B&O Railroad Museum Ellicott City Station
Culture, Heritage & History
B&O Railroad Museum Ellicott City Station
Four days that will take you back in time. Explore stories of Maryland’s many freedom seekers and the Underground Railroad; visit America’s oldest surviving railway depot; paddle waters once home to the Nanticoke people. Soak up the local food scene before resting your head in modern luxury at a historic Maryland inn.
Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
Maryland celebrates the people that make it special, and the Button Farm Living History Center is a prime example of how we honor our past. Learn about the lives of enslaved Black Americans and 19th-century agriculture via living-history exhibits. At Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park and Sandy Spring Slave Museum, exhibits, an Underground Railroad Experience Trail and an art gallery shed light on the lives of Black and African Americans, their quest for freedom and the Civil Rights Movement.
Explore nearby eateries:
MoCo Nutrition - Protein shakes, smoothies & energy teas
The Caribbean Flavor - Beef patties, saltfish & coco bread
Mansa Kunda Restaurant - Authentic West African fare
B&O Railroad Museum Ellicott City Station
Chug over to the Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum — America’s oldest surviving depot — for artifacts, station rooms, a caboose and an impressive model train. At Howard County Center of African American Culture, immerse yourself in local Black history via vintage clothing and displays. Sleep in 18th-century style at The Wayside Inn; local lore says George Washington and John Quincy Adams both caught some early-American Zzzs here.
Explore nearby eateries:
Old Mill Cafe - Crêpes & bagels with lox
Choose from many options along KoreaTown, like Kim Bob Na Ra or Honey Pig Restaurant
Tigi’s Ethiopian Restaurant & Market - Ethiopian classics with lots of vegan options
Sotterley Plantation
A dedicated site along UNESCO’s Routes of Enslaved Peoples, Hollywood’s Historic Sotterley doesn’t sugarcoat the past. The board of trustees includes descendants of the enslaved Black Americans who worked the plantation, which uses its 20 historical structures and educational programs as a “testament to all who lived, died, labored and resisted here.” At the Old Jail Museum in Leonardtown, an Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site, discover the stories of freedom seekers who were held captive. Absorb what you’ve learned as you look out over the water at Ridge’s Swanendele Inn.
Explore nearby eateries:
The Jamaican Grill (California) - Caribbean takeout, like jerk chicken
Uncle D’s Grill (Lexington Park) - Southern-style barbecue & fish
Handsel Event at the Indian Village
The Nanticoke River holds so much history, it’s a wonder it doesn’t spill its banks. In fact, the name means “tidewater” in Algonquin, the language of the Nanticoke people. Paddle past paw paws and sassafras while looking for bald eagles on the Nanticoke Water Trail, knowing you’re on routes similar to those traveled by Harriet Tubman and John Smith. Learn more about the Nanticoke people, enslaved African Americans and colonists as you tour Handsell House, whose calendar features fascinating educational events and cultural festivals. Stick close to the waterfront come nightfall with a stay at Roaring Point Waterfront Campground.
Explore nearby eateries:
Swanendele Inn - Complimentary with your stay
Millie’s Road House Bar - Crab cakes, burgers & friendly vibes
Boonies Burgers, Beer & Bait - Regional specialties, like rockfish & crab
SHOPPING SIDE TRIP
In Ellicott City find shops in old-timey and cheerfully painted historical buildings selling everything from alpaca-wool clothing to used books. Travel to Bethesda’s Pike and Rose District for a high-end shopping experience in a walkable downtown.
More Trip Suggestions
