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Silver Spring is a large urban community in Montgomery County, Maryland, just across the line from Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a mica-flecked spring that Francis Preston Blair found here in 1840, and it grew from a country estate into a busy suburb and, after a major redevelopment in the 2000s, into a lively downtown of apartments, offices, shops and restaurants.
The centerpiece is the AFI Silver Theatre, a restored 1938 Art Deco cinema now run by the American Film Institute. Around it, Ellsworth Drive, Veterans Plaza and the Fillmore concert hall keep downtown busy at night, and Fenton Village is known for its diverse, affordable restaurants, especially Ethiopian food. The restored B&O railroad station and Acorn Park recall the town's early history.
Sligo Creek Park winds through leafy neighborhoods, the National Museum of Health and Medicine displays medical history, and the fanciful buildings of National Park Seminary are nearby. The Metro Red Line reaches central Washington in about 20 minutes.
A 1938 Art Deco movie palace designed by John Eberson, restored and reopened in 2003 by the American Film Institute. It screens classic films, retrospectives, documentaries and new releases on three screens and hosts film festivals. Check the program and arrive early to admire the lobby.
A large concert venue in downtown Silver Spring with a standing-room floor and balcony, hosting touring rock, hip-hop, indie and comedy acts. It is a short walk from the Metro station. Tickets for popular shows sell out, so buy ahead, and check the venue's bag policy before going.
The redeveloped core around Ellsworth Drive and Georgia Avenue, with shops, restaurants, cafes, a cinema and frequent outdoor events. Ellsworth Drive becomes a busy pedestrian scene on weekend evenings. Take the Metro Red Line and walk, as garages fill on busy nights.
A neighborhood on the east side of downtown known for independent restaurants and shops, including many Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants, along with Latin American, Asian and Caribbean food. It is the best area for an affordable, adventurous meal. Try injera with a shared platter.
The main public square of downtown, next to the Silver Spring Civic Building, with a covered pavilion that becomes an outdoor ice skating rink in winter and hosts concerts, markets and festivals the rest of the year. Check the county events calendar and bring skates or rent a pair.
A restored 1945 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad station that served commuters for decades and is now cared for by a local preservation group as a history center and event space. Its small exhibits tell the story of the railroad and the town. It opens on limited days, so check before going.
A tiny park marking the area of the spring that gave Silver Spring its name, discovered by Francis Preston Blair in 1840, with a replica of his acorn-shaped gazebo and a mural telling the town's story. It takes only a few minutes, but it is a nice stop on a downtown walk.
A former girls' school from the 1890s to the 1940s whose campus in Forest Glen is filled with fanciful buildings, including a Japanese pagoda, a Dutch windmill, a Swiss chalet and a small castle, now restored as homes. Walk the grounds respectfully, as people live in the buildings.
A museum founded in 1862 as the Army Medical Museum, with exhibits on military medicine, anatomy and disease, including the bullet that killed Abraham Lincoln. Some displays are graphic, so it suits older children and adults. Admission is free; bring a photo ID for the campus entrance.
A long, narrow stream valley park that follows Sligo Creek through Silver Spring and Takoma Park, with a paved hiker-biker trail, playgrounds and picnic spots under tall trees. On weekends parts of Sligo Creek Parkway close to cars for walkers and cyclists. Start near Wayne Avenue.
A free public garden in Wheaton Regional Park just north of Silver Spring, with formal gardens, a Japanese-style garden, conservatories and a seasonal butterfly exhibit. In winter the Garden of Lights fills the grounds with displays. Spring blooms peak in April and May.
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