Laurel is a city of 30,000 people (2020) in Prince George's County, Maryland. Largely residential, the city maintains a historic district centered on its Main Street, highlighting its industrial past.
Get in
By car
Laurel is very easy to get to by car, as US-1 passes directly through its center, and to the east and west are I-95 and MD-295 (the Baltimore-Washington Pkwy). From either highway, take MD-198 (exit 33 off I-95) to go east-west into Laurel.
By plane
Laurel is quite close to Baltimore-Washington International Airport—just about a 25-minute drive along the B-W Pkwy.
By train
Laurel has its own stops on the Marc Light Commuter Rail Camden Line at the Laurel MARC station 📍 and the Laurel Racetrack MARC station 📍.
By bus
From Washington, D.C., you can take the Metro to Greenbelt, and then transfer to Metrobus 89 (dead link: January 2023) or Connect-A-Ride H (dead link: January 2023), which both lead straight into Laurel on US-1.
Get around
See
- Fairland Regional Park, 13950 Old Gunpowder Rd, Silver Spring, +1 301-699-CALL. Sports complex, tennis bubble and skating rink. If that's not enough, they have a "stormwater management demonstration project area". Bring the kids!
- National Wildlife Visitor Center, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop (Patuxent Wildlife Research Center), 39.025826°, -76.799135°, +1 301-497-5760. F-W 9AM-4:30PM, closed Th.
- Laurel Museum, 817 Main St, 39.109617°, -76.857240°, +1 301-725-7975. W F 10AM-2PM, Su 1-4PM. free
- Montpelier Mansion, 9650 Muirkirk Rd, 39.064057°, -76.844349°, +1 301-377-7817. Th-M 10AM-4PM, closed Tu W. 2019-12-25
Do
- Laurel Mill Playhouse, 508 Main Street, 39.107012°, -76.850660°, +1 301 617-9906, LMP@laurelmillplayhouse.org. Friday and Saturday evening shows at 8PM; Sunday matinees at 2PM. Laurel Mill Playhouse is an amateur theater with a year-round season of comedies, dramas and musicals. $20 for general admission; $15 for students/seniors/military 2018-03-20
- Dinosaur Park, 13100 Mid-Atlantic Boulevard, 39.070910°, -76.868637°, +1 301-627-1286. The fenced fossil area is open on the first and third Sat of each month from 12 to 4pm. The garden area and interpretive signs are open every day from dawn to dusk. The Dinosaur Park preserves a deposit of fossils from the early Cretaceous Period, about 110 million years ago. This is one of the most important dinosaur fossil sites east of the Mississippi River. Free entry and open houses 2018-03-25
- Laurel Park, a thoroughbred horse racetrack, is located just outside the city limits.
Buy
Eat
Budget
- Mangos Grill Restaurant, 42 Washington Blvd (Route 1 South), +1 301-490-5200. Tex-Mex grill. 2018-03-25
- Pupuseria Dona Azucena, 325 Washington Blvd. Salvadoran pupusas. 2018-03-25
- Rico's Tacos, 323 Washington Blvd, +1 240-294-4616. Tacos and ice cream. 2018-03-25
- Tampico Grill, 14605 Baltimore Avenue, +1 301-776-8834. Mexican restaurant and grill. 2018-03-25
- Taqueria Los Primos, 9920 Washington Blvd N, +1 301-317-5087. Authentic Mexican taqueria. 2018-03-25
- Toucan Taco, 315 Gorman Ave, +1 301-498-9833. Tu-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM. The sign outside might say "Toucan Taco", but locals will refer to this as "Tippy's", the name from when it opened in 1972 until 1992. The Chili Con Queso and Sunken Burrito are particular favorites.
Mid-range
- BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, 14714 Baltimore Avenue, +1-240-547-2680. Part of a chain of restaurants served by a microbrewery. 2018-03-25
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| name=Chi'bal Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar| alt= | url=http://www.chibal.com/ (dead link: December 2020) | email=
| address=14933 Baltimore Avenue | lat= | long= | directions=
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| content=Mexican restaurant, featuring a tequila bar with an extensive list.
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- Kabu Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, 14601 Baltimore Avenue, +1 301-490-2288. Japanese steakhouse, hibachi grill, sushi and sashimi bar and full-service bar. 2018-03-25
- Mad Cow Grill, 310 Domer Ave, +1 301-725-7025. Burgers and steaks combined with Caribbean favorites. Large selection of beers on tap. 2018-03-25
- Pasta Plus, 209 Gorman Ave, +1 301-498-7878. Near downtown Laurel on the main road between DC and Baltimore. Without question the best authentic Italian food at a decent price in the DC area. Like eating at the owner's kitchen table in Valle San Giovanni Italy. Don't miss.
- Red Hot & Blue, 677 Main St, +1 301 953-1943. M-Th 11AM-10PM, Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-9PM. Barbeque and blues music.
- Olive on Main, 504 Main street, +1 240-280-8560, oliveonmain@hotmail.com. Opens 11AM; closes M-W 9PM, Th-Sa 10PM, Su 8:30PM. Both Middle-Eastern and standard American fare. Crabcakes. Beer and wine list. Entrees and platters about $15; Pita wraps $9 2018-03-25
Drink
Sleep
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