Person Playing PokemonGo! in Ocean City
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Top PokemonGo! Spots

By Jim Meyer & Trevor Leach

Whether you are grinding for Gyarados or in search of Snorlax, PokemonGo-Getters know, Maryland is the perfect place to catch ‘em all!

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Person Playing PokemonGo! in Ocean City
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1
Baltimore's Inner Harbor
Gyrados
Here’s a little known fact: The city of Baltimore was founded when Lord Calvert heard that the banks of the Patapsco River were paved with Porygon.* Oh, and the quest for religious freedom, but mostly the Porygons. And even today, nearly 300 years after the city’s founding, it remains prime Pokemon country. The only thing the locals love more than steamed crabs is the lowly Magikarp, perfect to grind for Gyarados!
 
If you want to round out your Pokemon bestiary AND have a heck of a day, get yourself a water taxi pass and tour the town, picking up Slowpoke and Starmie between stops. The Inner Harbor promenade is crawling with Vaporeons, and the USS Constellation & Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum are legendary Dratini spawning grounds.  Phillips Seafood and the Hard Rock Cafe serve up great grub for famished Pokemon players and are well-documented Dragonite habitat. A short cruise away, Fells Point, once home to pirates and privateers, now sports a stable herd of Machamp. And don’t miss Fort McHenry. Do you know why the British really attacked Baltimore? They heard Francis Scott Key was hoarding Charizards. Check out Baltimore's dedicated PokemonGo! page for other great hunting spots around town.
 
*Note: None of the historical facts mentioned above are actually historical, or facts.

 

2
Ocean City
Person Playing PokemonGo! in Ocean City
OCOcean.com

On the hunt for the most prized Pokemon? Ocean City's famous boardwalk is a 2.5 mile Squirtle sanctuary with more Pokemon per square inch than t-shirt shops. The beach is always a great way to beat the heat, but skip digging for sand-crabs and see what kind of Pokemon you can find. 

Hit the rides at Jolly Rogers and Trimper's to see what digital creatures are hiding along the rollercoaster tracks. More daring go-getters should try parasailing for a bird's-eye view of this legendary Pokemon preserve or rent a jetski to scour the bay for aquatic critters. And locals tell of a story of a unique Pokemon that can be found near the Ripley's Museum: Believe it, or not....

More information...

3
Garrett County
Image of Wigglytuff

Ask any knowledgeable Pokemon naturalist and they will tell you that Garrett County is home to some of the finest Snorlax habitats on Earth.



From the manicured lawns of Wisp resort to the lush, forested banks for the Savage River, these wily powerhouses love the country living. Locals report a powerful Dragonite has displaced the trolls that once dwelt under picturesque Casselman Bridge and a tribe of Exeggutor, apparently drawn by the sweet treats at the Lakeside Creamery, have overrun the streets of McHenry.

And while Deep Creek Lake has long been known as one of the best water-ski destinations on the coast, its deep clear waters have been colonized by a veritable armada of Blastoise and Vaporeon, Rent a boat at the Deep Creek Marina for a traditional Garrett Aquatic Pokemon Safari to fill in your collection's G.A.P.S.

4
Harford County
Concord Point Lighthouse
Adam Rybczynski

See lighthouses of various styles around the bay in Central Maryland’s Upper Western Shore. Turkey Point Lighthouse, Concord Point Lighthouse, Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, and Lightship Chesapeake can be accessed from land. Take a boat cruise to see Baltimore Harbor Light.

If you haven’t made the rounds of Harford County yet, you’re missing out. With great restaurants like Vagabond Sandwich Company, MacGregor's, and Silks at Bulle Rock, and streets practically overrun with Voltorb and Venonat, Bel Air is perfect hunting for that Pokemon City-Mouse. But with Mariner Point State Park in Joppa and the Concord Lighthouse in Havre de Grace right around the corner, Pokemon Country-Mouse can grab all the Goldeen, Kingler and aquatic critters they can catch.
 
Baseball-loving Pokemon players won’t want to miss a hunt at Ripken Stadium during an Aberdeen Ironbirds game. Just one warning, that 6 foot tall metal bird creature wearing a baseball uniform?  That’s not a Pokemon. That’s Ferris, the team mascot, and he’s really, actually there.
5
Frederick (Frederick County)
Image of Lapras, a water type Pokemon

Do you like farm-to-table restaurants, world-renowned artisanal breweries, rich history and a thriving bluegrass and alt music scene? Well, judging by the number of Blastoise, Haunter and Rapidash, wandering the streets of downtown Frederick, Pokemon sure do. Stroll the gorgeous downtown Riverwalk and bag some Golduck in absolute safety, since the bricked fences will keep you from walking into the river while you stare at your smartphone. And after a long day of Pokemoning, grab a pint and a sammich and share your catch at Café Nola, open late, it’s a favorite for local Go-getters. And check out Frederick’s list of all the best Pokestops for more ideas.

6
Annapolis (Anne Arundel County)
The Maryland State House was built in 1772 and is the oldest state house still in use.

Fact: Annapolis is an ancient Algonquin word meaning, “Thar be Pokemons!” and to this day, the bricked streets of Maryland’s capital support a Pokemon population nearly three times that of the humans. Some say, that is why the founding fathers put the Naval Academy here — to keep an eye on the Psyduck and Wigglytuff populations.* But even if it weren’t for the thriving Pokemon population, a day spent in Annapolis ogling the mega-yachts moored on Ego Alley, grabbing an overstuffed sandwich and a malted at Chick & Ruth’s Delly, and catching a concert at the original Ram’s Head, is always a good one. But man, all those Pokemon sure make it even better!

*Again, not actual facts...

7
St. Mary's County
Image of the rare Pokemon, Dragonite

Maryland's first colonial settlement and Capital, St. Mary's City, was founded when early colonists discovered a Dragonite spawning point almost immediately upon arriving in the Americas.  A few hundred years later - this city is a celebrated national treasure that still recognizes its initial roots and invites trainers from around the world to thrive with the ever spawning mythical creatures.  

Historic St. Mary's City will be hosting Pokemon Go! tours beginning in September 2016. The dates for the programs are:

Tuesday, September 13, 2016 || Saturday, September 17, 2016 || Saturday, October 8, 2016 || Friday, October 14, 2016

All tours will depart outside the Shop at Farthing’s Ordinary at 5:30 p.m. The hour long tour will be donation only, registration recommended. 

Check out the top Pokemon Spots in St. Mary's County...

8
Queen Anne's County
Image of SLOWBRO
Queen Anne’s County was founded as a trading post by French-Canadian Pokemon trappers in 1979. In those days, a Squirtle pelt was worth more than a year’s salary for a milner, a cobbler, or someone in HR. * While those early pioneers nearly wiped out the regions indigenous populations of Tirtouga, Squirtle and Torkoal, modern conservation methods have turned things around and now the residents of Queen Anne’s County are pretty much eyeballs deep in Pokemon.
And that’s why they need you. Beautiful Terrapin Nature Park on Kent Island has become a favorite for local trainers and traveling Go-Getters alike.  Apparently the island’s population of diamond back terrapins get along famously with their digital doppelgangers. So make the trip to the shore, spend a day on the bay and experience Pokemon in their natural environment.
*Again, not even close.

More information on Queen Anne's County Top Pokemon Spots...

9
Calvert County
Launch your driving tour along the Star-Spangled Banner trail from Solomons, home to this popular museum.
Attention Pokemonsters: Calvert County needs your help and has begun a Pokemon collection program to fight the rampant, overpopulation of exciting and powerful imaginary creatures. The Tauros infestation of the Ruddy Duck Brewery has gotten so bad, they’re offering drink and food specials for trainers who post their catch on social media.
And don’t even get us started on the Calvert Marine Museum. Pokemon now outnumber river otters nearly 50 to 1! Post up your river otter Pokemon photo-bomb pics with the hashtag #PokemonGoCMM and you can win awesome prizes each month!

Check out Calvert County's top Pokemon Spots. 

10
Baltimore County
Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Nature, Free Things to Do, Family Fun
Like many drivers, Pokemon are apparently confounded by traffic circles. Perhaps that’s why there are so many of them trapped in Towson. Downtown Towson is home to 20 Pokestops, three gyms and countless digital critters.  And any true getter of Gos will tell you, after a long day of hunting Pokemon, you’re going to want kabobs. Orchard Market and Cafe in Towson delivers. Malls are natural Pokemon preserves, and with Towson Towne Center, Hunt Valley Towne Center, Whitemarsh Mall and The Avenue in White Marsh, Baltimore County has more land dedicated to Pokemon conservation than the entire state of Alaska squared. For a mellow Pokemon safari, head to the Hampton National Historic Site and the Torrey C. Brown Trail which are prime Aerodactyl and Onix habitat, or make way to North Point State Park and maybe catch a fish or two to go with your Pokemon.
11
Wicomico County
Vanessa Junkin
Trainers, Wicomico County welcomes you. In fact, they welcome you so much, even the Wicomico County Welcome Center is full of Nidoran and Meowth. Zoo keepers at the Salisbury Zoo have recently learned that the titi monkeys have been harboring Tentacruel and the wallabies have formed an unlikely alliance with a Wartortle. For the (what’s a nice way of saying lazy?) genteel Go-Getters, ride the Whitehaven and Upper Ferry to catch aquatic Pokemon without even getting out of your car. And of course don’t miss the Pemberton Historical Park, which was established to mark the spot where General George Washington caught his first Raticate and famously uttered, “I cannot tell a lie. This place absolutely rocks for finding Pokemon.”

Check out the top Pokemon Spots in Wicomico county...

*The above, like much of the rest of this article, is not actually historically accurate nor an actual quote.