Each year around Earth Day, Baltimore County offers two free trees per household. This year I got…read morean Eastern Redbud and a Serviceberry. These are native, local trees that make excellent pollinators. The Ag Center is a very nice venue in a great location. Large, open spaces with a playground, horse arena, demonstration garden and classroom hall. Great place to bring the family for a picnic or to just take a nice walk.

Awesome natural resource if you like pumpkin patches and sunflower watching…read more You can gather both for a small donation. Tons of beautiful trees and other sites if you'd just like to go for a walk or gather a group of friends. Their website and facebook page has a host of events and useful information.

Spring Meadow Farm is a staple for us every spring and fall! It's the number one place we take…read morevisitors to the area, especially if kids are tagging along. The BBQ spot is so good, beer garden usually has a rotating schedule, ice cream stand always hits, and farm zoo is free with tons of friendly animals to say hello to. Our crew always loves playing at the park after walking the zoo path. Highly recommend!

I love the Bus Stop, Delicious ice cream. The very friendly service is so much appreciated…read more The surroundings of families out for the day and the petting of the animals is a welcoming experience. I could go there every day just for the ice cream. The gardening advice is stellar.

Christmas Village in Baltimore - A Chilly, Charming Detour with a Few Caveats…read more The Christmas Village in Baltimore is, quite literally, cool, both in atmosphere and in temperature. On a brisk winter evening, the open-air market delivers exactly what it promises: twinkling lights, the hum of seasonal music, the scent of spiced wine in the air, and a festive energy that makes for an easy, if brief, holiday escape. One of the more curious aspects of the experience is its sponsorship and structure. Chase Bank sponsored a secluded, interior section of the village, an enclosed, tent-like space that requires a $5 per person admission fee. Inside, shoppers find higher-end, European-style goods such as wooden nutcrackers and specialty imports not available in the main village. While one could argue the intent is to manage crowd flow or provide warmth and exclusivity, the execution feels more transactional than magical. I spoke with several families exiting the space, groups that had paid admission for multiple people, only to leave empty-handed. Their consensus was candid: the section is worthwhile if you already know exactly what you're looking for, but therein lies the problem, you can't preview the offerings without paying to enter. For most, including myself, the value proposition didn't quite justify the cost, and I opted to move along. What does deliver unequivocally is the food and drink. The Glühwein is well-executed, warming, and flavorful, served in a souvenir mug (pictured). While carrying it around the rest of the evening is mildly inconvenient, the practical upside is that refills drop to $8, compared to the $14 initial purchase, making it a solid value for those lingering longer. In scale, the village is modest certainly not a full immersion into a European Christmas market, but it succeeds as a curated, bite-sized experience. Numerous small stalls offer enough food and drink options to comfortably sustain a visit, and the area around the Christmas trees provides a particularly pleasant focal point. That's also where I stumbled upon the standout of the evening: a toffee vendor. The Italian cappuccino toffee, in particular, deserves special mention. Rich, balanced, deeply flavorful, and not cloyingly sweet, it was without exaggeration one of the best toffees I've ever had. And that's coming from someone with both a pronounced sweet tooth and a well-earned reputation as a food connoisseur. It alone nearly justifies the visit. Bottom line: The Christmas Village in Baltimore may not fully replicate the charm of its European counterparts, and some elements feel more commercial than festive, but it remains a pleasant seasonal diversion. Come for the atmosphere, stay for the Glühwein, and absolutely do not leave without the cappuccino toffee. All in all, a solid holiday experience with a few memorable highlights.

Charming little Christmas Village along the water in Baltimore. Went on a Saturday evening, it was…read morepredictably packed with people. But the holiday music and the twinkling lights made it feel like I was living Silver Bells. Wandering among the stalls of thw outdoor market, there are a disproportionate number selling jewelry, but there are cool things to be found, like Bigfoot socks, and cool hats. To enter the indoor sale tent, you have to buy a $5 "season ticket," which seems odd. But inside that tent is the large Kathe Wolfhardt store with cute German Christmas decor. I bought ornaments and a blown glass tree. My biggest issue was that the signage for the village food options were not well lit. We went with the intent of eating giant soft pretzels and apparently the entire festival was sold out. I did greatly enjoy my raclette sandwich, hot chocolate with Bailey's in an adorable boot mug, and some grilled sausage. The process of ordering abd paying, them waiting a while to get my food order was frustrating but expected. This was a nice way to be filled with some holiday spirit.

Really enjoyed my first trip to fresh source! They have loads of great products from eggs to micro…read moregreens to ice cream and coffee. We live nearby and will definitely be back!

Had a birthday party there and it was awesome. Eric and his staff set everything up and made it…read moreeasy. Prices are reasonable and rooms are spacious. Would definitely use them again.

Very nice venue with options! I visited this place because a friend of the family had a surprise…read moreparty there. It was my 1st time and I was very impressed. I was thankful for the nearby street parking as well as the noted parking in the back. They have many steps to get to the party I was attending but it was worth it. We were on the very top floor and it was gorgeous! It was very spacious, had a private bar area, private clean bathroom, at least 2 rooms and other amenities. I noticed a photo set up for those who enjoy the photo backdrop fun pics (hand raised). There were 2 backdrops to pick from and social distancing was enforced. The photographer has on a shirt w venue name on it so I assumed she was affiliated. I look forward to attending more events here and would definitely consider for hosting an event !!

A Beautiful Small Farm Up in Northern Maryland…read more SITREP I had a joyful opportunity to travel to Northern Maryland and visit with Eddie & Laurie Downey, the very pleasant owners of the Downey Family Farm in Upperco, Maryland. THE SETUP But although I say "farm", it's MORE like a Ranch or even a Homestead, cause this wonderful spot raises BIG cattle, and by "BIG" cattle I mean TEXAS LONGHORNS! Eddie explained the fantastic inner workings of this enterprise, including the "studding"of the cows by visiting bulls! It was very entertaining to see Eddie give the longhorns treats, especially the baby longhorns. You can see the full extent of the farm's enterprises by visiting the their website link above. THE LOWDOWN *Chick-a-bow-wow, Chick-a-brown-cow*

We came here in April after looking at the blooming tulips and azaleas in Sherwood Gardens, and it…read morewas pretty underwhelming in comparison. We checked in at the visitor's center, then walked the grounds where all we could see were shrubs and trees, with very few flowers in bloom. The mansion is only open if there are events. The nature center is very well done, and perfect for children. My favorite part was definitely the lion statues. The other, incidental, part we really enjoyed is that there were various painters scattered about the property, so it was fun to see what they were painting and chat with them.

Baltimore's Best Kept Secret always a refreshing and peaceful time at the Arboretum…read more Many volunteers and activities make this a great place to spend time or to visit. The landscaping is magnificent and the flowers always seem to be in bloom. Truly this is one of Baltimore's hidden gems.

We had the best time at Basignani! We came here on a Sunday afternoon for a wine tasting and dinner…read moreand could've stayed here forever. Jerry conducted our wine tasting and he was absolutely phenomenal- so knowledgeable about winemaking and his passion was contagious. He took his time, offered snack pairings and detailed the meals he cooks alongside each wine as well. We left feeling like we learned so much and plan to come back again with family to meet Jerry and try wine with him! The property is gorgeous and the pizza was amazing too. It truly is a place you feel like family & we can't wait to go back.

Beautiful winery that puts out beautiful wine (And the newer Champagne!)…read more Everyone there is so helpful and informative doing a wine tasting is always a good time. As with most wineries you can bring your own food but there is sometimes a working brick oven for pizza. If the oven is on definitely get the pizza I dont care if you bought food with you. This place is great for group gatherings and casual drop ins. This MD winery always has wonderful drinking options