Maryland

Once dubbed "America in Miniature," Maryland played a rich and important role in the development of our country with many important Civil War battlefields as well as stops on the Underground Railroad. Every inch of Maryland's capital city, Annapolis, is a national historic district. Most unique to the city is the abundance of perfectly preserved buildings from the eighteenth century. Thanks to the Historic Annapolis Foundation, today there are over 1300 preserved and restored architectural wonders from before 1900. Walking through the narrow winding streets of the city you can see Colonial, Victorian, Federal and Georgian style homes, four of which were owned by signers of the Declaration of Independence. Another fascinating city is the state's most populous, Baltimore. Here on the Chesapeake Bay you'll find an abundance of history and culture. The Star Spangled Banner Trail / War of 1812 Chesapeake Campaign follows events that led up to the Battle of Baltimore at Fort Henry. It was here that Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the words of our beloved national anthem. The city is also known for its unique and varied cuisine. The most typical food of the area, Chesapeake Bay Cuisine, stems from the abundance of local seafood with specialties like crab cakes, oyster stew and crab imperial. The many different neighborhoods offer an abundance of other unique styles of cooking, including the first class Italian cuisine found in Little Italy. For a relaxing vacation, Ocean City's long boardwalk and white sandy beaches provide the perfect getaway. Here and all along the state's coast people come to participate in water sports. Sailing is hugely popular as can be seen by the sailing schools throughout the state. The beautiful mountain ranges that run through the state are perfect for camping, biking and hiking. Off the eastern shore, you can camp on Assateague Island National Seashore, famous for wild ponies and its untouched natural dunes and marshes.