More Than a College Town
With a diverse mix of new additions, ranging from celebrity-chef restaurants to music venues, College Park’s revival is putting it on the map for the post-college crowd
When you find yourself traveling in Maryland, you may be tempted to drive across the border to D.C. But the ‘burbs lining Maryland’s Route 1 corridor on the way to Washington—including University of Maryland-centric College Park—have their own burgeoning food and art scenes worth a spot on travelers’ maps. If business brings you to College Park, here’s where to start.
Vigilante Coffee is a local favorite, serving up bold pours and a modern, minimalist aesthetic. Photo by Vlad Tchompalov, courtesy of Vigilante Coffee Co.
Milk and Honey Café: The Art of Breakfast
Add brunch (or br-inner?) to your team’s agenda. The decadent Milk and Honey Café just opened a location in College Park, and it’s a paradise for people who think breakfast food should be a staple at every meal. Headed by celebrity chef Sammy Davis (winner of Food Network’s Chopped Redemption), the menu stars several imaginatively indulgent brunch specialties—think a boozy vanilla and caramel French Cognac toast or deep-fried lobster tail, egg, cheese and avocado croissants.
College Park Grill: Jazzing Up the Classics
College Park Grill offers a classic upscale experience—complete with baby grand piano and live jazz seven days a week—just a few blocks from the University of Maryland’s campus. Located inside the Cambria Hotel College Park, the restaurant made its debut in August 2018 and is open for brunch, lunch and dinner. With classic entrees like steak and seared ahi tuna, a wine list featuring more than 100 options plus an extensive cocktail menu, the restaurant is a standout addition to College Park’s growing dining scene.
Vigilante Coffee + Busboys and Poets: Espresso + Expression
No great work trip is complete without a cup of local java, and the College Park area doesn’t disappoint. Vigilante Coffee Company’s College Park location serves up bold pour-over coffee, acai bowls, sweet kouign amann pastries and a minimalist, hipster aesthetic. To pair a dose of culture with your espresso, stop into nearby Hyattsville’s Busboys and Poets—named for Langston Hughes, who served as a busboy before his writing captured the country’s attention. A hotspot for writers, entrepreneurs, activists and artists, it was named on Entrepreneur’s list of “5 Great Coffee Shops to Work In,” making it an inspiring alternative to a conference room for your next on-the-road brainstorming session.
College Park Aviation Museum: Get Some Air
See the world's oldest continuously operated airport, grounds for the College Park Aviation Museum. Photo by Michael G. Stewart, courtesy of College Park Aviation Museum.
Need creative insight for your new project? Stoke your imagination at the College Park Aviation Museum, where you’ll encounter stories of innovators whose wildest ideas shaped their careers and transformed the world.
The 27,000-square-foot Smithsonian affiliate is on the grounds of the world’s oldest continuously operated airport, founded by Wilbur Wright in 1909 to give flight instruction to the first military aviators. The museum’s exhibits and artifacts—including a reproduction Wright Model B and a helicopter from 1924—let visitors experience the D.C. area’s incredible history as center for flight.
University of Maryland: The Sculpture Workout
Discovering art in College Park is just a matter of lacing up your running shoes (or hopping on a bike through the city’s bike-sharing program). Start your journey with a stop at one of the five bronze tortoise (Testudo) sculptures that live on University of Maryland’s campus. For decades, students have been leaving offerings—like beer, poetry, candy and coins—and rubbing Testudo’s nose for good luck at exam time. After you’ve found luck, seek enlightenment (or at least a Stonehenge-like sculpture designed to represent it) on the path between Holzapfel and H.J. Patterson Hall. Wrap up your campus culture trip at the sculpture of Jim Henson (a UMD alum) and Kermit the frog in the memorial gardens that honor the artist’s legacy.