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Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, and one of the state's largest cities, with about 68,000 residents about 15 miles northwest of downtown Washington, D.C. Settled in the 18th century as a crossroads village called Montgomery Court House, it took the name Rockville in 1804 after nearby Rock Creek and grew into a diverse suburban city on the Metro Red Line.
The compact center mixes history and new development. Rockville Town Square has shops, restaurants and summer events, while the 1891 Red Brick Courthouse, the Beall-Dawson House and the Stonestreet Museum of 19th Century Medicine show the older town. F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda are buried in the churchyard of St. Mary's, a pilgrimage spot for readers of The Great Gatsby.
Rockville Civic Center Park holds Glenview Mansion and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, and VisArts brings contemporary art downtown. For nature, try Croydon Creek Nature Center or Lake Needwood in Rock Creek Regional Park, and ride the Metro into Washington for the day.
A walkable downtown district built around a central plaza, with restaurants from many cuisines, shops, the regional library and a summer stage. In warm months it hosts concerts, a farmers market and festivals, and in winter an ice rink. Park in the garages nearby, as the first hours are often discounted.
An elegant 1920s neoclassical mansion in Rockville Civic Center Park, with formal rooms, an art gallery showing rotating exhibits and landscaped gardens. It hosts free Sunday concerts in season and many weddings. The gallery is free to visit on weekdays; call ahead, as private events sometimes close the house.
The 1891 Montgomery County Courthouse, a red brick Romanesque Revival building with a tall tower at the center of old Rockville. It is now used for events and county offices, and it anchors the old courthouse square downtown. Take photos from the square and read the historical markers around the grounds.
The grave of the author F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda in the small cemetery of St. Mary's Catholic Church, close to downtown. The stone is engraved with the famous last line of The Great Gatsby, and visitors often leave pens, coins or notes. Visit quietly, as the church is still active.
An 1815 Federal-style brick house run by Montgomery History, furnished to show life in early Rockville for a wealthy family and the enslaved people who worked there. Guided tours explain the house and its residents. It shares grounds with a medical museum and the county history library, so plan an hour or two.
A tiny museum in the 1850s office of Dr. Edward Stonestreet, moved to the grounds of the Beall-Dawson House. It displays surgical tools, medicine bottles and equipment used by country doctors in the 1800s. Visit along with the Beall-Dawson House tour, and be ready for some eye-opening instruments.
A nonprofit visual arts center at Rockville Town Square with free galleries showing contemporary exhibitions, open artist studios and a busy schedule of classes in ceramics, painting, glass and more. Drop in to see the current shows, and check the calendar for open studio nights and family art days.
A city-owned theater at Rockville Civic Center Park named after the author, home to local theater companies, music ensembles and dance groups. Tickets are usually affordable and the auditorium is intimate. Combine a show with a walk around Glenview Mansion and the park grounds before the curtain rises.
A city nature center on the edge of a forested stream valley, with live native animals, hands-on exhibits for children and trails that wind through the woods along Croydon Creek. It runs nature programs, camps and guided walks. Admission is free; wear sturdy shoes, as the trails can be muddy after rain.
A reservoir in Rock Creek Regional Park on the north side of Rockville, with seasonal boat rentals, fishing, picnic shelters and trails, including access to the long paved Rock Creek Trail. It is a calm place for a paddle or a bike ride. Boat rentals run in warm months only, so check dates before you go.
A large city park that brings together Glenview Mansion, the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater, gardens, picnic areas and wooded trails. It is a quiet green escape close to downtown. Walk the nature trail loop, then enjoy the formal gardens near the mansion, especially in spring.
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