Best Maryland Attraction (2017)

Annapolis' United States Naval Academy is one of the most selective undergraduate universities in the nation. On formation weekdays, visitors can watch as 4,000 midshipmen and -women perform a military march. The onside Naval Academy Museum highlights America's naval history.
Photo courtesy of Maryland Office of Tourism Development

A major port during America's colonial days, Chestertown today maintains a collection of 18th century houses and buildings second in the state only to Annapolis. These structures now house inns, restaurants, independent bookstores and boutiques, lined up along the cobbled streets.
Photo courtesy of Maryland Office of Tourism Development

Home of the Baltimore Orioles, Oriole Park and Camden Yards sits on the bucket list of many a baseball fan. Whether or not it's a game day, visitors can look for brass baseballs in the sidewalks outside the stadium, marking where home runs have landed, or pay respect to the greats along the Orioles Hall of Fame.
Photo courtesy of Keith Allison / Flickr

This living history museum brings to life 17th century Maryland. Visitors can board a historic tall ship, tour a plantation household, play colonial games and interact with a host of costumed interpreters. 
Photo courtesy of Maryland Office of Tourism Development

Deep Creek Lake, the largest lake in the state, features 69 miles of shoreline in the hills of Western Maryland. Most visitors access the lake through Deep Creek Lake State Park, where it's possible to go boating, swimming, hiking or, in the winter, cross country skiing.
Photo courtesy of Maryland Office of Tourism Development

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum sits on the same site where the famous railroad was founded. The collection includes more than 120 full-sized locomotive engines, as well as a whole host of train memorabilia. 
Photo courtesy of Maryland Office of Tourism Development

The American Film Institute's Silver Theatre and Cultural Center was created by Montgomery County citizens as a place to celebrate both artists and audiences. Housed within a historic 1938 movie house, the space features two stadium theaters, as well as an exhibit area.
Photo courtesy of Ken Stanek Photography

A new addition to the national park system, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Park celebrates the life of the woman responsible for guiding nearly 70 enslaved people to safety – at great risk to herself – before the Civil War.
Photo courtesy of NPS Photo/ Beth Parnicza

With three major habitats – marsh, shallow water and forest – Maryland's Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge harbors an incredible diversity of flora and fauna. As a designated Internationally Important Birding Area and a Wetland of International Importance, Blackwater provides a crucial sanctuary for migratory waterfowl along the Atlantic Flyway. The refuge has earned the nickname "Everglades of the North," and visitors can experience it via a paved Wildlife Drive, hiking trails, paddling trails and a bike route.
Photo courtesy of Ray Paterra/USFWS

Baltimore's American Visionary Art Museum celebrates unbridled creativity in all its forms through a collection of colorful and innovative pieces of self-taught or "outsider" art. The museum comprises two buildings and a pair of sculpture gardens filled with whimsical works.
Photo courtesy of Maryland Office of Tourism Development