3 Spring Road Trips Around Maryland

Looking for a few road trip ideas to take friends and family on an adventure during springtime? Think of Maryland with its bright blooming flowers, water sparkling with sunlight, and clear blue skies. These three options are all based on a great destination that either aren’t available or just aren’t the same outside of the spring.

St. Michaels Harbor

Couples who love charming waterfront restaurants will get a great evening or weekend trip out of their drive to St. Michaels Harbor, along Route 50. Once you arrive, you can check out the great sights bearing the same name as the harbor. For instance, consider combining your trip with a stay at St. Michaels Harbor Inn, Marina and Spa. This 19th century manor-turned-hotel offers elegant suites and al-fresco dining. Enjoy watching the boats pass along the bay.

The hotel, among others, schedules boat cruises and sailing lessons, or kept it simple and explore the historic streets, reminiscent of the state’s Victorian-style New England roots. For brief visits and a more casual experience, try the local favorite restaurant, Carpenter Street Saloon, for a few drinks and the famed crab soup.

Baltimore’s Food and Art Scenes

Spring is a good time to try new experiences, and this path takes you to two fascinating museums, followed by a tour of the tastes in Charm City. To see it all, we recommend booking a hotel at the highly rated Inn at The Black Olive, only a half-mile from the second museum. The Baltimore Museum of Art‘s sculpture garden is lovely in the spring, and all the exhibits are free. American Visionary Art Museum is next, dedicated to self-taught creators. This is where it gets weird, and you can see a giant wind-powered sculpture, structures made of toothpicks, and more.

In-between your driving and museum visits, check out McCormick World of Flavors, a great shop for those with a culinary eye. Artifact Coffee is a good spot for a pick-me-up, and Pabu is a modern Japanese restaurant inside the Four Seasons Hotel with a twist on its offerings to reflect Maryland’s culture.

Montpelier Festival of Herbs, Tea and the Arts

Pair your road trip with a walking tour of an historic mansion, and time your visit with the festival, to get herbs, teas, and various farmed or hand-crafted goods. The festival includes educational classes on gardening, herbal beauty products, and medicinal herbs, and everything takes place on the beautiful Montpelier Mansion, which also features a huge boxwood maze to explore.

Coming from Suitland, Routes 295 or 495 will take you north for most of the journey. If you’re staying the night (or two), Red Roof Inn-Laurel is the closest hotel to the mansion.

Maryland is full of beautiful things to see and do, but if you’re going to choose one time of year to have a road trip, why not go for the sunny, temperate days after the winter season? We hope you love whatever trips you choose, and come back with some great stories.

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