Where to go this weekend.

Curated for Howard County residents. 13 day trips within 90 minutes, 11 weekend trips 2-4 hours out. Drive times are one-way from Columbia, MD.

Day trips

Get there and back the same day. Under 90 minutes one-way.

🏛️
Smithsonian Museums
Washington, D.C. · 45 min · History
Best for: rainy days, free, with kids
· National Air and Space
· American History
· Natural History
· African American History
🏙️
Baltimore Inner Harbor + National Aquarium
Baltimore, MD · 35 min · City
Best for: family day, summer evening
· National Aquarium
· USS Constellation
· Maryland Science Center
· Federal Hill views
🏛️
Downtown Annapolis + Naval Academy
Annapolis, MD · 40 min · History
Best for: spring/fall walking day, sailing season
· Naval Academy tour
· Maryland State House
· City Dock
· Ego Alley
🏛️
Historic Frederick
Frederick, MD · 45 min · History
Best for: antiquing, food, brewery hop
· Carroll Creek Park
· downtown shops
· Flying Dog & Idiom breweries
· Civil War Medicine Museum
🏛️
Gettysburg National Military Park
Gettysburg, PA · 75 min · History
Best for: history buffs, fall foliage
· battlefield audio tour
· cyclorama painting
· Eisenhower farm
· Little Round Top
🏛️
Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry, WV · 75 min · History
Best for: hiking, three-state-view, photo day
· lower town
· Appalachian Trail
· Maryland Heights overlook
· John Brown's Fort
🌲
Patuxent Research Refuge
Laurel, MD · 20 min · Nature
Best for: after-work walk, kids learning about wildlife
· National Wildlife Visitor Center
· trolley tour
· 12,000 acres
· kid programs
🌲
Sugarloaf Mountain
Dickerson, MD · 50 min · Nature
Best for: moderate hike, sunset view
· 1,282-ft summit
· Northern Peaks Trail
· vineyard at the base
🌲
Ladew Topiary Gardens
Monkton, MD · 50 min · Nature
Best for: garden lovers, spring/summer
· sculpted topiaries
· manor house tour
· butterfly house
· café
🏛️
Antietam National Battlefield
Sharpsburg, MD · 90 min · History
Best for: fall foliage, history buffs
· self-driving battlefield tour
· Burnside's Bridge
· Sunken Road
· lantern tours in fall
🌲
Catoctin Mountain Park
Thurmont, MD · 60 min · Nature
Best for: hiking, fall foliage
· Cunningham Falls
· Chimney Rock
· Wolf Rock overlook
· near Camp David
🌲
Patapsco Valley State Park
Ellicott City, MD · 15 min · Nature
Best for: after-work hike, kayaking, tubing
· Cascade Falls
· Hilton Area
· Avalon area
· swinging bridge
🏛️
B&O Railroad Museum
Baltimore, MD · 35 min · History
Best for: train-obsessed kid, rainy Saturday
· roundhouse with historic engines
· mile-long train ride
· first U.S. railroad

Weekend trips

Worth the overnight. 2 to 4 hours out.

Got a suggestion?

Email contact@hocobrief.com with the destination and what to do there. We add new entries to this list as they come in.