Maryland is small enough to cross in a morning and varied enough to fill a month. Drive west from the Atlantic and in five or six hours you pass through a beach resort, a wild-horse island, Chesapeake harbor towns, a working port city, Civil War battlefields and farm country before climbing into mountains where it snows for real. That range is why the best things to do in Maryland are so different from one another, and why this list is organized by region, with the practical details you need to choose: 2026 prices, hours, how long to allow, drive times from Baltimore and Washington, and whether you have to book.

The short answer: if you only do ten things in Maryland, make them Ocean City’s beach and Boardwalk, Baltimore’s harbor and neighborhoods, Annapolis and the Naval Academy, a steamed-crab feast, Assateague’s wild horses, Antietam National Battlefield, Deep Creek Lake, St. Michaels and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, a walk or ride on the C&O Canal towpath, and National Harbor on the Potomac. Lonely Planet agreed that the mix works: in September 2026 it named Maryland the No. 3 place to travel in North America in its Best in Travel 2027 list.

Every price, date and rule on this page was checked on September 23, 2026 against the operators’ and agencies’ own websites. Several have changed recently. Nine state parks now need day-use reservations on summer weekends and holidays; Antietam charges $20 per vehicle, cashless; the National Aquarium’s adult ticket is $49.95; and Ocean City’s Boardwalk tram is gone for good. They’re all flagged below.

On this page: At a glance · The top 10 · All 60 in one table · Baltimore · Capital region · Central Maryland · Western Maryland · Eastern Shore and Ocean City · Southern Maryland · Statewide · By traveler · By season · Free things · Rainy days · Museums and lighthouses · Maryland in 2027 · Reservations and fees · How many days · Known for · Getting around · What to skip · FAQ

Maryland at a glance

Question	Answer (checked September 2026)
Regions	Baltimore; the Capital region around Washington; Central Maryland (Annapolis, Frederick, Ellicott City); Western Maryland’s mountains; the Eastern Shore and Ocean City; Southern Maryland’s peninsulas.
Size	Roughly six hours’ drive from Ocean City in the east to Deep Creek Lake in the west.
Big-ticket prices	National Aquarium $49.95 adults; Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum $20 online; Antietam $20 per vehicle; Assateague $25 per vehicle.
Free highlights	Baltimore’s art museums, Ocean City’s beach, Catoctin Mountain Park, Monocacy, the Maryland State House, the C&O towpath outside Great Falls.
Reservations	Nine state parks need day-use reservations on summer weekends and holidays (about $1.50 per booking).
Bay Bridge	Eastbound toll only, cashless: $2.50 with a Maryland E-ZPass.
Crab season	Chesapeake recreational season April 1 to December 15; the heaviest crabs come in late summer and fall.
2027 highlights	B&O Railroad charter 200th (Feb 28), Preakness back at Pimlico on Sunday May 23, the Bay Bridge’s 75th (July 30).

The 10 experiences that define Maryland

1. Ocean City’s beach and Boardwalk: 10 miles of free, lifeguarded Atlantic beach and a three-mile Boardwalk of rides and fries.
2. Baltimore’s harbor and neighborhoods: the Aquarium and Fort McHenry, then Fells Point, Mount Vernon and a ball game.
3. Annapolis and the Naval Academy: a colonial capital full of sailboats.
4. A steamed-crab feast: the state’s defining meal, best from late summer into fall.
5. Assateague’s wild horses: an undeveloped barrier island 20 minutes from Ocean City.
6. Antietam National Battlefield: the bloodiest single day of the Civil War.
7. Deep Creek Lake: Maryland’s biggest lake, with mountains and skiing attached.
8. St. Michaels: a harbor town and the best museum of the Chesapeake.
9. The C&O Canal towpath: 184.5 miles of flat trail from Washington to Cumberland.
10. National Harbor: a Potomac waterfront with a Ferris wheel and a casino, minutes from DC.

All 60 things to do in Maryland in one table

Drive times are free-flow estimates before traffic; add time for rush hour and summer weekends on the Bay Bridge. Prices are adult admission checked in September 2026 unless noted.

#	Experience	Region	Price (2026)	From Baltimore	From DC	Book ahead?
1	National Aquarium	Baltimore	$49.95	In the city	About 45 min to 1 hr	Tickets ahead advised
2	Fort McHenry	Baltimore	$15 (16+)	In the city	About 1 hr	No
3	Baltimore Museum of Art	Baltimore	Free	In the city	About 1 hr	No
4	Walters Art Museum	Baltimore	Free	In the city	About 1 hr	No
5	Fells Point	Baltimore	Free	In the city	About 1 hr	No
6	National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation	Baltimore	$20	In the city	About 1 hr	No
7	Orioles game, Camden Yards	Baltimore	Varies	In the city	About 1 hr	For big games
8	Historic Ships in Baltimore	Baltimore	$21.95	In the city	About 1 hr	No
9	American Visionary Art Museum	Baltimore	$20	In the city	About 1 hr	No
10	Maryland Zoo	Baltimore	$33	In the city	About 1 hr	No
11	Lexington Market crab cake	Baltimore	Free entry	In the city	About 1 hr	No
12	Washington Monument, Mount Vernon	Baltimore	Free; climb $6	In the city	About 1 hr	Summer weekends
13	National Harbor and the Capital Wheel	Capital	Wheel $18	About 55 min to 1 hr 5 min	About 17 min	No
14	National Harbor’s holiday Saturdays	Capital	Free to watch	About 55 min to 1 hr 5 min	About 17 min	No
15	C&O Canal at Great Falls	Capital	$20 per vehicle	About 1 hr to 1 hr 10 min	About 30 to 40 min	No
16	Glen Echo Park carousel	Capital	$2 a ride	About 1 hr	Just outside DC	No
17	Annapolis and the State House	Central	Free	About 40 to 45 min	About 40 to 45 min	No
18	US Naval Academy	Central	Free; tour $16	About 40 to 45 min	About 40 to 45 min	ID required
19	An Annapolis harbor cruise or sail	Central	Varies	About 40 to 45 min	About 40 to 45 min	For sails
20	Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse tour	Central	$95	About 40 to 45 min	About 40 to 45 min	Yes
21	Sandy Point State Park	Central	$4 to $5 per person in summer	About 40 to 45 min	About 40 to 50 min	Summer weekends
22	Maryland Renaissance Festival	Central	$31 online	Near Annapolis	Near Annapolis	Online tickets only
23	Ellicott City’s Main Street	Central	Free	About 20 min	About 45 to 55 min	No
24	Patapsco Valley State Park	Central	Small weekend fee	Near Ellicott City	Near Ellicott City	No
25	Kilgore Falls	Central	$3 to $5 per person	North of Baltimore	Via Baltimore	Summer weekends
26	Havre de Grace	Central	Free	About 45 to 55 min	About 1 hr 20 min to 1 hr 40 min	No
27	Downtown Frederick and Carroll Creek	Central	Free	About 55 min to 1 hr 5 min	About 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min	No
28	National Museum of Civil War Medicine	Central	$9.50	About 55 min to 1 hr 5 min	About 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min	No
29	Monocacy National Battlefield	Central	Free	About 1 hr	About 1 hr	No
30	Catoctin Mountain Park	Central	Free	About 1 hr 10 min to 1 hr 25 min	About 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 30 min	No
31	Cunningham Falls State Park	Central	Day-use fee	About 1 hr 10 min to 1 hr 25 min	About 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 30 min	No
32	Antietam National Battlefield	Western	$20 per vehicle	About 1 hr 20 min to 1 hr 35 min	About 1 hr 25 min to 1 hr 40 min	No
33	Harpers Ferry and Maryland Heights	Western	$20 per vehicle	About 1 hr 10 min to 1 hr 25 min	About 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 30 min	No
34	Towpath and Great Allegheny Passage from Cumberland	Western	Free	About 2 hr 15 min to 2 hr 40 min	About 2 hr 20 min to 2 hr 45 min	No
35	Western Maryland Scenic Railroad	Western	$45 coach	About 2 hr 15 min to 2 hr 40 min	About 2 hr 20 min to 2 hr 45 min	Yes
36	Rocky Gap State Park	Western	$4 to $6 per person in summer	About 2 hr 10 min to 2 hr 30 min	About 2 hr 15 min to 2 hr 35 min	Summer weekends
37	Deep Creek Lake	Western	Boat rentals from $140	About 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min	About 3 hr to 3 hr 35 min	Lodging, boats
38	Swallow Falls and Muddy Creek Falls	Western	Per-person fee	About 3 hr 15 min to 3 hr 50 min	About 3 hr 20 min to 4 hr	Summer weekends
39	Skiing at Wisp	Western	From $90.50	About 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min	About 3 hr to 3 hr 35 min	Buy online
40	Hoye-Crest, Maryland’s highest point	Western	Free	Near Deep Creek	Near Deep Creek	No
41	Autumn Glory, Oakland	Western	Free to wander	About 3 hr	About 3 hr	Lodging
42	Ocean City’s beach	Eastern Shore	Free	About 2 hr 30 min to 3 hr 5 min	About 2 hr 35 min to 3 hr 10 min	Lodging
43	Ocean City’s Boardwalk	Eastern Shore	Free	About 2 hr 30 min to 3 hr 5 min	About 2 hr 35 min to 3 hr 10 min	No
44	Assateague’s wild horses	Eastern Shore	$25 per vehicle	About 2 hr 35 min to 3 hr 10 min	About 2 hr 40 min to 3 hr 15 min	No
45	Camping on Assateague	Eastern Shore	$40 a night (NPS)	About 2 hr 35 min to 3 hr 10 min	About 2 hr 40 min to 3 hr 15 min	Yes, 6 months out
46	St. Michaels and the maritime museum	Eastern Shore	$20 online	About 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 50 min	About 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 55 min	No
47	Oxford-Bellevue Ferry	Eastern Shore	About $24 per car (reported)	About 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 50 min	About 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 55 min	No
48	Blackwater refuge and the Tubman visitor center	Eastern Shore	$3 per vehicle; center free	About 1 hr 35 min to 1 hr 55 min	About 1 hr 35 min to 2 hr	No
49	Smith Island by boat	Eastern Shore	$35 cruise	About 2 hr 50 min to 3 hr 20 min	About 2 hr 55 min to 3 hr 25 min	Yes
50	Berlin	Eastern Shore	Free	About 2 hr 25 min to 3 hr	About 2 hr 30 min to 3 hr 5 min	No
51	Chestertown	Eastern Shore	Free	About 1 hr 25 min to 1 hr 40 min	About 1 hr 25 min to 1 hr 45 min	No
52	Rock Hall	Eastern Shore	Free	About 1 hr 50 min to 2 hr 5 min	About 1 hr 50 min to 2 hr 10 min	No
53	Waterfowl Festival, Easton	Eastern Shore	$25 (3 days)	About 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 35 min	About 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 40 min	Lodging
54	Fossil hunting at Calvert Cliffs	Southern	$5 per vehicle (cash)	About 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 50 min	About 1 hr 10 min to 1 hr 25 min	No
55	Historic St. Mary’s City	Southern	$15	About 1 hr 55 min to 2 hr 20 min	About 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 45 min	No
56	Solomons and the Calvert Marine Museum	Southern	$11	About 1 hr 35 min to 1 hr 55 min	About 1 hr 20 min to 1 hr 30 min	No
57	Point Lookout State Park	Southern	Per-person summer fee	Beyond St. Mary’s City	Beyond St. Mary’s City	Summer weekends
58	A steamed-crab feast	Statewide	Market price	Everywhere	Everywhere	Busy weekends
59	The Preakness at Pimlico	Baltimore	Varies	In the city	About 1 hr	Yes
60	The Maryland State Fair	Statewide	Varies	Just north of the city	About 1 hr	No

Baltimore (1 to 12)

Maryland’s biggest city is a working port of rowhouse neighborhoods, free museums and crab cakes, about 45 minutes to an hour from Washington by car or train.

1. National Aquarium

Baltimore’s biggest draw, with sharks, a rainforest under glass, jellyfish, a coral reef and the dolphins, which are still in Baltimore while the long-discussed move to an ocean sanctuary awaits a site. Adults pay $49.95, ages 5 to 20 and seniors 70 and over $39.95, and under-5s are free; the half-price Friday night session, 5 to 9 p.m., costs $24.95. Allow two and a half to three hours, buy tickets ahead, and go first thing to beat the crowds.

2. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

The star-shaped fort whose defense against the British in September 1814 inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Entry to the historic fort is $15 for visitors 16 and over, good for seven days and cashless; the grounds, visitor center and film are free, and so are under-16s. It’s open year-round except Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1. Allow two hours, and arrive by water taxi or the free Circulator’s Banner route.

3. Baltimore Museum of Art

One of the best free art museums in the country, next to Johns Hopkins University, with the Cone Collection’s trove of Matisse, modern and contemporary galleries and two sculpture gardens. General admission is free; it’s closed Monday and Tuesday and open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Allow two to three hours.

4. The Walters Art Museum

On Mount Vernon Place, the Walters spans thousands of years of art, from Egyptian mummies and Roman sarcophagi to medieval manuscripts, armor and 19th-century paintings. It’s free, closed Monday and Tuesday, and open from 1 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Allow two hours, and pair it with the Washington Monument across the square.

5. Fells Point

Baltimore’s old maritime neighborhood of cobblestones, 18th- and 19th-century brick, waterfront squares and a famously dense cluster of bars. Free to wander, it’s at its best in the late afternoon and evening, when the pubs fill up and the water taxi runs past. Give it half a day, and come by water from the Inner Harbor.

6. National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation

The former B&O Railroad Museum, renamed on July 14, 2026, fills the Baltimore and Ohio’s 1884 roundhouse with historic locomotives on the site where America’s first common-carrier railroad built its engines. Admission is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $12 for children 2 to 12; it’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. February 28, 2027 marks 200 years since the railroad’s charter, and a new Innovation Hall is due in 2027. Allow two to three hours.

7. An Orioles game at Camden Yards

Oriole Park opened in 1992 and started the retro-ballpark era, with the old B&O warehouse beyond right field and bronze markers on Eutaw Street where home runs landed. Many weeknight tickets are affordable, and the skyline over the outfield at dusk is one of the best views in the city. Allow three to four hours; buy ahead for weekends and rivalry games.

8. Historic Ships in Baltimore

Four historic vessels on the Inner Harbor, including the 1854 sloop-of-war USS Constellation and a World War II submarine. Tickets cost $21.95 for adults, $19.95 for seniors, military and students, and $9.95 for ages 6 to 14. Allow an hour and a half to two hours.

9. American Visionary Art Museum

At the foot of Federal Hill, this museum shows the work of self-taught artists, from sculptures made of matchsticks to room-size installations, in a mosaic-covered building that’s an artwork itself. Adults pay $20. Allow two hours, then climb Federal Hill Park next door for the best free view of the harbor skyline.

10. The Maryland Zoo

In Druid Hill Park, the zoo charges $33 for ages 2 to 64 and $28 for 65 and over, with the train and carousel included and free parking; it’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from March through December, with lower prices from December 1. Its elephant herd has been all male since August 2026. Allow three hours.

11. A crab cake at Lexington Market

Founded in 1782 and reopened in a new market hall with more than 45 merchants, Lexington Market is home to Faidley’s Seafood, making lump crab cakes since 1886, and a Berger’s Bakery stall selling the city’s fudge-topped cookies. Entry is free; go at lunchtime on a weekday. Allow an hour, and take the light rail or Metro, which both stop at the market.

12. The Washington Monument and Mount Vernon Place

America’s first major monument to George Washington, begun in 1815, rises from a square of fountains and grand townhouses. The gallery level is free; climbing to the lookout costs $6 for adults and $4 for children, in groups of up to five every 20 minutes, Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pay by card on site, or book online on summer weekends. Allow an hour.

The Capital region (13 to 16)

The suburbs of Washington hold some of Maryland’s most visited places, from a Potomac waterfront resort to a canal-side national park.

13. National Harbor and the Capital Wheel

A walkable waterfront development on the Potomac, 17 minutes from Washington, with restaurants, shops, the Gaylord National resort, MGM National Harbor’s casino up the hill and the 180-foot Capital Wheel. The wheel costs $18 for adults and $14.50 for children, plus tax, for a 12- to 15-minute ride. One change: MGM has charged non-members to park since July 13, 2026. Allow half a day.

14. National Harbor’s holiday Saturdays

From the tree lighting on Saturday, November 7, 2026, National Harbor sets off fireworks at 5:30 p.m. every Saturday through December 26, and the Gaylord’s holiday displays pull in crowds from across the region. The waterfront, lights and fireworks are free to enjoy. Arrive early for parking, and check the Capital Wheel’s weather closures on cold, windy nights.

15. The C&O Canal at Great Falls

Where the Potomac crashes through a rocky gorge on the Maryland side, 30 to 40 minutes from Washington. The canal park is free except at the Great Falls Tavern area, which charges $20 per vehicle or $10 per person, cashless, valid for Great Falls Park across the river in Virginia too. The tavern visitor center is open Wednesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Thursday to Sunday in winter). Allow two to three hours.

16. Glen Echo Park’s carousel

A former amusement park just outside Washington, now an arts park, with a 105-year-old Dentzel carousel that opened its 2026 season on May 2. Rides cost $2, or $5 for an all-day pass. It’s a sweet slice of the old days for young kids, and the park’s art-deco buildings host classes, dances and events. Allow an hour or two.

Central Maryland (17 to 31)

The heart of the state, from Annapolis on the Bay to Frederick and the Catoctin Mountains, all within about an hour and a half of Baltimore and Washington.

17. Annapolis and the Maryland State House

Maryland’s capital is a compact colonial town of brick streets around two circles. The State House, free and open daily except Christmas and New Year’s Day, is the oldest state capitol still in legislative use and the only one to have served as the US capitol; George Washington resigned his commission there in 1783. Bring photo ID for security. Allow half a day for the historic district.

18. The US Naval Academy

The Academy’s grounds are open to visitors who walk in at Gate 1 on King George Street, but every adult needs a REAL ID or US passport, and non-US citizens aren’t admitted on general visits. Guided 90-minute walking tours cost $16 for adults, from the visitor center, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March to December. Public access was suspended for part of 2026 and resumed on May 11, so check before you go.

19. An Annapolis harbor cruise or schooner sail

Annapolis bills itself as America’s sailing capital. Watermark’s 40-minute narrated harbor cruises run hourly on weekends from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in season, and the 74-foot Schooner Woodwind sails two-hour public cruises with up to 30 guests who can help raise the sails. Book sails ahead in summer and on boat-show weekends.

20. Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse tour

The Chesapeake’s best-known lighthouse, a hexagonal screwpile cottage on iron legs south of Annapolis, is often described as the last in the Bay still on its original site. Tours from the Annapolis Maritime Museum cost $95 in 2026, including museum admission, and take about two and a half hours, with 90 minutes inside the lighthouse. Dates are limited: book as soon as the calendar opens.

21. Sandy Point State Park

The closest real beach to Baltimore and Annapolis, at the western end of the Bay Bridge. From May 1 to September 30 it costs $5 per person on weekends and holidays and $4 on weekdays, and $3 per vehicle from October to April, with no out-of-state surcharge. Summer weekends and holidays need a day-use reservation, which ended the capacity closures that used to shut the gates by mid-morning.

22. The Maryland Renaissance Festival

In Crownsville, near Annapolis, a 16th-century village of jousting, crafts, food and costumed performers. Its 50th season ran on weekends from August 29 to October 25, 2026, plus Labor Day, with adult tickets at $31, sold online only. Check the festival’s site for 2027 dates. Allow most of a day.

23. Ellicott City’s Main Street

A granite mill town from the 1770s, 20 minutes west of Baltimore, whose steep Main Street of antique shops, cafes and restaurants was rebuilt after deadly floods in 2016 and 2018. Free to wander. Allow half a day, and combine it with the trails of Patapsco Valley State Park next door.

24. Patapsco Valley State Park

Maryland’s first state park, founded in 1907, follows the Patapsco River for miles near Ellicott City, with forest trails, a swinging bridge, historic mill ruins and riverside picnic spots. Parts of the park charge a small per-person fee on weekends in season. Allow two to three hours.

25. Kilgore Falls

A small, lovely waterfall in Rocks State Park’s Falling Branch area in northern Harford County, with a 28-car lot that used to overflow. On summer weekends and holidays, it now needs a day-use reservation, at $3 per person for Maryland residents and $5 for out-of-state visitors, plus a booking fee; under the old system it was free. Go early on a weekday for the quietest visit.

26. Havre de Grace

A waterfront town at the head of the Chesapeake, where the Susquehanna River meets the Bay, with the 1827 Concord Point Lighthouse, a promenade, a decoy museum and antique shops. It’s 45 to 55 minutes from Baltimore and an easy stop on I-95. Allow half a day.

27. Downtown Frederick and Carroll Creek

Frederick’s 50-block historic district, about an hour from both Baltimore and Washington, has more than 200 shops, galleries, restaurants and breweries, with Carroll Creek Park and its painted Community Bridge running through the middle. Free to wander. Allow a day, and book dinner on weekends.

28. National Museum of Civil War Medicine

In a former undertaker’s building in downtown Frederick, this museum tells the story of Civil War surgeons, nurses, hospitals and ambulances, and it’s gripping rather than gory. Admission is $9.50; it’s open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. Allow 90 minutes.

29. Monocacy National Battlefield

Just south of Frederick, the fields where Union troops held up Jubal Early’s army on July 9, 1864, a delay credited with saving Washington. It’s free, with a visitor center open Thursday to Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., a driving tour and river trails. Allow one to two hours.

30. Catoctin Mountain Park

Free, forested and full of trails to rocky viewpoints like Wolf Rock and Chimney Rock, 20 minutes north of Frederick near Thurmont. The visitor center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the park logged 460,857 visits in 2025. Camp David is inside it, unmarked and off-limits. Allow half a day.

31. Cunningham Falls State Park

Next to Catoctin, this state park has a long cascade that’s among the tallest waterfalls in Maryland, a short trail to reach it, and a lake with a sandy beach and boat rentals. It charges a day-use fee and its lake area can fill on summer weekends, so come early. Allow two to three hours.

Western Maryland (32 to 41)

The Appalachian end of the state: battlefields in the valleys, rail trails through the gaps, and lakes and ski slopes on the high plateau.

32. Antietam National Battlefield

Near Sharpsburg, the site of September 17, 1862, the bloodiest single day in American history, is one of the best-preserved battlefields in the country. Entry is $20 per vehicle for three days, cashless; the visitor center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the battlefield logged 161,006 visits in 2025. September 17, 2027 marks the 165th anniversary. Allow two to three hours, including the driving tour and the observation tower.

33. Harpers Ferry and Maryland Heights

Just across the Potomac in West Virginia, the historic town at the meeting of two rivers is best seen from Maryland Heights on the Maryland side. The national park charges $20 per vehicle for three days, cashless. One major change: the Byron footbridge between Maryland and Harpers Ferry has been closed since July 27, 2026, with a shuttle from the C&O Canal’s Lock 34, which makes the Maryland Heights trail harder to reach. Check the park’s notices before you go.

34. The C&O towpath and Great Allegheny Passage from Cumberland

Cumberland is where two great trails meet: the C&O Canal towpath ends here at mile 184.5 from Washington, and the Great Allegheny Passage runs 150 miles on to Pittsburgh, about 334.5 miles of nearly car-free trail in all. Both are free. Ride a day out and back from Cumberland, or plan a multi-day trip with inns along the way.

35. Western Maryland Scenic Railroad

The Frostburg Flyer climbs from Cumberland through the mountains to Frostburg and back, a 4.5-hour round trip running from May to October, with steam on weekends. Coach tickets cost $45 for adults. Book ahead for fall foliage weekends.

36. Rocky Gap State Park

Near Cumberland, Rocky Gap’s 243-acre Lake Habeeb has beaches, boating and trails, though the lake was running unseasonably low in the 2026 drought. Summer weekend day use costs $4 per person for Maryland residents and $6 for out-of-state visitors, and it joined the day-use reservation list in 2026.

37. Deep Creek Lake

Maryland’s largest freshwater lake, about 3,900 acres with 65 miles of shoreline in Garrett County, is a summer boating lake and a winter ski base. Pontoon rentals start around $140 for two hours with one operator in 2026, and anyone born after July 1, 1972 needs a boating safety certificate to drive one. Stay at least two nights; it’s three hours from Baltimore and Washington.

38. Swallow Falls and Muddy Creek Falls

A short loop through old hemlocks passes Muddy Creek Falls, about 53 feet and Maryland’s highest free-falling waterfall. Summer weekends and holidays need a timed-entry reservation, and the park’s main entrance road closed on March 9, 2026 for bridge work, so check access before you drive. Allow two hours.

39. Skiing and tubing at Wisp

Maryland’s only ski resort, above Deep Creek Lake, has 33 runs and 11 lifts, with online lift tickets from $90.50 a day at the September 2026 listing. It’s owned by Pacific Group Resorts, not Vail, so the Epic Pass doesn’t work here, and its Mountain Coaster is closed until further notice. Buy tickets online and ski weekdays if you can.

40. Hoye-Crest, Maryland’s highest point

The top of Backbone Mountain, at 3,360 feet, is the highest point in Maryland, a wooded summit south of Deep Creek Lake. The trail starts across the line in West Virginia and is about a mile each way, steep in places. Free; allow an hour and a half.

41. Autumn Glory in Oakland

Garrett County’s fall festival, in its 59th year, fills the county seat of Oakland from October 7 to 11, 2026 with parades, crafts and music at the peak of the mountain color. It’s free to wander; book lodging well ahead, because it’s one of the busiest weeks of the year around Deep Creek.

The Eastern Shore and Ocean City (42 to 53)

Across the Bay Bridge (cashless, $2.50 eastbound with a Maryland E-ZPass), the Eastern Shore is flat farmland, harbor towns, wildlife refuges and, at the far end, the Atlantic.

42. Ocean City’s beach

About 10 miles of free Atlantic beach, from the Inlet to the Delaware line at 146th Street, with lifeguards on duty from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day in season. No beach badges, no tags. Swim only in front of a staffed stand. Parking is app-only and $3.50 to $4.50 an hour in summer; the free West Ocean City Park & Ride and the $4 Beach Bus pass beat it.

43. Ocean City’s Boardwalk

About three miles of boards from the Inlet to 27th Street, with Trimper’s rides, Thrasher’s fries, Dumser’s ice cream and the Ferris wheel on the pier. The Boardwalk tram is gone for good after a fatal accident in 2024; pedicabs, from $12 a ride, replaced it in 2026. Bikes are allowed from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. in summer. Free to walk; allow an evening.

44. Assateague’s wild horses

Twenty minutes south of Ocean City, Assateague Island National Seashore protects a barrier island where 83 wild horses roamed the Maryland end in March 2026. Entry is $25 per vehicle for seven days. Stay at least 40 feet from the horses, about the length of a bus, and never feed or touch them. Allow half a day, and bring bug spray in summer.

45. Camping on Assateague

The National Seashore’s Oceanside and Bayside campgrounds cost $40 a night, with reservations required from March 15 to November 15 and opening six months ahead; weekends often sell out the first day. Assateague State Park’s campground costs $27.50, or $38.50 with electric. Pack long sand stakes and a screened shelter.

46. St. Michaels and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

A harbor town on the Miles River and the best museum of the Chesapeake, with the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse, historic boats and a working shipyard. Museum tickets cost $20 online or $22 at the door, good for two days; it’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April to October. Add a 70-minute river cruise or a skipjack sail. Allow a day.

47. The Oxford-Bellevue Ferry

A tiny car ferry across the Tred Avon River between Bellevue and the old port of Oxford, which bills itself as the oldest privately owned ferry in America, dating from 1683. It runs from mid-April to mid-November, crossings take under 10 minutes, and fares have been reported around $24 for a car with two people. One tip for older guides: Oxford’s Robert Morris Inn has been condemned and closed.

48. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and the Harriet Tubman visitor center

South of Cambridge, Blackwater’s marshes hold bald eagles and, in winter, thousands of migrating waterfowl. The Wildlife Drive costs $3 per vehicle or $1 on foot or bike, and the refuge visitor center is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nearby, the free Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., tells the story of the Dorchester County native who led others to freedom.

49. Smith Island by boat

Maryland’s last inhabited offshore island, reachable only by water, is home to watermen, crab shanties and the layered Smith Island cake, the official state dessert. Smith Island Cruises leaves Crisfield at 12:30 p.m., with adult fares of $35. Book ahead and check the season before you make the long drive down.

50. Berlin

A small town about 8 miles inland from Ocean City, with a Victorian Main Street of brick storefronts, antique shops and restaurants that played the fictional town in “Runaway Bride.” Free to wander, and the perfect antidote to a loud Boardwalk night. Allow a half day.

51. Chestertown

A colonial river port on the Chester River, home to Washington College, founded in 1782, and streets of brick houses from its shipping days. Its annual spring Tea Party festival recalls, by local tradition, the town’s own 1774 protest against British tea. Free to wander; allow half a day.

52. Rock Hall

A small watermen’s town and marina village on the upper Bay, known for sunsets over the water, boats and casual seafood. It’s quieter than the Talbot County towns, and a good lunch-and-sunset stop on a loop through Kent County.

53. The Waterfowl Festival in Easton

Easton’s November festival of wildlife art, decoys, calling contests and retriever demonstrations fills the county seat of Talbot County from November 13 to 15, 2026, its 55th year. A three-day ticket costs $25. Book lodging months ahead.

Southern Maryland (54 to 57)

The peninsulas between the Bay and the Potomac hold Maryland’s founding history, fossil beaches and a lighthouse at the end of the land.

54. Fossil hunting at Calvert Cliffs

Calvert Cliffs State Park’s woodland trail ends at a Bay beach below cliffs full of fossils, and sifting the sand for ancient shark teeth is a family favorite. Entry is $5 per vehicle for Maryland residents and $7 for out-of-state visitors, cash only. Stay off and away from the unstable cliffs. Allow half a day.

55. Historic St. Mary’s City

The site of Maryland’s first capital, founded in 1634, is now an outdoor museum of reconstructed buildings, a replica ship and archaeology in progress. Admission is $15 for adults, and it’s open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Allow three hours.

56. Solomons and the Calvert Marine Museum

A sailing town at the mouth of the Patuxent, with waterfront restaurants and the Calvert Marine Museum, home to fossils from the cliffs, a river otter exhibit and the Drum Point screwpile lighthouse. Admission is $11 for adults, and it’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Allow two to three hours.

57. Point Lookout State Park

At the southern tip of St. Mary’s County, where the Potomac meets the Bay, Point Lookout has a lighthouse, beaches, fishing piers and the site of a Civil War prison camp. It charges a per-person fee in summer and needs a day-use reservation on summer weekends and holidays. Allow half a day, and consider pairing it with St. Mary’s City.

Statewide experiences (58 to 60)

58. A steamed-crab feast

Maryland’s defining meal: blue crabs steamed with spice, dumped on brown paper and cracked with a wooden mallet. Crab houses from Baltimore to the Eastern Shore sell them by the dozen at market price, which changes with size and supply, so ask before you order. The Chesapeake’s recreational season runs from April 1 to December 15, and the heaviest crabs come from late summer into fall. Allow two hours and plenty of paper towels.

59. The Preakness Stakes at Pimlico

The second leg of the Triple Crown returns to Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course for its 152nd running on Sunday, May 23, 2027, a Sunday rather than the traditional Saturday, after the 2026 race was run at Laurel Park. The state of Maryland now owns the race, and racing moves back to Laurel after 2027 while the new Pimlico clubhouse is finished. Book tickets and hotels early.

60. The Maryland State Fair

At the Timonium fairgrounds just north of Baltimore, the state fair runs over three late-summer weekends: in 2027, August 26 to 29, September 2 to 6 and September 9 to 12. Expect livestock barns, rides, 4-H exhibits, crab cakes and fried everything.

The best things to do in Maryland by traveler

With kids

The National Aquarium (1), the Maryland Zoo (10), the Railroad museum (6), Glen Echo’s carousel (16), Ocean City’s beach and Boardwalk (42, 43), Assateague’s horses (44), fossil hunting at Calvert Cliffs (54) and Historic St. Mary’s City (55).

For couples

St. Michaels (46) with a sail and an inn, Annapolis (17 to 20) at sunset, Frederick’s restaurants (27), a Deep Creek cabin (37), Berlin (50) and Chestertown (51).

Outdoors

The C&O towpath (15, 34), Catoctin (30) and Cunningham Falls (31), Swallow Falls (38), Assateague (44, 45), Blackwater (48), Deep Creek (37), Hoye-Crest (40) and Kilgore Falls (25).

History

Fort McHenry (2), Antietam (32), Monocacy (29), Harpers Ferry (33), the Civil War medicine museum (28), the State House (17), Historic St. Mary’s City (55) and the Harriet Tubman visitor center (48).

Food and drink

A crab feast (58), Lexington Market’s crab cakes (11), Frederick’s breweries and restaurants (27), Smith Island cake on Smith Island (49), and the wineries scattered across Frederick, Baltimore and Talbot counties.

Things to do in Maryland by season

Summer

Ocean City and Assateague, Deep Creek Lake, Sandy Point, a crab feast, an Orioles game and a harbor sail. Book park day-use reservations for weekends, and cross the Bay Bridge before 9 a.m. or after 8 p.m. on Fridays.

Fall

Maryland’s best season. Mountain color peaks in October in the west, with Autumn Glory (October 7 to 11, 2026) and Thurmont’s Colorfest (October 10 to 11, 2026); the Renaissance Festival runs through late October; the Annapolis boat shows fill the harbor in October; crabs are at their heaviest; and the Waterfowl Festival comes to Easton in November.

Winter

Skiing at Wisp, National Harbor’s holiday Saturdays and Christmas Village at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor (November 21 to December 27, 2026), eagles and waterfowl at Blackwater, the free art museums of Baltimore, and quiet, cheap beach walks in Ocean City.

Spring

Waterfalls at full flow, gardens and blossoms, the Chestertown Tea Party festival, Ocean City’s Springfest (April 22 to 25, 2027), the Annapolis spring boat shows and, in 2027, the Preakness back at Pimlico.

Free things to do in Maryland

Many of Maryland’s best experiences cost nothing:

• The Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum.
• Ocean City’s beach and Boardwalk.
• The Maryland State House in Annapolis.
• Catoctin Mountain Park and Monocacy National Battlefield.
• The C&O Canal towpath, away from the Great Falls fee area.
• Fort McHenry’s grounds and visitor center.
• The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center.
• Walking Fells Point, Ellicott City, Frederick, Berlin and Chestertown.
• Hoye-Crest, Maryland’s highest point.
• National Harbor’s waterfront and holiday fireworks.

A US residents’ America the Beautiful pass ($80 a year; $250 for non-residents) covers the national parks with fees, including Antietam, Assateague, Fort McHenry, Great Falls and Harpers Ferry.

What to do in Maryland when it rains

Maryland has plenty of great indoor options, and many are in Baltimore: the National Aquarium, the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters, the railroad museum’s roundhouse, the American Visionary Art Museum and Lexington Market. Elsewhere, try the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels (its ticket is good for two days), the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, and the Naval Academy’s museum in Annapolis. Save the parks, beaches and battlefields for the next dry day.

Maryland museums and lighthouses

Museums worth a trip

• Baltimore: the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters (both free), the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation, the American Visionary Art Museum and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American history.
• Annapolis: the Naval Academy Museum and the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum (free).
• Frederick: the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.
• The Eastern Shore: the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels.
• Southern Maryland: the Calvert Marine Museum and Historic St. Mary’s City.

Lighthouses you can see

• Thomas Point Shoal, off Annapolis, by tour boat.
• Hooper Strait, moved to the maritime museum in St. Michaels.
• Concord Point, in Havre de Grace, from 1827.
• Drum Point, at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons.
• Point Lookout, at the tip of St. Mary’s County.
• Seven Foot Knoll, a screwpile lighthouse now on the Baltimore waterfront.

Maryland in 2027: why it’s a big year

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027 list, released on September 22, 2026, ranks Maryland the No. 3 place to travel in North America, praising its green hills, coastal escapes, maritime heritage and seafood. The year has milestones to match:

• February 28, 2027: 200 years since the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s charter, marked at the railroad museum, which is adding a new Innovation Hall in 2027.
• May 23, 2027: the Preakness returns to Pimlico, on a Sunday.
• July 30, 2027: the 75th anniversary of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge’s original eastbound span, opened on July 30, 1952.
• September 17, 2027: the 165th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam.

Reservations and fees to know in 2026-27

State park day-use reservations

On summer weekends and holidays, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, day visits to nine state parks need a reservation through parkdayuse.maryland.gov: Sandy Point, Greenbrier, Point Lookout, North Point and Newtowne Neck (since 2025), plus Hammerman at Gunpowder Falls, Rocky Gap, Swallow Falls and Kilgore Falls (added in 2026). You can book up to seven days ahead for about $1.50, walk-ins and cyclists don’t need one, and annual pass holders still have to reserve.

State park fees and passes

Maryland’s annual state park Passport costs $75 for residents and $100 for non-residents. Out-of-state visitors usually pay about $2 more per person or vehicle at individual parks, card-payment gates add processing fees, and Calvert Cliffs is still cash only.

National park fees

Antietam, Great Falls and Harpers Ferry charge $20 per vehicle, Assateague $25, and Fort McHenry $15 per person for the historic fort; Antietam, Great Falls, Harpers Ferry and Fort McHenry are cashless. The America the Beautiful pass costs $80 for US residents and $250 for non-residents, and the 2026 fee-free days dropped Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth. Check the Park Service’s pass page before you rely on one.

Bridges and tolls

The Bay Bridge toll is charged eastbound only and is cashless: $2.50 with a Maryland E-ZPass, $4 by Pay-By-Plate or out-of-state E-ZPass, and $6 by video. In Baltimore, the Key Bridge is gone until a replacement opens, targeted for late 2030, so part of I-695 is closed and hazardous-material loads, including large propane tanks on RVs, must avoid the harbor tunnels.

How many days do you need in Maryland?

Maryland is compact, but its regions are far apart. A rough guide:

• A long weekend (3 days): Baltimore plus Annapolis, or Ocean City and Assateague.
• Five days: Baltimore and Annapolis, then across the Bay Bridge to St. Michaels and down to Ocean City.
• A week: add Frederick, Antietam and Harpers Ferry, or Southern Maryland’s Calvert Cliffs and St. Mary’s City.
• Ten days to two weeks: a full loop from the mountains of Western Maryland to the Atlantic, with a night or two in each region.

Drive times add up: Deep Creek Lake to Ocean City is the better part of a day, so pick two or three regions for a shorter trip rather than trying to see them all.

What is Maryland best known for?

Maryland is best known for the Chesapeake Bay and its blue crabs, eaten steamed by the dozen or in crab cakes and seasoned with a spice blend that’s in every Maryland kitchen. It’s also known for Ocean City’s beaches, Baltimore’s harbor and Fort McHenry, birthplace of the national anthem, the Naval Academy in Annapolis, the Preakness Stakes, Civil War battlefields like Antietam, and the wild horses of Assateague. Its nickname, the Old Line State, dates to the Revolution, and its official state sport is jousting.

Getting around Maryland

Outside Baltimore and Annapolis, you’ll need a car. Amtrak and MARC’s Penn Line connect Washington, BWI Airport and Baltimore, and on weekends the Penn Line is MARC’s only service; the Camden and Brunswick lines, which reach Frederick and Harpers Ferry, run on weekdays only. BWI Marshall is the main airport for the state, with Reagan National and Dulles nearby. For the Eastern Shore and Ocean City, plan your Bay Bridge crossing: eastbound, the Maryland Transportation Authority’s best times are Friday before 9 a.m. or after 8 p.m., Saturday before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m., and Sunday before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m.

What to skip

Maryland FAQ

What are the best things to do in Maryland?

The ten that define the state are Ocean City’s beach and Boardwalk, Baltimore’s harbor and neighborhoods, Annapolis and the Naval Academy, a steamed-crab feast, Assateague’s wild horses, Antietam National Battlefield, Deep Creek Lake, St. Michaels and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, the C&O Canal towpath, and National Harbor. Add Frederick, Catoctin, Calvert Cliffs and Historic St. Mary’s City with more time.

What is Maryland best known for?

Maryland is best known for the Chesapeake Bay and blue crabs, Ocean City’s beaches, Baltimore’s harbor and Fort McHenry, where “The Star-Spangled Banner” was written, the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, the Preakness Stakes, Civil War battlefields such as Antietam, and Assateague’s wild horses. Lonely Planet ranked it the No. 3 place to travel in North America for 2027.

How many days do you need in Maryland?

Three days covers one or two regions, such as Baltimore and Annapolis or Ocean City and Assateague. Five days adds the Eastern Shore’s harbor towns, and a week lets you add Frederick and the Civil War battlefields or Southern Maryland. To see the whole state, from the western mountains to the Atlantic, allow ten days to two weeks.

What is free to do in Maryland?

Baltimore’s Museum of Art and Walters Art Museum, Ocean City’s beach and Boardwalk, the Maryland State House, Catoctin Mountain Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, most of the C&O Canal towpath, Fort McHenry’s grounds and visitor center, the Harriet Tubman visitor center, Hoye-Crest, and walking historic towns like Fells Point, Ellicott City, Frederick, Berlin and Chestertown are all free.

What can you do in Maryland when it rains?

Go to Baltimore’s museums: the National Aquarium, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Walters, the railroad museum and the American Visionary Art Museum. Elsewhere, try Frederick’s National Museum of Civil War Medicine, St. Michaels’ Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, whose tickets last two days, the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, or the Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis.

Do you need reservations for Maryland state parks?

For nine parks, yes, on summer weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day: Sandy Point, Greenbrier, Point Lookout, North Point, Newtowne Neck, Hammerman, Rocky Gap, Swallow Falls and Kilgore Falls. Book through parkdayuse.maryland.gov up to seven days ahead, for about $1.50. Walk-ins and cyclists don’t need one; pass holders do.

What is the best time of year to visit Maryland?

September and October are the best all-round months: warm days, cooler nights, fall color in the mountains, festivals, the heaviest crabs and thinner beach crowds after Labor Day. Late spring is next. Summer is best for Ocean City, Assateague and Deep Creek Lake, and winter for skiing at Wisp and holiday lights.

Sources and verification

Every price, date and rule on this page was checked on September 23, 2026 against the organizations listed below. The guide is compiled from those sources; it doesn’t claim first-hand visits.

• National Aquarium: plan your visit
• National Park Service: Maryland parks, including fee pages for Antietam, Assateague, Fort McHenry, Great Falls, Catoctin, Monocacy and Harpers Ferry
• Maryland DNR: public lands, plus the June 2026 day-use reservation announcement
• Office of the Governor: Lonely Planet Best in Travel release
• Maryland Transportation Authority: Bay Bridge tolls and travel times, and the Key Bridge rebuild
• Maryland Jockey Club: 2027 Preakness

We also used the operators and agencies behind each listing, from Baltimore’s museums and the Maryland Zoo to the Capital Wheel, Glen Echo Park, the Naval Academy, the Annapolis Maritime Museum, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Smith Island Cruises, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, Wisp, Historic St. Mary’s City, the Calvert Marine Museum, the Maryland Renaissance Festival and the Maryland State Fair, plus routed drive-time estimates, which are free-flow figures before traffic.

Maryland Tourism Guide is an independent publication. It is not affiliated with Visit Maryland or any agency or business named here, and no one paid to be included.

Photo credits

• Bay Bridge from Sandy Point (featured image): photo by Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Great Falls Tavern: photo by Russ, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
• Concord Point Lighthouse: photo by HYRPhotos, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Antietam observation tower: photo by Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge: photo by Judy Gallagher, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
• Calvert Cliffs: photo by Alex Zorach, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
• Historic St. Mary's City: photo by Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Point Lookout Lighthouse: photo by Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Chesapeake Bay Bridge: photo by Joshua Davis from United States of America, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)