'''Cumberland''' [http://www.ci.cumberland.md.us] is a city in Western Maryland. It is located on the banks of the Potomac River and Wills Creek in Allegany County.

Get in

The easiest and most accessible way to travel to and around Cumberland is by car. Main thoroughfares coming into Cumberland are US 220, US 40, Interstate 68, MD 36, and WV 28. Amtrak's Capitol Limited line also arrives at the station in downtown Cumberland twice daily: eastbound towards Washington, DC in the morning; and westbound, towards Chicago in the evening.

Get around

Walking is not only the best method, but also the only method for exploring the downtown area. The Baltimore Street commercial district is closed to traffic and is a pedestrian-only mall. Within a few blocks of this area, one can easily walk to the Canal Place Heritage Area, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, the Washington Street Historic District, as well as a variety of other shops and restaurants. It is important to note that while it is possible to walk from the train station to the only downtown hotel, the Holiday Inn, one has to cross a high-traffic section of railroad tracks to access the hotel as well as the rest of the downtown area.

In order to explore the rest of the city and region, however, having a car is advised. Be aware that in the downtown area, parking can sometimes be difficult to find. Two public parking garages are available: the Center City Garage on the corner of Pershing and George Streets, and the other can be entered on Liberty or Frederick Streets. There is also visitor parking at the Western Maryland Station on Mechanic street, and metered parking under the Crosstown Bridge (I-68), and along many side streets.

See

  • Allegany County Courthouse. 0 Washington St. ttp://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/Cumberland/crt.htm. The city's most prominent building, which looms over the Cumberland skyline, is fortunately very pretty.
  • Brooke Whiting House of Art. 32 Washington St. 1 301 777-7782. ttp://www.whitinghouse.org. h-Sa 10AM-4PM, tours every hour on the hour. Brooke Whiting, a wealthy world traveler from Cumberland, bequeathed his house and large art collection to the city as a museum. The collection focuses on decorative arts from Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. estern Maryland Station. 25 adult, $48 first class. A restored steam powered train runs through the mountains between Cumberland and

    Drink

    Many pubs and bars are located downtown and throughout the city. However, for the family and those who prefer non-alcoholic beverages, try Mark's Daily Grind or the Queen City Creamery for coffee.

  • K Bar. 118 Virginia Ave. 1 301 777-9748. Cumberland's diviest dive bar is a great, if rough-around-the-edges, place to hang out and have a beer and a cheeseburger.

    Sleep

    As stated above, the only downtown hotel is the Cumberland Holiday Inn. All other hotels are located in the surrounding area. Best Western, Comfort Inn, Super 8, Slumberland Motel, and the Red Roof Inn all offer great accommodations in LaVale, about five minutes driving time from downtown. Days Inn and Hampton Inn are located in Frostburg, about 15 minutes away. In addition, the Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort in Flintstone offers luxury accommodations.

  • The Castle B&B. 5925 Mt Savage Road, Mt Savage, MD. 1 301 264-4645. ttp://www.castlebandb.com/. -Sa $145-175. One of the more intriguing Bed & Breakfasts in Maryland, this actually is a castle in the woods outside Cumberland. The rooms are gorgeous, and they'll pamper you at breakfast—no continental nonsense here!
  • Holiday Inn. 00 S George Street . 1 301 724-8800. ttp://www.hicumberland.com/. PM. oon. The Holiday Inn is exactly what you'd expect from a mid-grade chain hotel in the U.S., but it does have the less boring advantage of being downtown in the historic district.
  • '''Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort''', 16701 Lakeview Rd NE Phone: 301-784-8400, [http://www.rockygapresort.com/]. This resort in Flintstone offers offers two golf courses, a spa and a number of children_fs activities. The pool is on the small side.
  • Get out

  • '''Rocky Gap State Park''' [http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/rockygap.html] 12500 Pleasant Valley Rd. +1 301 722-1480 is just seven miles east of the city on I-68, and offers a couple nice 4-5 mile hikes. Fishing is another great activity here, on Lake Habeeb.
  • '''Cumberland Narrows'''. The narrows are a tight pass through the Wills Mountains, just to the west of Cumberland on US-40. ''Great'' views over Cumberland and the surrounding countryside from the overlook there.