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What’s New, What’s Next & What May Come in Maryland 2026 & Beyond MARCH 2026 | Subject to Change SIGNIFICANT ANNIVERSARIES/ EVENTS 2026 Maryland Fleet Week & Air Show Baltimore / America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration – Celebrating the sesquicentennial of the founding of the U.S., which will occur July 4, 2026. Baltimore will be celebrating with Tall Ships, Military Fleet, Air Show & Fireworks in the harbor, June 25-July 1, 2026. The Maryland event will[...]

Day 1: Arrive in Maryland and check into your hotel. Enjoy time at Arundel Mills Mall and/or Live! Casino & Hotel. Day 2: Take a short commute to Washington, D.C. and tour the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Plan on a full day at the museum. Enjoy dinner at the famous Carmine’s and then stop at the new Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial illuminated for the evening. Return to the[...]

Day 1: Delmarva Peninsula, Eastern Shore of Virginia & Maryland Make your way to Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore. The first stop will be the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center, just over the state line in VA, where we will learn about NASA’s missions and projects, explore exhibits and view the rocket launch area. After lunch, we will travel roads coursing through the oldest English settlement in the area. The Delmarva peninsula was part of[...]

1608 – Captain John Smith explores the Chesapeake Bay 1631 – English trading post established on Kent Island 1632 – Maryland Charter granted to Cecilius Calvert by King Charles I 1633 – Ark and Dove sail from the Isle of Wight, England 1634 – Ark and Dove arrive at St. Clements Island; St. Mary's City founded 1649 – "An Act Concerning Religion" passed; Puritans founded Providence (now Annapolis) 1664 – Slavery allowed by law in[...]

Maryland's nicknames: "America In Miniature," "Old Line State," "Free State" Maryland has been called "America in Miniature" because so much is packed into its 10,460 square miles of land and water. You can find just about any kind of natural feature here, except a desert. That's because water is almost everywhere in Maryland. The "America In Miniature" title also applies to the role Maryland has played in our nation's history, from the founding of the[...]

Three distinct regions characterize Maryland's topography. The first and major area, falling within the Atlantic Coastal Plain, is nearly bisected by the Chesapeake Bay, dividing Maryland into the Eastern Shore and the Western Shore. The Piedmont Plateau, west of the coastal lowlands, is broad, rolling upland with several deep gorges cut by rivers. Further west, from the Catoctin Mountains in Frederick County to the West Virginia border, is the Appalachian Mountain region, containing the state's[...]

State Flag: Black and gold quarters (the arms of Lord Baltimore’s family, the Calverts) along with red and white quarters (the arms of his mother’s family, the Crosslands) State Song: “Maryland, My Maryland,” written by teacher James Ryder Randall after a Civil War riot in Baltimore State Gem: Patuxent River Stone. The Patuxent River Stone is actually an agate, a cryptocrystalline form of quartz. Found only in Maryland, the Patuxent River Stone's colors of red[...]

Accessibility Policy We are committed to ensuring that this website is compliant with nonvisual accessibility requirements in Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 17.06.02.01-.12. For more information on these regulations, please visit the Maryland Information Technology Nonvisual Access Website. These regulations mandate that all individuals with visual disabilities have access to and use of information and data from this website. We have made a significant effort to make this site readable for all users, and will[...]

Maryland offers a world of travel opportunities and there are a variety of experiences for groups. There are a number of options, from the mountains to the bay to the ocean; there is something for everyone. Our close proximity to Washington, DC, provides ample opportunity for your senior, student or performing groups. If you need help with additional trip planning, creating itineraries or distributing leads, Rich Gilbert will be happy to offer assistance. If your[...]