What To Do in Frederick Maryland

Five Adventures to Have in Frederick Maryland

Frederick Maryland is becoming a destination location for residents and visitors to Central Maryland. For several years city planners have been hard at work creating a beautiful downtown linear park that has created the perfect environment for businesses, restaurants, museums and celebrations of all kinds. From the center of the historic district to the outlying parks, Frederick Maryland has much adventure to offer for a day trip or a weekend get-away.

Frederick Maryland is located 50 miles from Baltimore and 50 miles from Washington DC, like the third point of a triangle. Surrounded on the North and West by the foothills of the Appalachian chain of mountains, and by rolling hills and farmland on the South and East, Frederick is ideally located for commuters to the City, and visitors from Central Maryland. Here are just a few of the many attractions that Frederick offers.

Isabella's Delicious Paella

Culinary Adventures abound in Frederick. Our little city has many unique, non-chain restaurants to boast about, including Volt, of “Top Chef” fame. The downtown restaurant strip has charmed Bar-b-que lovers at The Black Hog, wine-lovers at The Tasting Room, and a myriad of Regional food-lovers, from Indian cuisine, Italian, American, and Contemporary Fusion fans. We have two local brew-pubs, four locally owned Irish Pubs, and plenty of places for organic and vegetarian cuisine. Trust me, when you visit Frederick, there is no excuse to leave hungry. Check out my Google Map of Frederick Restaurants.  Our work is cut out for us fellow foodies!

Adventure in shopping, sans the dropping, is guaranteed during a visit to Frederick. The Historic District has been carefully preserved to create one of the largest (50 square blocks) and most quaint shopping district on the East Coast. There is a ratio of roughly 9 to 1, of locally owned shops verses chain stores. If you’re looking for something unique to buy for that person who has it all, you’ll find it in Frederick. And you’ll enjoy your stroll through the district filled with restored Federal and Victorian architecture.

Adventures of Historical proportions are waiting for the history buff who visits. Frederick Maryland is located in the center of an area filled with Civil War history. The Civil War Medical Museum is located in downtown Frederick. The churches of Frederick were used as hospitals for wounded soldiers during several Civil War Battles. Surrounding Frederick, are Monocacy Battlefield National Park, Antietam Battlefield National Park and Gettysburg Battlefield National Park. There are several architectural museums in Frederick, including the Beatty-Cramer Architectural Museum, Rose Hill Manor Museum, and the Shifferstadt Architectural Museum. Frederick is a must-see stop on the Civil War Discovery Trail.

Frederick is a lively scene for Adventures in the Arts. There is a growing theater district in the downtown area which includes the Weinberg Center for the Arts, a historic theater, the MET, Maryland Ensemble Theater, and the Maryland Shakespeare Festival, which performs in their 2nd Street Theater. The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theater is a lot of fun for children. There are several Art Galleries and Museum Shops in Frederick. On the first Saturday of every month there is a lovely Gallery Walk in downtown Frederick, which includes exhibit openings, guest artists and live entertainment. The Delaplaine Visual Arts Center offers exhibits and classes, as well as local artists’ work on sale.

Frederick’s location affords many Adventures in the Wild for residents and visitors alike. Surrounded by the beautiful views of the mountains, there are several state parks to enjoy: Catoctin Mountain and Cunningham Falls State Park on the north, Gambrill State Park, with its 42-acre man-made lake and beach, Gathland, and Greenbriar on the west. It’s great fun to bike the C & O Canal Trail along the tow-path by the Potomac River, as well as enjoy fishing and boating. Frederick has many local parks where sports leagues of all kinds play. And if you’re like me, and prefer watching, come out to enjoy our minor league baseball team, the Keys, at Harry Grove Stadium.

Frederick Maryland has a host of adventures to offer residents and visitors. There truly is something for everyone to enjoy, whether you’re the active adventurer, or the thoughtful historian, and all within an afternoon’s drive. But be careful, if you visit for very long, you might be tempted to stay, because Frederick is a great place to live, work and play.