Fun things to do in all 23 Counties in Maryland

As a life-long Delawarean, I have explored our neighboring states for many years, and spent the last 15 years finding kid-friendly activities there. Here are our recommendations for something fun to do in each of the 23 counties in Maryland.

Things to do in Western Maryland

Western Maryland is rural and mountainous, with plenty of charming small towns, breathtaking views, and outdoor adventure.

Fun in Garrett County

Our recommendation: Hike in Swallow Falls State Park. This beautiful park offers several waterfall views over a gorgeous short hike from the parking lot.

Other ideas:

• Go skiing or boating at Deep Creek Lake.
• Visit Wisp Resort for outdoor adventure and scenic nature.
• Visit charming small towns such as Oakland or Grantsville.

Fun in Allegany County

Our recommendation: Ride the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. This popular heritage tourist railway takes passengers on a 16-mile mountain journey through the beautiful Allegheny Mountains.

Other ideas:

• Explore historic Cumberland.
• Hike in Green Ridge State Forest
• Enjoy the view at Green Ridge overlook

Fun in Washington County

Our recommendation: Check out the stalactites and stalagmites in the caves at Crystal Grottoes Caverns. Admission is about $23 for adults and $13 for kids 5 to 12.

Other ideas:

• Tour the Antietam National Battlefield
• Hike the Appalachian Trail near Annapolis Rock, Weverton Cliffs, or Washington Monument State Park, and enjoy the view.

Fun in Frederick County:

Our recommendation: Sip the wares at a local winery or brewery. Black Ankle Vineyards is excellent for serious wine lovers, while Springfield Manor Winery Distillery Brewery is a great pick if you want a combination winery, brewery, and distillery experience.

Other ideas:

• Walk the Frederick Carroll Creek Park
• Visit the National Museum of Civil War Medicine

Things to do in Central Maryland

Central Maryland is where you will find the largest city of Baltimore and its sprawling suburbs, as well as proximity to Washington DC and its suburbs. But you’ll also find some small town charm in this region as you move farther from the city and capitol.

Fun in Carroll County

Our recommendation: Explore the charming small town of Sykesville. Peruse the artisan and boutique shops on Main Street, get a book or a coffee at A Likely Story, and definitely the try the crepes at The French Twist Cafe.

Other ideas:

• Visit the Carroll County Farm Museum
• Hike the trails at Hashawha Environmental Center

Fun in Howard County

Our recommendation: Explore the trails at Patapsco Valley State Park. The park is huge with lots of choices. The Cascade Falls Trail is a popular 2 to 3 mile waterfall hike, the Grist Mill Trail is a 5 mile paved path (great for bikes and strollers), and the Old Main Line Rail Trail is great if you’re interested in checking out some ghost towns.

Other ideas:

• Walk through Historic Ellicott City
• Pet some animals at Clark’s Elioak Farm

Fun in Montgomery County

Our recommendation: Stroll in Brookside Gardens. This is a beautiful, free garden inside Wheaton Regional Park with a variety of plants and structures. Check out the Japanese Garden, Children’s Garden, Idea Garden, Butterfly Garden, and more.

Other ideas:

• Visit the Goddard Space Flight Center
• Tour the Josiah Henson Museum
• Go shopping in Bethesda

Fun in Harford County

Our recommendation: Walk the promenade in Havre De Grace, followed by a seafood meal at Water Street Seafood. If you have kids along, there is a lovely playground on the hill above the marina with a great view of the water.

Other ideas:

• Hike to the King and Queen Seat at Rocks State Park
• Enjoy a walk through Ladew Topiary Gardens
• Tour the working Rock Run Grist Mill at Susquehanna State Park

Fun in Baltimore County

Our recommendation: Hike or swim in Gunpowder Falls State Park. This is Maryland’s largest state park. The Hammerman Area includes a sandy swimming beach with a bathhouse, playgrounds, grills, and a shallow boat launch. Admission is $5 to $7 per person in the summer.

Other ideas:

• Explore Hampton National Historic Site
• Bike the NCR Trail
• Grab a brew and check out the farm animals at Farmacy Brewing

Fun in the City of Baltimore

Our recommendation: Although not technically one of Maryland’s county there is a lot to do in Baltimore. Our favorite activity is to visit the National Aquarium. It is huge with over 17,000 creatures from puffins to dolphins, sharks, jellies and much more. It even includes a rain forest with sloths and other primates.

Other ideas:

• Have a meal in the Inner Harbor
• Check out Fort McHenry
• Visit Edgar Allan Poe’s Grave

Things to do in Southern Maryland

This region is home to Annapolis and National Harbor, along with some quieter counties filled with wildlife and marine discoveries.

Fun in Anne Arundel County

Our recommendation: Explore the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. Visit the 180 year old college campus, “the yard,” and check out the chapel and museum. You can also go for a guided walking or vehicle tour. We took a boat tour there one year to get a view of the academy from the water.

Other ideas:

• Swim at Sandy Point State Park
• Tour the Annapolis Maritime Museum
• Visit the historical William Paca House and Garden

Fun in Prince George’s County

Our recommendation: Take an E-bike to explore National Harbor. Ride the Capital Wheel, check out the Awakening Statue, and get a bite to eat at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. You can even take a water taxi over to DC.

Other ideas:

• Visit Six Flags America
• Take a waterside walk at Artemesia Natural Area
• Check out the aircraft at College Park Aviation Museum

Fun in Calvert County

Our recommendation: Hike to the bay at Calvert Cliffs State Park. We saw lots of wildlife here and loved looking for fossils and checking out the beautiful cliffs.

Other ideas:

• Check out the sea creatures and displays at Calver Marine Museum
• Admire the Cove Point lighthouse
• Walk the grounds of the Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center

Fun in St. Mary’s County

Our recommendation: We loved beautiful Point Lookout State Park, where we swam with rays and watched the sunset over the bay. There is also a historic lighthouse and Civil War museum.

Other ideas:

• Find living history museums in St. Mary’s City, Maryland’s first European settlement
• Test out a flight simulator at Patuxent River Naval Air Museum
• Enjoy horseback riding at Greenwell State Park

Fun in Charles County

Our recommendation: Paddle boat and have a picnic at Gilbert Run Park. You can play on multiple playgrounds there and enjoy some ice cream purchased in the park for dessert. Paddle boats cost about $8 to $10 an hour, and seat four passengers.

Other ideas:

• See the “Ghost Fleet” of about 100 abandoned wooden steamships in Mallows Bay Park
• Walk or bike the Indian Head Rail Trail
• Visit the historic Samuel A. Mudd House Museum, where Dr. Mudd set the leg of John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of President Lincoln.

Things to do in Eastern Maryland

The Eastern Shore of Maryland is where you will find some of the best famous crab dishes for which Maryland is known. There are 9 counties in this region. Here they are:

Fun in Cecil County

Our recommendation: Visit Turkey Point at Elk Neck State Park. This park is located on a scenic peninsula on the Bay and the Elk River, and is great for hiking and birdwatching, with a swimming area as well. The lighthouse is located on a bluff, so expect a somewhat rugged hike of a little under a mile.

Other ideas:

• Buy some apple cider donuts at Milburn Orchards in the fall
• Visit the animals in Plumpton Park Zoo
• Take a scenic hike or horseback ride at Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area

Fun in Kent County

Our recommendation: Visit Massey Air Museum. This living airport-museum includes an aerodrome where vintage aircraft and gliders regularly take off and land, several walk-through aircraft, and several interactive displays in addition to it’s regular aircraft exhibits.

Other ideas:

• Watch a history reenactment in historic Chestertown
• Try the fresh seafood in the fishing village of Rock Hall
• Relax in Betterton Beach along the bay

Fun in Queen Anne’s County

Our recommendation: Spend some time on Kent Island. Relax in Terrapin Nature Park in the gazebo by the bay or along a wetland trail with a cup of coffee and treat from Dessert First or Sugar Doodles.

Other ideas:

• Go boating or play in the recycled tire playground at Tuckahoe State Park
• Go next door to Tuckahoe State Park to visit the trails at Adkins Arboretum
• Check out the dining and nightlife at Kent Narrows

Fun in Talbot County

Our recommendation: Visit Idyllwild Park and play on the huge wooden playground. Follow this up by walking into the small downtown of Easton get some delicious ice cream at Storm and Daughters.

Other ideas:

• Visit the Hooper Straight Lighthouse at St. Michael’s Harbor
• Check out the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
• Experience an authentic working waterman community on Tilghman Island

Fun in Caroline County

Our recommendation: Spend the holidays in Ridgely. This small town hosts a wildly popular Christmas festival with six blocks of lights, food trucks, train displays, Christmas characters, ice skating and other festive winter activities.

Other ideas:

• Go fishing at Martinak State Park
• Take a boat tour on the Choptank River aboard the Ellen B
• Visit the Museum of Rural Life in one of Maryland’s most rural counties

Fun in Dorchester County

Our recommendation: Learn about the past at the Harriet Tubman Visitors Center. This historical museum is located near Harriet Tubman’s birthplace and offers a wealth of information about her many heroic trips to lead enslaved people to freedom.

Other ideas:

• Hike through Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (which is located adjacent to the Harriet Tubman Visitors Center)
• Sample the product at Layton’s Chance Vinyard and Winery
• Check out the murals in downtown Cambridge

Fun in Wicomico County

Our recommendation: Visit the animals at Salisbury Zoo. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated. Over 100 species include wallabies, flamingos, sloths, and alpacas – mainly focusing on the Americas and Austrailia.

Other ideas:

• Walk the trails and tour the mansion at Pemberton Historic Park
• Ride the historic Whitehaven Ferry across the Wicomico River
• Have a brew at Evolution Craft Brewing Company

Fun in Somerset County

Our recommendation: Kayak to the private beach at Jane Island State Park. This beautiful park includes several canoe trails along the canal and creek. The only way to get to Flatcap Beach, facing the Tangier Sound, is by boat.

Other ideas:

• Visit the charming waterfront town of Crisfield, the “crab capital of the world”
• Take a scenic boat cruise to Smith Island or Tangier Island
• Take a ghost walk through the town of Princess Anne

Fun in Worcester County

Our recommendation: See the wild ponies at Assateague National Seashore and State Park. You can enjoy a day at the beach, go camping, or walk the trails and will likely encounter the ponies during your time there.

Other ideas:

• Visit the boardwalk or have a beach day in Ocean City
• See a show or grab some ice cream at Frontier town
• Ride the rollercoasters at the Jolly Roger or Trimper Rides, both located in Ocean City
• Stop in at the Delmarva Discovery Museum

There is no shortage of fun things to do in Maryland! For even more ideas, check out our post on family fun in Maryland by region.