College Park

The whole family is bound to enjoy a visit to the excellent College Park Aviation Museum, which is affiliated to the Smithsonian Institute.

Located on the site of the oldest continually-operating airport in the world, dating back to 1906 when Wilbur Wright came here to instruct the first military pilots, the museum boasts over 27,000 square feet of exhibition space.

Filled with a brilliant collection of original and reproduction historic aircraft, the museum also features regular temporary exhibits and has many fun inter-active activities for junior aviation enthusiasts to experiment with.

The on-site gift shop stocks aviation and science -related toys, children’s books and clothing.

Address: College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr, College Park, MD 20740, Phone: 301-864-6029

Located between Indian Creek and Paint Branch, Lake Artemesia is a man-made lake covering 38 acres. The surrounding land provides a large outdoor recreational area where you can spend some time communing with nature. There is an approximately 2-mile trail around the circumference of the lake which is suitable for hiking or biking and forms part of the Anacostia Tributary Trail System.

The lake offers great fishing and there is an accessible fishing pier.

Other activities at Lake Artemesia Natural Area include regular guided bird walks and a monthly ranger-guided kayak excursion. There is plenty of space for children to run around and you can bring a picnic to enjoy alongside the lake.

Address: Lake Artemesia Natural Area , 8200 55th Ave, College Park, MD 20740, Phone: 301-627-7755

Xfinity Center is the largest sports arena in Maryland, home to the University of Maryland Terrapins Men and Women’s basketball teams. Reputed to be one of the best places in the nation to watch your favorite teams in action, the Xfinity Center can accommodate almost 18,000 fans on any game night. As you make your way through the center you can spend a bit of time learning about sporting legends as you walk through the Terrapin Walk of Fame and History. Expect an extremely lively atmosphere as the fans cheer on their heroes. You can grab something to eat and drink from a variety of concessions and buy all your Terrapin gear at the Terrapin Team Store.

Address: Xfinity Center, 885 S. Main Street, Mansfield, MD 02048, Phone: 301-405-1000

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, dedicated to bringing music and performing arts to wider audiences throughout Maryland. The center boasts 6 performance venues encompassing several different genres of the arts including the School of Music, the School of Theatre, Dance and Performance and Artist Partner Programs. The center offers a very busy schedule of performing arts events and, depending on how often you would like to attend a show, you can buy a selection of different season tickets known as an Arts Pass. Students at the University of Maryland can get free entry to all productions at The Clarice.

Address: The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, 8270 Alumni Dr, College Park, MD 20742, Phone: 301-405-2787

What the Xfinity Center is to basketball, the SECU Stadium is to football. Home of the University of Maryland Terrapins Football Team and the men’s and woman’s Lacrosse teams, SECU Stadium is an outdoor sports stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland. Built in 1950, the stadium has undergone several face-lifts and extensions over the years and can currently seat 54,000 avid fans. You can stock up on drinks and a snack at the concession stands which are available on all three levels of the stadium. The stadium is fully accessible, including accessible seats and toilets.

Address: SECU Stadium , 90 Stadium Drive, College Park, MD 20742, Phone: 301-304-7070

Cdepot in College Park is a gem of a find for music and cinema geeks. Here movie lovers as well as music and gaming enthusiasts can satisfy all their cravings. Cdepot offers a cornucopia of thousands of new and used discs and DVD’s. This enormous 8,000 square foot space is packed to the brim with CD’s, DVD’s, video games, box-sets and more. If you ever have the urge to spend an entire weekend binging on and old favorite TV series, chances are you will find it here. Because much of the stock has been previously loved, prices are extremely competitive and many rare or out-of-print CD’s land up on their plentiful shelves.

Address: Cdepot, 9039 Baltimore Ave, College Park, MD 20740, Phone: 301-982-3472

The Cornerstone Grill and Loft has been a favorite meeting place for sport-loving students and alumni since it first opened its doors in 1997. The Cornerstone is a pub-style sports bar which offers no fewer than 14 HD TV’s so that everyone in the house has a perfect view of whatever game is on during your visit. You also get to choose from 16 different draft beers to quench your thirst. The menu features a variety of tasty burgers and sandwiches, flatbreads, baskets, salads and sides. The upstairs Loft has pool tables and video games and the venue hosts regular special events.

Address: Cornerstone Grill and Loft, 7325 Baltimore Ave, College Park, MD 20740, Phone: 301-779-7044

Astronomy enthusiasts should make a point of visiting College Park on the 5th or 20th of each month when the University of Maryland Observatory (UMD Observatory) hosts their Open Days. The public is invited to visit during the Public Session when you will be treated to a presentation, followed by a tour of the facility and telescope observation of the brilliant night skies (subject to weather). Besides these regular public open days the observatory also hosts Impromptu Observation Sessions from time to time – if you live in the area and can visit at short notice you can sign up to be notified when these sessions occur.

Address: UMD Observatory, 3255 Metzerott Rd, College Park, MD 20740, Phone: 301-405-6555

When only a delicious, flavor-packed pizza will do, Blaze Fast-Fired Pizza is the place to go in College Park. The name says it all – pizzas are carefully hand made from scratch (including the base), topped with exactly what your taste-buds demand and popped into a fired-up oven for just 180 seconds. The result is a mouth watering thin, crispy base with just the right amount of topping, served up in less time than it takes to order your drinks. Blaze Pizza also offers cauliflower and keto bases for those on low-carb or no-carb diets and all their toppings are home-made from fresh local produce wherever possible.

Address: Blaze Fast-Fired Pizza, 7419 Baltimore Ave, College Park, MD 20740, Phone: 301-392-2324