Such a beautiful place for a picnic! We enjoyed the views in the evening up until sunset. It was a…read morefew people there but not enough to distract you from relaxing. I only rated it a 4 because people don't clean up after their dogs and it literally took a while for us to find a clear spot to lay our blanket down. Hopefully this can get better.

Sooo I've been to this loop a few times to walk/jog prior to today 07'04'20 and always referred to…read moreit as the Quarry Loop but today I discovered that this location has a totally separate entrance from the homes and shopping/dining area and has its own identity, pretty neat. There are benches scattered throughout that are facing inward toward the lake, some with amazing views and a few obstructed by the trees & greenery but still serene spots to just sit, relax & chat or just take in the scenery. The trail/loop is a little under 2 miles in total and it offers great views, some flowers here and there and loads of geese. I've never experienced it being overly crowded with people on the loop and the atmosphere is very peaceful. I will continue to frequent this park. Oh and if it ever gets too hot while out there, you can always pop into Rita's Italian Ice or Custard ;-)

Cromwell is such a magical place for me and my family! We come here on rainy days and on sunny days…read moreas well! There is so much to do no matter the season. I'm always looking for something to do with my toddler on rainy days and the nature center is the perfect place to get out of the house for a bit. Whether you want to wander on a trail, visit the nature center, pack a picnic and sit on the grass, or attend an event, Cromwell has so many options. There is something to do for all ages! The events they organize for children and adults are thoughtful and engaging! We have all learned so much through their educational programs. My 3 yr old loves to visit the chickens and play in the nature center. It is such a great place to go on a rainy day! The parking lot is a short walking distance to the entrance of the nature center. On sunny days, we like to pack snacks and sit out on their picnic tables and/or grass. Their outdoor playground is so much fun too! We love exploring the gardens, visiting the frogs and seeing all the flowers bloom. It's so peaceful and relaxing to sit and listen to all the sounds of nature. On warm days, Cromwell is the perfect place to throw rocks in the stream and dip your feet in the water after hiking on the many trails! There are so many shaded spots to sit and relax. We love to go to the open fields to bring a soccer ball and a picnic blanket. Everyone who works there is so friendly and inclusive! It really is a magical place to explore and wander. My son has developed a deep love for nature through exploring the nature center and the park! We can't wait to come back!

Can't believe I've never come across this park before! I wanted to go for a walk after running some…read moreerrands and looked up nearby parks and decided to go this one. So happy I went! It's a beautiful, wide open area with plenty of space to walk. There's also trails but I didn't explore that part because I wasn't wearing the right shoes and didn't know how to get to the trail itself. I love the history about the apple orchard trees and will definitely be coming back.

It's a lovely day in a beautiful park with trails as easy or as challenging as you'd like to…read moreexperience. Make no mistake, this isn't the Appalachian Trail but it's a convenient break from some of the rocky trails of Pennsylvania and the scenery is beautiful here. The nature center isn't open today because it's Labor Day so no bathrooms, but there are porta-potties near the picnic areas. When open, it's fun to check out the small animals and exhibits inside. Oregon Ridge is a fun place to come to for a change of scenery from Central Pa.

I hadn't been out to OR for a long time but had the opportunity to enjoy some nature and food truck…read moretacos on a beautiful Baltimore day. The trees are in full bloom, everything is green and bursting with life and it was peaceful in this place. Beware of the poison ivy though - it's everywhere and it's YUGE!

It's easy to drive by and not realize this park has some good qualities…read more The space is huge and includes a baseball field, tennis court and tot lot. We've been a few times and the space is always clean and quiet. There are a few trashcans around, so I recommend bringing an extra bag to tie up trash in since trash cans are few. There's a small lot designated for the park and free on-street parking. The tot lot has a playground and swings. Nothing fancy, but serves its purpose. I haven't seen this area overly crowded. Good option to not fight crowds and a range of age groups. There are no restrooms.

Towson Manor Park consists of two play areas. One is located at higher ground, one at lower. A…read moreslide joins the two. The park also includes a large grassy area and a sandbox loaded with sand toys. Towson Manor includes at least four slides ( I should've counted for precision), six swings (three designed for little kids, two for bigger kids and a buckle in one), a large rope area with various balancing activities and a central contraption that incorporates ropes and spinning. The higher level of the park seems to be geared towards older kids (say five and up) and this is definitely the better portion of the park. The under five section seemed a bit underwhelming. There was a lot of shade, a few benches to sit on and some very climbable trees. Pets are allowed at the park as long as they are leashed. I did not see any bags for poop collection so make sure you bring your own. There is limited parking, like six or seven spaces. Because of that the park says to only park on their premises for an hour. The only thing keeping Towson Manor from rating higher is the lack of bathrooms.

It's always cool to happen by a really park that you have no idea exists, with Lake Roland being…read morejust that. The park has hiking trails, a nature center, picnic spots, a playground, and a dog park, all adjacent to Lake Roland. I recently discovered that canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and birdwatching and local favorites, too. Sometimes I go just to zone out while enjoying the weather or just taking a quick nap in the car. Very peaceful spot.

Lake Roland will always be one of my fav spots to unwind . It's the Perfect place to chill , walk…read morethe trails , fish or Canoe . It's Dog & Kid Friendly . The have a covered space to rent out for Birthday Parties etc . There's a parking lot or you can Park at the Light rail entrance and walk along the wooden path .

Absolutely love coming here. Good fishing amazing views the boat rental place has great service and…read moregood people working there.

Such a beautiful place for an easy hike. My friends and I did an easy 6.5 mil hike here at Loch…read moreRaven Reservoir. No hiking sticks needed. Long trails. Some muddy areas, not much. Lots of water to see. Fun fact: I didn't know but Loch Raven Reservoir supplies drinking water for the city of Baltimore!! The Reservoir is pretty popular on Saturdays and Sunday morning, early before 9am. I've never been during the week so I'm not sure of the traffic during those times. 5 stars! Heading back with my bike

I like this park in the summer because of how much shade it offers on the playground. You can hit…read morethe playground up at 9, 10, 11 and still have ample shade. That is perfect for those hot summer late mornings. Riderwood Hills Park consists of five parts. First, there is a baseball/softball field with lots of green space. I see lots of dogs being walked/run through here. To the left of that is a small paved bridge that crosses a wooded stream (this is the second area). It can be fun to make your way down to the stream and explore the rocks, plants and small creatures you find. The playground area is next. There is a whole climbing area for kids to go up, go under and slide down. There is a small zip line and some monkey bars. There are also a lot of swings both those designed for younger kids and those for older ones. The final two areas are two full court basketball courts that appear to be in good shape and a small covered pavilion. The park also has quite a few benches and some picnic tables. So why only three stars? Mainly because there aren't a lot of kids that are at this park. Maybe it is when we go but my kids have a much easier time finding kids their age at other parks.

We visited the Hampton National Historic Site in Towson this past weekend. This estate was owned by…read morethe Ridgely family for 7 generations from 1745 to 1948. The Georgia mansion home was the largest private home in America when it was completed in 1790. The estate was a plantation, one of the largest in Maryland, and hundreds of people were enslaved at the plantation until the end of the Civil War. The property is operated by the National Park Service, so a park ranger gives guided tours of the property. Our ranger guide was really friendly and did a wonderful job guiding us through the house. She taught us about the history of the area, the family, and the estate. She taught us about the architecture of the house and the artifacts visible throughout the house (many of which are original to the home). She also highlighted the lives and stories of enslaved persons who spent part or the entirety of their lives at Ridgely. There is some important Maryland history here at Hampton, and I really appreciated our experience. The house is undergoing some renovations right now and we were a bit tight on time, so we weren't able to explore the grounds (I think you can visit the slave quarters, cemetery, and more on the grounds), so I'd like to go back and explore more of the site's history. As an NPS property, it's free to visit and tour and definitely worth checking out. It's history hidden in plain sight - you've probably driven past it many times without stopping by!

We went on the 1 hour tour inside the house and were amazed by the renovation and details of the…read moreestate. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and answered our questions. I would recommend getting tickets to tour the house. We went last year and were only able to walk the grounds. Tickets are only $1 at recreation.gov.

What a breathtaking scenic view you get while walking this trail. The trail is maintained really…read morewell, I didn't see any trash, and there is spacious walking space between you, bikes, runners, and other walkers. You also get some great views of birds and the water. The trail is so long, it just keeps going on and on. Where I parked was a little small, and I could see the parking lot getting too full if you don't get to the park early enough. Regardless, this was a relaxing trail to walk on and I will 100% take it again soon.

Torrey Brown Trail (Ashland, MD to Mason Dixon Line [PA])…read more We ride segments of this trail with some regularity. This trip on Labor Day was from Whitehall to Mason Dixon Line (approx.9 miles, 18+ out & back). We were going to park at Monkton Station and have a longer ride, but holiday brought out everyone, and their brother, sister, cousin, college friends, camp counselors, army buddies, ...etc! So we navigated to the Whitehall stop. One feature of this trail is the many trailheads as options. The ride out climbs (4% max) to the PA line, it does, especially at the end feel a bit taxing, in a good way. We were on our Cannondale Topstone gravel bikes (37mm tires). The surface is consistent well packed limestone/ fine gravel. The ride back towards Whitehall is mostly a coasting excercise. The "crowd" offered all level of rider, walker, dog walker, jogger, stroller ladies, etc. so it wasn't as serene as this segment can usually be. For the most part, except on the busiest days at Torrey Brown (across 20+ mile stretch) can be quite private away from the trailheads. Good day, nice weather, great ride.