Rediscovering the DMV’s best kept secret: Montgomery County

We live in Montgomery County, Maryland, which was recently ranked one of the most culturally diverse counties in America according to a recent WalletHub study. We shouldn’t be surprised since we border the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. and are a part of the DMV—District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Four cities within Montgomery County are named in the top 10 culturally diverse cities in the U.S, including Germantown (number 1), Gaithersburg (3) Silver Spring (4) and Rockville (8). With this much diversity around us, one can imagine the cultural treasures right outside our door.

However, we’ve taken the treasures within our own backyard for granted. As travel journalists, we dedicate much of our time exploring other destinations in the U.S. and abroad. But a recent excursion around Montgomery County offered some new experiences and surprises when we hit the Tastemakers Trail.

Our first “taste” of Montgomery County started in Rockville at the new Thai Chef restaurant. Decorated with vibrant colors meant to reflect Thailand’s floating markets, the restaurant offers traditional Thai dishes bursting with flavor. From spicy curries to refreshing salads and a classic Pad Thai, every bite is a journey to Thailand without the need of a passport.

Up next, a day trip to Adventure Park at Sandy Spring. If you like ziplining, rope courses and axe-throwing, this Adventure Park is a must-visit. We tried our hand at axe-throwing for the first time and then watched a diverse group of people, from children to middle-aged women, in hijabs scale the rope courses, zipline and climb the challenging gauntlet. The park is set in a beautiful forested area and provides a unique perspective of the natural world.

The Lone Oak Farm Brewery in Olney, Maryland is up next on our staycation. We were no strangers to the brewery because our local news covered its historical ties; on the grounds of the brewery was pre-Civil War lone white oak tree, but it succumbed to high winds. The Lone Oak Farm Brewery is set on nearly 29 acres of bucolic fields, wildflowers, streams, a pond and wide-open spaces. It is an ideal place for beer enthusiasts because of the variety of handcrafted beers, hard seltzer and more. This family-owned brewery is also family friendly. The grounds have picnic tables, fire pits, several furnished yurts (tents) for private events and a playground.

A day out always must include an opportunity for shopping and we found a gem in The Family Room store located in Laytonville, Maryland. This store is all about community and from the moment you walk through the door you feel it. The Family Room sells various products from 35 Maryland crafters who make everything from gifts to locally sourced food, including samples of cheese, crackers, and other fare.

We ended our day out at another restaurant in Rockville Town Center. But we passed a pop-up shop called MWBC Shop Local. MWBC, which stands for Maryland Women’s Business Center, is a retail business incubator that provides free retail space, visual merchandising, mentorship and access to capital. It’s a marvelous program with even more spectacular, affordable. We purchased a pair of beautifully crafted silver earrings for only $10.

For our last stop, we grabbed a seat at El Mercat Bar de Tapas. This lively tapas bar represents the essence of Spanish culture’s diversity through a variety of small plates. One of our favorites was toasted bread with tomato and anchovies. El Mercat also offers a great selection of cocktails and Spanish wines. In fact, the list of libations is larger than the food menu.

All the places we visited represent only a smidgen of the many great places to experience in Montgomery County. That is the fun of being a tourist in your hometown, you never know what you’ll find. Thankfully the hosts over at She’s Wanderful and Visit Montgomery, Maryland helped us discover some best-kept secrets in the DMV. Why not take a day to explore your own county and discover its treasures? Tell us what you discover at editorial@detourxp.com.

Ian and Tonya Fitzpatrick are contributors to DETOUR and the founders of World Footprints, a social impact travel storytelling content hub.

This story was originally published June 8, 2023 at 1:59 PM.