Memorial Day weekend is a time to relax, reflect and salute those who have served our country.

If you’re looking to soak up some rays over the Memorial Day holiday, here are a few outdoor things to do and places to visit in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Visit Our Three National Parks: Did you know that Montgomery County has three National Parks. Popular places to visit along the C&O Canal National Historical Park include Great Falls on the Potomac River, Great Falls Tavern Visitors Center, Billy Goat Trail, and the canal towpath. You can also stay overnight in a historic Canal Quarters Lockhouse. At Glen Echo Park, take a ride on the historic and newly-refurbished Dentzel Carousel and take a selfie in front of an extensive array of historic art deco architecture. Located next door is the Clara Barton National Historic Site, home to the first Red Cross headquarters.

Enjoy the Hometown Holidays Music Festival: Hometown Holidays Music Festival starts Saturday, May 25, spans two days, and is jam-packed with more than 15 free performances across two stages covering genres from rock and reggae to pop and blues. Savor bites at the Taste of Rockville portion of the festival, where attendees get to sample local restaurants.

Discover Flora and Fauna: With well over 400 parks and gardens, there are wide range of opportunities to discover what’s blooming in Montgomery County. Locals love visiting Brookside Gardens, Seneca Creek State Park, Black Hill Regional Park, and Rock Creek Regional Park. Find the best place to park your car with Montgomery Parks’ free downloadable guide.

Follow the Tastemakers Trail: Plan a weekend getaway or a fun day exploring the craft beverage makers throughout Montgomery County. Sip and savor your way around farm-chic tasting rooms and sophisticated urban wineries. Grab a pint on a working horse farm or hit a few breweries along the Red Line metro. Pay a visit to Stone Silo Brewery or sample craft spirits at Twin Valley Distilleries or Fallen Oak Distilling. Plan your stops along the Tastemakers Trail.

Walk Through the Flags of Our Heroes: Flags For Our Heroes is a celebration of the people who have shaped us and inspired us. Each Memorial Day weekend since 2014, Gaithersburg’s Bohrer Park is transformed into a Field of Honor where 750 8-foot-high American flags are flown to celebrate our heroes. Each flag honors a person who has made a difference in someone’s life. 

Play a Round of Golf: All of Montgomery County’s nine public golf courses are open for tee time reservations. Even if you’re not an avid golfer, a visit to the driving range or Topgolf in Germantown is a great way to stretch your legs and give the sport a try. The nine public courses feature beautiful driving ranges or head over to the South Germantown Driving Range for an afternoon of fun. Make sure to check with the course or driving range directly on tee time and club rental availability. The county also features two mini-golf courses with beautifully landscaped courses with challenging holes in a park setting.

Pick the Perfect Trail: Charge up your Fitbit and pick your perfect trail with the MoCo Trail Guide. With over 250 miles of trails, Montgomery County has the perfect hiking, biking, or equestrian trail for all skill levels.

Explore the Ag Reserve: Take a scenic drive around Montgomery County’s 93,000-acre Agricultural Reserve. Enjoy farm breweries and wineries along the Tastemakers Trail, visit pick-your-own farms and farm stands, or head to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain for breathtaking views of the countryside.

Take a Treetop Adventure: A thrilling option for aerial forest ropes courses is Adventure Park in Sandy Spring. With 13 different trails of varying levels of difficulty, the course offers nearly 200 unique challenges from bridges to zip lines. At Go Ape in Rockville, there are six individual sections within the course for visitors to climb up ladders, cross bridges, go through tunnels, and glide across zip lines.

Looking for more inspiration? Download the Visit MoCo Adventure Planner App to explore things to do in Montgomery County, build out your own itinerary, and map out your weekend.

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