cassian brooks author at My Family Travels
Article
This Roadside Maryland Crab Spot Serves Massive Platters That Cover The Whole Table

Some crab houses play it safe with portions. This Maryland roadside spot does not. The platters are so massive they cover the...

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The Haunted Manor Stay In Maryland That Will Keep You Looking Over Your Shoulder

Some getaways are about relaxation. This one is about atmosphere, and that atmosphere happens to be haunted. This Maryland manor...

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A Maryland Trail Leads Through the Ruins of a 19th Century Flour Mill and a Forgotten River Town

Some trails are about the view at the end. This one is about what you pass along the way. A Maryland path winds through the...

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This Maryland Bakery Is Famous for Its Slow-Fermented Sourdough Bread

Sourdough is not a quick process. It takes time, patience, and a starter that has been nurtured for years. This Maryland bakery...

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Maryland Shoppers Keep Coming Back To This Thrift Shop With A Near-Perfect 4.9-Star Rating

A 4.9 star rating is hard to earn. It means hundreds of people walked away happy, and very few walked away disappointed. This...

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Maryland Has a Chinese Restaurant Where Soup Dumplings Are the Main Event

Soup dumplings are not easy to get right. The wrapper has to be thin enough to bite through but strong enough to hold the broth. The...

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8 Maryland Restaurants to Try When You’re Tired of The Same Old Chain Restaurants

Chain restaurants are convenient. They are everywhere, the menus are predictable, and you know exactly what you are getting. But...

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Why Book Lovers Are Obsessed With This Maryland Literary Wonderland

Some bookstores are places you visit. Others are places you never want to leave. This Maryland literary wonderland falls firmly...

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Autumn In Maryland Means These 8 Corn Mazes And Hayrides Are Finally Ready for Visitors

Autumn has a rhythm. The air changes, the leaves turn, and certain traditions come back around right on schedule. Corn mazes...

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10 Maryland Towns So Overcrowded by Tourists That Locals Avoid the Center

Tourism can be a double edged sword. It brings money and attention, but it also brings crowds, traffic, and a slow erosion of the thing that made a place special to begin with.

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Maryland Towns Losing Residents Due to Record-High Property Taxes and Skyrocketing Everyday Expenses

Maryland has plenty to offer. Waterfront views, historic towns, and strong communities. But those perks come with a price tag,...

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Maryland’s Amish-Style Bakery Brings Old Fashioned Baking to One Seriously Tempting Counter

Some bakeries are all about trends. Fancy flavors, complicated designs, and a lot of noise. This Maryland spot takes the opposite...

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This Maryland Trail Feels Like Walking Through A Quiet Wilderness Dream

Some trails are busy. Others feel like you have stepped into a dream. This Maryland path falls into the second category. The...

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This Off-The-Beaten-Path Maryland Diner Has Biscuits And Gravy So Good They Are A Local Legend

Some dishes earn a reputation that spreads by word of mouth alone. This Maryland diner has biscuits and gravy that have become a local legend, and for good reason.

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The Old-School Maryland Bakery Where People Line Up Before Dawn And The Bread Is Gone By 9 AM

There is a bakery that opens early and still cannot keep up with demand. This Maryland spot has people lining up before dawn, and by 9 AM, the shelves are mostly empty.

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Maryland Has a Farmers Market That Can Make Waking Up Early on a Weekend Feel Completely Reasonable

Waking up early on a weekend usually feels like a mistake. But some places make the alarm worth it. This Maryland farmers market...

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Maryland’s Mountain Resort Comes With a 243 Acre Lake Right Outside the Door

Some resorts make you choose between the mountains and the water. This Maryland spot offers both, with a 243 acre lake sitting right outside the door.

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Craving A Classic Sub? These 8 Maryland Delis Stack Cold Cuts Just Like the Old Days

There is a certain art to a classic sub. The bread has to be right, the meat has to be piled high, and the toppings need to be fresh.

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This Maryland Beach Has Gorgeous Bay Views Without the Usual Oceanfront Chaos

Ocean beaches have their appeal. The waves, the boardwalk, the energy. But they also come with crowds, traffic, and the constant...

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This Massive Maryland Food Truck Festival Is A Foodie’s Dream Come True

Food trucks have a way of bringing people together. The variety, the energy, the chance to try something new without committing to a full restaurant meal.

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This Maryland Waterfront Resort Is Basically a Campground Water Park and Theme Park Rolled Into One

Some vacations require choosing between the campground, the water park, and the theme park. This Maryland waterfront resort removes that problem entirely by combining all three...

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A Maryland Italian Restaurant Serving The Best Homemade Meatballs Made From Scratch

Meatballs are simple food. But simple does not mean easy. The right ratio of meat to breadcrumbs, the right seasoning, and...

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This Maryland Festival Brings A Medieval World Of Jousting, Knights, And Magic To Life In 2026

There is a stretch of Maryland woodland that spends most of the year quietly minding its own business, and then, right as the summer heat starts loosening its grip, it wakes up...

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This Maryland Restaurant Gets Its Oysters From Its Very Own Farm on the Chesapeake

Fresh oysters are a beautiful thing. But oysters that come from the restaurant's own farm? That is a different level entirely....

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The Slow-Smoked BBQ At This Maryland Smokehouse Is So Good It Sets a New Standard for Barbecue Lovers

Great barbecue is about patience. Low heat, long hours, and a cook who knows exactly when the meat is ready. This Maryland...

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9 Maryland Restaurants With Thousands of Reviews That Made Us Wonder What All the Fuss Is About

Some restaurants have a following. Others have thousands of reviews and a reputation that precedes them. This list highlights...

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These 10 Maryland Farm-To-Table Restaurants Serve Dinners Sourced From Farmers Just Minutes Away

There is something about Maryland in the middle of harvest season that makes me want to skip the highway rest stops and eat where the food actually grows.

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9 Maryland Restaurants With Senior Discounts Worth Knowing About

Eating out adds up fast, especially on a fixed income. But some restaurants make it easier on the wallet. This list highlights...

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This Rustic Maryland Restaurant Feels Like A Countryside Escape Without Ever Crossing State Lines

Sometimes dinner needs more personality than another shopping-center dining room and a parking lot view. This rustic Maryland...

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The Massive Western Maryland Country Store Where You Can Lose An Entire Afternoon

Country stores are supposed to be small. A quick stop for a snack or a few essentials. But this Western Maryland spot is different....

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Enjoy Lakeside Dining With Unforgettable Views At This Beautiful Maryland Hideaway You’ll Want to Keep Secret

There is something wonderfully unfair about a restaurant where the scenery makes it difficult to pay proper attention to the food. This Maryland lakeside hideaway combines dinner...

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This Maryland Shrine Has a Historic Stone House, a Beautiful Basilica, and a Story Dating Back More Than 200 Years

More than 200 years of history can make one Maryland stop feel like several completely different destinations rolled into the same afternoon.

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These 9 Maryland Pizza Joints Are So Good You’ll Plan A Whole Day To Satisfy That Craving

Pizza cravings have terrible timing, mostly because once they arrive, a sad frozen pie suddenly feels like a personal betrayal. Fortunately,...

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This Waterfront Maryland Classic Is The Seafood Place Locals Want To Hide

Maryland has plenty of waterfront seafood restaurants, but the ones people become protective about usually combine good food with the sort of setting that makes leaving feel inconvenient....

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This Maryland Cabin Retreat Is the Peaceful Escape You Didn’t Know You Needed

Sometimes you do not realize how much you need a break until you are already in it. This Maryland cabin retreat offers exactly that.

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This Unassuming Maryland Eatery Serves A Breakfast That Stays With You

Breakfast is supposed to fuel your day. But some breakfasts do more than that. They linger in your memory long after the plate...

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Maryland Restaurant That Quietly Serves the Best Comfort Food in the State

Comfort food is personal. Everyone has their favorite spot. But this Maryland restaurant quietly serves some of the best in...

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This Maryland Observation Deck Takes You 27 Floors Above the City for an Incredible View

Sometimes a change in perspective is all you need to see a place differently. This Maryland observation deck offers exactly that. Twenty-seven...

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This Maryland Italian Market Is the Kind of Old School Food Shop You’ll Wish You Had Nearby

Some neighborhoods have a corner store that feels like a gathering place. This Maryland Italian market is that kind of spot. Old...

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This Massive 28,000-Square-Foot Vintage Paradise in Maryland Is Basically the Costco of Flea Markets

Costco is known for bulk shopping and great deals. This Maryland vintage paradise operates on a similar principle, but instead of groceries, it is filled with antiques and collectibles.

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The Mouthwatering Steaks At This Quiet Maryland Restaurant Are Worth The Trip

Steak lovers know that a great cut of meat is worth seeking out. This quiet Maryland restaurant serves steaks that are consistently excellent, the kind that make you close your...

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The Maryland Beach with Caribbean-Blue Water You Have to See With Your Own Eyes

I have seen a lot of beaches. Sandy ones, rocky ones, crowded ones, empty ones. But I have never seen water this blue in Maryland....

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Maryland’s Massive Tool Paradise Is a Dream Destination for Professional Builders and Casual DIYers

Every project starts with the right tool. And finding that tool can be half the battle. Maryland has a paradise for builders,...

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Maryland’s Hidden Cheese Shop Is a Dream Come True for Charcuterie Lovers

Charcuterie boards have become a favorite for gatherings. Meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, all arranged beautifully. But the key...

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This Maryland Nature Center Is the Perfect Place for a Quick Reset in the Woods

Sometimes you do not need a whole weekend. You just need an hour in the woods to reset. This Maryland nature center is exactly...

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This Maryland Spot Serves Ribs So Tender You Will Crave Them For Days

Some ribs are good. Some are great. And then there are the ones that haunt you long after you finish. This Maryland spot serves...

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This Maryland Island Preserve Has Quiet Trails Beaches and Chesapeake Wildlife Without the Usual Crowds

Maryland’s Chesapeake side can feel wonderfully wild when the route ahead is more likely to involve marsh grass and herons than traffic lights.

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Paddle Through a Ghost Fleet of Sunken Ships at One of Maryland’s Strangest Natural Attractions

Maryland has ordinary kayak routes, and then it has one where the scenery includes the skeletal remains of more than 100 World War I-era wooden steamships.

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Where Does Money Go The Furthest? Comparing 10 Popular Maryland Weekend Getaways

A $250 Maryland weekend can feel luxurious in one destination and suspiciously optimistic in another, which makes comparing getaway prices far more useful than simply asking which...

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12 Maryland Beach Towns Ranked by How Much a Weekend Will Cost You

A Maryland beach weekend can be either pleasantly affordable or an impressive demonstration of how fast a credit card can overheat.

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Who Says a Great Day Out Has to Cost Money? This Maryland Zoo Is Completely Free

Family outings become considerably more attractive when the admission total for everyone is exactly zero dollars. This Maryland...

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Popular Maryland Attractions I Wouldn’t Visit Twice and Why

Popularity is not the same thing as perfection, especially when a Maryland attraction comes with a parking battle, long lines, inflated weekend prices, or enough crowds to make...

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These Old-School Maryland Delis Still Pile Their Corned Beef High The Way It Was Always Done

There is a point where a corned beef sandwich stops being lunch and starts becoming a minor engineering challenge. Maryland's...

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Maryland’s Farm Fresh Escape Has Pick-Your-Own Produce, a Bustling Market, and an Adorable Petting Zoo

There are Maryland farm trips where you buy a bag of apples and leave, and then there are places determined to occupy most of your afternoon.

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This Maryland Seafood Institution Proves Some Local Favorites Only Get Better With Age

Thirty-five years is a long time to keep Maryland diners interested, especially when seafood fans tend to have very strong opinions about where their crabs should come from.

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This Massive Thrift Store In Maryland Has Deals So Good, It’s Worth A Road Trip

Thrift stores are basically treasure hunts where nobody knows what the treasure is until somebody spots it three aisles away. This...

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9 Tiny Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurants in Maryland Where the Food Is Worth Every Single Minute of Waiting

Some of Maryland's most memorable restaurants have approximately zero interest in looking impressive from the parking lot. They...

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The Maryland Spanish Restaurant Where the Portions Are So Generous You Will Be Eating Leftovers for Days

Tapas are supposed to be small plates, but nobody said you had to demonstrate self-control when ordering them. This Maryland...

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9 Overhyped Maryland Towns That Aren’t Worth Your Time or Money

Some Maryland towns are charming enough to justify the traffic, parking hunt, weekend prices, and crowds, while others can leave visitors wondering why they spent two hours getting...

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This Maryland Restaurant Serves a $19.99 Prime Rib Special That Makes Wednesdays Worth Celebrating

Wednesdays are usually the awkward middle child of the week, but Maryland has at least one restaurant giving people a much better reason to care about them.

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