Maryland · The Old Line State

Maryland Local Guide

A neighbor's guide to Maryland — from Annapolis's Colonial streets and Baltimore's harbor neighborhoods to the farmland of Frederick County, the ship channel of the Chesapeake Bay, the beaches at Ocean City, and the mountains of Western Maryland. Explore the communities, counties, parks and places that make the Old Line State home.

Explore Maryland by Region

Practical groupings for navigating the state. Regions overlap, and every county belongs to more than one travel itinerary.

Baltimore Metropolitan Area

Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Towson, Catonsville, Dundalk, Essex and the Patapsco corridor.

Washington DC Suburbs — Maryland

Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville, Gaithersburg, College Park, Bowie and the Beltway counties.

Annapolis and Anne Arundel County

Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Severna Park, Crofton, Odenton and the Chesapeake shoreline.

Howard and Carroll Counties

Columbia, Ellicott City, Westminster, Mount Airy, Sykesville and the Patapsco valley.

Frederick and North-Central Maryland

Frederick, Hagerstown, Thurmont, Brunswick and the Catoctin Mountains.

Southern Maryland

Waldorf, La Plata, Leonardtown, Prince Frederick and the Patuxent shore.

Eastern Shore

Easton, Cambridge, Chestertown, Centreville and the Bay's rural counties.

Ocean City and Lower Eastern Shore

Ocean City, Salisbury, Berlin, Pocomoke City and Assateague Island.

Western Maryland

Cumberland, Frostburg, Oakland, Deep Creek Lake and the Allegheny Highlands.

Baltimore Metropolitan Area

33 community guides

Aberdeen

City

Harford

Military-town economy beside the upper bay

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Abingdon

Community

Harford

Southern county community near I-95

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Arbutus

Community

Baltimore

Working suburb with a small-town main street

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Baltimore

City

Baltimore City

Harbor city of rowhouse neighborhoods and historic waterfront districts

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Bel Air

Town

Harford

Harford County seat with a traditional Main Street

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Catonsville

Community

Baltimore

Historic Baltimore County suburb on the Patapsco

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Churchville

Community

Harford

Rural-edge community west of Bel Air

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Cockeysville

Community

Baltimore

Quarry town turned northern Baltimore County suburb

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Darlington

Community

Harford

Historic village on Deer Creek

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Dundalk

Community

Baltimore

Working waterfront community with strong civic identity

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Edgewood

Community

Harford

Bayfront community next to Aberdeen Proving Ground

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Essex

Community

Baltimore

Waterfront-adjacent eastern county community

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Fallston

Community

Harford

Rural-edge suburb with large lots

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Forest Hill

Community

Harford

Northern county community along MD 24

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Havre de Grace

City

Harford

Susaquehanna waterfront town with a promenade

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Hunt Valley

Community

Baltimore

Corporate and retail center at I-83

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Jarrettsville

Community

Harford

Rural crossroads in northern Harford County

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Joppatowne

Community

Harford

Planned waterfront community on the Gunpowder

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Lutherville

Community

Baltimore

Historic crossroads between Towson and Timonium

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Middle River

Community

Baltimore

Creek-side community with aviation history

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Nottingham

Community

Baltimore

Established northeast county neighborhood

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Owings Mills

Community

Baltimore

Metro-linked office and residential corridor

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Parkville

Community

Baltimore

Inner-ring suburb along Harford Road

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Perry Hall

Community

Baltimore

Northeast county suburb around Gunpowder Falls

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Pikesville

Community

Baltimore

Northwest Baltimore County hub with a strong local retail base

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Randallstown

Community

Baltimore

Northwest county community along Liberty Road

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Reisterstown

Community

Baltimore

Historic turnpike town on the road to Westminster

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Rosedale

Community

Baltimore

Eastern county community near the city line

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Street

Community

Harford

Northern county community near the Pennsylvania line

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Timonium

Community

Baltimore

Fairgrounds community just north of the Beltway

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Towson

Community

Baltimore

Baltimore County seat with a walkable core and university energy

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White Marsh

Community

Baltimore

Retail and logistics hub at I-95

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Whiteford

Community

Harford

Rural crossroads at the Pennsylvania line

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Washington DC Suburbs — Maryland

40 community guides

Aspen Hill

Community

Montgomery

Residential community along Connecticut Avenue

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Beltsville

Community

Prince George's

Agricultural research and Route 1 corridor

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Bethesda

Community

Montgomery

Downtown dining and office core inside the Beltway

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Bowie

City

Prince George's

Large planned community with a historic heart

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Brandywine

Community

Prince George's

Southern county crossroads with rural edges

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Burtonsville

Community

Montgomery

Eastern county crossroads at US 29

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Cabin John

Community

Montgomery

Wooded community beside the C&O Canal

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Capitol Heights

Town

Prince George's

Small town at the DC line with Metro access

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Chevy Chase

Community

Montgomery

Established neighborhoods around the Chevy Chase circles

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Clarksburg

Community

Montgomery

Former crossroads turned planned suburb

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Clinton

Community

Prince George's

Southern county community along MD 5

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College Park

City

Prince George's

University city on the DC line

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Damascus

Community

Montgomery

Agricultural reserve community in the county's north

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District Heights

City

Prince George's

Small incorporated city inside the Beltway

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Fort Washington

Community

Prince George's

Potomac waterfront community with a historic fort

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Gaithersburg

City

Montgomery

Life-sciences city with a historic core

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Germantown

Community

Montgomery

Planned growth corridor along I-270

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Glenn Dale

Community

Prince George's

Wooded community near the Patuxent

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Greenbelt

City

Prince George's

New Deal planned town beside federal facilities

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Hyattsville

City

Prince George's

Arts district town inside the Beltway

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Kensington

Town

Montgomery

Small historic town with an antique row

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Lanham

Community

Prince George's

Inner-Beltway community along US 450

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Largo

Community

Prince George's

County seat area with Metro and arena

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Laurel

City

Prince George's

Rail town on the Patuxent

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Montgomery Village

Community

Montgomery

Planned community around a village center

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National Harbor

Community

Prince George's

Waterfront resort district on the Potomac

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New Carrollton

City

Prince George's

Transit hub with redevelopment plans

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North Bethesda

Community

Montgomery

Pike District growth around White Flint

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North Potomac

Community

Montgomery

Quiet residential community near the Potomac

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Olney

Community

Montgomery

Northern county community with a strong retail base

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Oxon Hill

Community

Prince George's

Potomac-facing community next to National Harbor

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Poolesville

Town

Montgomery

Small agricultural town at the county's western edge

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Potomac

Community

Montgomery

Large-lot western county community

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Riverdale Park

Town

Prince George's

Small town with a historic station and farm

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Rockville

City

Montgomery

County seat with a rebuilt town center

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Silver Spring

Community

Montgomery

Downtown revival at the DC line

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Suitland

Community

Prince George's

Federal-center community inside the Beltway

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Takoma Park

City

Montgomery

Tree-lined historic city with a strong civic streak

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Upper Marlboro

Town

Prince George's

County seat with a small historic core

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Wheaton

Community

Montgomery

Diverse commercial hub on the Red Line

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Southern Maryland

21 community guides

Bryans Road

Community

Charles

Western Charles County crossroads

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California

Community

St. Mary's

Fast-growing community east of Lexington Park

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Charlotte Hall

Community

St. Mary's

Tri-county crossroads with a historic school

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Chesapeake Beach

Town

Calvert

Bayfront resort town with a railway heritage

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Dunkirk

Community

Calvert

Northern Calvert crossroads near the Patuxent

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Great Mills

Community

St. Mary's

Community along the Patuxent River corridor

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Hughesville

Community

Charles

Rural crossroads in eastern Charles County

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Huntingtown

Community

Calvert

Central Calvert community along MD 4

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Indian Head

Town

Charles

River town with a naval installation

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La Plata

Town

Charles

Charles County seat with a rebuilt Main Street

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Leonardtown

Town

St. Mary's

St. Mary's County seat on Breton Bay

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Lexington Park

Community

St. Mary's

Community built around naval aviation

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Lusby

Community

Calvert

Home of Calvert Cliffs and Cove Point

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Mechanicsville

Community

St. Mary's

Northern St. Mary's crossroads

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Nanjemoy

Community

Charles

Rural peninsula on the Potomac

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North Beach

Town

Calvert

Small beach town beside Chesapeake Beach

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Piney Point

Community

St. Mary's

Waterfront community at the Potomac's mouth

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Port Tobacco

Community

Charles

Colonial village on the Port Tobacco River

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Prince Frederick

Community

Calvert

Calvert County seat at the peninsula's center

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Solomons

Community

Calvert

Island town of boats and marine research

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Waldorf

Community

Charles

Southern Maryland's retail and commuter center

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Eastern Shore

20 community guides

Baltimore, Annapolis, Bethesda & Frederick Neighborhoods

Neighborhood-level guides for some of Maryland's best-known cities.

Annapolis

2 neighborhood guides

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Bethesda

2 neighborhood guides

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Rockville

1 neighborhood guides

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Columbia

2 neighborhood guides

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Frederick

1 neighborhood guides

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Things to Do

From the Chesapeake Bay to the Allegheny Highlands, here's where Marylanders spend their time.

History & Culture

  • Tour the Maryland State House and U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis
  • Walk Fort McHenry and the Star-Spangled Banner Trail in Baltimore
  • Visit Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry at the western edge
  • Follow the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway on the Eastern Shore

Outdoors & Scenery

  • See the wild horses at Assateague Island
  • Paddle or fish Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County
  • Hike Cunningham Falls and Sugarloaf Mountain
  • Sail, crab or kayak the Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis or Rock Hall

Food & Local Life

  • Pick steamed blue crabs on the Eastern Shore or at a Baltimore crab house
  • Shop Lexington Market and Cross Street Market in Baltimore
  • Eat seafood on Kent Island and Smith Island
  • Explore the breweries of Baltimore, Frederick and Columbia

Getting Around Maryland

The interstate system — I-95, I-495, I-70, I-270, I-81, I-97 and I-68 — connects every region of the state. Baltimore and Washington are about an hour apart by car, and Annapolis sits roughly halfway between them, with the Bay Bridge carrying US-50 to the Eastern Shore.

Metro's Red Line serves Bethesda and Silver Spring, the Green Line runs to College Park and Greenbelt, and MARC trains connect Baltimore, BWI, Odenton and Washington. In Baltimore, the MTA runs light rail, the subway and buses, plus the free Charm City Circulator downtown. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor stops in Baltimore, BWI and New Carrollton, and Commuter Bus routes reach Southern Maryland.

Major airports include Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, Reagan National, Dulles International, Salisbury Regional and Hagerstown Regional.

Explore Maryland's Local Businesses

Browse our directory of restaurants, shops, services, and more across the Old Line State.

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Maryland · The Old Line State

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