resident curator. Seven serene acres, en suite chef-prepared dinners and exclusive, guest-only spa treatments make self-care easy. Check out package deals for perks like Champagne, wellness journals, VIP event tickets and cultural celebrations.
St. Michaels’ early-1800s Federal and Greek Revival-style Inn at Perry Cabin takes you out of reality and into a vacation nirvana. Kick back on your private terrace or balcony and luxuriate in coastal moonlight and the aromas of garden herbs (used in the inn’s kitchen and spa offerings). Three on-site restaurants, a spa, a golf course, yoga and lawn games mean you’ll never have to leave, but the inn can also arrange for boating and paddling trips.
Set snugly in Elkton amid nature trails and rose gardens, Elk Forge B&B Inn, Spa & Events boasts everything a modern-day traveler needs to escape and unwind. Rooms and suites pamper you with cozy robes, Victorian soaking tubs, fireplaces and elegant wood furnishings. The Tea Garden Spa ups the relaxation ante with a robust menu of facials, massages and mineral-rich body scrubs.
Family Attractions
Deep Creek Lake State Park is a beloved recreation area near McHenry that has so much to offer, you could spend a week here. (And you can thanks to 100-plus campsites and a gold mine of nearby lodgings!) Take a dip at the swim beach before drying off on 20 miles of hiking trails, cast for walleye and pike, or speed things up with boat and Jet Ski rentals. Nearby Funland earns its name with bumper cars, go-karts and waterballoon wars, and you can take to the air on obstacle and ropes courses at Monkey Business Adventure Park. Watch for shooting stars at Deep Creek Lake campsites or opt for the suite life with an indoor pool and continental breakfast at Wisp Resort.
At Fort Ritchie’s Discovery Station, work off vacation car-ride energy with active learning across two floors of hands-on STEAM exhibits ranging from dinosaurs to LEGO robotics. Plan another leg stretch for Irvine Nature Center in Owings Mills. Here, you can snap pics of your kids in the butterfly house and learn about Native American life.
Named for the people who originally inhabited the land, Piscataway Park in Accokeek is a delight for the whole family. Hit the Visitor Center to rent a Bird Adventure Pack with binoculars or a GPS to hunt for geocache treasures. Potomac River sunsets dazzle from The Capital Wheel in National Harbor, where you’ll find numerous family-friendly hotels.
Culture, Heritage and History
Maryland celebrates the people who make it special. The Button Farm Living History Center in Germantown is a prime example, with exhibits that teach of enslaved people and 19th-century agriculture. A short drive east in Sandy Spring, Woodlawn Museum and Sandy Spring Slave Museum are home to exhibits, an Underground Railroad Experience Trail and an art gallery that shed light on the lives of African Americans, their quest for freedom and the Civil Rights Movement.
Chug over to the Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum — America’s oldest surviving depot — for artifacts, station rooms, a caboose and an impressive model train. At Columbia’s Howard County Center of African American Culture, immerse yourself in Black history as you take in vintage clothing and displays. Sleep in 18thcentury style at Ellicott City’s The Wayside Inn; it’s said George Washington and John Quincy Adams both caught some early-American Zzzs here.
At the living-history museum of Historic St. Mary’s City, tour a wooden tall ship, learn about candlemaking, see how Indigenous people prepared their meals and more. The Inn at Leonardtown, Ascend Hotel Collection has cozy rooms within easy walking distance of notable sites, including the Old Jail Museum — an Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site.
Flowing through Vienna, the Nanticoke River holds so much history, it’s a wonder it doesn’t spill its banks. In fact, the name means “tidewater” in Algonquin, the language of the Nanticoke people. Paddle past pawpaws and sassafras while looking for bald eagles on the Nanticoke Water Trail, knowing you’re on routes similar to those traveled by Harriet Tubman and English explorer Captain John Smith. Learn more about the Nanticoke people, enslaved African Americans and colonists by touring Handsell House, whose calendar features fascinating educational events and cultural festivals. Stick close to the riverbank come nightfall at Roaring Point Waterfront Campground. More on p. 50
Arts & Entertainment Districts
In Baltimore’s Graffiti Alley, artistic expression through spray paint is totally legal, creating an ever-changing exhibition. Visit the Baltimore Museum of Art to take in the world’s largest Matisse collection — 1,200-plus pieces — along with the works of Picasso, Cézanne and van Gogh. Stroll a collection spanning seven millennia at The Walters Art Museum, with highlights including ancient maps and Egyptian artifacts. Named for a Harlem Renaissance great, the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center hosts African dance performances, workshops and local art exhibits.
Come evening, take your pick of entertainment, with everything from indie bands to improv. The Creative Alliance, Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Ottobar and Metro Gallery are just the tips of the performance iceberg. Decompress with spa treatments before tucking in for the night at The Ivy Hotel; its on-site bistro, Magdalena, dishes up locally sourced plates that are works of art themselves.
Wheaton and Bethesda Arts & Entertainment Districts are rich with inspiration and culture. Bethesda comes alive with public art, vibrant murals and a thriving gallery scene, while Wheaton’s events calendar is packed with cultural celebrations. At the award-winning Brookside Gardens, marvel at the artistry behind cultivated blooms. Let your head hit luxe pillows at The Oaks Bed & Breakfast Inn, where fresh cookies, weekly yoga and wine-and-cheese nights enhance the experience.
Dip into Chestertown’s riverfront to peruse paintings, sculptures and jewelry in small-town galleries. Snap pics of public sculptures like bike-cog butterflies and metal waves protruding from mounds of grass. The Denton Artsway is another hidden gem — the tiny city center is packed to the gills with creator spaces showcasing fiber arts, pottery, notecards and collages. Let the day’s wanderings paint your dreams at Easton’s Hummingbird Inn — a charismatic Victorian that hosts mind-opening experiences like dinners in the dark.
Beaches and Waterways
Annapolis’ proximity to the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay make it a water-lover’s wonderland. Marvel at the silvery lunar light dappling peaceful waters during a full-moon paddleboarding trip with Capital SUP, who also offers eco tours. During the day, head to Sandy Point State Park for food trucks, swimming and nature hikes. Catch a glimpse of the Empire-style Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse, and keep an eye out for waterbirds daintily picking their way across the sand. Check the nature center’s calendar for special events and exhibits in both English and Spanish. More on p. 60
Across the Bay in Bellevue, traverse the Tred Avon River, a tributary of the Choptank River, on the Oxford- Bellevue Ferry. The ferry runs April to mid-November, and the route has been used since 1683, making it one of the oldest in the nation. Oxford’s Scottish Highland Creamery uses Maryland milk and cream to concoct delectable scoops and soft serve. The boutique, adults-only Sandaway Suites & Beach wows with water views and lounge chairs along the river.
We could write a full book about what to do in Ocean City, but here are a few highlights: Explore area history and surfing evolution at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum before parasailing high above the Atlantic’s cresting waves. Spend a full day on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Stay as close to the water as possible without being in it at Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront Suites. More on p. 65
SHOPPING SIDE TRIPS
The ornate historical storefronts of downtown Cumberland and Frederick overflow with antiques, boutique fashions, toys and local artwork.
Bike into St. Michaels to look for nautically themed souvenirs, sample high-end olive oils and soak up small-town vibes.
In Ellicott City, Leonardtown and Loveville, find boutique shops or Amish markets selling everything from alpacawool clothing and quilts to handmade furniture and antiques.
Get more inspiration for your Maryland dream vacation.
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