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Germantown is a large community in upper Montgomery County, Maryland, about 25 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. Once a quiet farming crossroads settled by German immigrants in the 19th century, it grew rapidly from the 1970s into one of the biggest communities in the state, with planned villages, parks and a central town center.
Germantown Town Center is home to the BlackRock Center for the Arts, with theater, concerts and galleries. Families come for Butler's Orchard, a working farm with pick-your-own fruit and a popular fall pumpkin festival, and for South Germantown Recreational Park, home of the Maryland SoccerPlex, a splash playground and the King Barn Dairy MOOseum.
Outdoors, Seneca Creek State Park and its Clopper Lake, the long Seneca Creek Greenway Trail and Black Hill Regional Park on Little Seneca Lake offer boating, hiking and picnics. Washington, D.C., the C&O Canal and historic Frederick are all within easy reach.
A family-run farm where visitors pick their own strawberries, blueberries, apples and pumpkins in season, with a farm market selling produce, baked goods and treats. The fall pumpkin festival with hayrides is especially popular. Check the farm's website for picking conditions before you go.
A big county park with the Maryland SoccerPlex stadium and fields, a splash playground, mini golf, an indoor aquatic center, trails and picnic areas. It is a great place for families on a summer day. Check the schedule, as large soccer tournaments can fill the parking lots.
A large state park with wooded trails, picnic areas and the 90-acre Clopper Lake, where you can rent kayaks, canoes and paddleboats in season. Disc golf and miles of forest trails round out a full day outdoors. Weekends get busy, so arrive early for parking near the lake.
A large Montgomery County park around Little Seneca Lake, with boat rentals, a visitor center, paved and natural trails and many picnic areas. The lake views at sunset are lovely. Rent a kayak in the warm months or walk the lakeside trail, and look for herons and ospreys.
A long natural-surface trail following Seneca Creek through woods and meadows from the Potomac River area north past Germantown. Sections near Germantown make easy half-day hikes with creek views and wildflowers. Trails can be muddy after rain, so wear sturdy shoes.
A modern arts center in Germantown Town Center with a main stage for concerts, theater and dance, art galleries with changing exhibitions and classes for all ages. Outdoor summer concerts are held on its stage. Check the calendar online and combine a show with dinner nearby.
A small museum in a restored dairy barn inside South Germantown Recreational Park, with exhibits on Montgomery County's dairy farming past, farm tools and hands-on activities for children. It opens on a seasonal schedule. Combine it with a visit to the park's splash playground.
The central shopping and dining district of Germantown, with restaurants serving cuisines from around the world, shops, a library and the BlackRock Center for the Arts. It is a convenient place for a meal before or after a show. Parking is free in the surrounding lots.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: USDAgov, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: USDAgov, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: G. Edward Johnson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: G. Edward Johnson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: G. Edward Johnson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: G. Edward Johnson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: G. Edward Johnson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: USDAgov, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: USDAgov, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: USDAgov, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: USDAgov, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: USDAgov, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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Photo: Preservation Maryland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Preservation Maryland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: G. Edward Johnson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: G. Edward Johnson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
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Photo: TheTurducken, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: TheTurducken, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
