Check out the restaurants, cafes, shops, and hiking near Frederick, Maryland.
A few weeks ago my husband and I got away for two nights in Frederick, Maryland. Frederick is a place we’d wanted to explore for a long time, but had never gotten around to taking a trip there. Frederick is an old town with some significance when it comes to the American Civil War. Both Union and Confederate troops marched through the town and it housed a hospital during the war that cared for those wounded in battle.
Driving down Friday evening and we decided to go for some pub fare for our first evening. We chose Brewer’s Alley Restaurant, which was packed but since the building was spacious there was little wait. We got Calamari as an appetizer. It wasn’t quite a crispy as I’d prefer, but had fantastic flavor. I ended up getting a pulled pork sandwich and a fantastic fig cocktail.
The next morning we decided to hike Annapolis Rock, part of the Appalachian Trail. It was cold and windy and supposed to snow later that day, so we decided to make sure we make it to the lookout before the weather got worse. It was a 5.6 mile hike up and back. The view was gorgeous! Moving clouds cast shadows on the valley below as the wind whipped across the craggy rocks. We headed back once the trail began to get crowded, exploring some shelters along the way.
After cleaning up from our hike we decided to explore downtown Frederick. We got some delicious coffee and paninis at Frederick Coffee Co. & Cafe and then wandered around. There were so many adorable boutiques! Some favorite shops were Curious Iquana, textile shops, women’s clothing, Hunting Creek Outfitters, and a wonderful stationary shop.
We also strolled around Carroll Creek Park. There were multiple bridges that all had a unique look and I can’t wait to go back in the summer and stroll along the water again. It was pretty desolate right now, but I bet it is beautiful and busy come summer.
Our dinner reservations were quite late so we went back to the hotel to rest our now weary feet before going out again to Jojo’s Restaurant & Tap House. The food was fantastic. I had salmon stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, and a cheesy sauce. Sadly, I didn’t like any of my cocktails at this establishment, for some reason. However, dessert made up for it. We had a chocolate bread pudding topped with ice cream and it was perfection!
The next morning after checking out of our hotel we got breakfast at Cafe Nola, where the vibe reminded me of Hampden, Maryland. It definitely had a quirky, funky feel. It ordered the Lox Benedict and it was wonderful with fried capers and a dill hollandaise sauce.
Finally, it was time to head home. I definitely will plan to come back in the summer so we can walk along Carroll Creek again and check out more restaurants. On my list of places I still want to visit are:
- Isabella’s Taverna & Tapas Bar
- Sumittra Thai Cuisine
- Taco Daddy Cantina & Tequila Bar
- Thacher and Rye
- Distilled
Where to Stay: Hilton Garden Inn, Frederick was convenient and clean, however, we weren’t overly impressed. It got loud the first night and breakfast was an add-on you had to pay for and considering the price (and the wait–there was only one chef each morning) you’d be better off finding breakfast elsewhere.
Have you visited Frederick? Where do you recommend visiting?
Leave a Reply