Located partway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Laurel is a historic city on the banks of the Patuxent River. It was established as a mill town in the early 19th century and was originally known as “Laurel’s Factory”. Following the arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1835, the settlement grew into a bustling commuter town.
Things to do in Laurel
Occupying a Georgian-style plantation house in Laurel’s south is the Montpelier House Museum, which was built by Major Thomas Snowdon in the 1780s. Designated as a National Historic Landmark, its period-furnished rooms are open to the public and reflect life on a slave plantation in the 18th century. Adjacent is the Montpelier Arts Center where works by local creatives are exhibited.
Foodies can visit the Dutch Country Farmers’ Market to find everything from organic meats to baked goods and fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s located near the driving range of the Laurel Golf Center and just across the Patuxent River from Laurel Park. On the other side of Laurel is Dinosaur Park, where you can search for Cretaceous-era fossils and learn about the types of dinosaurs that once roamed the area.
Laurel makes an ideal base for exploring the Patuxent Research Refuge, which encompasses 5,000 hectares of protected forests, meadows and wetlands. More than 270 bird species have been recorded in the refuge, including migratory waterfowl. At the National Wildlife Visitor Center, you can learn about the research being conducted here.
Getting around Laurel
Laurel is around 45 minutes’ drive from the centre of Washington, D.C. and 30 minutes from Baltimore. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is 25 minutes away and has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular trains connect to the Laurel railway station and buses travel throughout the city.