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To make it easier on our visitors, we’ve divided the state into five tourism regions. Here’s a capsule description of each, just to whet your appetite. No matter where you go, you’ll find something fun just around the corner.

Western Maryland
Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties

If there’s a touch of Indiana Jones in you, this is the perfect place for your next adventure. Western Maryland is where you’ll find picturesque mountains that are perfect for hiking and white-water rapids just waiting to be tackled by daring rafters. Deep Creek Lake, the state’s biggest manmade body of water, welcomes boaters and water skiers in warm weather; Wisp, Maryland’s ski resort, welcomes skiers and tubers in the winter months. If you prefer to step back in time rather than taking a walk on the wild side, explore such sites as the C&O Canal and Antietam National Battlefield.

Central Maryland
Baltimore City and Annapolis
Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties

As home to both Maryland’s capital, Annapolis, and to its most populated city, Baltimore, this region boasts an unbeatable combination of fun and culture. You can go out to a ball game, attend the symphony, shop ‘til you drop and visit historic sites all in the same day – and still have time left to enjoy a great meal at one of the region’s famous restaurants. Within minutes’ drive of the big-city hustle and bustle, you’ll find serene pastures that are home to Maryland’s Thoroughbred horses, old mills and farms, and waterside villages that are havens for boaters and history buffs alike.

Capital Region
Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties

Maryland is a generous state; so generous, in fact, that in 1791 we donated the land that became Washington, D.C. We have benefited greatly from that action, and today the three Maryland counties that border the nation’s capital are far more than “bedroom” communities. In fact, if you had to choose a room in your house that best represents this area, you’d have a tough time deciding whether it should be the study (this region is packed with history); the rec room (there are a surprising number of state and national parks that offer everything from hiking to biking); or the dining room (there’s an astounding array of restaurants featuring everything from down-home cooking to cuisine from around the world).

Southern Maryland
Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties

This is where it all began way back in 1634, when 140 Europeans arrived to settle the colony that would be named Maryland. The state’s original capital, now called Historic St. Mary’s City, is preserved as a living history museum, but don’t think for a minute that this area’s appeal is limited to those who enjoying delving into the past. You’ll be hard-pressed to find better bass fishing anywhere on the East Coast, and the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent and Potomac rivers are a hit with boaters, too. If you prefer to just sit back and take it easy, you can do that here, as well. It’s where you’ll find a number of tiny waterside resorts that beckon to travelers eager to abandon their cares.

Eastern Shore
The beach resort of Ocean City
Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester counties

They say that “Maryland is for crabs,” and nowhere is that proven more true – or false – than on the Eastern Shore. It’s true in terms of the quality and quantity of the beloved blue crab, whose succulent meat is the key ingredient in many a feast. But it’s entirely false if you’re referring to the attitude of the people you’ll encounter along your journey; there’s a level of hospitality here that makes it easy to understand why Maryland is considered a Southern state. Spend a day on the bay, sailing from point to point and discovering this region’s history, or drive from one waterfront village to the next in search of the perfect crab cake. 

What to see and do:

• Ocean City: “The East Coast’s Number One Family Resort”
• Baltimore: Largest City in Maryland
• Annapolis: state capital

Maryland Trivia

Maryland is the only state to boast an official sport. Nope, it’s not baseball or lacrosse or anything else you’d expect to see played in this country – or this century. It’s jousting, which has been played here for more than 300 years. A particularly good place to see the spectacle of a medieval-style jousting tournament is the annual Maryland Renaissance Festival, held in Crownsville (an appropriate place for such a regal event) on weekends from August through October. Maryland also is home to North America’s eighth location of Medieval Times, an entertainment and dining venue that features jousting as part of its performance.

The world’s first telegraph line was erected between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., in 1844. Baltimore’s Mount Clare Station, which was built in 1830 as the first railroad station in the country, was the receiving point of Samuel Morse’s famed “What hath God wrought” message. Today the station is the B&O Railroad Museum, a great place to learn about the history of the railroad that brought fame and fortune to Baltimore and which earned immortality on the Monopoly board.

Margaret Brent was the first American woman to be a lawyer, landowner, taxpayer and suffragist. There’s a memorial to her at Historic St. Mary’s City in Southern Maryland, site of the state’s original capital. Besides visiting that memorial, you can see how a 17th-century plantation was run, climb aboard a replica of one of the two ships that brought settlers to Maryland in 1634, and witness a 1600s-style trial staged by costumed interpreters.

The army’s first Aviation Corps was established at the College Park Airport, the oldest continually operating airport in the country. The most famous instructors at the site were Wilbur and Orville Wright. The College Park Aviation Museum marks the site, complete with an animatronic Wilbur Wright to guide visitors through the exhibits.

The first monument to the memory of George Washington was erected in a single day on a hillside in Boonsboro, Maryland in 1827. It’s basically a pile of stones . . . but it was a good effort nonetheless! Today you can hike to the monument at Washington Monument State Park to get a wonderful view of Western Maryland and surrounding states. If you’d prefer something a little more statuesque, visit the Washington Monument in the heart of Baltimore City. The 178-foot column was crafted in 1842 by Robert Mills, the same man who later designed the more familiar (pencil-like) monument in Washington, D.C.

The infamous Doc Holliday was a student at the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, founded in 1840 as the first dental school in the world. There’s no more appropriate place, then, for the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry, a fabulous interactive facility that showcases the evolution of dentistry. Among the pieces in its collection are George Washington’s dentures (no, they weren’t wooden; they were ivory) and a set of dental instruments used by Queen Victoria.

Roger Brooke Taney, a notable chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, hailed from Frederick. His former home is now the Roger Brooke Taney and Francis Scott Key Museum honoring both Taney and his brother-in-law, lawyer Francis Scott Key. Key earned his fame not only in the courtroom but also as the man who penned “The Star-Spangled Banner.” For the complete story about the national anthem, head to Baltimore to visit Fort McHenry, site of the battle that inspired Key to write his poem; the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House and 1812 Museum, home to the woman who sewed the huge flag that Key saw amidst the rocket’s red glare; and the Maryland Historical Society, which houses Key’s original manuscript.

The Peabody Institute in Baltimore was the first endowed school of music in the United States and is still considered one of the finest conservatories in the world. Visitors can catch a student or faculty recital there or simply stop in to ogle the magnificent ironwork in the school’s library. It seems only fitting that this musical city would also be home to the first municipally supported orchestra in the country. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has been playing strong since 1916. Today a trip to the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall is a highlight of the winter season. Or if you prefer, catch the symphony in an outdoor summer concert (which often includes dramatic fireworks) at Oregon Ridge Park just north of Baltimore.

Many cities on the East Coast claim to be a one-time home of author Edgar Allan Poe. But Baltimore is the only city that boasts both his home (now a museum) and his grave. A gorgeous tombstone honoring Poe was erected at Westminster Cemetery in 1875. The project was paid for with pennies raised by Baltimore schoolchildren. Today that “Pennies for Poe” campaign continues; visitors to the grave often leave pennies at the gravesite. The coins are collected by a caretaker and used to pay for upkeep at the cemetery. For more information about Poe, schedule a visit to the tiny Edgar Allan Poe House, where he once lived with his aunt and cousin Virginia (who later became his wife), or stop by the Enoch Pratt Library, which features an amazing collection of Poe’s works and memorabilia.

A plaque at Annapolis’ City Dock commemorates the arrival in 1767 of African slave Kunta Kinte, who was immortalized by his descendent, Alex Haley, in the novel Roots. A life-size bronze statue of Haley was erected next to the plaque, symbolizing the message of Roots: the strength of the human spirit to overcome challenges comes from maintaining strong family connections and keeping pride in one’s cultural heritage.

Maryland was home to America’s first native-born saint, Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton. She was responsible for beginning the parochial school system in the United States when she opened an academy in Baltimore in 1808. Her Baltimore residence, the Mother Seton House, is now a museum, or you can visit the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg.

Wholesale production of ice cream began in Baltimore in 1851 when milk dealer Jacob Fussell finally figured out a way to use up surplus cream. Today the city has no shortage of places to find delicious ice cream treats. But if you want to see one of Fussell’s first ice cream wagons, visit the Baltimore Museum of Industry, a great interactive museum that highlights the city’s impact on the industrial age. Another highlight of a visit to the museum is learning how to make an umbrella. You guessed it: The first umbrellas manufactured in the United States were made in Baltimore in 1828.

Maryland’s State House is the oldest one in continuous legislative use in the United States. It also boasts the largest all-wood dome in America. The dome weighs approximately 160 tons and is topped by an acorn, the symbol of wisdom. Oddly enough, though, the acorn was installed upside-down.

Maryland is home to several baseball heroes, but perhaps the most famous is Babe Ruth, who was born here in 1895. The Babe Ruth Birthplace & Museum is within paces of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The bar that Ruth’s father owned once stood in part of what is today one of the most famous ballparks in the country.

The bloodiest one-day battle in American history was fought at Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg on September 17, 1862. On that day, 23,100 soldiers were killed or wounded. They are remembered each year when that many luminaries are lighted at the battlefield on the first Saturday in December.

Route 40, a.k.a. “The National Road” was the first federally funded highway in the United States. Today visitors can navigate the road from Baltimore City in Central Maryland to Grantsville in Western Maryland, stopping along the way to admire various historic sites and points of interest that have withstood the test of time and modern travel.

Crisfield is known as the “Crab Capital of the World.” This tiny town on the Eastern Shore is responsible for supplying the entire world with crabs – of both the hard-shell and soft-shell variety. Each year the town pays tribute to its beloved crustacean at the National Hard Crab Derby and Fair, which takes place on Labor Day weekend. Besides getting plenty of great crabs to eat, festival-goers can witness the Governor’s Cup Crab Race, in which crabs representing all 50 states and skittle to glory.

Maryland History

The first Marylanders were Paleo-Indians who arrived more than 10,000 years ago from other parts of North America to hunt mammoth, great bison and caribou. By 1000 B.C., Maryland was home to more than 8,000 Native Americans representing nearly 40 different tribes.

The first European to visit the area was Giovanni da Verrazano, an Italian explorer who traveled the Chesapeake Bay in the 1500s. In 1608, Captain John Smith arrived from England, and in 1631 William Claiborne established a fur trading post on Kent Island, the first English settlement in the upper Chesapeake.

But Maryland’s roots as a recognized colony date to the days of King Charles I, who promised George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, a colony north of Virginia. Before he set eyes on the land, George Calvert died; his son, Cecilus, became the second Lord Baltimore and spearheaded efforts to settle the colony.

He named the land “Terra Maria,” or “Maryland,” in honor of Charles’ wife, Queen Henrietta Maria, and sent his younger brother Leonard to lead 140 colonists to the area and serve as their first governor. The group arrived at St. Clement’s Island on March 25, 1634, and established the state’s first capital at St. Mary’s City. There it remained until 1695, when it was moved to Annapolis.

Since those early days, Maryland has played important roles in every aspect of American history. For example:

• Annapolis served not only as the state’s capital, but also as the capital of the 13 original colonies from November 1783 to August 1784.
• In 1788, Maryland was the seventh state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
• During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore and was inspired to pen the words to a poem entitled “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which eventually became the national anthem.
• On September 17, 1862, Antietam National Battlefield in the western reaches of Maryland was the site of the bloodiest single day of battle during the Civil War.

That’s just a sampling. The list goes on and on. To find out more about the state’s historic attractions, contact the public relations staff. Better yet, plan to visit Maryland yourself. You’ll soon discover that we’re still making history.

Tips on visiting: Visit our website or call 1-877-209-5883 to order a free travel kit

Information and photos submitted by: (All photos by Tim Tadder Photography)

Maryland Office of Tourism Development
217 East Redwood Street, 9th Floor
Baltimore, MD  21202
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