24 OF THE BEST THINGS TO DO NEAR FORT MEADE

Introduction

If you’ve never been to Fort Meade before, you might not know all there is to do, both on and off post. If you’re not sure where to start or looking for something new to do this weekend, we’ve compiled a list of 24 of the best things to do in and around Fort Meade. For a complete guide to Maryland, check out their visitor’s site here.

Suggested Read

: Fort Meade Maryland: In-Depth Welcome Center

COVID-19 2020

Due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic businesses, venues and parks are starting to reopen at Fort Meade but some may be still temporarily closed or operating under restricted hours. Beware as many of those listed here are likely to be affected; verify hours of operation before you go.

24 Things to Do Near Fort Meade

Know what you are looking for? Click the number(s) to go right to where you want to go: (1-6) Museums (7-14) Parks, Rivers, and Lakes (15-18) Gyms (19) Theatre (20) Movie Theater (21) Bowling (22-23) Entertainment (24) Golfing

Fort Meade Museums

1. Fort Meade Museum

4674 Griffin Ave Fort Meade, MD 20755

Phone

: 1 (301) 677-6966 Visit this on-post museum to learn its history and examine the artifacts of its past. You can see various military items of historic value like tanks, helicopters, and armored personnel carriers.

Lutherville

2. Firehouse Museum

1301 York Road Lutherville, MD 21093

Phone

: 1 (410) 753-4299 Check out the Fire House museum to the lifesaving tools used by these heroic first responders. This museum boasts a vast collection of firefighting vehicles and equipment that will keep you and the kids occupied for the whole day.

Annapolis

3. U.S. Naval Academy Armel Leftwich Visitor Center Annapolis

52 King George Street Annapolis, Maryland 21402

Phone

: 1 (410) 293-8687 Home to the nation’s premier military leadership academy, this campus offers tours of “The Yard.” Future Navy and Marine Corps officers train here year round as they prepare to enter the service.

Annapolis Junction

4. National Cryptologic Museum

8290 Colony Seven Road Annapolis Junction, MD 20701

Phone

: 1 (301) 688-5849 Located at the headquarters of the National Security Agency, this museum teaches the fascinating background of its cryptologic legacy and place in world history.

Baltimore

5. Baltimore Museum of Art

10 Art Museum Drive Baltimore, MD 21218-3898

Phone

: 1 (443) 573-1700 Located in the heart of Baltimore, this museum provides a lot of different opportunities for learning and appreciation of the culture of Baltimore and Maryland. Check out its website for its exhibitions and offerings.

6. American Visionary Art Museum

800 Key Highway Baltimore, MD 21230

Phone

: 1 (410) 244-1900 Check out this unique museum which offers a visual adventure for all ages. It gives you a crash course on our plant and the climate changes it is facing.

Parks, Rivers, and Lakes

7. Fort Meade Campground

2300 Wilson Street Bldg. 2300 Fort Meade, MD 20755

Phone

: 1 (301) 677-6196 Located on post, this campground offers spots for RVs as well as regular tent camping at very reasonable prices. Facilities include boat rentals, convenience stores, laundry, shower trailers, and much more.

Pasadena

8. Lake Waterford Park in Pasadena MD

830 Pasadena Rd Pasadena, MD 21122

Phone

: 1 (410) 222-6248 This community park has many nature trails for hiking and a 12-acre lake for birdwatching and fishing. You can reserve any of its three pavilions ahead of time for large group celebrations.

9. Downs Park Pasadena MD

8311 John Downs Loop Pasadena, MD 21122

Phone

: 1 (410) 222-6230 Downs Park is located on the Chesapeake Bay. Here you can enjoy all 236 acres for nature and recreation related activities such as hiking along its more than five miles of paved or natural trails. They even have a dog park!

Laurel

10. Laurel Dinosaur Park

13100 Mid-Atlantic Boulevard Laurel, MD 20708

Phone

: 1 (301) 627-1286 Known for baby dinosaur fossils and dinosaur eggs, this is a unique opportunity to explore the history of dinosaurs. You can reach back over 100 million years to when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Savage

11. Terrapin Adventures

8600 Foundry Street Savage, MD 20763

Phone

: 1 (301) 725-1313 This outdoor adventure park has something for everyone. Offering things like tubing, kayaking, cave exploration, this place will have you coming back. Check out their website for all this place has to offer.

Columbia

12. Lake Elkhorn Park

Patuxent Branch Trail Columbia, MD 21045

Phone

: (410) 715-3000 Built in 1974, this is the largest lake in Maryland. It boasts a nice path around its perimeter for casual walking plus a small dam and picnic pavilion available for outdoor celebrations.

Odenton

13. Piney Orchard Nature Preserve

Piney Orchard Pkwy Odenton, MD 21113

Phone

: 1 (410) 672-4273 Piney Orchard Nature Preserve has a nice running/walking loop that is 1.1 miles in length. Here, the whole family can view and enjoy wildlife and birds. You can also bring your dog here for walks as long as it’s on a leash.

Fort Meade Gyms

14. Gaffeny Fitness Center

6330 Broadfoot Road Bldg. 6330 Fort Meade, MD 20755

Phone

: 1 (301) 677-3716 The Gaffeny fitness center on post has the full offerings of a premier gym — fixed martial arts classes, cardio, weights, as well as a 25 meter pool and sauna!

Laurel

15. Planet Fitness Fort Meade

9644 Fort Meade Rd Laurel, MD 20707

Phone

: 1 (240) 459-8000 If you prefer an off-post option to workout, check out Planet Fitness. They have everything you need for a low priced monthly option of $10.

16. 9round Kickboxing

3469 Fort Meade Road Laurel, Maryland 20724

Phone

: 1 (301) 685-6000 Kick yourself into shape at 9round Kickboxing with their renowned 30 minute kickboxing workouts. They offer a free class if you just want to try it on for size before you commit. If you’re looking for fun alternatives to traditional exercise, this is the place for you.

Odenton

17. RTBCycle

1654 Annapolis Rd. Odenton, MD 21113

Phone

: 1 (310) 880-9602 An indoor cycling experience awaits you at RTB. Instructors are there to motivate and train your cardio, strength, and core. They encourage you to go with a friend and push each other to take it to the next level.

Fort Meade Theatre

Baltimore

18. Catonsville Dinner Theatre

5130 Greenwich Ave Baltimore, MD 21229

Phone

: 1 (410) 917-2911 This unique establishment with more than 35 years of experience helps train beginner and intermediate actors and actresses. Located in Baltimore, you can immerse yourself in the world of acting and theatre.

Fort Meade Theater

19. Fort Meade Movie Theater

4431 Llewellyn Ave Fort Meade, MD 20755

Phone

: 1 (301) 677-5324 Conveniently located on post, the Fort Meade movie theater airs the latest blockbusters available. Check their website for showtimes.

Fort Meade Bowling Alley

20. Fort Meade Bowling Alley

2788 MacArthur Road Bldg. 2788 Fort Meade, MD 20755

Phone

: 1 (301) 677-5541 Bowling is a great on-post option for some entertainment for friends and family. Take to the lanes at the Fort Meade Bowling Alley and grab some food and knock down some pins. For serious bowlers, try joining the league and rolling competitively!

Fort Meade Entertainment

21. Club Meade

6600 Mapes Road Bldg. 6600 Fort Meade, MD 20755

Phone

: 1 (301) 677-6969 A great event space on post, they can host your promotion or retirement ceremonies, birthday parties, and wedding receptions. Give them a call and see how they can accommodate your party.

Columbia

22. Ninja Warrior Indoor Obstacle Adventure

9301 Snowden River Parkway Columbia, MD 21046

Phone

: 1 (888) 646-5223 If you’re a fan of the shows Ninja Warrior or American Gladiator, this place is for you. Check it out for a day of challenging and fun obstacles. They are kid friendly and can accommodate large groups.

23. Autobahn Indoor Speedway

8251 Preston Ct, Jessup, MD 20794

Phone

: 1 (410) 880-0010 For racing fanatics, you can visit this speedway to fill your need for speed. They have go-karts for adults and kids of all ages. They also have an axe throwing facility just next door, if that’s something you’d like to take a chop at.

Fort Meade Mini Golf

Jessup

24. Monster Mini-Golf

7351 Assateague Dr Suite 380 Jessup, MD 20794

Phone

: 1 (410) 579-4653 This is not your run of the mill mini-golf course. Full of exciting and visually appealing holes, this is a great place to relax and have fun with friends and family. Check out Monster Mini-Golfs tee times and reserve a spot for your next outing!

Conclusion

Whether this is another tour or your first time, you’ll see that there are plenty of great experiences to enjoy all over Fort Meade and the surrounding areas of Maryland. Living here affords you many options, both on and off post. So take your time to explore and figure out what works best for you.  

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.