DC Day Trip: Things To Do in Montgomery County, MD

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You may only be familiar with Montgomery County as a suburb of DC, but there are so many cool things to do in Montgomery County, MD, it is so worth exploring! Whether you’re visiting Washington, DC or live in the area, Montgomery County will serve up fun outdoor activities, amazing food, and super cute local shopping opportunities that you don’t want to miss. 

Montgomery County is home to a 93,000 acre agricultural reserve, making approximately one-third of the county a national example of land preservation. This area is home to 540 farms and 350 horticultural enterprises (and almost 8,000 horses!), providing amazing opportunities for pick-your-own strawberries, blueberries, tart cherries, blackberries, red raspberries, and tomatoes, fall pumpkin patches and holiday tree cutting, and hiking around farms and up Sugarloaf Mountain. 

In this post we’ll cover how to explore the rural and urban sides of Montgomery County, MD, where to stay, what to eat, and how best to enjoy yourself in the cultural capital of Maryland!

Things to do in Montgomery County, MD

Where to Explore

Climb in the Sky at The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring 

Potentially my favorite thing to do in Montgomery County, MD is to get your adventure on at The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring, the largest set of man-made climbing trails in the United States (and maybe the world!). This massive ropes course is fun for all ages, with 15 different trails rated with different difficulty levels using the same challenge rating system as ski trails. 

For those of us who are child-free, don’t miss their Glow in the Park and Keep it Lit nights for ages 18+. The park and ropes courses will be lit up with neon lights and the music will be blasting. 

The park also has new, state-of-the-art axe throwing, with digital projected screens that allow you to practice your aim and play different games with your whole group. I, personally, am very bad at axe throwing, but it was still loads of fun!

Sip along the Tastemakers Trail

While Maryland may not be known as wine country, I think you’d be pleasantly surprised to explore Montgomery County, MD’s wineries and breweries. The Tastemakers Trail hosts 13 breweries, 6 wineries, 2 cideries, and distilleries, meaderies, and coffee brewers! You can download the full trail map here, and I’ve included a highlight of a few of my favorites below:

Lone Oak Farm Brewing Company

Lone Oak is a farm with a brewery located in Olney, Maryland. They grow their own barley right on the farm for a true ground-to-glass beer experience. The brewhouse was built entirely with local lumber, a little bit of which is infused in each pint of Lone Oak’s craft beer.

The grounds are absolutely stunning, filled with picnic tables, a playground, and yurts you can reserve for you and your friends! The yurts are so cute and comfy, filled with couches and pillows, lamps and stools, and are so big when you walk into them. It’s a fantastic place to spend an afternoon having craft beer and pretzels with beer cheese delivered right to you.

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard 

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard is located at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain and is a great hangout spot after a day of hiking. Boasting mostly outdoor seating, it’s perfect for a sunny afternoon or evening. 

Sugarloaf wines are award-winning, grown in the shade of the mountain with predominantly French grape varietals. You will love their Bordeaux-inspired reds and crisp-white wines that are hand picked and pressed each season.

Windridge Vineyards

Windridge Vineyards is one of my favorite places to spend a weekend afternoon in the DMV (seriously, if they did weddings, my fiancé and I would have gotten married here). Their wines are fantastic, especially their rosés! 

The grounds are covered in picnic tables and multiple covered patios with their own bars that you can hang out in. They often host food trucks on weekends, and they offer charcuterie, plus you can bring your own food as well. 

Take a Walk in Brookside Gardens

Brookside Gardens is a botanical garden that is part of the Montgomery County Parks system. Located within the Wheaton Regional Park, the 50-acre display includes an Aquatic Garden, Azalea Garden, Butterfly Garden, Children’s Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Style Garden, Trial Garden, Rain Garden, the Woodland Walk, and two conservatories that are open year-round.

The gardens are free to visit and simply stunningly gorgeous. It’s one of the most popular things to do in Montgomery County, MD. 

Where to Shop

The Family Room

The Family Room in Laytonsville is quite possibly the cutest shop I’ve ever been in. Full of local and Maryland-made items for your home and family (and most definitely for yourself), it’s a fantastic spot to get local souvenirs or gifts ​​by more than 30 Maryland makers. 

From candles to bath bombs to plants to kitchen items, the shop is so gorgeously laid out with things to peak your interest on every table. They also have a community wall with event announcements, local food and beverages from a variety of Maryland-based vendors (including delicious ice cream, small bites, and coffee from Quartermaine Coffee Roasters), and a pay-it-forward system where you can buy an ice cream or a coffee for someone else and leave a token on the wall. 

Bluebirdie Boutique

If you have little ones, Bluebirdie Boutique is a must-shop. Started by a mom of two, this boutique “gives [parents] the opportunity to easily and quickly add to your child(ren)’s wardrobe while being confident you’re getting something special that is different from what you find at the big brand stores.” 

They work with and rotate through a variety of different brands of kids clothing, all of which are US-based businesses owned by women, and focus on gender-neutral pieces in order to allow you to hand them down from one sibling to the next, regardless of their gender! You can find them doing pop-ups around Olney and online, where they’ll provide same-day delivery if you live in the area and $5 flat rate shipping for all others! Use code SAM10 for 10% off your order!

MWBC

Another local spot where you can shop for a wide variety of super cute items is the Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC) shop in Rockville Town Center. MWBC “helps women entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve economic growth in Maryland’s Capital Region,” and they have an incubator space in Rockville where you can support those women-owned businesses, too!

Shop homemade soaps, handcrafted jewelry, clothing, children’s toys, and more! The businesses that have access to sell in the space rotate every six months, and each of the business owner’s take turns manning the shop. It’s a great way to get some local goods and potentially meet the women who made them!

What to Eat

Thai Chef

Step out of Montgomery County, MD and into the surrounds of a Bangkok street festival at Thai Chef in Rockville, MD. The place is gorgeous and the food is as delicious as the restaurant is colorful. 

Owned and operated by a daughter-parent team, Thai Chef specializes in Bangkok-style street food and offers vegan and gluten free options on their menu to meet a variety of dietary requirements. The décor has been highly-curated to resemble a Thai street festival, and you’ll feel the energy and culture the moment you walk in.

You must try the curry puffs and fried wontons while you’re there, and don’t let the Thai chillies in the award-winning Crazy Thai Lady cocktail scare you away – it’s delicious! 

El Mercat Bar de Tapas

For a bit of a warmer, more elegant vibe, head around the corner to El Mercat Bar de Tapas, a wine and tapas bar with magnificent paella. Owned by Chef George Rodrigues, an immigrant from Brazil, the menu allows guests to savor different dishes that will take them through a vibrant Spanish culinary journey with the most exciting flavors of true tapas fare.

The dishes we tried were genuinely the best Spanish tapas I’ve had since being in Spain itself, with sizzling and savory gambas de ajillo (garlic butter shrimp), pan con tomate served authentically with anchovy filets on top, and quite frankly the best and freshest beet salad I’ve ever tasted, complete with mint and goat cheese.

Alatri Bros

Alatri Bros is a much-loved local pizza joint in Bethesda with wood-fired pizzas and a variety of other Italian fare and small plates. It’s a cute and cozy spot owned by the Pietrobono family, owners of the popular Olazzo and Gringos & Mariachis restaurants in Bethesda and Silver Spring, MD, as well. 

The staff are super friendly, the food is great, and it’s a wonderful spot for happy hour, especially on Tuesday’s when they host live music.

Where to stay in Montgomery County, MD

Montgomery County, MD is right next to DC, so if you’re only planning a day trip or two during your DC visit, you can easily get up to the area by car or metro. If you’re going to be touring around a lot of different things to do in Montgomery County, MD, however, you may want to stay a bit more central. 

Rockville

Rockville, MD is very centrally located within Montgomery County and a great place to do your exploring from. With a vibrant downtown area in Rockville Town Center, there’s plenty to do right there and within a short drive. 

Bethesda

Bethesda is just outside the northwest DC borderline and is a popping location all its own. It’s filled with great restaurants and shopping locations and a great basecamp for your Montgomery County exploring.

Silver Spring

Silver Spring is a slightly quieter, family-friendly neighborhood to stay in, with its own little downtown with restaurants and things to do in between your larger county adventures.

How to get to Montgomery County, MD

Being so close to DC, Montgomery County is accessible by three major airports: Baltimore (BWI) in Maryland, Dulles (IAD) in McLean, Virginia, and Reagan National Airport (DCA). You can also take the train with Amtrak right to Rockville, MD.

If you’re already in the DC area, however, it’s super easy to take the red line metro or drive!

How to get around Montgomery County, MD 

Montgomery County, MD is serviced by the DC Metro, with the red line branching up through Bethesda, Silver Spring, and up to Rockville. It does not connect a large area of the rural county however, and you will want to rent a car to get around to all of the things to do in Montgomery County, MD.

Conclusion

There are so many things to do in Montgomery County, MD that make it a perfect off-the-beaten-path place to explore for the whole family, whether it’s on a day trip up from DC or for an exclusive visit to the County itself. From amazing food to craft breweries and all kinds of outdoor activities to explore the agricultural reserve, it’s a fantastic place to visit in the DMV.

I want to say a huge thank you to Visit MoCo for taking us around to explore some of these amazing local businesses and experiences! Remember to tag #VisitMoCo for all of your Montgomery County, MD adventures!