Can I be honest? I forgot Maryland existed. But as I was scrolling through Pinterest looking at project inspiration, some travel recommendations for Maryland came across my feed. It was just the “ah-ha!” moment I needed. Winter is hard – what better way to make it through the darkest days of the year than some virtual traveling? Let’s buckle up and take a look at some of the lovely things Maryland has to offer!
One thing I love about East Coast states is that because they are so small, all the things that you can do are really concentrated. There’s no need to travel 8 or 10 hours across the state. That’s not to mention that I can really focus my efforts and get into the more local finds while I’m exploring.
Quirky Maryland
I didn’t realize that Maryland was considered ‘quirky’ or ‘weird’ but it seems to be a theme over and over. Perhaps Baltimore is even the epicenter? One such place is what’s dubbed as “graffiti alley”. Its a testament to the cities street art scene. Local and visitors alike come and contribute their art to the space and for an alleyway it looks really cool.
There’s also tons of museums in Maryland – the National Museum of Dentistry, National Cryptologic Museum, and National Great Blacks in Wax Museum just to name a few. If we’re talking “quirky” then I don’t think anything fits the bill like the American Visionary Art Museum. With just a couple peeks inside it definitely seems like my cup of tea. How could it not be with a giant pink poodle? Definitely added to the list!
Another item of intrigue is Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. Previously, it was on display for a period in 2017-2018, and although a rare occurrence, I would love to have the opportunity to see it at some point in person. It’s used by the Baltimore Chief Medical examiner for training purposes. And what is it exactly? It’s a very, very finely detailed miniature of real crime scenes created by Frances Glessner Lee. It was created to teach investigators to “convict the guilty, clear the innocent, and find the truth in a nutshell.” Hence, the Nutshell Studies
In a shift back from macabre to mannequins, you can also find the most kitschy little restaurant in Baltimore. I’d love to have breakfast or lunch Paper Moon. It’s a brightly colored, pop art-filled, taken over by mannequins cafe that honestly looks like they have delicious food, too! I didn’t even make it through the menu before I had several things picked out. It’s nice to find a place that doesn’t sacrifice noms for aesthetic, especially in 2025!
Haunts
Maryland surprised me just a teensy bit with how haunted everything seems to be. Of course, only a teensy bit because it is the East Coast, after all. Now, here’s a little bit of some trivia: do you know why the mascot for the Baltimore Ravens is a raven? Well, of course, the answer is because Maryland is the home of none other than Edgar Allen Poe, the writer of the poem The Raven! Pretty cool! What’s even cooler? It’s rumored that you might even be able to meet him, as its said he haunts not one, but several of the places he lived, died, and frequented! Its possible you may see him at one of his residences, on his way to his favorite pub, and even at his favorite pub. I’ve loved the writer from the time I first read The Raven and it would be delightful to dive into his history (and haunts).
The state isn’t just famous because of it’s history with literature. It’s also famous for a much darker reason. The battle of Antietam is considered the bloodiest battle of the Civil War with reports of 23,000 dead, injured, or missing people. It’s no surprise that Antietam National Battlefield is reported as being considerably haunted. I’m not talking knocks and spooky feelings, either. Smells of gunpowder have been reported along with shadows across the battlefield, unexplained lights, the sounds of gun or cannon fire, and even full-bodied apparitions of confederate soldiers. I do like my history with a side of ghosts, please and thanks!
Another haunt, and this one actually gave me the chills, is that of the Jericho Covered Bridge in Kingsville, MD. I think covered bridges are so quaint and during the day this one is no different. At night, however, things seem very, very different. The rumored haunted? That you can see literal hanging bodies inside the bridge! No promises I wouldn’t just throw up if I saw that. I can promise it would make a believer out of me like nothing else probably could! Without diving too deep into the sources of the alleged hangings, a couple hypotheses are either that its the result of local teens who took their own lives or that its the result of lynching slaves. (In case you didn’t know – Maryland was south of the Mason-Dixon line, which is wild considering how far north “The South” starts.)
Nature
There’s no shortage of things to do if you’re spending your time in Maryland. Just look at my Travel Goal’s list to take in all the opportunities. I could go on and on! The first thing that drew me in (and, ahem, reminded me Maryland was a state) was this stunning picture of a rock maze located in Western Maryland. Its found in Garrett State Forest and looking at the pictures, it reminds me of the gorgeous slot canyons of the west, but green!
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail is a place where history meets nature. There’s bridges and tunnels and it really looks quite lovely. It’s a hiking trail located near Little Orleans where you can take in plenty of scenery. For example, the Paw Paw Tunnel is a 3,000 foot tunnel you can explore, that has plenty of history, itself. It’s also technically a National Historic Park and travels through West Virginia, DC, and Maryland.
For some more scenery with a little less hiking and a lot more paddling, consider Mallow’s Bay. Apparently, hundreds of WWI ships have found their final resting place in the bay. Here, you can kayak among the ruins and explore in a way that we don’t get to do very often. The pictures of the decay are truly fascinating.
Before I wrap things up, I want to give a shout out to the many National Park sites in Maryland. For such a small state, its truly filled to the brim. I’ve already mentioned the Antietam Battlefield and C&O Canal, but there’s many more. There are parks, halls, historic sites, waterways, shores, and several trails (including the Appalachian). One of importance that I consider a must would is the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park. We know the underground railroad itself was expansive (and truly, what we know probably barely scratches the surface), but this place serves as a place to honor Ms. Tubman and the lives she helped save.
We’re just scratching the surface here – there’s plenty more to do and see, so make sure to check out my list! Hope you’re all staying warm out there!
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