The charming quiet Maryland town of Boonsboro is a place well worth visiting if you’re a buff for American history. The name comes from its founder George Boone, a cousin of the famous frontiersman Daniel Boone. Boonsboro was one of the towns through which the National Road passed—the first federal road-building project in America. Not only that, but it is also close to Antietam Battlefield. At Antietam in 1862, the first pitched battle of the American Civil War on Union soil was fought, with more than 22,000 fighters either killed, severely wounded or gone missing never to be seen again. To this day, the Battle of Antietam is commemorated as the bloodiest day in American history. Along with these notable sights, the list of things to do in Boonsboro is long and varied. Check it out here.
1. Travel back in time at Washington County Agricultural Education Center and Rural Heritage Museum
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Sure, the name looks like a bit of a mouthful, but don’t worry—the locals tend to call it just Rural Heritage Museum. Here, you will find a portal to the history that went into making this area what it is today, with exhibits vividly depicting rural life in Washington County up until the 1940s. There are faithfully recreated farm buildings with antique machinery and a true-to-life rural farmstead to be enjoyed, along with plenty of activities that include artisanal bread-baking, candle-making, and a range of muddy, but fun, activities for the children.
Washington County Agricultural Education Center and Rural Heritage Museum
Address: 7313 Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Washington County Agricultural Education Center and Rural Heritage Museum
Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 10am - 3pm (closed on Mon - Fri)
Price: Free
2. Learn about the Civil War at Boonesborough Museum of History
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
The sights, sounds, and bloody history of the American Civil War are brought home by a visit to Boonesborough Museum of History, where you can find some exhibits that take you right back to the 1860s. It’s worth being aware before you attend that some of the collections are not for the faint-hearted—they include the bones of fallen soldiers carved into souvenirs and a wooden tombstone from a battlefield burial at Antietam. There are also more than enough of the usual weaponry displays to keep a historian happy, as well as some curios, including two bullets that met in midair and fused into one.
Boonesborough Museum of History
Address: 113 N Main St, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Boonesborough Museum of History
Opening hours: May - Sep: Sun: 1pm - 5pm (closed on Mon - Sat)
3. Experience stunning views at South Mountain State Park
South Mountain State Park is the ideal place to go if you want to experience the best views of Boonsboro and the surrounding area. The giant park runs the length of two counties and offers rocky cliff outcrops due to it being part of the Appalachian Trail. From the tops of those cliffs, you can witness an incredible series of vistas that can’t be summed up in words. Make sure you have a camera with you—you’ll want to preserve these memories. There is also the historical South Mountain battlefield, which is contained within the park.
South Mountain State Park
Address: 21843 National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: South Mountain State Park
Price: Free
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4. Enjoy ice cream at Potomac Street Creamery
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Ice cream is one of life’s little luxuries—tasty, indulgent, and versatile—and on a hot day in Boonsboro, you’ll be well advised to take the opportunity for a stop at Potomac Street Creamery to try out one or two of its specialties. A range of flavours, toppings, and combinations will allow you to make your preferred choice and enjoy ice cream just the way you want it. Grab a cone to take out, or sit in and watch the town go by as you relax with a sundae. Whatever you prefer, this is a stop you shouldn’t miss while in Boonsboro.
Potomac Street Creamery
Address: 9 Potomac St, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Opening hours: Tue & Thu: 2pm - 8pm; Mon & Wed: 5pm - 8pm; Fri: 2pm - 9pm; Sat - Sun: 12pm - 9pm
5. See the best of the countryside at Greenbrier State Park
Keen hikers will be delighted by a visit to Greenbrier State Park, which offers leafy, covered trails with epic views for those who are eager to get (metaphorically) lost in nature. With the 42-acre (17-hectare) Greenbrier Lake at its heart, this park offers some of the best walks you can experience in all of Maryland. Leisure pursuits include fishing in the lake, which has bass, trout, and bluegill among its bounty. You can even camp out overnight amidst the spellbinding surroundings.
Greenbrier State Park
Address: 21843 National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Greenbrier State Park
Opening hours: 8am - sunset (daily)
6. Pick up a bargain at Cronise Market Place
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Back in 1928, Boonsboro’s Cronise family opened a small farmers market next to their home at which they would sell the products harvested on their farm. More than ninety years later, the market has grown into one of the town’s most recognisable landmarks and is a place where locals know they can source fresh fruits and veg as well as beautiful flowers. The items on sale have grown beyond the initial offering, and garden ornaments along with jellies and Amish baked goods are now among the delights in store for those who visit. The market closes on Christmas Day, to reopen in mid-March, and for nine months of the year, it’s a Boonsboro institution.
Cronise Market Place
Address: 312 S Main St, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Cronise Market Place
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 7pm; Sat: 9am - 6pm; Sun: 12pm - 6pm
7. Take a hike at Devils Backbone County Park
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Devils Backbone offers a wide range of attractions for visitors to the area—as you’ll notice when reading about it online. Plenty of travellers talk up how peaceful the park is, offering picnic spots and charming wooden bridges over the creek that runs through it. You may take the opportunity to indulge in a spot of fishing or indeed give kayaking a try. The park has a kayak rental service that offers all the necessary equipment and can give you the chance to get a unique perspective on the beautiful surroundings.
Devils Backbone County Park
Address: 18934 Lappans Rd, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Opening hours: 9am - sunset (daily)
8. Grab a beer and a burger at Dan's Restaurant & Taphouse
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Any artistic or artisanal town these days would not be complete without a thriving brewery scene offering tasty craft beers, and if you’re on the lookout for a place to slake the thirst you’ll have worked up exploring Boonsboro, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Dan’s. With upwards of 30 different beers on the menu, you won’t be able to try them all in one sitting, but that’s as good a reason as any to keep going back. Another good reason is the tasty home-style food, with hearty and filling meals, including burgers and pulled-pork sandwiches.
Dan's Restaurant & Taphouse
Address: 3 S Main St, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Dan’s Restaurant & Taphouse
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 11am - 10pm; Sat: 11am - 1pm; Sun: 12pm - 10pm
9. Gaze at the wonders of nature at Crystal Grottoes Caverns
If you’re keen on natural wonders, then you’ll be very much attracted to Crystal Grottoes Caverns—an attraction that came about by accident but has stayed in Boonsboro hearts ever since. Back in the 1920s, the Maryland State Roads Commission was carrying out quarrying work to find the limestone to build Route 34. Drilling at the foot of some cliffs, they found that the drill bits were damaged beyond repair, and when they switched to dynamite to clear the way, they blew an opening in the ground that offered an entrance into these underground caverns. The beautiful rock formations, including stalagmites and stalactites in shining crystal, attract visitors to this day.
Crystal Grottoes Caverns
Address: 19821 Shepherdstown Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Crystal Grottoes Caverns
Opening hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)
Price: 10 - 20 USD
10. Experience the view at Annapolis Rock
Visitors to Boonsboro will find plenty of opportunities are available to them when it comes to hiking, and one of the best options available is Annapolis Rock. Starting at the bottom, a 2-mile (3 km), 50-minute trek gets you to the top and offers the most scintillating views both once you’re there and on the way up. It’s part of the Appalachian Trail, and on the way, you’ll get to gaze upon some of the most magical quartzite rock formations.
Annapolis Rock
Address: Boonsboro, MD 21713
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
11. Swap scenery for machinery at Heavy Metal Playground
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Once you’ve experienced the rock, it’s time to step things up and enjoy some heavy metal! This is an attraction that will offer you the chance to release a bit of energy and operate some heavy machinery. You can even, if the fancy takes you, smash up a car or two, and it’s all part of the experience. Heavy Metal Playground is based around the chance to operate mechanical diggers, dig in the dirt, and—within reason—engage in some property damage. It’s a unique attraction and a whole lot of fun.
Heavy Metal Playground
Address: 21036 National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Heavy Metal Playground
Opening hours: Thu - Fri: 4pm - 8pm; Sat - Sun: 12pm - 8pm (closed on Mon - Wed)
Price: From 25 USD
12. Pick up a memento at Gifts Inn BoonsBoro
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If you want a keepsake of your visit to Boonsboro, or perhaps are looking for a present for a friend or family member back home, then it should come as no surprise that Gifts Inn is an excellent source of just the kind of thing you’re looking for. The store showcases arts and crafts created by supremely skilled local artisans, and the range runs from cute, unique glassware to excellent scarves, with something different everywhere you look. Each memento will be a sure reminder of your trip to Boonsboro whenever you look at it.
Gifts Inn BoonsBoro
Address: 16 N Main St, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Gifts Inn BoonsBoro
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 6pm; Sun: 11am - 4pm
13. Take in a burlesque performance at The Lodge Show & Dance Club + Summer Patio
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
If you’re looking for a riotous night out, then Boonsboro can provide that for you in the form of the camp-as-Christmas club known as The Lodge. Regular themed nights offer patrons a chance to laugh, dance, and party the evening away, with drag nights and a wealth of burlesque and boylesque attractions on the menu. One of the longer-running LGB clubs in the area, The Lodge always has a welcoming vibe—and with no cover charge, it’s a great place to start or end a night out.
The Lodge Show & Dance Club + Summer Patio
Address: 21614 National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: The Lodge Show & Dance Club + Summer Patio
Opening hours: Wed: 8pm - 2am; Fri - Sat: 9pm - 2am (closed on Sun - Tue & Thu)
14. Spin your wheels at Mason Dixon Dragway
Visitors who feel the need for speed will certainly have a fine time at Mason Dixon Dragway, where you can bring your car along and race against other drivers, or take a seat and watch as local petrolheads pit their wits against one another. It’s a good idea to check the weather forecast before planning a visit, as all races on the quarter-mile track are on a “weather permitting” basis—but assuming you’re good to go, you’ll have great fun here.
Mason Dixon Dragway
Address: 21344 National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Mason Dixon Dragway
Opening hours: Varies
Price: 0 - 10 USD
15. Play some minigolf at Family Recreation Park
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The whole family will enjoy a trip to Boonsboro’s Family Recreation Park, which is filled with entertaining attractions that range from go-karting to paintball and include a batting cage where you can hit baseballs to your heart’s content. Perhaps the showpiece of the whole park, though, is the 24-hole mini-golf course where “working on your short game” really means something. There’s a smaller 19-hole course along with a driving range nearby too.
Family Recreation Park
Address: 21036 National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Family Recreation Park
Opening hours: Fri - Sat: 11am - 9pm; Sun - Thu: 11am - 8pm
Price: 2.5 - 10 USD
16. Walk into the past at Keedy House
Keedy House is a part of local history that dates back to 1776—the year when America gained its independence. Two and a half storeys tall, this grey stone house has been lovingly preserved throughout the years and is found in the most wonderful surroundings on the fringes of Greenbrier State Park. The house is on Barnes Road and is set among its own grounds, which contain a winding path that leads to a charming 19th-century bridge spanning the creek that runs through.
Keedy House
Address: Barnes Rd, Boonsboro, MD 21713
17. Get some rest and relaxation at Stoney Creek Farm
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Close to the battlefield at Antietam, Stoney Creek Farm is one of the oldest homesteads in the area, and it still operates as a full-fledged farm to this day. Having been in the Schlosser family for more than a hundred years, it was lovingly preserved. In recent years, the place has become a B&B where you can base yourself for the duration of your stay in Boonsboro, witnessing the perfect stone-built farm buildings and making short trips out to see other historically significant sites in the area. It’s also a highly popular wedding venue thanks to the beautiful setting.
Stoney Creek Farm
Address: 19223 Manor Church Rd, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Stoney Creek Farm
Price: From 220 USD
18. Find the soul of Boonsboro at Shafer Park
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Shafer Park was not always a park. In the 19th century, this was the site of a tannery run by local businessman Jonathan Shafer, on whose death the land was bequeathed to the town on the understanding that a public park should be built there. Documents from the time show that there was some local resistance, but Shafer got his wish posthumously, and no one in Boonsboro has any regrets today. Shafer Park is now a thriving public space where locals and visitors alike can play on the basketball courts, enjoy picnics or any of a number of regular public events, and just relish the nature in the area.
Shafer Park
Address: Boonsboro, MD 21713
19. Sleep under the stars at Dahlgren Backpacker Campground
The Appalachian Trail is a heavenly pursuit for backpackers, with some of the most breathtaking hiking paths in all of America right there at your feet. When you set down for the night, you’ll want it to be in an area that is both safe and as spellbinding as the rest of the trail, and you’ll find precisely that at Dahlgren Campground. With sleeping areas that are comfortable and dry, plentiful facilities where you can get washed up for the night, and fresh drinking water for campers, this is a perfect spot to rest up after a long day’s hiking.
Dahlgren Backpacker Campground
Address: 6130 Old National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
20. Get a sugar rush at Stone Werks Coffee + Sweets
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
When it comes to life’s simple luxuries, there are few simpler or more luxurious than a good hot coffee and something sweet and baked. This explains the popularity of Boonsboro institution Stone Werks, a local coffee shop that serves your cup of java any way that you want it and offers a range of delicious pastries to accompany the brew. With its delicious macarons and gluten-free treats such as the Brookie (it’s a brownie, but with cookie dough baked into it!), you’ll want to make extra time to enjoy a stop here.
Stone Werks Coffee + Sweets
Address: 7 N Main St, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Stone Werks Coffee + Sweets
Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 7am - 5pm; Sat: 7am - 3pm (closed on Sun - Mon)
21. Taste perfect desserts at Crawford Confectionery & Gift Shop
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
This curious little spot is one of the most popular dining joints in all of Boonsboro—and immediately one of the most recognisable. You may initially think you have found the wrong place, as the sign outside features a picture of a man pointing a rifle at a cheeseburger. Worry not, Crawford’s is part restaurant (specialising in delicious sweets), part gift shop, and part gun shop. Very much a part of the Boonsboro feel of frontier spirit, this is a place you’ll never forgive yourself for not visiting if you come to the town.
Crawford Confectionery & Gift
Address: 12 N Main St, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 7am - 5pm (closed on Sat - Sun)
22. Watch a ball game at Jockey Bar & Grille
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
In any American town worth the name, you’ll find at least one top-class sports bar. In Boonsboro, that designation belongs to Jockey Bar & Grille, with a dizzying array of beers on tap and the classic bar-food options to go with them. In a state with top-class baseball and football teams, you’ll find no shortage of enthusiastic sports fans on game days. Plus you can be sure to get a delicious burger and a beer at a very reasonable price.
Jockey Bar & Grille
Address: 7704 Old National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Website: Jockey Bar & Grille
Opening hours: Mon - Wed: 4pm - 9pm; Thur: 4pm - 10pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 11pm; Sun: 11am - 9pm
23. Taste fine food at The Yellow House
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Classic American dining with a side of karaoke is on offer if you visit The Yellow House, a traditional Maryland diner with a down-home atmosphere. There’s a strong family vibe in everything the management does, from the attentive wait staff to the comforting plates of favourite dishes that include delicious succulent crab. Drinks are served ice-cold and brought in double-quick time, and the evening offers the chance to test out your pipes singing a few classics.
The Yellow House
Address: 8005 Old National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 12pm - 12am; Fri: 12pm - 2am; Sat: 8am - 2am
Brilliant Boonsboro is a haven for historians
With so many places to visit, along with things to see and do, your stop in Boonsboro will be one of the highlights of any holiday in Maryland. You’ll see how the Civil War was fought and be able to walk in the footsteps of those who were part of it—and also have the chance to step along the road that kick-started the networking of what we consider modern America. It’s an ideal place for a historian to visit and well-serviced with opportunities to bring home a souvenir from one of the most influential areas of the country’s history.
History
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