CAPITAL REGION Frederick Arts Festival in Carroll Creek Park participate in a celebration of literary excellence at the Gaithersburg Book Festival. The annual event includes workshops, children’s story time and book sales. SPOTLIGHT Hike, Bike and Kayak along the Historic C&O Canal Taste Local Brews The Maryland Craft Beer Festival in Downtown Frederick presents small-batch and craft beers by local brewing companies in a family-friendly environment with live bluegrass, Americana and folk music. Celebrate the Holidays at Gaylord National’s ICE! Immerse yourself in a winter wonderland with holiday scenes hand-sculpted from 5,000 blocks of ice. Visit a decorated Christmas town square, complete with holiday merchandise, a hot chocolate stand, Santa’s sleigh and more. C&O Canal Towpath, Dickerson The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal operated from 1831 until 1924 with a system of locks as a route for transporting coal, lumber and agricultural products along the Potomac River. Today, the 184.5-mile C&O Canal towpath along the historic canal offers some of the best places for outdoor recreation in the Washington, D.C. area. Starting in Georgetown and ending in Cumberland, Maryland, the trail has great scenery and easy terrain for strolling, hiking and biking. Some sections are perfect for fl atwater kayaking or standup paddleboarding. In Potomac, just north of D.C., the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center offers historical exhibits daily and interpretive programs on weekends from early April through the end of October. Visitors can step back in time and experience a living history ranger guided program aboard a one-hour trip on a reproduction of a 19th-century canal boat. Trips depart at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Canal Quarters program offers overnight accommodations at historic lockhouses to experience what life was like in centuries past. PHOTO: C. KURT HOLTER DESTINATION MARYLAND ✥ 61
Maryland Official Visitors Guide 2018 Maryland Official Visitors Guide: Page 61
