What’s New in Maryland

 

When looking for what’s new in the state, there’s no better place to begin than the $4.5 million, 8,000-square-foot Baltimore Visitor Center . Located in the Inner Harbor area, it has everything you need to get your Maryland visit started on the right foot, including brochures, helpful touch-screen kiosks, and the chance to either purchase tickets to events and attractions or make dining and lodging reservations. There’s also a 50-seat theater featuring an 11-minute video called “The Baltimore Experience.”

 

From there, spread out around the state to enjoy other new experiences:

 

For a touch of History , visit the recently expanded Maryland Historical Society exhibit building in Baltimore. To witness history up close, visit the new Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum to take stock of its magical transformation since the roof fell in during a snowstorm in 2003.  Then step back in time with the help of new programs at the Ellicott City B&O Railroad Station Museum , Thomas Isaac Log Cabin and other attractions in the vicinity. Or venture to the Cambridge-based Spocott Windmill Complex, where a blacksmith shop has been added.

 

Maryland’s network of Civil War Trails has grown to four options, allowing you to learn more about the escape route traveled by presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth and the impact of war efforts on the Chesapeake Bay region. Fun recreational opportunities are also showcased along the way.

 

Journey even deeper into the past while uncovering Maryland’s rich African-American Heritage along an Eastern Shore Underground Railroad Scenic Byway. Interpretive exhibits are found at the Visitor Center at Sailwinds Park, the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center, and the Museum of Rural Life.

 

The Maryland Science Center has nearly doubled the amount of Family Fun you can find within its walls, thanks to an additional 40,000 square feet of exhibit space that includes an Earth Science and Dinosaur Hall (highlighting a 40-foot-long Tyrannosaurus rex). You’re also invited to go wild with the new Polar Bear Watch at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, an $8.8 million Arctic exhibit featuring the zoo’s playful polar bear pair, Alaska and Magnet. Elsewhere, Ben’s Red Swings is a new state-of-the-art playground and tot lot based at one of the best free zoos in America, Salisbury Zoo.

 

Maryland boasts an expanding list of agricultural attractions and farm-based bed and breakfasts. Additionally, the Carroll County Farm Museum has upgraded its visitor facilities and initiated extensive touch-ups around the property.

 

For a little Arts and Culture mingling the old with the new, first visit Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center. The theater has been restored to its original 1914 glory and hosts top Broadway shows. Then make your way to the world-renowned Peabody Institute, which features an elegant grand arcade, sun-filled pavilion and new performance space.

 

Downtown Silver Spring is in the midst of a $1 billion redevelopment boom that has brought not only new restaurants and shops, but also the American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre and Cultural Center , a refurbished 1938 structure. Likewise, the official Arts and Entertainment District of Cambridge has added new shops. Time your visit for the second Saturday of each month and enjoy extended shopping hours, live entertainment and more.

 

As you think about all of the great Dining options in the state, consider that several of Maryland’s 12 wineries are enjoying the fruits of recent praise. Among these, Fiore Winery was recognized as “One to Watch” in the prestigious Decanter magazine.

 

Looking forward to a Romantic Getaway ? Annmarie Garden on St. John has undergone extensive renovations, including the addition of exquisite sculptures from the Hirshhorn Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. You’ll also find new or upgraded accommodations all around the state, ranging from warm and cozy waterfront rooms in Chesapeake Beach to luxury cabins and campsites in Williamsport.

 

Spectator Sports have long been a big draw in Maryland. Adding to the excitement is the McDonald’s LPGA Championship, which attracts pro golf’s top female players to Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace.

 

Baltimore’s Major League Lacrosse team has enjoyed several successful seasons, but the Bayhawks now have a new home: May through August, they play at Towson University's Unitas Stadium , one of the largest outdoor venues in the Baltimore-metropolitan area.

 

Golf opportunities have never been better in the state. On the Upper Eastern Shore, the executive-length Blue Heron Golf Course now offers 18 holes.

 

After driving a few golf balls, consider traveling along  Maryland Scenic Byways like the one in Western Maryland that incorporates the town of Oakland. There, you’ll now find The Shoppe At Heritage Square located inside the 1884 B&O Railroad Station Visitors Center. This new retail venture features local crafts and farm products. Also in the vicinity, you can unwind along the Garrett County Connector Bike Route.

 

To enjoy more Maryland Outdoors , come to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, with its new upper-level observatory and expanded gift shop. Additional kayak and hiking trails have also been created.

 

Skates and rays are now a part of the ever-evolving Calvert Marine Museum, while the Richardson Maritime Museum has enjoyed exhibit upgrades and new interpretive signage partially funded through the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.

 

Be sure to check out the Mighty Tug Cornell, a 106-foot-long tugboat that sails from Chesapeake City and Georgetown. Also, check out new boat tours on the waters around St. Mary’s County.

 

Just minutes from Ocean City, look for Holly Ridge Farm, where you can enjoy a guided trail ride on shady, cool, wood-lined paths.

 

Plus, the Ocean City Lifesaving Station Museum has been completely renovated with all new exhibits. It also marks the beginning of the Beach to Bay Indian Trail, a self-guided auto and bike tour that concludes at the Smith Island in Ewell. Or let someone else do the driving with one of the new nature and sight-seeing cruises that leaves from an Ocean City marina and goes to Assateague Island.