What's your favorite Maryland town and why? (Baltimore, Columbia: houses, college)

[LynnSp]

I am looking for all responses! I'm only a year here in Mount Airy, MD and would love to learn more about Maryland. I am super fond of the general area surrounding here, love downtown Frederick and towns like New Market or Westminster. Love the hills, the picturesque patchwork of farms and mountains as we get closer to Harper's Ferry, etc. Anything you'd like to share (pros and cons) will be appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your time!

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by LynnSp

....... Anything you'd like to share (pros and cons) will be appreciated.
.........

You ought to know about St Michaels, on the Miles River on the Eastern Shore. Lovely walkable small town with a Maritime Museum and antique shops. It's good for a weekend visit with a stay at a B&B. Plan to have steamed crabs at one of the crab shacks. Or an elegant dinner at one of the upscale places like the St Michaels Harbor Inn.

[DaveinMtAiry]

Welcome to Mt Airy! You have hit on the nice spots in the area however what makes Maryland so unique is how it totally changes once you get near the Bay. Once over the bridge you go from the edge of Appalachia in our area to very flat, agricultural territory with a lot of towns on the water. It's still Maryland but it looks like you are in a totally different part of the country when it's only 100 miles away.

My favorite cities in Maryland are Frederick and Annapolis, I'd spend a day in Annapolis as it's about an hour away however there are many others. Take a drive southeast and visit the countless small beach towns such as North Beach etc. That WAS the beach until they built a bridge over the Bay and made the ocean available. So they have the beach town feel. Or go over the bridge and spend a weekend on the eastern shore in a place such as St Michaels as was suggested you will also like Easton. Of course there is always Baltimore and there's a whole lot to see and do there but you seem more like a small town person.

A word of caution: crabs are fantastic but they are difficult to consume unless you go with a local who can show you how to pick them. If you haven't had it yet try crab imperial, I like it better than crab cakes as it's more moist. But both are great.

[North Beach Person]

Carlisle, PA. So many Marylanders have moved there, and brought the Maryland stupid with them, that it's just like being here.

[elizabeth224]

A second vote for Annapolis and will add Main Street Ellicott City (quaint shops and restaurants that extend into Catonsville) and Emmitsburg (for landscape). Enjoy exploring!

[slowlane3]

Shepherdstown, W.VA. 1 hour from you. A bohemian, historic, artsy college town with a film festival. The "Bavarian Inn" there is famous.

Annapolis - go inside the oldest continuous capital building in the nation, take the guided Naval Academy tour, hang around the busy, downtown sailboat dock area with its sidewalk cafe's, browse in art galleries - many with a nautical theme, wander quaint, narrow streets and alleys with a European feel. Harbor sightseeing cruises are available leaving from the far end of the sailboat dock - some cruises even visit the town of St. Michaels across the bay for a few hours and return. You can park in one of 3 multi-level garages in downtown Annapolis, or at the Naval Academy stadium a short walk or shuttle-ride away.

Gettysburg - probably the #1 Civil-War destination in the U.S. - Museums and battlefield tours . Not sure of the situation right now, but normally the town is full of costumed re-enactor enthusiasts. Emmitsburg - outdoor shrine and memorial church to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Ellicott City- (between Columbia and Catonsville) - Ellicott City is a touristy town set in a gorge, with steep streets and stone houses, cafe's, and a railroad museum. You would never believe you're very close to Baltimore, as it feels like more of a mountain setting. The popular Patapsco Valley state park near there, offers many miles of hiking trails.

[cat1116]

My favourite Md towns - since we had lived there for a few years, back in early 1980’s, was Germantown and Gaithersburg. Also liked and still do - Frederick. Further travels northbound.

Hey, anybody tell me what’s going on with FSK Mall? Did a Google search and saying temporarily closed but yet I’m hearing stuff down further in Montgomery County that was harder, re: Covid-19, starting to open.

Oh, don’t want to leave out the Brunswick, Md area. It’s been over 3 months, guessing that’s about close, since we’ve traveled in that direction.

Oh gosh durn it... Hagerstown too.

Stay safe and enjoy the temps before they get too hot

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by cat1116

My favourite Md towns - since we had lived there for a few years, back in early 1980’s, was Germantown and Gaithersburg. Also liked and still do - Frederick. Further travels northbound.

Hey, anybody tell me what’s going on with FSK Mall? Did a Google search and saying temporarily closed but yet I’m hearing stuff down further in Montgomery County that was harder, re: Covid-19, starting to open.

Oh, don’t want to leave out the Brunswick, Md area. It’s been over 3 months, guessing that’s about close, since we’ve traveled in that direction.

Oh gosh durn it... Hagerstown too.

Stay safe and enjoy the temps before they get too hot

Wow we certainly have different tastes. I'm from Montgomery County and see Gaithersburg and Germantown as nothing more than suburban sprawl with little character or appeal what so ever to me. I love the upper Potomac and spent a lot of time in places like Brunswick. Not a fan, it along with most towns along the river are dumpy IMO until you get to Harpers Ferry which of course is a jewel. Hagerstown has a few nice spots but it's kind of run down as well, much prefer Frederick as you said.

To answer your question FSK Mall remains closed, not sure if it's the state or county doing this.

I had completely forgotten about Ellicott City Main Street, another of my favorite places. It's no more than an afternoon but it's very cool. Well except when it floods. Opening poster: Google Ellicott City Floods to learn what I'm talking about.

[elizabeth224]

you will have to try the new Phoenix Emporium now called Phoenix Upper Main after COVID settles.

[LynnSp]

Thank you everyone for these suggestions! Yes, Harper's Ferry is a jewel; Ellicott City is fabulous and Annapolis is beautiful. We enjoyed Hagerstown this weekend. Be sure to know that I'll be checking out everyone's suggestions. I've been through Germantown and Gaithersburg but I can't wait for all the parks to open because I think I've just scratched the surface.

Thank you again.