BEST GARDEN
A VISIT TO this spot might have you feeling like you’ve been transported to a secret garden far away, though its 50 acres are conveniently located in Wheaton Regional Park. It opened in 1969, and while Maryland is filled with beautiful green spaces, this is considered one of the best.
The property is divided up to showcase a wide assortment of flora and fauna, including more than 300 kinds of azaleas, summer-blooming roses, butterflies, and a plethora of aquatic species. The Rain Garden, with its shade- and water-loving varieties, thrives when the skies pour, while The Woodland Walk invites visitors to marvel at the majesty of native trees and understory plants. Don’t miss The Fragrance Garden for a sensory experience. Everything growing there— including lilies, mint, geraniums, peonies, and phlox—has a distinctive scent. The Rose Garden is another particularly pretty corner of the acreage, home to around 100 different kinds spanning hybrid teas, grandifloras, floribundas, and climbing ones alongside a pergola and reflecting pools.
Brookside offers free admission to the gar- dens from sunup to sundown. As the weather warms up and the blossoms awaken, there’s no better time for you to experience all the wonders this place holds.
—Caroline Rogers
BEST BBQ JOINTS
1. Smokehouse BBQ Shack Mechanicsville 2. Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar Baltimore 3. Andy Nelson’s BBQ Cockeysville 4. Heritage Smoke- house Baltimore 5. Mission BBQ Multiple Locations 6. 2Fifty BBQ Riverdale Park 7. Red Hot & Blue Multiple Locations
BEST CRAB CAKES THE CRAB CLAW RESTAURANT AFTER NEARLY 60 YEARS in business, this St. Michaels institution was poised to shut its doors last year, breaking the hearts of its many longtime patrons. Happily, its neighbor, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, purchased the property and decided to keep the popular spot going with the same family running it. Fans rave about their famous crab cakes, which secured them the top spot on our list. Order them fried or broiled, on a salad, in a sandwich, or served straight up with coleslaw and potato salad. —Lisa Cericola
COURTESY MONTGOMERY PARKS
