The city of Silver Spring, Maryland is a little off-the-beaten-path suburb just a short distance outside of the historic areas of Ellicott City and Washington, DC.
For both local residents and travelers staying for a night or just passing through, Silver Spring offers quite a number of things to do in its own right, including recreational, educational, and historical attractions and activities. The pedestrian-friendly Maryland destination provides opportunities for several high-energy attractions, as well as low-key, relaxing activities, for people of all ages.
1. Wheaton Regional Park
The Wheaton Regional Park was established in the city of Silver Spring, Maryland back in 1960 and stretches across more than five hundred acres.
Open from sunrise until sunset, the park is popular among tourists and locals alike, offering an array of educational and recreational opportunities for anyone to enjoy, such as hiking, ice skating, picnicking, and horseback riding.
Visitors can also tour the area by train. For those who prefer a more relaxing, laidback activity, Wheaton Regional Park is also home to multiple nature centers featuring a variety of exhibits and programs, a conservatory, and the Brookside Gardens.
2000 Shorefield Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20902, Phone: 301-495-2595
2. AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center
The AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland was founded by the residents of the state of Maryland’s Montgomery County as a place for both artists and educators of all kinds, from all parts of the world.
The AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center has ties to the country’s American Film Institute and hosts a broad array of video and film programming, in addition to hosting a variety of artistic performances, musical performances, discussions, panels, and interviews.
The theater is a place for people of any age, offering entertainment for both families with children and film buffs.
8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910, Phone: 301-495-6700
3. Silver Spring Library, Silver Spring, Maryland
The Silver Spring Library opened as a newer library in 2015 and measures approximately sixty-three thousand square feet, home to county office space, a non-profit arts organization, artists studios, a post office, and a cafe, in addition to its large collection of books, magazines, newspapers, CDs, audio books, and other media. The first two floors of the Silver Spring Library consists of studios for artists, meeting rooms, and offices, as well as the Kefa Cafe, which offers drinks and snacks. The fifth floor is home to the children’s area. Parking can be found across the street in the Wayne Avenue Garage.
900 Wayne Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910, Phone: 240-773-9420
4. St Camillus Church, Silver Spring, Maryland
The St. Camillus Church is named for Saint Camillus, who was born to a woman of 60 years old in a stable. He devoted himself to caring for the dying and sick and personally founded eight different hospitals and fifteen houses of his own order. This namesake church is staffed by people with ties to Franciscan and Catholic traditions, attempting to bring a long orthodox tradition history and spiritual care to the area of Silver Spring, Maryland. Mass at the Saint Camillus Church is offered in English, Spanish, and French, featuring both gospel and traditional music, as well as several different choirs.
1600 St Camillus Dr, Silver Spring, MD 20903, Phone: 301-434-8400
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5. Gateway to NOAA, Silver Spring, Maryland
Gateway to NOAA is a permanent exhibit designed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, to showcase how the organization “takes the pulse of the planet every day and protects and manages ocean and coastal resources.” This interesting and informative exhibit is divided up into five different sections: NOAA in the News, which features an interactive display for exploring the ocean; Water, which highlights marine processes; Weather and Climate, focused on NOAA’s role in climate process and weather forecasts; Earth Observations, which share methods for gathering information; and NOAA Heritage. Gateway to NOAA is open Monday to Friday.
1325 E W Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910
6. Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station is the only railroad passenger station from the twentieth century in Montgomery County of Maryland, preserved and operated by both the Montgomery Preservation Society and the Silver Spring Historical Society. Serving as an active railroad station between the years of 1945 and 2000, the railroad station was used by those who appreciated less crowds than those often present at the Union Station, which included a number of illustrious passengers like President Harry S. Truman. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station was designated in 2002 on the National Register of Historic Places. More ideas: Best Weekend Getaways from DC
8100 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910, Phone: 301-495-4915
7. St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral
The parish of the St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral was founded shortly following World War II in 1949, when immigrants fleeing Communist Ukraine started to arrive in America. Worship services for sixty-five families in the suburb area of Washington, DC area were held at a variety of rented premises until a building was finally purchased. Land was bought in Silver Spring in 1986 and construction of the classic Kozak Baroque-style church was finished the following year. The St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral was consecrated in 1988 on April 24th, on the 1,000-year anniversary of “Rus’-Ukraine” becoming a Christian state.
15100 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20905, Phone: 301-384-9192
8. Maryland Youth Ballet, Silver Spring, Maryland
The mission of the Maryland Youth Ballet has been providing a high caliber of performance opportunities and training in ballet since 1971 in order to prepare youth dancers for careers in performing arts, along with offering classes to ballet dancers of all levels and ages in the Silver Spring community. As part of the performance training the Maryland Youth Ballet provides to dancers in the region, the ballet organization also puts on a number of professional quality productions throughout the year. These ballet productions include the award-winning Nutcracker, performed every holiday season, along with the newer version: “The Mini-Nut.” More ideas: Day Trips from DC
926 Ellsworth Dr, Silver Spring, MD 20910, Phone: 301-608-2232
9. Grace Episcopal Church, Silver Spring, MD
The Grace Episcopal Church offers lovely worship services and a multicultural and inclusive community in the suburb city of Silver Spring, Maryland. The congregation here is made up of several different nationalities, making it feel welcoming to all kinds of visitors. The Grace Episcopal Church also has a note of historical significance, as there is a small monument dedicated to a number of Confederate soldiers who were buried in the historic church yard the Confederate army was retreating after the Battle at Fort Stevens. Union soldiers were buried several miles away in the small Battlefield National Cemetery.
1607 Grace Church Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910, Phone: 301-585-3515
10. Matthew Henson State Park
Matthew Henson State Park in Silver Spring is a greenway that offers several recreational features running along the Turkey Branch, which is a tributary of Montgomery County’s Rock Creek. Named after an arctic explorer and Maryland native, Matthew Henson, one of the highlights of the state park is its namesake trail used for biking and hiking through the park. The Matthew Henson Trail is around eight feet wide and extends approximately 4.5 miles, winding its way from the scenic Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail up to Alderton Road. A wooden boardwalk makes up 0.6 miles of the trail. More ideas: Beaches Near DC
Silver Spring, MD 20906, Phone: 301-495-2595
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11. Jewel of India, Silver Spring, Maryland
Owned and operated by Anand Poojary, the Jewel of India restaurant serves gourmet, contemporary North Indian cuisine. This gem of an Indian restaurant aims to bring the sophistication and quality of some of the best restaurants found in India to the community of Silver Spring, as well as the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. Guests will find some of the best Indian cuisine has to offer, including both North Indian fare and traditional South Indian or Goa cuisine. Along with the high quality food, the restaurant provides Indian-themed cocktails and an upscale atmosphere with designer decor and original artwork.
10151 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20903, Phone: 301-408-2200
12. Things to Do in Silver Spring: Mandalay Restaurant & Cafe
The Mandalay Restaurant and Cafe offers an extensive menu that features dishes from many different parts of the country of Myanmar, or Burma, in Southeast Asia. While customers may notice a few similarities of Burmese cuisine with that of the countries surrounding it, they may also notice that the traditional cooking of Myanmar also retains its own unique identity. Burmese cuisine encompasses a variety of ingredients and full range of flavors, including vegan and vegetarian options. This type of cooking also includes a complete range of levels of spice, ranging from no heat at all up to as hot as guests like.
930 Bonifant St, Silver Spring, MD 20910, Phone: 301-585-0500
13. National Museum of Health and Medicine
It takes bravery to perform surgery and save lives, and at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, this is exactly what they celebrate – the groundbreaking innovations and men and women behind the health and medicine sectors. The National Museum of Health and Medicine has been collecting, showcasing, and telling the history of medicine, in addition to the history of American military medicine, for well over 150 years. The museum offers a permanent collection of objects and memorabilia spanning categories such as historical medicine, anatomical, neuroanatomical, human developmental anatomy, and the Otis Historical Archives. The museum also has a steady rotation of visiting exhibits so there’s always something new to see.
2500 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, Phone: 301-319-3000
14. Things to Do in Silver Spring: Black Box Theatre
It doesn’t that the Black Box Theatre is intimate and small, it still showcases fantastic and entertaining performances that have theatre and performance art lovers coming back regularly. This theater, which is nestled in Silver Spring’s downtown area, offers a unique connection between performers and the audience through its cozy 156-seater space. The close proximity creates an even more enjoyable performance as the actors are able to feed off of the audience’s energy to give the best musical, dance, improvisation, theatrical, or open-mic performance of their lives. When the theatre isn’t busy hosting performances, it is available for rent to the public with great rehearsal, audition, and even classroom spaces.
8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
15. Big Escape Rooms
Gutsy and adventurous individuals looking for a true challenge ought to give the Big Escape Rooms a visit. Known for their puzzling escape experiences, Big Escape Rooms is perfect for outings with the whole family, team-building excursions, or get-to-know sessions between co-workers. Big Escape Rooms offers four themed rooms with varying levels of difficulty. Beginners to escape rooms can try out the Basketball Room, which has a 50% escape rate, while those with some experience or are up for a challenge can try Clown, the medium-level room with just a 25% escape rate. For those who really want to give their brains a workout, the hardest rooms available are Pharaoh and Outbreak, with a 25% and 19% escape rate respectively.
8505 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Phone: 800-413-8681
16. Things to Do in Silver Spring: Heyser Farms
Heyser Farms is a 3rd generation family-owned and operated farm nestled in Montgomery County. It was established in 1946 and is known for the fantastic local produce and goods it produces all year round, including the famous Spencerville Red Apple. Heyser Farms also produces spectacular high-quality dairy goods like milk and eggs, as well as decadent staples like honey, jams, ice cream, and baked goods. Home to an apple cider press, Heyser Farms is also the place to go for individuals who want to try in-house pressed and unpasteurized sweet ciders made by the home of the Spencerville Red apple. Guests who want to see the flowers at their finest and catch the berry season should come by in spring, while the peach and vegetable season takes place in the summer months. Apples, corn, pumpkins, and the like are at their best during the fall, while cider season officially kicks off during the holidays.
14526 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904; Phone: 301-384-7859
The top attractions to visit in Silver Spring, Maryland near me today according to local experts:
- 1. Wheaton Regional Park
- 2. AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center
- 3. Silver Spring Library, Silver Spring, Maryland
- 4. St Camillus Church, Silver Spring, Maryland
- 5. Gateway to NOAA, Silver Spring, Maryland
- 6. Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station
- 7. St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral
- 8. Maryland Youth Ballet, Silver Spring, Maryland
- 9. Grace Episcopal Church, Silver Spring, MD
- 10. Matthew Henson State Park
- 11. Jewel of India, Silver Spring, Maryland
- 12. Things to Do in Silver Spring: Mandalay Restaurant & Cafe
- 13. National Museum of Health and Medicine
- 14. Things to Do in Silver Spring: Black Box Theatre
- 15. Big Escape Rooms
- 16. Things to Do in Silver Spring: Heyser Farms
