What a nice day for a walk. It's springtime and the sights are simply gorgeous! It's also a great…read moreplace to exercise.

One of my fav lakes to walk around. It does get bush on the weekend but if you go early you have…read morethe lake to yourself. I love the days I get there early enough to see the mist rising off the water and all the animals are still around and active. I love walking my dog here as well There's an also a nice playground for the kids.

Came here for some interval training and was really impressed with how beautiful and clean the…read moretrack is. There are also plenty of other fields and facilities for different activities, along with plenty of parking. There's no traditional running track, but this setup works perfectly for me. The bathrooms are also clean and don't smell, which is always a plus! It's still new, so I hope they keep everything this well-maintained. I'll definitely be back to use the basketball and tennis/pickleball courts!

This park is a ton of fun. Built within the past 5 years, this park has everything. It has swings,…read moremega slides, a spider web climber, and baby zones. It even has disability friendly options and party zones. I love taking my kids here to just run free. The only downfall I see is when some neighborhood teenagers come around and play aggressive tag games and curse. It is a place for smaller children and they are welcome, but bring inappropriate and unsafe behaviors.

Quaint waterfront in a bustling suburb. Was at a show at the Encore and then saw they had a World…read moreCup watch party here so saw some of it Too bad I got too tired to stay and then Turkey upset USA.

The Lakefront area surrounds LakeKittamaqundi. It is a large open space that includes a small…read moreamphitheater, a fountain, a pedestrian promenade, and several restaurants and retail establishments (including While Foods) overlooking the lake. It's such a pretty area to eat, gather, or just chill. It's also a great place to exercise. You can walk/run around the lake and there are several other trails in the area. I walked about 1.2 miles from Blandair Park and thoroughly enjoyed the trails. There was plenty of signage so I always knew where I was going. There was some nice foliage and even some hills. A nice change from the flat Florida terrain!

The Howard County Recreation & Parks Summer Concert Series at Centennial Park is a fantastic way to…read morespend a summer evening! We saw I&I Riddim at the Centennial Park Amphitheater, and they brought incredible music and such a fun, relaxing vibe. The beautiful park setting made it even better. This was the first of the five-concert summer series, with free concerts taking place on Thursday evenings through August 5. If you're looking for a laid-back night with great live music, this is definitely worth checking out. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, relax, and enjoy a wonderful evening outdoors!

I love summertime and this park is perfect to park in the shade and enjoy breakfast. This moment…read morewas followed by a break walk around the loop. Without my dog, this time,I was approached by a squirrel and even two deer. It's nice having so many wonderful things to do outside!

Nice quant lake in Columbia. Came here to watch a bit of the World Cup game vs. Turkey which was…read morefun even though we got tired to stay and they lost.

Loved this park.Very scenic and nice way to get your exercise in. Be it jogging, biking, or…read morewalking. Plenty of benches available. As well as free parking. They hold a lot of concerts nearby. As well as porta pottys available for a emergency restroom. I love everything and anything concerning lakes. People were out chilling on the grass. Or you can bring a lounge chair. This is very close proximity to collective Encore and collective offshore. I definitely will be returning whenever I want to enjoy an outdoor walk or event.

Patapsco State Park is a huge, beautiful plot of land accessible from multiple areas of MD…read more For only $2 car, collected in an unattended Honor Box, you get access to acres and acres of nature's finest greenery scattered among hills and rocks and boulders to hike through trails of trees, streams, waterfalls, and more. Because of the tall trees, you get plenty of shade while walking through the woods. I take my young children who can effortlessly conquer 3 miles of the trail without hesitation. It's an awesome nature experience hearing the birds chirp & insects buzz, seeing the small schools of fish being carried down the stream, the crawling creatures perfectly positioned for nature enthusiasts capturing photos. The park entry also allows you to use the open grass areas to picnic or grab a grill. The water is practically a beach area as I've seen multiple families lined up on both sides of the bridge enjoying the cool water. As well as my children and I. There's plenty of parking. The bridge is a highlight boasting wonderful opportunities for pictures with beautiful natural lighting. There's also some train tracks on the other side of the bridge perfect for photo ops but BEWARE! it is a functional and operating train track! My family and I can't get enough of this park. Definitely experience it for yourself.

There's a resident Bald Eagle in the park now and I've seen him five times this spring. Saw him…read moreflying upstream with a fish in his talons today. Woodpeckers, blue jays, and nuthatches were there today.

A very easy-access section of the Patapsco Valley State Park- you can drive right into the middle…read more I'd rank it as perfect for introducing people to a "natural" state park without the distractions of overly developed amenities. Great trails, enough elevation change for solid workouts, some sections with lovely old trees. There's a long stretch of a beautiful stream (Saw Mill Branch) and some areas that give you that lovely isolated feeling of being in the woods. There's campgrounds (way better than "backyard camping") and driving in from the gate on Hilton Ave puts you in a good spot to immediately start hiking. There's also trails leading in from a number of the surrounding neighborhoods. The paved path by the river is pedestrian and disabled friendly. A historic rail route runs parallel to the river and train spotters can get some unique views as well as see the famous Ilchester Tunnel. PVSP is one of my favorite things about living in central MD, and each section has some unique things. Explore them all - but this (Hilton) area is particularly accessible for beginners who want the full experience.

This is one of my favorite places to visit when I'm in Maryland. I had a marvelous hike there on my…read morelast trip by Cascade Falls. It was beautiful! The waterfall isn't that big but it was still enjoyable to see. There are some rough spots to navigate if you're expecting an easy hike. But overall, it is definitely worth the trip!

Absolutely gorgeous gardens and the best part is that admission is completely free…read more Rain or shine, the gardens were stunning and exceptionally well maintained. We were impressed by the variety of plant collections, some of which rivaled gardens we had previously paid admission to visit. Parking was free and we chose to park at the Visitor Center. However, those planning to visit the Butterfly Experience should park closer to the Conservatory, as the walk between the two was fairly substantial. The map was detailed and pathways were well maintained, making the grounds accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. We purchased tickets for the Butterfly Experience and check in was quick and seamless. I did find the additional $2 service charge unfortunate, especially since there was no option to purchase tickets in person. Thankfully, staff were flexible with entry timing. The volunteers were incredibly kind and guided visitors through the double door system efficiently. Inside, butterflies freely flew around the conservatory and many rested on the ground, so we had to stay mindful of where we stepped. I especially appreciated the bulletin board displaying all the butterfly species currently housed inside. The Children's Garden was relatively small but wonderfully colorful and dense with greenery. The vibrant artwork throughout added a whimsical charm that made the area feel playful and inviting. Nearby, the Winter Garden and Camellia Garden were similarly well maintained, though neither was particularly abundant in blooms during our visit. I still appreciated the many art installations scattered throughout the surrounding trails. The Fragrance Garden absolutely lived up to its name and ended up being one of my favorite sections. Beyond the floral aromas surrounding the garden, the entire area felt incredibly serene and the air itself felt remarkably fresh and crisp. The Japanese Tea House was beautifully simplistic, featuring plain wooden benches along the exterior while overlooking still water framed by lush Japanese trees. The Anderson Pavilion offered a similar tranquil atmosphere on the opposite side of the Visitor Center, though surrounded by a different collection of trees and landscaping. The Visitor Center contained a small gift shop, though I did not notice many customized or particularly memorable souvenirs. The building otherwise seemed primarily dedicated to educational programming and exhibits. The grounds were incredibly well maintained and there was an impressive variety of gardens to explore and interact with. While I found the Butterfly Experience somewhat expensive, it would absolutely be worthwhile for those who have never visited an active conservatory before. Otherwise, the free portions of Brookside Gardens alone make this an easy and worthwhile stop for anyone in the area.

This is a lovely park and served as a great alternative to going downtown to see the cherry…read moreblossoms. They have areas to sit with various views of the lake. Dogs are not allowed unless they are service animals. There are centers on the premises that have bathrooms in addition to events and programs they give yearly.

Read the reviews before coming here and it's still a very nice playground. There are a couple…read moredifferent areas that need repair but at least they are blocked off so that parents are aware and keep their kids away from those areas. One review mentioned a grilling area but I didn't see any grill at the pavillion.

This playground is huge and has tons of features…read more Unfortunately several are broken. However there are still enough features to keep a ton of kids entertained. The maze of features are y'all enough so that adults can access all elements and thus play with or keep track of their kids, which is a HUGE plus. I would have listed a 5+ except for the two broken features

We've never actually been inside the center, but my kids absolutely love the mud kitchen and music…read moregarden, so we find ourselves frequenting the free outdoor grounds pretty often. It's such a fun little spot tucked away, and I love that we can easily pair some playtime with a quick lap around the nature path. The area is nicely shaded, which makes it a great option even when the weather is warmer. And I have to mention the tube slide, I love it just as much as the kids do! It's become one of our favorite little places to stop for some free outdoor fun.

I came here for a kid's birthday party and the children had quite a time! This party was astronaut…read morethemed so the instructor brought in a building set that would allow the kids to build spaceships. After building spaceships we were taken to the planetarium so the kids could travel to space. The kids loved seeing the different stars and planets. I enjoyed the show myself as well. It's been quite some time since I've been to a planetarium. After the initial show the kids ate pizza and cake and then returned to the planetarium. The second time in the planetarium they watched a movie about the stars and evolution. It looks like there's so much to see and do here, I'll definitely have to return to experience some of the other things they have to offer. However, I can definitely recommend having a kids party here. I would say ideally for someone in kindergarten and older.