it all. Walking around
downtown is immensely
enjoyable.
Said creek is crossed
by a lovely bit of
community art: the mural
on Frederick Bridge, at
S. Carroll St between E.
Patrick & E. All Saints.
The trompe l’oeil-style art
essentially transforms a
drab concrete span into
an old, ivy-covered stone
bridge from Tuscany.54 p193
The Drive » Head west on old
National Pike (US 40A) and
then, after about 6.5 miles,
get on MD-17 southbound/
Burkittsville Rd. Turn right
on Gapland Rd after 6 miles
and follow it for 1.5 miles to
Gathland.8 Gathland State
Park
This tiny park (%301-
791-4767; h8am-sunset)
F is a fascinating
tribute to a professionthat doesn’t lend itself
to many memorials: war
correspondents. Civil
War correspondent and
man of letters George
Alfred Townsend fell
in love with these
mountains and built
an impressive arch
decorated with classical
Greek mythological
features and quotes that
emphasize the needed
qualities of a good war
correspondent.SOME MORE OF BALTIMORE’S BEST
Everyone knows DC is chock a block replete with museums, but the capital’s
scruffier, funkier neighbor to the northeast gives Washington a run for her money in
the museum department.
Out by the Baltimore waterfront is a strange building, seemingly half enormous
warehouse, half explosion of intense artsy angles, multicolored windmills and
rainbow-reflecting murals, like someone had bent the illustrations of a Dr. Seuss
book through a funky mirror. This is quite possibly the coolest art museum in
the country: the American Visionary Art Museum (%410-244-1900; http://www.avam.
org; 800 Key Hwy; adult/child $16/10; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun). It’s a showcase for self-
taught (or ‘outsider’ art), which is to say, art made by people who aren’t formally
trained artists. It’s a celebration of unbridled creativity utterly free of arts-scene
pretension. Some of the work comes from asylums, others are created by self-
inspired visionaries, but it’s all rather captivating and well worth a long afternoon.
The Baltimore & Ohio railway was (arguably) the first passenger train in
America, and the B&O Railroad Museum (%410-752-2490; http://www.borail.org; 901 W Pratt
St; adult/child $16/10; h10am-4pm Mon-Sat, 11am-4pm Sun; c) is a loving testament to
both that line and American railroading in general. Train spotters will be in heaven
among more than 150 different locomotives. Train rides cost an extra $3; call for
the schedule.
If you’re traveling with a family, or if you just love science and science education,
come by the Maryland Science Center (%410-685-5225; http://www.mdsci.org; 601 Light
St; adult/child $17/14, IMAX film only $8; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat, 11am-5pm Sun;
summer hours 10am-6pm Sun-Thu, to 8pm Fri & Sat). This awesome center features a
three-story atrium, tons of interactive exhibits on dinosaurs, outer space and the
human body, and the requisite IMAX theater.WASHINGTON.DC,.MARYLAND.&.DELAWARE.TRIPS15
(^) MARYLAND’S NATIONAL HISTORIC ROAD