Apartment Showcase Blog

Upper Marlboro: Rural Appeal Just a Short Drive From the City

Filed under: Upper Marlboro, Md. — Scott D @ 5:29 pm on November 6, 2010
Show jumping

More than meets the eye: The Prince George's Equestrian Center is your home for area equestrian competition, but the venue also hosts a variety of other sporting events and musical performances throughout the year.

Upper Marlboro, Md., is the county seat of Prince George’s County. As of July 1, 2009, Upper Marlboro had a population of just 667, but according to the 2006-08 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimate, Greater Upper Marlboro registered a population of 21,572. If you choose to rent an apartment in Upper Marlboro, you’ll find that you’re only about 19 miles from downtown Washington, D.C., so a commute to the big city is well within reason, and if you give yourself time, it’s pretty easy. Just jump on Route 4, which takes you to the I-495 Capital Beltway and turns into Pennsylvania Avenue once you get into the city. Talk about a straight shot.

I remember seeing the second, ballyhooed HFStival in Upper Marlboro back in 1992 at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center. It was hot, rainy, and my friend Casey was there with his thick cloud of “Gene Simmons-meets-Jim Reid, circa 1985” coif … that’s about all I remember. Well, that and some sexy, halter-topped chick with this dork who made me curse my existence. At least that year I didn’t break down in the Fort McHenry Tunnel, but that’s another story …

Now, if you’re like me, the first thing that came to mind upon seeing the words “Upper Marlboro” was an image of a manly man sporting a sub-cookie duster mustache, leathery tan skin and even more leathery rawhide everything else. Alas, Upper Marlboro isn’t named after Marlboro cigarettes. Now you’ve gone and done it, town! You’ve got me singing that annoying Paula Cole song! Don’t get so huffy; it could’ve been Paula Dean covering the Sex Pistols, “Anarchy in Georgia” … wait a second. You’re going to force me to take up smoking at this rate. But alas, my neurons and sensory engrams have nothing to do with the county seat of Prince George’s County, so we’re putting all these misty, water-colored memories in the review where they belong in order to concentrate on what Upper Marlboro offers you, the renter, today.

A town with roots all the way back to 1695 (it was actually named after the first Duke of Marlborough – mystery solved), Upper Marlboro is also the birthplace of John Carroll, the first Catholic Archbishop in the U.S., as well as his brother Daniel, signer of the U.S. Constitution. OK, OK, no more going back in time, but at least that wandering had substance. Greater Upper Marlboro is pretty spread out, and as such it has some parks. Among them is Patuxent River Park, where you can camp, hike, bike and boat. Also on hand are the Patuxent Rural Life Museums, a collection of museums and late-19th/early-20th-century buildings dedicated to preserving southern Prince George’s County’s rural heritage. Another place to play in the sun is Robert M. Watkins Regional Park. Here, you can camp, play sports (basketball, football, soccer, archery, tennis under lights), hike, go on a picnic and even rent a garden plot. It also houses Watkins Nature Center, which features indoor and outdoor ponds, a squirrel gym, a songbird feeding area and many family programs.

While not exactly a hotbed of mercantile activity, Greater Upper Marlboro is home to two Food Lions, two Safeways and a Giant (with yet another Food Lion right down the road from the Safeway store at 50 Watkins Park Drive; this third feline is technically located in Mitchellville). The good thing about the automobile is we can not only use it to break down in the Fort McHenry Tunnel while going to see modern rock bands and proto-punk legends, but we can also use it to haul a little you-know-what when we jump on the great highways of Prince George’s County in search of more shopping options. And with the I-495 Capital Beltway only about seven miles away from Upper Marlboro proper, you and that car of yours can indeed find shopping paradise in the greater Washington area.

Get Lost: The Five Best Corn Mazes in the D.C. Area

Filed under: Frederick, Md.,Fredericksburg, Va.,Leesburg, Va.,Upper Marlboro, Md. — Anthony @ 7:12 pm on October 20, 2010
Corn maze

Children of the corn: While most mazes offer a moderate challenge during the light of day, the difficulty really ramps up after dark.

Like most people, I’m always on the lookout for a fun, corn-related activity.

Now, living inside the beltway, one doesn’t see a lot of corn in situ – couch potatoes, yes, but not a lot of actual corn. Imagine my delight when I discovered that there are actually several bona fide corn mazes in the area.

For the uninitiated, a corn maze is just what it sounds like – a life-sized maze cut through a farmer’s field of corn – and there are bushels of them within an hour or so of the vast, corn-less city. Best of all, most farms host a variety of autumnal amusements – hayrides, pumpkin patches and the like – so you’re bound to find something that grows on you.

Here’s a look at five of the best mazes in the area, ranging from modest puzzlers to full-blown labyrinths.

Greenstreet Gardens
Location: Lothian, Md.
Size: 5-6 acres
Open: Through Oct. 31

The folks at Greenstreet specialize in growing a variety of plants and flowers for retail and wholesale customers, but they also operate a small corn maze on their 55-acre farm in Lothian, which is east of Upper Marlboro. At no more than six acres, the maze is easy on the feet. Plus, the Wild West theme should help hold the interest of any youngsters who happen to undergo a sudden attack of Xbox-withdrawal halfway to the exit. Other attractions on the farm include a haunted trail, hayrides and the corn pit – a giant sandbox filled with corn kernels.

Belvedere Plantation
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Size: 8 acres
Open: Through Nov. 7

Featuring a cool sunflower design, the maze at Belvedere Plantation in Fredericksburg, Va., is among the most attractive in the area. It’s well appointed, too: There are themed sound effects throughout, and several elevated corn bridges assist the disoriented wanderer with a sneak peek at what’s around the next bend. Perhaps most helpful are the numerous “rubbing stations” scattered about the maze, giving explorers a chance to make their own souvenir maps. Daring adventurers will want to visit on Nov. 6 when organizers will turn out the lights, transforming the site into a “moonlight maze.” Just remember to bring a flashlight. When you’ve finished roaming through rows of corn, check out the hayrides, take a spin on a pedal tractor or squeal with delight at the pig races. Burgers, wraps and even turkey legs await the hungry explorer at the farm’s own Red Rooster Grill.

Sunrise Farm
Location: Gambrills, Md.
Size: 11 acres
Open: Through Nov. 7

The maze at Sunrise Farm in Anne Arundel County sports a Maryland theme this year, and with 11 acres of clever twists and turns, it may feel at times like you’re walking across half the state. But, fret not: Each visitor gets a map at the entrance, so even the directionally challenged are assured of making it back to civilization eventually. If you still manage to get stuck – or simply lose track of your friends – just raise your safety flag, and one of the “corn cops” on patrol should be able to steer you clear. Animal lovers will note the chance to interact with some of the farm’s fluffier residents, including sheep, ducks and cattle, while the fossil and mineral hunt offers amateur archaeologists the chance to get their hands dirty.

Summers Farm
Location: Frederick, Md.
Size: 14 acres
Open: Through Nov. 2

Located roughly an hour north of D.C. in Frederick, Md., Summers Farm makes for a fairly convenient road trip for city slickers. The 14-acre, Redskins-themed maze is broken up into two sections: a smaller one for the kids and a larger, more challenging parcel for advanced pathfinders. This year’s big addition is “corn texting”: Bring your cell and text specific, maze-related keywords to help you zero in on the exit and earn a chance to win some prizes. But the maze is only part of the attraction at Summers. With a pumpkin patch, a jumping pillow, rubber ducky races, an apple cannon, Goat Mountain (I don’t know what that is, but it sounds bucking awesome), Bunnyville, pony rides and more, this place is a veritable agricultural amusement park. Food is available at the Sweet Shoppe and the Barnyard Grill, or you can rent a campfire space, which comes with food, picnic tables and wood for your fire.

Temple Hall Farm
Location: Leesburg, Va.
Size: 24 acres
Open: Through Nov. 7

At a whopping 24 acres, the maze at Temple Hall Farm just outside of Leesburg, Va., features more unexpected turns than an M. Night Shyamalan double feature. Forget a map; you might need your Tom-Tom to get through this one. The elaborate boy scout-themed design – commemorating the scouts’ 100-year anniversary – seems a bit ironic. I’m not sure that even Lewis & Clark could make it through this thing before harvest time. Regardless, if you’re looking for the ultimate maze challenge in the D.C. area, this has to be it. The 286-acre farm also features a working corn cannon, a pumpkin blaster (with an artillery range and targets … cool!), pig races and a cow train. And while you’re waiting for the search party to drag your friends out of the maze, check out the paintball shooting gallery.

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