Frederick, Maryland

Historic Downtown Frederick is a quaint and charming section of the city that is home to beautifully preserved buildings, and over 200 specialty shops, museums, art galleries, and restaurants.

Exciting things to see in the historic area include the Community Bridge, which features a mural painted by artist William Cochran; several excellent art galleries like the Delaplaine Art Center, and the New Vision Gallery; and museums like the Civil War Medicine Museum.

The district features world-class shops, specialty stores, and boutiques, making it a shopper’s paradise, and visitors can explore the area on self-guided walking tours or carriage or trolley rides.

Situated along 1.3 miles through the charming historic downtown area of Frederick, Carroll Creek Park is a public urban area surrounding the 8.3-mile-long Carroll Creek, which is a tributary of the Monocacy River.

Located on South Market Street, the Maryland park features a peaceful stream spanned by beautifully decorated footbridges and brick walkways where visitors can take a stroll. The park is flanked by some of the city’s top dining restaurants, which have outdoor seating and are packed in the summer months.

A grassy amphitheater provides a perfect spot for picnics and hosts a variety of entertainment throughout the year.

Carroll Creek Linear Park, Frederick, MD 21701, Phone: 301-600-1380

For Older Kids

Based in Historic Downtown Frederick, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine focuses on the medical, surgical, and nursing practices during the American Civil War. The U.S. historic education institution boasts over 7,000 square feet with five immersion exhibits spanning two floors, which explore medicine during the war and demonstrate the techniques used on the battlefields of the Civil War, and how they contributed to modern medicine. Exhibits recreate aspects of Civil War medical issues such as a field hospital, a field dressing station, a military hospital ward, getting wounded men off the battlefield, and life in camp. Displays include equipment, tools and other items, such as surgical kits, and the only known surviving Civil War surgeon’s tent.

48 E Patrick St, Frederick, MD 21701, Phone: 301-695-1864

The Monocacy National Battlefield is the site of the Battle of Monocacy, which was also known as the “Battle That Saved Washington,” which was fought on July 9, 1864, during the American Civil War. Straddling the Monocacy River southeast of Frederick, the battlefield marks the last attempt by the Confederacy to seize Washington, D.C. Visitors can explore the park on self-guided auto tours or on several walking trails which wind through the park, which is open year-round.

5201 Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD 21704, Phone: 301-662-3515

Attractions for Couples

McClintock Distilling is an award-winning organic-certified distillery that produces a variety of gins, vodkas, and whiskeys from significant brands to limited release batches. The distillery uses organic grains free of pesticides and chemical additives to produce whiskeys, which are milled in-house using an antique stone burr mill. Using heirloom grains supports small, locally owned farms and gives the whiskeys a different taste profile, character and flavor to standard whiskeys. McClintock Distilling offers guided tours Friday through Sunday, year-round.

35 S Carroll St, Frederick, MD 21701, Phone: 240-815-5259

The Weinberg Center for the Arts is a performing arts center that hosts a variety of entertainment such as music, theatre, films, and visual art shows throughout the year. Built as the Tivoli Theatre in 1926, the building was Frederick’s premier movie theatre for nearly 50 years before being damaged by a flood in 1976. The owners at the time, the Weinberg family, donated it to the city, which restored it to its former glory, maintaining the grand style in which it was built in 1926. The center features an original two-manual, eight-rank Wurlitzer organ, the only one of its kind in the state, and hosts several dozen events every year.

20 W Patrick St, Frederick, MD 21701, Phone: 301-600-2828

Harry Grove Stadium is the home of the Frederick Keys, a class A minor league team affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Opened in 1990, the 4,500-seater stadium is named for Harry Grove, one of the founders of the Frederick Hustlers, a professional team that existed in the mid-1900s and in addition to hosting baseball games, also hosts various concerts and several autocross clubs. The minor-league ballpark has a grandstand built into the side of a hill with concourse that declines to a seating bowl and the playing field. Concession stands offer some tasty treats, and there is ample free parking.

21 Stadium Dr, Frederick, MD 21703

The world-renowned Community Bridge Mural is a trompe l’oeil mural created by Frederick artist William Cochran in 1993. Using the trompe l'oeil art style to create an image that fools the eye, Cochran transformed the simple Carroll Street Bridge into the illusion of a beautifully carved, ivy-covered stone bridge. The idea for the mural was conceived by Cochran as an alternative to using artificial stone cladding to adorn the bridge over Carroll Creek and took five years to complete, during which Cochran translated the symbols on the bridge into individually painted stone carvings. The mural boasts four significant features represented by circular medallions on either side of the bridge to represent commonalities found within a myriad of diverse ideas.

Carroll Creek Park, Frederick, MD 21701

Summers Farm is a family-friendly farm that offers a variety of fun-filled activities and adventures for the whole family. Established in 1934, the farm became a top attraction after creating the Summers Farm Fall Festival in 1996, and today offers an array of exciting activities such as apple blasting, pumpkin picking, pig races, wagon rides, jumping pillows, farmer golf, hay slides, and animal petting. The farm also has a 12-acre themed corn maze and a Corn Kernel Pit and hosts several events such as nights at the farm with campfires and a Moonlight Maze adventure. Other attractions at the farm include a Country Market, a Sweet Shoppe, and a Barnyard Grill.

7503 Hollow Rd, Middletown, MD 21769, Phone: 301-620-9316