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Excursions For a Half Day Ellicott City: First settled in the 1700s and tucked up against the steep hills, approximately 16km (ten miles) west of Baltimore, this is an old mill town on the banks of the Patapsco River. Ellicott City (website: www.oldmainline.com/ellicott) is a popular destination for people from Baltimore itself, offering a taste of small-town Maryland. As the original destination of the first railroad built out of Baltimore, Ellicott City has the distinction of being the first, non-depot railway station in the country and has been restored to its original appearance. Main Street is pleasing not only because of its granite buildings and mix of shops and restaurants but also because it is not laid out in a dead straight line, like so many American streets. Ellicott City can be reached via the Patapsco Valley State Park, driving southwards on the I-95 to junction 47. The Howard County Tourism Council, 8267 Main Street, Ellicott City (tel: (800) 288 8747 or (410) 313 1900; website: www.visithowardcounty.com) provides further information. For a Full Day Washington, DC: The country’s capital, of course, merits more than a cursory visit but, being only 56km (35 miles) from Baltimore, it is at least possible for a day tripper to get a feel for the city. The major sights to consider are the White House, Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian Institution Museums, the Washington Monument and the Memorials to Lincoln and Jefferson. To get a sense of the more bohemian side of the city, the Adams Morgan district, along 18th Street and Columbia Road is a good place for interested tourists to visit, especially for bookshops, restaurants, music shops, cafés and bars. MARC (tel: (800) 325 7245; website: www.mtamaryland.com) trains travel from Baltimore’s Penn and Camden stations to Washington, DC (journey time – 35 minutes), costing US$5.75. Tourist information is available from the Washington, DC Convention and Tourism Corporation (tel: (202) 789 7000; website: www.washington.org). Annapolis: Although much smaller than Baltimore, Annapolis, with a population of around 40,000, is not only the original and current capital of Maryland but also regarded as the sailing capital of the USA. Its 30km (17 miles) of waterfront, home to over 2500 watercraft, can be explored both from the water and on foot. The town has more original colonial-style homes than any other in the country, particularly along Duke of Gloucester, Prince George and Shipwright Streets. The State House, set upon the hill overlooking the city, is where George Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. It is home to the US Naval Academy and apart from museums, tours and its charismatic waterfront, Annapolis is a good base from which to explore the small towns and countryside on the opposite side of Chesapeake Bay, by taking the Memorial Bridge (northeast of the town). Annapolis is only about 40km (25 miles) from Baltimore, directly south along the I-97. The Historic Annapolis Foundation (tel: (410) 267 7619 or (800) 603 4020; fax: (410) 267 6189; website: www.annapolis.org) and the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 26 West Street, Annapolis (tel: (410) 280 0445; fax: (410) 263 9591; website: www.visit-annapolis.org) both provide information. |
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