🧭 Plan Your Day
You’ve landed in the right spot to plan a Frederick day that flows with the water. Start with a paddle or kayak outing with SUP Frederick, then wander Carroll Creek, explore historic streets, or head for mountain overlooks. Use the sections below to mix-and-match—each pairs easily with our main launch points.
🌊 On-the-Water Icons
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C&O Canal National Historical Park — 184.5 miles of history, nature, and towpath adventure paralleling the Potomac; perfect for pre/post-paddle walks and shuttle bikes.
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Monocacy Aqueduct (mile 42.2) — The canal’s longest aqueduct, a seven-arch stone landmark with great photo ops and nearby parking/boat access.
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Noland’s Ferry & Point of Rocks — Historic Potomac crossings and easy access points to pair with paddles and towpath rides.
🏙️ Downtown Essentials (walkable from Carroll Creek)
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Carroll Creek Park — The city’s outdoor living room with bridges, public art, and creek-side dining; winter brings Sailing Through the Winter Solstice.
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Baker Park — 58 acres, a bandshell, lake, and weekly summer concerts—classic Frederick picnic vibes.
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Weinberg Center for the Arts & Delaplaine Arts Center — Historic theater and free-admission galleries right off the creek.
🏛️ History & Museums
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National Museum of Civil War Medicine — Immersive look at medical innovation and human resilience.
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Monocacy National Battlefield (NPS) — Trails and waysides tell the story of the “Battle that Saved Washington.”
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Heritage Frederick: Museum of Frederick County History — Downtown museum in a historic home with rotating local-history exhibits.
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Schifferstadt Architectural Museum — 1758 German colonial stone house and National Historic Landmark.
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Rose Hill Manor Park, Children’s Museum & Transportation Museum — Hands-on early-American life, agriculture, and transportation history.
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Roads & Rails Museum — One of the world’s largest miniature train displays (check current hours).
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Catoctin Furnace — Museum of the Ironworker — Industrial heritage site with exhibits and trails at a restored furnace village.
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Brunswick Heritage Museum & C&O Canal Visitor Center — Canal and railroad history in a lively corridor hub.
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National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton — Museum, historic homes, and Basilica honoring America’s first canonized saint.
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Francis Scott Key Monument — Mount Olivet Cemetery — Tribute to the author of the national anthem; serene historic grounds.
⛰️ Mountain & Park Escapes (north of town)
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Catoctin Mountain Park (NPS) — 25+ miles of trails and big-view overlooks; no park entry fee.
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Cunningham Falls State Park — Lake beach, campgrounds, and Maryland’s tallest cascading waterfall (Houck & Manor areas).
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Gambrill State Park — Ridge-top forest with classic overlooks and ~16 miles of hiking/mountain biking.
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Frederick Municipal Forest (Watershed) — 7,000+ acres of rugged hiking, gravel roads, reservoirs, and advanced MTB (“The Shed”) just north of town.
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Greenbrier State Park — Freshwater lake with sand beach, A.T. access, and 11 miles of trails; peak summer weekends/holidays may require advance reservations.
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South Mountain State Park — 40-mile ridge-top corridor following the Appalachian Trail, with overlooks and historic gaps.
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Catoctin Creek Park & Nature Center — 139-acre county park with easy family trails, live-animal exhibits, and a kid-friendly nature center.