All United States Maryland

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Maryland

235 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Maryland

Updated October 29, 2024

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Annapolis
  2. Ashton Sandy Spring
  3. Baltimore
  4. Berlin
  5. Bethesda
  6. Bladensburg
  7. Boyds
  8. Cabin John
  9. Cambridge
  10. Chevy Chase
  11. Cockeysville
  12. College Park
  13. Cumberland
  14. Ellicott City
  15. Fort Meade
  16. Fort Washington
  17. Frederick
  18. Gaithersburg
  19. Germantown
  20. Glenn Dale
  21. Havre De Grace
  22. Kensington
  23. Laurel
  24. Lonaconing
  25. North East
  26. Ocean City
  27. Poolesville
  28. Potomac
  29. Rockville
  30. Silver Spring
  31. Takoma Park
  32. Thurmont
  33. Upper Marlboro

Unusual Attractions in Maryland

See All 235 Things To Do in Maryland

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Maryland

See all 6 Places to Eat in Maryland
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

8 Historic Military Relics in Maryland

Maryland has the distinction of being one of the first states to officially join the Union in 1788—and as such, it’s played both big and small roles in various battles across the nation's history. Here are eight nods to its military past, ranging from a furnace that produced George Washington’s cannonballs to an unusual museum dedicated to the U.S.'s cryptographic history.

View Itinerary

Explore Maryland

History & Culture 42
History 38
Architecture 35
Museums 27
Military 18
Abandoned 16
Collections 16
Black History 14

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Recent Maryland Activity

Stories About Maryland

The legend of the Snallygaster appears to have been an invention of local newspapers, but one that carried a dark threat.

The Unsettling Legend of Maryland's Native Cryptid, the Snallygaster

A strange, scary farce that brought together Old World legends and racist scare tactics.
by Colin Dickey
On the nesting colony platform, a common tern watches over its chicks beside tufts of artificial grass that mimic the birds' traditional nesting habitat.

Maryland's Rare Seabirds Get a Life Raft and Babysitters

Scientists don bike helmets and dodge bird poop to care for a colony of endangered common terns.
by Ashley Stimpson
Together these artifacts formed a spiritual bundle to protect a home from bad spirits and negative energy.

Beneath an Old Fireplace, Evidence of the Spirituality of the Enslaved

The finds are also enriching understanding of the formative years of famed abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
by Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing
The street names in Columbia, Maryland, were drawn from art and literature. "Satan Wood Drive," however, was the result of a typo. It was supposed to be named "satin wood" for a line from an Amy Lowell poem.

What’s Up With Columbia, Maryland’s Quirky Street Names?

From Nodding Night Court to Dove Sail Lane, the town’s address choices are both practical and poetic.
by Amy Crawford
The instruction isn't visible to people actually in the 2021 Chilliwack Corn Maze in British Columbia, Canada.

Exploring the Mysterious Allure of Mazes and Labyrinths

On the joys and frustrations of losing yourself.
by A.J. Jacobs
Also known as the "house of horrors," the house tested close combat skills and "the moral fiber of the student," Fairbairn said.

The Haunted Houses Designed to Scare Spooks

These WWII-era “houses of horrors” trained American spies for combat using cardboard Nazis.
by April White
In a waterlogged area, such parts of Dorchester County, archaeological work can be difficult.

Solving the Mystery of Harriet Tubman's Family Cabin

In Maryland, archaeologists raced rising waters to find traces of the past.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
These muskrat bones were found among hundreds of other bones on the Bayly property. Muskrat remains popular in Dorchester County.

A Historical Dig Sheds Light on the Food of the Underground Railroad

Archaeologists found muskrat, turtle, and other edible remains in Harriet Tubman Country.
by Reina Gattuso

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