World City Guide

Excursions

For a Half Day

Ellicott City: First settled in the 1700s and tucked up against the steep hills, approximately 16km (10 miles) southwest of Baltimore, Ellicott City, an old mill town on the banks of the Patapsco River (website: www.oldmainline.com/ellicott) is a popular destination for people from Baltimore itself, offering a taste of small-town Maryland. The Howard County Tourism Council, 8267 Main Street, Ellicott City (tel: (800) 288 8747 or (410) 313 1900; website: www.visithowardcounty.com) provides further information.

Frederick: Quaint boutiques, good restaurants and a prime destination for history buffs, Maryland’s second largest city makes an interesting day trip. One of its most interesting attractions, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, gives an fascinating look at 19th century medicines and its Civil War innovations. Frederick is located 59 km (37 miles) northwest of Baltimore (tel: (301) 360 3842; website: www.cityoffrederick.com).

For a Full Day

Washington, DC: Being only 56km (35 miles) from Baltimore, it is at least possible for a day tripper to sample the country’s capital. Major sights include the White House, Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian Institution Museums, the Washington Monument and the Memorials to Lincoln and Jefferson. To get a sense of the more bohemian side of the city, the Adams Morgan district, along 18th Street and Columbia Road, is a good place for interested tourists to visit, especially for bookshops, restaurants, music shops, cafés and bars. Washington, DC Convention and Tourism Corporation (tel: (202) 789 7000; website: www.washington.org) can provide further information.

Annapolis: Annapolis is not only the original and current capital of Maryland but also regarded as the USA’s sailing capital. The town, home to the US Naval Academy, has a multitude of museums, original colonial-style homes and a lovely waterfront. Its State House, set upon the hill overlooking the city, is where George Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 26 West Street, Annapolis (tel: (410) 280 0445; website: www.visit-annapolis.org) can provide further information.