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The Baltimore Banner desires to assist its readers uncover the fun that lie past the area. Our “Uncover” journey sequence will shine a light-weight on a number of the hidden gems in and outdoors Maryland that residents can discover in a day or a weekend. We’ll inform you the place to remain, what to do and the perfect locations to eat. Whether or not you’re a single one that desires to get out of Appeal Metropolis for the weekend, a pair searching for an entertaining day journey or a family willing to cross state lines to take care of your sanity, we’ll have one thing for you.
Nearly an hour west of Baltimore, proper earlier than Central Maryland turns into Western Maryland, is Frederick. The seat of Frederick County is residence to a captivating and walkable historic downtown that makes an ideal day journey for anybody who could make the drive alongside I-70.
However earlier than we go any additional, a disclaimer: I grew up in Frederick. In highschool, I spent numerous hours at a small pizza joint on Market Road with my buddies. For my twenty first birthday, my household met at a cultured restaurant downtown after which I spent the remainder of the evening bar-hopping with my siblings and now-fiancee. I’m consistently telling individuals to take the drive and test it out, whether or not it’s for a brewery or favourite climbing path.
So, relying in your viewpoint, I’m both impossibly biased or an professional. With that in thoughts, I drove to Frederick from my residence in North Baltimore earlier this month to scope out a number of the greatest actions and locations to eat and drink in the event you’re searching for a day journey.
Know earlier than you go
After I discuss with Frederick on this piece, I imply the town, not the county. (Frederick is the biggest metropolis in Frederick County, and is correct in the course of it.)
Once you go, you should definitely put on cozy sneakers. There’s rather a lot to do in downtown Frederick, and when you may drive and search for parking over and over, it makes extra sense most often to stroll. The sidewalks are vast, and the realm is comparatively far, however you may simply put in three or 4 miles relying on what you select to do.
If you’re going to park, I recommend parking downtown. There may be loads of road parking, although preserve an eye fixed out for meters and indicators that limit hours. There are a couple of garages which can be comparatively low cost, however they will refill quick.
And also you would possibly need to keep away from happening a Monday. Numerous retailers and eating places downtown are closed or have restricted hours.
What to do
Probably the greatest issues to do in Frederick is to stroll up and down Market Road, the guts of historic downtown, and pop into any store that catches your curiosity. My favourite is Curious Iguana, an impartial bookstore that opened in September 2013. It has a devoted room for youngsters’s books, plus staff-curated picks in nearly any style. Additionally they have a frequent consumers membership — you get $10 off for each $100 spent. I like to consider it as a everlasting 10% low cost.
I’m additionally a giant fan of Brainstorm Comics & Gaming, which is a bit additional north. It has numerous comedian books and graphic novels on the market, plus all kinds of board video games and tabletop video games. Each time I’ve gone in, the employees have been educated and pleasant.
Market Road additionally has a couple of artwork galleries and shops, together with DISTRICT Arts. It’s free to enter, fortunately, as a result of the artwork that was on show — some from locals, some not — was not low cost. The employees had a strict no pictures rule, however I used to be impressed by some glasswork on show; my aunt who got here with me was taken with some mixed-medium digital work.
When you’ve got youngsters with you, be sure to cease by the North Market Pop Shop, which claims to have the East Coast’s largest assortment of soda. Inside, you’ll discover cabinets stuffed with all types of soda, from the scrumptious Ale-8-One (a regional ginger ale that I bought a couple of bottles of) to extra doubtful bottles purporting to style like freshly mowed grass. You too can seize ice cream or browse cabinets stuffed with novelty sweet.
Should you really feel like venturing away from Market Road (which to be clear, I feel you need to), try Emporium Antiques, a huge warehouse crammed with vintage distributors that has every part from property jewellery to Fiesta dinnerware to furnishings to previous maps. I’m not usually into antiquing, however even I can have an excellent time shopping the totally different corrals.
Not removed from Emporium Antiques is Vintage MC, a retailer that makes a speciality of classic mid-century fashionable furnishings and decor. I’ve but to truly buy something from right here, however I’m tempted each time I stroll in. Should you’re delicate to smells, although, I’d recommend passing on the clothes part within the again — I can’t go to with out getting a fast headache.
There are virtually too many different shops to rely, however I recommend testing Relish Decor, Voila! tea and The Record Exchange, as nicely.
Should you’re not a lot into purchasing (and even window shopping), simply strolling round within the downtown space is nice — there are a couple of public gardens, and the Carroll Creek Promenade is a very fairly waterfront with fountains and bridges.
You must also take the time to stroll by way of Baker Park — which has a couple of massive playgrounds, a bandshell, a picturesque clock tower and public courts for tennis and bocce — or round Culler Lake, which has a boardwalk that clocks in at nearly three-quarters of a mile, based on my health tracker. Should you’re searching for an outside tour that’s a bit tougher than a strolling path, there are some nice climbing trails in Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park in the event you’re keen to take one other drive.
Should you’re extra of a historical past buff, Frederick ought to whet your urge for food: Town was an necessary location through the Civil Battle, together with through the 1862 Antietam marketing campaign. It can be residence to the Barbara Fritchie House, a web site the place Fritchie, who was then in her 90s, was mentioned to defiantly wave the Union flag as accomplice troopers marched by way of the town streets in 1862. The historical past of Frederick, although, is current not solely within the metropolis’s museums and designated markers, however within the high-quality architectural particulars on its buildings.
The place to eat and drink
My primary advice for anybody going to Frederick is to go to Hootch & Banter and seize a seat on the bar. Should you’re fortunate, head bartender Jeff Naylor will likely be working. The drinks he’s curated for the restaurant are all scrumptious, and when you may order a beer or wine, I feel it’s a mistake to not order from the home cocktail menu.
The meals there’s additionally scrumptious. The menu shifts often, however I’ve by no means had a nasty meal, from the twenty first birthday dinner with my household a couple of years in the past to weekend brunches with buddies. After I visited earlier this month, I loved a wahoo fish over Spanish-style rice and a cocktail made with gin from the native McClintock Distilling. My eating accomplice loved a flowery spin on a cheesesteak and a chilly glass of Heineken.
Earlier that very same day, I ended at Isabella’s Taverna & Tapas Bar and munched on their signature fried asparagus, a scrumptious tomato bread served with ham, and slow-cooked rooster thighs that had been so tender I assumed they’d soften in my mouth. I may take or depart the sangria I had with my tapas, although.
Make sure to additionally try Ibiza Cafe, the place I acquired a huge iced espresso for cheaper than Starbucks.
Different locations downtown I’d extremely suggest embrace: Frederick Coffee Co. for espresso and breakfast sandwiches; The Tasting Room for (very) particular events; Cafe Nola for a late-night choice; and Pretzel & Pizza Creations for scrumptious pizza made with pretzel dough, or a pretzel full of cheese and coated in Previous Bay (that is nonetheless Maryland, in spite of everything).
And whereas I didn’t make it to any of them throughout my newest journey, Frederick can be residence to distilleries and breweries. I’m an particularly massive fan of the gin and bourbon from McClintock (which provides actually enjoyable excursions) and the specialty cocktails from Tenth Ward Distilling Company. High breweries downtown embrace Idiom Brewing Co. and Olde Mother Brewing Co.
Should you make the journey to Frederick — or are planning to — let me know! I’d love to listen to about it, or assist you determine what to do and what you may skip.
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