Built by a mom, tested by families, covering all 24 Maryland counties with indoor fun, outdoor adventures, restaurants, recipes, and everything in between.
I started FunLand Maryland in early 2023 out of pure frustration. Like most parents in Maryland, I was constantly Googling "things to do with kids near me" and getting the same corporate chain recommendations over and over. Chuck E. Cheese. Dave & Buster's. The same National Harbor attractions. Nothing felt local, nothing felt authentic, and honestly, nothing felt like it was written by someone who actually lives here and raises kids in Maryland.
One rainy Saturday afternoon, after scrolling through yet another listicle that recommended the exact same places I'd been to a dozen times, I thought: there has to be a better way. Frederick County alone has hundreds of hidden gems — farms with corn mazes, local ice cream shops, hiking trails perfect for toddlers, community events that only locals know about. But they weren't showing up in search results because they didn't have big marketing budgets or SEO teams.
So I started building this site. What began as a simple spreadsheet of my favorite spots in Frederick quickly grew into a full Maryland family activity directory covering all 24 counties. I reached out to other parents, joined local Facebook groups, talked to business owners, and personally visited hundreds of locations to verify they were actually family-friendly, actually worth the drive, and actually still in business.
Maryland is genuinely one of the best states for raising a family, and that's not just home-state pride talking. We have the Chesapeake Bay cutting through the middle, giving us endless waterfront activities from crabbing to sailing. We have mountains in Western Maryland perfect for hiking and winter sports. We have world-class museums and cultural institutions in Baltimore. We have charming small towns like Chestertown and Berlin that feel like stepping back in time.
But what really makes Maryland special is the local character. Yes, we have the Baltimore Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center, but we also have the Ladew Topiary Gardens, the Fire Museum of Maryland, pick-your-own orchards in every county, and tiny ice cream stands that have been family-owned for three generations. That's what I wanted to capture on this site — the real Maryland that families actually experience, not the tourist board version.
I don't just copy information from other sites or rely on press releases. Every activity, restaurant, and recipe on FunLand Maryland goes through my personal verification process. For physical locations, I either visit them myself or reach out to trusted parents in that county who can vouch for them. I look for specific things: Are the bathrooms clean? Is there enough seating for families? Do they actually welcome kids or just tolerate them? Is the price reasonable for what you get?
For restaurants, I'm especially picky. I've been to too many places that claim to be "family-friendly" but don't have high chairs, blast loud music, or have a limited kids menu that's just chicken fingers and fries. The restaurants I recommend have been personally vetted — I've talked to the owners, checked the changing tables, tried the food, and made sure they genuinely want families there.
For recipes, I only include meals my own family has made and enjoyed. No clickbait "quick 15-minute dinners" that actually take 45 minutes and dirty every pot you own. Real recipes that Maryland families can actually cook on a Tuesday night after soccer practice.
I've lived in Maryland my entire life — grew up in Montgomery County, went to college at Towson, lived in Baltimore for a few years, and now I'm raising my two kids in Frederick County. I've been to Ocean City more times than I can count, hiked every trail in Patapsco Valley State Park, and know exactly which farm has the best pumpkin patch in each region of the state.
Professionally, I worked in marketing and content creation for years before becoming a full-time mom. That background helps me write clear, useful guides instead of the generic fluff you find on most family activity sites. I know how to research, I know how to verify information, and I know how to write for real parents who need actual answers, not just a list of keywords.
More importantly, I understand the Maryland parent experience. I know that Frederick County families often drive to Montgomery County for museums. I know that Baltimore parents escape to the Eastern Shore on weekends. I know that finding indoor activities in winter is a constant challenge. I know that you want your kids to experience Maryland culture — crab feasts, Old Bay, the Star-Spangled Banner, our maritime history — not just generic chain experiences.
FunLand Maryland is completely free, with no paywalls or "subscribe to see more" nonsense. It's supported by ads and occasionally by local businesses who want to be featured, but I never let advertising influence my recommendations. If a place isn't genuinely family-friendly, it doesn't matter how much they'd pay to be listed — they won't be on here.
I also update the site constantly. If a business closes, I remove it. If prices change significantly, I note it. If a park gets renovated or a restaurant changes its menu, I reflect that. This isn't a static directory that was built once in 2015 and never touched again — it's a living resource that evolves with Maryland's family activity scene.
Most importantly, this site is written from the perspective of a real Maryland parent, not a tourism board, not a corporation, not an algorithm. When I say a place is worth the drive, I mean it. When I recommend a restaurant, it's because my kids genuinely liked it. When I suggest an activity, it's because we've done it ourselves and had fun.
If you have suggestions for activities I should add, restaurants I should try, or corrections to make, please reach out. I'm always looking for new spots to feature, especially hidden gems in counties I don't visit as often. You can submit recommendations through the "Add a Listing" page, and I'll personally review and verify each one.
FunLand Maryland exists because Maryland families deserve better than generic search results. We deserve a resource built by parents, for parents, that actually understands what we're looking for when we ask "what should we do this weekend?" Thank you for being part of this community, and I hope this site makes your family adventures in Maryland even better.