Montgomery County, Maryland is located on the northwestern borders of the nation’s capital. The communities of Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Rockville, Gaithersburg and Germantown are all located within Montgomery County. The uniqueness of the area is its combination of bustling urban districts and within a 10-minute drive you can enjoy thousands of acres of open farmland and recreation opportunities. One-third of Montgomery County’s land mass has been preserved as agricultural, which is more than twice the size of Washington, D.C.

Montgomery County is a preferred destination choice for visitors to base their stay when planning a visit to the Washington Metropolitan area. Within a short Metrorail Red Line ride, visitors will find themselves in the heart of the nation’s capital.

Montgomery County also has its own unique history to share. Explore many historic sites that surround early American life. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O), a project that took 22 years to build, stimulated economic growth in little towns along the towpath of the canal. The remains of the beautiful canal trails are now traveled by nature enthusiasts and bikers throughout the year. A National Park Service Visitor Center at Great Falls offers exhibits and spectacular views of Great Falls. Not far from the C&O Canal you’ll find the Clara Barton National Historic Site. Clara Barton was a Civil War nurse who went on to establish the American Red Cross. Just next to the Clara Barton Site enjoy a carousel ride aboard a 1921 restored Dentzel Carousel at Glen Echo Park.

The Heritage Area of Sandy Spring was founded in the early 18th Century and was one of the oldest free black communities in the country. Quakers did not believe in slavery and were instrumental in the emancipation movement. Many homes in the area are believed to have been part of the Underground Railroad. Some of the sites to see in Sandy Spring are the Sandy Spring Slave Museum, Sandy Spring Museum and the National Road to Freedom. In Poolesville there are 55 historic sites including the only cable operated ferry in Montgomery County, White’s Ferry.

There are so many choices for evening entertainment and cultural experiences. The 1,900-seat Music Center offers world-class performances by major national artists of folk, blues, pop, jazz and classical music year-round. The Music Center is also the home to five resident artistic partner organizations, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In downtown Silver Spring take in a movie at the restored 1938 Silver Theatre. Now the home of the American Film Institute Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, visitors can enjoy state-of-the-art technology in each of its three theaters — with seating for 400, 200 and 75, respectively.

Did you know that F. Scott Fitzgerald is buried in the cemetery at St. Mary’s Church in Rockville and that “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” is located in Bethesda? Harriet Beecher Stowe’s character “Uncle Tom” was fashioned after a county slave named Josiah Henson. Gold was once mined in the county. The first refrigerator was invented in 1803 by Thomas More of Sandy Spring. And, the first television station in the U.S. was W3XK which opened on July 2, 1928 here in Silver Spring.

We welcome you to come learn more about our history, eat in one of our 900 restaurants offering cuisine from many international cultures, take in some of our nightlife and shop in our boutique and antique shopping. Montgomery County has it all.