The Charles Carroll House was amazing. The tour guide was so knowledgeable. Charles Carroll was the…read moreonly Catholic who signed the Declaration of Independence. He was probably the wealthiest man to sign it. So much to lose, but he had the most to gain: religious freedom, since the English monarchy was preventing Catholics from learning and holding government office. The museum gets no money from the Catholic Church, and it desperately needs funds for maintenance and to try to regain the beauty the estate once boasted.

Beautiful setting! (Seriously. Have your lunch on the grounds after touring the "big house" itself…read more You'll be glad you did.) Modest admission price. Well maintained interior.

Deep-rooted history in one beautiful city--that's Annapolis in a nutshell! Yet sometimes we…read moreoverlook the treasures right in our own backyard. So many of us who live nearby and love Annapolis have probably passed this building countless times without realizing it's a museum. The Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum celebrates Maryland's rich African American history and culture. Its name honors three remarkable Marylanders: Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman, whose name was added in 2024. Learning from the past helps us better understand and embrace the present. Take a moment to step inside, explore, and appreciate the stories that helped shape our state. A must-see for Marylanders--and anyone who loves history!

This was apparently the Banneker-Douglass museum once, but has added Harriet Tubman as another…read morelocal figure of renown. A total of three rooms of exhibits were available, two for a rotating art exhibit, of which one was the interior of a historic church, while the other room is a locally focused history of the African American experience. The local aspect of the museum calls Maryland "Southern", a reminder that this is somewhat ambiguous historically. The museum is free to enter. It will not take long to get through, but in combination with other local sites this stop will give a different perspective.

So, I had no idea this place existed, and I only learned about it thru a free activity booklet for…read morekids. There was a planes and trains event. There was a huge train setup with several battery operated trains and villages. My kind was quiet and interested for about two hours! Who doesn't love a mommy break? Ha! Also, they had other activities for the kids, like coloring and blocks. During a normal visit, there are flight simulators, planes and helicopters that the kids can "fly." There are wonderful exhibits, and the staff were so amazing. This was an awesome day. If the kid is into trains again next year, I will be back!

This is such a cute museum! For just five dollars, you get access to a wealth of information on not…read moreonly the Wright Brother's aviation efforts but the history of College Park's own airport- did you know it was the first in the United States? It's also the location of the military's first flight training! So cool. Definitely stop by if you live nearby.

The fairgrounds themselves are decent enough for any major event. We've only ever been to the AA…read moreCo. Fair here, but it's always been pretty easy to get there and to leave at the end. Traffic is honestly usually nonexistent, which is amazing for an event of this caliber. They do a great job with keeping folks moving and parking in an orderly fashion. The grounds themselves are okay. Not very level and there are some significant hills going from the main entrance, up the hill, back down to the midway. But, it's nothing most people probably couldn't handle. If you're mobility-minded, though, you might want to consider this. There is ample handicap parking on the grounds, though, but getting around could be a challenge. Otherwise, it's rustic as you might expect. I really like that they saved the big tractor guy from the old store in Annapolis where the (now defunct) Toys R Us used to be. It brought back a lot of memories seeing it there again, but now bearing a big welcome sign. So, yeah, overall... it's a good space for what it gets used for. I can't complain. I imagine other events have probably the same experience.

Halloween Happening Fundraising Event…read more Definitely for those under the age of 8 or so 10 if you restrict TV/movies etc from your kids and they haven't been predisposed to certain things. Not bad for $15 per person They don't offer any discounts not even military.. You walk up the paved walkway purchase your ticket ($15pp), I think under 6 is free but don't quote me on that. And you wait in line. We waited about 45mins before our group of roughly 20 went into the Haunted Barn walked down a lil hill to the mini maze, and we all loaded up in the trailer for the hayride. Please dress for the occasion, it was 43 degrees out and they don't have space heaters outdoors or fire pits etc to keep you toasty wok you wait. Although a fire pit and selling s'mores kit would've been another selling point. They did have apple cider, canned sodas chips candy and popcorn for sale. I'd suggest pack your own snacks and drinks. Oh and they had glow sticks for the kids. Organization could've been a bit better, lighting to the restroom would've been nice and more scary props. And that god awful smoky smell from the fog machine or whatever was horrendous like old fireworks just bad.

I went to the Maryland Renaissance Festival on 10/24/2026 after not having gone for the last couple…read moreyears. The ticket prices were reasonable but the process to get them is insane. You have to be put in a queue on the day of ticket release and once you are let in you only have so many minutes to purchase your tickets. They sell out FAST! Make sure you bring CASH! Do not rely on the ATMs at the venue because you will be standing in line for an hour. No exaggeration. Most of the vendors take credit cards but the ones that sell drinks/alcohol only take cash. The prices were not totally unreasonable. Depending on what area you are in, the lines can get excessive. My husband and I spent a couple hours here walking around. When trying to see a show in the arena. There were so many people that you could not even find standing room with a view. That was kind of disappointing. I know they will never sell less tickets but I almost wish they would! Overall we have a wonderful Ren Fest. Just bring cash and be prepared to wait in long lines for most vendors.

Came here to see if the four star rating held up from last year. Upon entering the area, the…read moreparking was well organized and only a short walk to the venue. Port-a- potty's were available. At the entrance, if you are drinking any alcohol, you have to show proof of age and they will give you a wristband to drink. This year seemed a bit more crowded than last year. Most were dressed in their period costumes, include me, which is always fun to watch. They have various food and shop vendors, selling renaissance themed items. The entertainment was great. It featured a variety of musicians, jugglers, singers, court jester acts with scheduled performances at various stages around the venue, along with medieval-themed games ($). There was an on-site museum of facts ($), tarot card readings, and a kid's play area. The main attraction was the jousting (that had the crowd cheering, including me ) and falcon shows. There was even knife, star, and axe throwing ($). A water bottle refill station was available ( you can bring in empty containers). The festival takes place from late summer to early fall, weekends only. There are designated smoking areas around the venue. The terrain may be a bit challenging for those with mobility issues and baby strollers as the ground is covered in soil, dry leaves and hay with some hills with steep inclines that may become slippery in wet weather. All in all, the festival retains its four star rating from me as food, entertainment, and staff were just as good as last year's. I plan on attending this event next year as well.

A bit of a hike from DC, this cozy free museum is a must for history and technology buffs…read more Located, appropriately enough, right next to the heavily secured National Security Agency. Plan on taking an hour, maybe an hour and a half, to leisurely examine the exhibits. Docents are available to answer your questions. I found the exhibits amazing. Walking away from visiting NCM, I have to marvel at how smart and clever humans are. Encryption started way back. The Egyptians were known to encrypt messages. Thomas Jefferson encrypted his sensitive letters. Napoleon was a big fan of encryption. The mechanical encryption devices on display, from World War I on, are fascinating to see with all their bells and whistles.

Brought a group of High School students here for a field trip. The museum is free so you can't beat…read morethe price. We had a guided tour. It was very interesting to see all of the history and learn about the science behind all of the exhibits. Some have a little interactive portion as well. The tour lasted about a hour. After it was done the students looked around on their own for a few. Not a bad way to spend a day away from school while still learning something.

Beautiful, scenic and so much interesting history. It's so cool to see how people lived back in…read moretime.

While driving up Route 50 we saw a sign for this museum and turned off for it. Turns out it's only…read moreOpen on Saturdays 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. (May through November) but there was no sign anywhere indicating this. It wasn't until I got home and searched the internet that I found this out. However, we did stop by and peered through the windows and looked at a couple of the items they have in the yard. It looks like a very interesting place but needs more signage.

Enjoyed great family friendly! My grandkids enjoyed their day feeding the animals, picking…read morepumpkins and pony ride. Just outdoor kid fun!!!!

This Corn Maze is about 1-mile from us and is a huge event every October. Lots of fun things for…read morethe kids and of course, the corn maze itself. Each year the corn maze is planned for a new course/theme. This year we were in the maze for 45-mins. While there we heard from families in the maze for 2+ hours. Fun for all.