Frederick

Frederick is a charming city of approximately 80,000 people (2020) in Maryland. It is a major antique center with many shops, eateries, galleries and antique dealers.

Understand

Frederick is the county seat, largest city, and commercial and geographic center of Frederick County.

History

In colonial times, Frederick was on an important north–south Indian trail.

The town was founded around 1742 and was likely named after Frederick Calvert, the 6th and last Baron Baltimore.

Get in

By car

From Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, take Interstate 270 north. Traffic is heavily congested southbound during morning rush hour and northbound during evening rush hour.

From Baltimore and points east, take Interstate 70 west.

From Hagerstown and points west, take Interstate 70 east.

From Gettysburg and points north, take U.S. Route 15 south.

By train

MARC provides commuter rail service to Frederick Monday through Friday on the Brunswick Line, which originates at Union Station in Washington DC. 🌍 Frederick station is located at 100 S East St. Also, from the MARC train station in Point of Rocks, there is a bus service to/from Frederick.

By plane

Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI IATA), Washington National Airport (DCA IATA), or Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD IATA) are the nearest large commercial airports. They are all within around an hour driving time of Frederick.

By bus

Route 515 provides service between Frederick and the Shady Grove Metrorail Station, whereby connections can be made from Washington, DC. The bus operates only during rush hour and costs $3.50.

Greyhound operates service to/from Baltimore for $11 if purchased online in advance.

Get around

By car

A car is the easiest way to get around Frederick. There are public parking garages and street parking in the historic downtown area.

By bus

TransIT operates bus services within Frederick. Buses operate between 6AM and 9PM and cost $1.50.

By rideshare

Uber is a popular method of transport in Frederick for those without a car.

See

  • 🌍 Barbara Fritchie House, 154 West Patrick St, ☏ +1 301 698-8992. Call ahead for hours during which you can visit the interior (which is preserved in the period style when she lived there), as they are not regular. A Civil War-era Union patriot and close friend of Francis Scott Key, Barbara Fritchie is perhaps best known for flying the Union flag outside her house as General Stonewall Jackson marched by on the Maryland Campaign. In memory of this event, John Greenleaf Whittier wrote his poem Barbara Frietchie, lines of which Winston Churchill recited by memory during his visit to the city. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E Patrick St, ☏ +1 301 695-1864. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Also has locations in Sharpsburg and Washington, D.C.. The exhibits demonstrate how medicine was practiced during the Civil War (which was a lesson in patient endurance), as well as track advances in medicine during those times. Adult $9.50, student $7. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Rose Hill Manor, 1611 N Market St, ☏ +1 301 600-1650. A hands-on children's museum with folks in period costume and "rural activities" (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Monocacy National Battlefield, 4801 Urbana Pike (take I-70 south of Frederick and exit Urbana Pike to the park), ☏ +1 301-662-3515. Daily 8:30AM-5PM. Site of a summer 1864 Civil War battle between General Jubal Early of the Confederacy and General Lew Wallace of the Union. Free. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Francis Scott Key Memorial, 515 S Market St, Mount Olivet Cemetery, inside its main entrance, ☏ +1 301 662-1164, . The grave of Francis Scott Key, author of the Star Spangled Banner. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Roger Brooke Taney House, 121 S Bentz St, ☏ +1 301-663-7880. Sa 10AM-4PM; Su 1-4PM from April through mid-December. Adult $6. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Beatty-Cramer Architectural Museum, 9010 Liberty Rd, ☏ +1 301-668-2086. One of the 6 most important historical houses in Maryland, dating back to 1732. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Schifferstadt Architectural Museum, 1110 Rosemont Ave, ☏ +1 301-663-3885. April through early December: Sa Su 1-4PM. In a colonial German stone house built in 1758. Suggested donation of $5. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 The Artists' Gallery, 4 E Church St, ☏ +1 301 696-8187, . Art exhibits. (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Hessian Barracks, 101 Clarke Pl, ☏ +1 301 360-1455. Dating from 1780. Closed to the public pending a restoration. (updated Jan 2021)
  • 🌍 Brunswick Heritage Railroad Museum, 40 West Potomac St. Th F 10AM-2PM, Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 1-4PM. Museum in downtown Frederick featuring history of Brunswick and the C&O Canal with exhibits and a model train. Free. (updated Feb 2020)
  • 🌍 Evangelical Lutheran Church, 31 E Church St. One of the oldest Lutheran churches in the United States, built in 1752. (updated Feb 2024)
  • 🌍 All Saints Church (106 W Church St). Built in 1814, part of Frederick's reputation as "The City of Clustered Spires". (updated Feb 2024)

Do

Parks
  • 🌍 Baker Park, 121 N Bentz St. 7:30AM-10PM. Downtown Frederick's 44-acre park features a carillon, band shell, tennis courts, softball and baseball field, Culler Lake, Thomas pool, and numerous playgrounds for children. Park features concerts and children's theater in the summer and numerous outdoor events throughout the year including a Fourth of July celebration. 

Spectator sports

Festivals

Buy

Frederick is known for a high concentration of antique stores. The majority are in the historic parts of the city along Patrick St, East St, and along Carroll Creek. There are also a variety of small shops along Market St.

Shopping malls

Collectibles
  • 🌍 Wonder Book and Video, 1306 W Patrick St, ☏ +1 301 694-5955. 10AM-10PM. Delightful browsing in this unique collection of used books, sheet music, comics, etc. This store location is one of a few retail locations of Wonder Book which also sells many books online. 

Eat

Budget
  • 🌍 Frederick Coffee Company and Cafe, 100 N East St (Corner of E Church St), ☏ +1 301 694-9299. Daily 6AM - 6PM. Strong coffee in a comfortable setting. 
  • 🌍 Pretzel and Pizza Creations, 210 N Market St (Near E 2nd St), ☏ +1 301 694-9299. F Sa 11AM - 9PM, Su-Th 11AM - 8PM. Pizza with a pretzel crust. Just as amazing as it sounds. If you can't find a seat, take the pizza a block away to the Healing Garden at Bonita Maas Park for a lovely meal in the park. 
  • 🌍 South Market Sandwich Company, 105 S Market St (Corner of W All Saints St), ☏ +1 240 651-3797. M-Sa 8AM - 4PM, closed Su. Sandwich shop with creative combinations of quality ingredients. Located near Carroll Creek, where you can eat a sandwich on a park bench watching the flow of the creek. 

Fast food and national chain restaurants are located to the west along Route 40, known as "the golden mile", and south along Route 85 and South Market Street. Smaller, local restaurants are located mainly along Market street in the center of the historic part of town.

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Airways Inn of Frederick, 310 Aviation Way (Located on Aviation Way at The Frederick Municipal Airport), ☏ +1 301 228-2100. Famous for fresh seafood and delicious Maryland crab soup. 
  • 🌍 a.k.a. Friscos Restaurant, 4632 Wedgewood Blvd, ☏ +1 301 698-0018. Great sandwiches and potatoes. The specialty is the 'exploded potatoes.' $5-10. 
  • 🌍 Brewer's Alley, 124 N Market St, ☏ +1 301 631-0089. Local brewery with a nice range of beers. The Nut Brown Ale and Oatmeal Stout are very good. Cask aged beers are often available. Pizzas and baked dishes from the brick oven are really good. Try the sweet potato fries! $7-20. 
  • 🌍 The Orchard, 45 N Market St, ☏ +1 301 663-4912. Mostly natural and organic foods. Good selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes. $12-20. 
  • 🌍 Viet Gourmet, 1812 Rosemont Ave, ☏ +1 301 418-6455. 10:30AM-9:30PM. Serving over 100 Vietnamese dishes and 20 noodle soups for dine-in or carryout customers. Daily lunch specials as well as a wine and beer menu. 

Splurge
  • 🌍 The Tasting Room, 101 N Market St (Intersection of Church & Market St), ☏ +1 240 379-7772. European-style fine dining with an extensive wine list. Dinner mains: $28-45; Glass of wine: $8-16. 
  • 🌍 Thacher and Rye, 228 N Market St, ☏ +1 301 696-8658. "Top Chef" finalist Bryan Voltaggio's restaurant. Modern, local, seasonal, very high end food. Reservations are needed, well in advance for the Chef's tasting menu and Table 21 (A 21 course, 3 hour, food event or a lifetime). Lunch tasting menu is highly recommended. $25-121. (updated Feb 2023)

Drink
  • 🌍 Tenth Ward Distilling Company, 55 E Patrick St (Near Maxwell St), ☏ +1 301 360-5888. W-F 2-10PM, Sa noon-10PM, Su noon-6PM. Distillery selling gin, whiskey, rye, absinthe, and other spirits. Mixed drinks served as well. Can also have burgers delivered from the burger shop next door. 
  • 🌍 Bushwaller's, 209 N Market St, ☏ +1 301 695-6988. Irish pub. 
  • 🌍 Guido's Speakeasy, 543 N Market St (Rt 15, exit 14, east on Rosemont Ave. Rosemont Ave becomes Dill Ave. Left on N Market St. Go two blocks. Corner of N. Market St. and E. 6th St.), ☏ +1 301 620-7000. 3PM - 1:45AM. Dive bar. 
  • 🌍 Mirage Lounge, 243 N Market St, ☏ +1 301 631-9247. Hookah bar with wide selection of sheesha. Serves Middle Eastern food. 50-cent beers on Thursdays. Frequented on the evenings by students from Hood College. (updated Sep 2016)
  • 🌍 Monocacy Brewing Company, 1781 N Market St, ☏ +1 240 457-4232. W 4PM-8PM, Th F 4-9PM, Sa noon-9PM, Su noon-6PM, M Tu closed. Brewery with indoor and outdoor seating area. Sometimes has live music and a food truck. (updated Sep 2021)
  • 🌍 McClintock Distilling, 35 S Carroll St, Frederick. (updated Feb 2024)

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Go next
Routes through Frederick
Washington, PA ← Hagerstown ←  W  E  → Ellicott City → Baltimore
END ←  N  S  → Germantown → Washington, D.C.
Gettysburg ← Thurmont ←  N  S  → Leesburg → Jct W E
Cumberland ← Hagerstown ←  W  E  → Ellicott City → Baltimore
END ←  N  E  → Dickenson → Merges into Brunswick Line


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