Cumberland is #71 on the NY Post’s 100 Summer Destinations! They’ve discovered
what we already knew – Cumberland is a great place to live, work and play!
#71 CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND
WHY? This mountain town dating back to the 1700s brims with old world-esque charm, particularly in its compact
and historic city center.
MUST DO Set in a dramatic spot along the North Branch of the Potomac River in the middle of the Appalachian
Range, Cumberland was for years a frontier town and a gateway to westward expansion. The National Road, our
first interstate highway, began here. The Cumberland & Ohio Canal, which connects Cumberland to Georgetown in
Washington, DC, operated for nearly 75 years. The B&O Railroad, which steamed straight through town, was the
beginning of a network that would eventually connect New York and Chicago. Today, the city is a great spot for
transportation buffs to delve into history, beginning with a visit to the renovated Western Maryland train station, now
ground zero in the city's Canal Place Heritage Area. You'll find the station just south of Baltimore Street, where a
blocks-long pedestrian mall still serves as the city's focal point. Thursdays and Saturdays through October 18, the
mall is the setting for the lively Farmers Market, featuring regular live entertainment. Speaking of, the Farmers
Market is just a beginning -- the strip is also the setting for the popular Friday After Five and Sunday at Town Centre
series, which draw crowds to the strip all summer long. While there are plenty of ways to engage with the city's past,
the best is a day either on foot or on bike on the C&O Canal -- the towpath runs straight through to Georgetown.
Rent bikes from the Cumberland Trail Connection, located at Canal Place. Less active types -- and railroad
fans -- can hop on board the Scenic Western Maryland Railroad, which plies the scenic route between Cumberland
and Frostburg on a 3.5-hour tour. Brooke Whiting had a long and impressive career at the University of California,
Los Angeles; his 99 year-old childhood home in on beautiful Washington Street is now the Brooke Whiting House of
Art. Come for the collection of objects Whiting picked up in his world travels, stay for the impressive mix of old homes
in the neighborhood, which tend to sell for a pittance compared to similar properties a couple hours further east.
STAY HERE The Bruce House Inn is what one might call a "find," particularly way up here in the hills. The chic B&B
is housed in a 1800s Federal -- at one time a Catholic boys school -- on West Fayette Street. Thoughtful touches
include continental breakfast in bed (if you don't feel like getting up for the big breakfast downstairs) and
complimentary afternoon tea and wine (from $109; [866] 777-8181). For something more predictable, a Fairfield Inn
& Suites opens in July, just a highway overpass away from the Canal Place area (call for rates; [301] 722-0340).
HAPPENINGS Cumberland has two big dates bookending its summer -- first, there's Heritage Days (June 13-14),
then, in September, the annual CanalFest/RailFest a three-day extravaganza (25-27).
HOT TIP If you've never been to West Virginia and feel a burning desire to see what you've been missing, the state
line is literally a few hundred feet south of Cumberland's downtown.
LEARN MORE www.mdmountainside.com
Cumberland is the perfect location to begin your trip!
Location, location, location... Cumberland provides easy trail access for the C & O Canal and Great
Allegheny Passage along with a full range of amenities including many restaurants, lodging options and our
full service bike shop. Everything is within walking distance from trail and there are no hills to climb to get
what you need! Cumberland Trail Connection (CTCbikes) is located just off exit 43B of Interstate 68.
There is free extended parking located directly across from our shop. You can even take Amtrak to
Cumberland and walk a couple blocks to everything! Just pick up the phone and we'll have your rental bike
waiting for you. 301-777-8724