Mountains. Trails. Flavor. Peace. Repeat.

Where Appalachian beauty, small-town culture, and four-season wonder meet.

Start with the terrain. Rolling hills and forested ridgelines stretch like waves across the horizon. In spring, you’ll find blooming wildflowers on trail edges and the first blush of green along country roads. Come summer, it’s all about Deep Creek Lake—a hub for boating, paddleboarding, and family cookouts. Autumn here is something special. The trees seem to compete for attention, glowing with oranges and reds that make even seasoned New England leaf-peepers take notice. And in winter? Wisp Resort in McHenry is the state’s largest ski resort, with downhill runs, snow tubing, and cozy fireside lounges perfect for après-ski unwinding.

Western Maryland is made for moving—whether by foot, bike, kayak, or train. The Western Maryland Rail Trail and Great Allegheny Passage offer some of the East Coast’s best rails-to-trails cycling. These gently graded paths wind through forest tunnels, over stone viaducts, and into towns that feel like secret handshakes from another era. Halfway along, Frostburg makes a great place to stop. A funky, working-class college town, it’s filled with surprising little treasures. Grab breakfast at Mountain City Coffeehouse & Creamery, or sample locally roasted beans and small bites at Clatter, a café with serious personality. If you're there for dinner, Giuseppe’s offers one of the most refined Italian menus in the region.

It's just cooler here!

Frostburg, named for the founding family of Meshach and Catherine Frost, sits high in the mountains of Western Maryland. The city’s tagline, “It’s just cooler here…,” winks at the town’s “cool” name and reputation for snowy winters and temperate summers, but really speaks more to Frostburg’s unique and interesting people and places.

Learn more about Frostburg

Discover a Healthier Happier You with Hygge & Heilsa

Further along the trail, Cumberland serves as both a geographic and cultural crossroads. Once a key link in the C&O Canal and B&O Railroad systems, the city’s historic core has been lovingly restored. Stroll the pedestrian-friendly downtown and pop into art galleries or gear up at Wheelzup Adventures. This locally owned outfitter is your go-to for biking, paddling, and hiking logistics—including rentals, shuttle service, and guided tours on nearby Lake Habeeb—a surprisingly blue gem tucked inside Rocky Gap State Park.

When it’s time to eat, Cumberland won’t disappoint. Mise En Place offers French-inspired cuisine with a rotating seasonal menu served in an intimate, unpretentious setting. Just down the street, Ristorante Ottaviani is family-run and full of heart, with handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, and a wine list that encourages lingering. In both spots, the hospitality is as rich as the flavors.

Families will find plenty to do outside of the towns as well. You can paddle the Youghiogheny River, explore the C&O Canal Towpath, or hunt fossils with your kids on the banks of long-forgotten waterways. Towns like Oakland, Boonsboro, and Hancock may be small, but they’re big on warmth. You’re just as likely to leave with a homemade pie as you are with a hand-drawn trail map.

Western Maryland isn’t a place you rush through. It’s a place to breathe in. To sit out on a porch and watch fog lift off the ridge. To toast with a local bourbon and hear your own thoughts again. It’s not trying to be the next trendy destination—and that’s exactly why it’s worth your time.

So pack your hiking boots, your appetite, and a sense of curiosity. You’ll leave refreshed, probably a bit sun-kissed (or snow-dusted), and wondering how this quiet mountain corner stayed under the radar for so long.

Mountains. Trails. Flavor. Peace. Repeat.

Where Appalachian beauty, small-town culture, and four-season wonder meet.

It's just cooler here!

Discover a Healthier Happier You with Hygge & Heilsa

This website uses cookies.