Known for its charming downtown, covered bridges, beautiful waterfalls, epic hiking and mountain biking trails, and for being the site of the Presidential Retreat, Camp David, this Maryland County is a true Mid-Atlantic gem.
Beyond its idyllic setting and unique attractions, Frederick, Maryland’s physical location is also ideal. It’s located just about an hour from both Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC, and this area makes for a pretty perfect day trip just about any time of year.
With a population of over 90K, the city itself boasts the dual titles of being the state’s second-largest incorporated city and third-largest city by population. Yet, somehow, this place still maintains its subtle, small-town charm (just peep the cute local storefronts below to get a tiny taste of what we mean).
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We’ve visited Frederick about a dozen times over the years, but our most recent visit was planned in partnership with Downtown Frederick, and we had what we consider to be the perfect winter day. So if you’re looking for a fun little getaway from the city that’s filled with nature, local parks, small businesses, dirty soda, and craft beer, this itinerary is for you!
We turned our trip into a cutesy little date day out of the city, but most of these stops are also both kid and (grand)parent-friendly, so grab your beau, bestie, babies, whoever– and get ready for a fun and outdoorsy time.
Stop 1: Hiking, Biking, Chasing Waterfalls, and Strolling through Nature in Frederick, MD
Even though the winter sun is rising a bit later, don’t hit the snooze button too many times, so you can make the most of the daylight and start the morning with a little time in nature. Depending on your mood/your group’s interest in engaging in some Type II fun, we’d recommend either a summit hike at Catoctin Mountain Park or South Mountain State Park, a stroll around Monocacy National Battlefield, chasing waterfalls at Cunningham Falls State Park, and/or heading to the Frederick Watershed CWMA for some mountain biking. There are numerous trails to choose from at each of these sites, and we’ll share some of our favorites, suitable for every experience level, below, so you can select your own sunrise adventure.
Wherever you choose to explore, promise to always practice Leave No Trace principles to preserve Mama Nature (stay on designated trails, pack out all of your trash, including organics like apple and orange peels, and respect wildlife and other humans you encounter. More information on how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly, including a free LNT 101 course, can be found at LNT.org.
Beginner/Family-Friendly Waterfall Adventure: Cunningham Falls State Park
Located in Thurmont, MD, Cunningham Falls boasts the title of being the state’s tallest waterfall. Several easy (ADA accessible) to moderate trails lead to the falls, ranging from 0.2 – five miles. Entry will cost you $3-$7 per person, depending on the day of the week and your state of residency. Note: This park is located north of Frederick and about an hour and fifteen minutes from DC, so this adventure will add a bit of time to your drive.
If you choose to make the trek to this park, you’ll have the option to stop by three historic covered bridges on your way back down to Downtown Frederick. If you want to add this little side quest, you’ll hit Roddy Road Covered Bridge, Loys Station Covered Bridge, and Utica Covered Bridge (in that order) as you drive south. Just make sure to use the map above, or put their locations into your GPS, so you don’t get turned around as you’re taking the scenic route to town. While these bridges are a bit out of the way, they’re cool, and historic, and worth the stops (in our opinion). There’s also a covered bridge in Downtown Frederick’s Baker Park. So if you want to experience one of these bad boys, but keep the morning stops to a minimum, you can.
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Family-Friendly Nature Walk: Monocacy National Battlefield
Here you can explore the site of the Civil War’s Battle of Monocacy via one of the park’s six walking trails that span historic farms and battlefields. Our favorite is the Upper Gambrill Mill Trail. It winds along a treeline, meadow, old wagon road, and creek, and it features an accessible boardwalk with several benches and interpretive signage that educates readers on the area’s significance. The trail also provides views of the Monocacy River and bridges that were of importance during the battle. If you hike the entire 1.4-mile lollipop trail, you can also check out some cool dam ruins that can be accessed by taking a spur (stick of the lollipop).
Moderate Hike: Catoctin Mountain Park
Located north of Frederick, adjacent to Cunningham Falls State Park, this National Park site maintains 25 miles of trails, and one of our favorites is the Chimney Rock to Wolf Rock to Thurmont Vista Trail. If you want to see all three points of interest, you’ll make a six(ish)-mile loop, but if you prefer to keep your hike short, you can get to Chimney and Wolf Rocks in just over three miles out and back.
Moderate Hike: Annapolis Rock
This beautiful view is another one that you’ll have to work– or rather hike a bit for. The trail to the summit is five miles out and back, and it boasts just under 800 feet of elevation gain. If you ask us, the view from the top is worth every step. Check out these clips from when we hiked it last summer.
Annapolis Rock is free to access and located in South Mountain State Park. Because of its accessibility, popularity, and proximity to both DC and Baltimore, it can get pretty busy. That said, there are plenty of different overlooks and rock outcroppings to spread out on, so you should be able to find your own little corner of the mountain to enjoy sans crowds.
Strenuous/Expert MTB Adventure: Frederick Watershed CWMA
This Cooperative Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) is home to over 7,000 acres of forest land in western Frederick County, including over a half-dozen advanced mountain bike trails. The area is expansive, and there are five different parking lots to choose from, so we recommend checking this trail map to plan your visit ahead of time.
Stop 2: Gravel and Grind
After your morning adventure, you should head into Downtown Frederick, and as soon as you get into town, take a minute to sit down and refuel at Gravel and Grind. This cafe/bike shop duo serves up artisanal coffee drinks and deliciously fancy toast and waffles.
Stop 3: Historic Downtown Frederick
When you’ve had your fill, take some time to bop around downtown. There are so many small businesses to support, and we really enjoyed shopping:
Chappelle and Co’s handmade candles, clothing, and fun gifts, Rock & Roll Graveyard‘s extensive record collection, Venus on the Half Shell’s vintage selection, Edgeworks Knife’s massive stock of knives and other outdoor survival gear, The Trail House’s outdoor gear, and Jessica Jordan‘s cute jewelry boutique and make your own charm bar.
When you’re ready for a sweet treat and/or a fun little drink, head to North Market Pop Shop. Order a dirty soda or the *viral* Fluffy Coke and sip as you shop unique, old-time candy and peruse their full wall of 400+ soda bottles.
Stop 4: Carroll Creek Park
Next, make your way to Carroll Creek Linear Park. When you get there, you won’t be able to help admiring their winter light installation: Sailing Through the Winter Solstice, which features individually designed lighted sailboats floating atop the creek. In addition to providing the park with some fun, seasonal ambiance, this festive installation also serves as a competitive fundraiser, which generates more than $100,000 each year for Frederick County nonprofit organizations. You can vote for your favorite boat by making a monetary contribution to the affiliated local charity; each $5 donated equates to one vote, and the winner gets a trophy and accompanying bragging rights! But whatever you do, make sure that you plan to come back after dark to see the different boats lit up in all their glory!
If the dirty sodas aren’t quite quenching your thirst by this point in the day, you have easy access to almost half a dozen local breweries where you can sip on something a little bit stronger. Attaboy Beer, RAK Brewing, Idiom Brewing, and Steinhardt Brewing are all located either right on Carroll Creek, or very close to it… and (SPOILER), we love them all!
If you want to brewery hop around to all of them or make a local beer tour out of the rest of your day, you absolutely can scrap the remainder of this itinerary and do just that, but perhaps consider booking a place to stay overnight, like this cool Train Depot Airbnb!
Stop 5: Delaplaine Arts Center
While you’re in the area, stop into Delaplaine Arts Center. It’s free to visit, and checking out the rotating exhibitions across their five on-site galleries is definitely worth a stop. They also offer workshops, art talks, open studios, and lots more community events. You can check out their full list of events and offerings here.
Stop 6: The Best Burgers and Shakes in Frederick
Maxwell’s Burgers & Shakes is a must for a fast, casual, sit-down lunch. Their burgers are amazing, and their shakes are as aesthetic as they are delicious. They also have some cool art on the walls made by local artists for purchase. It’s a 10/10 spot all around.
Stop 7: Baker Park
After lunch, take a little stroll around Baker Park. Depending on where you are/how long of a walk you want to take, you can check out a cool stone bell tower, a covered bridge, and a little suspension footbridge (pictured below). This park is also a great spot for an afternoon bike ride, if you happen to have your bike in tow from the MTB park earlier!
Stop 8: Shop for Plants & Curated Vintage Finds
You can’t leave town without checking out two of our favorite shops that are conveniently located just steps from each other in Frederick’s Everedy Square and Shab Row Neighborhood: Take Root Plants and Relove and Rewind. Note: Frederick Coffee Co is also just across the street, so be sure to swing by, if you need a caffeine hit.
Stepping into Take Root Plants will make you feel like you’ve entered an urban jungle. This shop is alive and decked out from floor to ceiling with houseplants. Beyond plants, DIY kits, and plant-related goods, they also offer workshops and classes. You can browse all of their upcoming events here.
If you enjoy thrifting or shopping for vintage finds that are actually affordable, Relove and Rewind is the place for you. Everything here is hand-selected by the husband-wife team who own it, from gently used secondhand clothing, to vintage, graphic tees, to baseball cards, and home decor.
Stop 9: Local Craft Brews @ Attaboy Beer
If you didn’t hit Attaboy earlier, now is the time! No getaway of ours would be complete without capping off the day at a local brewery, and we found Attaboy Beer to be the perfect place for just that. They brew NEIPAS, IPAs, Pale Ales, Lagers, Belgians, and seasonal beers, and always have at least one seltzer on tap. Whether you order a flight or a full pour, you can enjoy it in their taproom, dog-friendly garage, or beer garden.
They also have a variety of table games and shuffleboard for those (like us) who appreciate a side of competition with their hops. When you get hungry, they have you covered, too, as they host food trucks daily in the parking lot. They also sell chips and welcome outside food.
Stop 10: Carroll Creek’s Winter Light Installation After Dark
Even though you’ve already passed through during the day, you’re going to want to head back to Carroll Creek before heading home to admire the Sailing Through the Winter Solstice display after dark.
Check out our little recap of this day trip over on Instagram, and if you’re local, please let us know what we missed that should be added to our itinerary next time.
