Germantown – Travel guide at Wikivoyage (2024)

Germantown is an unincorporated city in the Capital Region of Maryland.

Germantown is a suburb of Washington DC and has a population of approximately 90,000 people. According the 2010 census, the population is 36% white, 22% African-American, 20% Asian, and 18% Hispanic.

Even though its early settlers were generally English and Scottish, the area got its name from several German-owned shops that were in the area in the 1840s.

George Atzerodt, a conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, fled to his cousin's farm in Germantown instead of carrying out his assigned task of assassinating Vice President Andrew Johnson.

Baseball player Walter Perry Johnson lived in Germantown between 1935 and his death in 1946.

By plane edit

Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI^IATA) is a 45 minute drive from Germantown. It is also accessible via ICC Bus 201.

Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA^IATA) is a 40 minute drive from Germantown.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD^IATA) is a 40 minute drive from Germantown.

By MARC Train edit

MARC Train, Brunswick line, offers service to/from Union Station in Washington, D.C., as well as service to/from Rockville, Gaithersburg, Frederick, and Harpers Ferry. 1 is located at the corner of Liberty Mill Road and Mateny Hill Road

By bus edit

RideOn Bus operates service between Germantown and other locations in Montgomery County, including Gaithersburg, Rockville, Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Wheaton. These buses also can be used to get to/from the Metrorail stations with service to Washington DC.

By car edit

From D.C. and the south or west, take the Capital Beltway (I-495) to Interstate 270 North. The main exit near the city center and Montgomery College is exit 15 for MD-118 Germantown Rd, with exit 16 MD-27 (Father Hurley Blvd) to the north and exit 13 Middlebrook Rd to the south. The other major road leading north from Gaithersburg is MD-355 (Frederick Rd).

A car is best used to get around the city. The county public bus system, RideOn Bus, can be used if traveling the major roads.

• 1 King Barn Dairy Mooseum, 18028 Central Park Cir, ☏ +1 301 528-6530, dairymooseum@aol.com. Sa, May through October (10AM-3PM). A museum showcasing the farming history of Montgomery County.

• 1 Black Hill Regional Park, 20930 Lake Ridge Dr, Boyds, ☏ +1 301 972-9396. Sunrise-sunset daily. An 1,800-acre park, with hiking trails, centered on Little Seneca Lake, a reservoir stocked with largemouth bass, tiger muskie, channel catfish, bluegill, and crappie for recreational fishing. Kayaks, canoes, and rowboats are available for rent from the boathouse.
• 2 Maryland Soccerplex, 18031 Central Park Circle, Boyds, ☏ +1 301 528-1480. A huge sports complex with a 4,000-seat main stadium. There are 19 natural grass fields, 3 artificial fields, 8 indoor basketball/volleyball courts, 2 miniature golf courses, 2 BMX courses, a tennis center, an archery course, a driving range, and a swim center. Events include: D.C. United Open Cup matches, Real Maryland, NCAA Conference Championships, Discovery Cup, and the Mid-Atlantic Cup.

• 1 Butler's Orchard, 22222 Davis Mill Rd, ☏ +1 301 972-1198. Tu-Su, hours vary - check the website. A big farmer's market on a 37-acre farm that, throughout the seasons, lets you pick your own strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, pumpkins, and cut your own Christmas trees! Family-friendly events are common, such as hayrides and bonfires, strawberry blossom tours, Bunnyland, and birthday parties.

• 1 Cafe Hong Kong, 13038 Middlebrook Road, ☏ +1 301 972-6362. Su-Th 11:30AM-10PM; F-Sa 11:30AM-10:30PM. Arguably the best Chinese restaurant in Germantown. The food is always hot and very good. Dinner-sized portions tend to be very large. Lunch items usually cost between $6-8 apiece, and dinner items tend to cost $9-12 apiece. Chef's specialties are only a few dollars more, and appetizers tend to be cheaper..
• 2 ^{[dead link]} Honey Pig BBQ, 19743 Frederick Rd, ☏ +1 301 972-2436. M–Sa 10AM-3AM; Su 10AM-2AM. Authentic Korean restaurant owned by a Korean immigrant that serves Korean BBQ, bibimbap and other Korean specialties at reasonable prices. They also have locations in Ellicot City, Annandale and Centreville.
• 3 India Palace, 19743 Frederick Rd, ☏ +1 301 540-3000. 11AM-10PM daily. A nice, comfortable Indian restaurant with a full bar that is most popular for its lunch buffet. The buffet is perfectly fine, if not much distinct from any other Indian buffet, but it is unique in offering "all-you-can-drink" beverages, including mango lassi! Most Indian restaurants charge exorbitant prices on their lassis, so this is a decadent treat. Lunch buffet: $12, dinner: $15-25.
• 4 Lancaster County Dutch Market, 12613 Wisteria Dr, ☏ +1 301 515-1019. Th 10AM-6PM, F 9AM-7PM, Sa 9AM-3PM; restaurant: Th-F until noon, Sa all day. A great spot for groceries or a sit-down meal, they have various vendors selling baked goods, fresh local produce, cheeses, candy, Amish soft pretzels, and fresh cut flowers. There is also a BBQ pit on-site (mostly serving chicken, with the odd rotisserie rabbit thrown in) as well as a small full-service restaurant. Restaurant: $5-14, BBQ pit: $4-10.
• 5 Royal Bagel Bakery & Deli, 19725 Germantown Rd, ☏ +1 301 428-1888. M-F 6AM-8PM, Sa-Su 6AM-4PM. If you enter Royal Bagel and don't immediately start salivating, then your sense of smell has been seriously damaged. Run by a family who were baking bagels in New York, who realized it was time to introduce great New York bagels to the fine state of Maryland. The bagels are indeed excellent (along with the great breakfast bagel sandwiches), but there are also a bunch of tasty pastries and cakes behind the counter. From the deli come the enormous subs, which are some of the best around. $3-10.
• 6 Sabai Sabai Simply Thai, 19847M Century Blvd, ☏ +1 301 528-1400. M-Th 11AM-3PM, 4:30PM-10PM, F 11AM-10:30PM, Sa 11:30AM-10:30PM, Su noon-9:30PM. A very stylish restaurant, with food that has a good claim to being the best Germantown has to offer. Full bar, crowded F-Sa nights, and very vegetarian friendly. $9-25.
• 7 Yuraku, 19773 Frederick Rd, ☏ +1 301 515-7448. A popular sushi restaurant.

• 1 Extended Stay America - Washington D.C. - Germantown - Milestone, 12450 Milestone Center Dr, ☏ +1 301 540-9369. $70-130.
• 2 Extended Stay America - Washington D.C. - Germantown - Town Center, 20141 Century Blvd, ☏ +1 301 515-4500. $70-130.
• 3 Fairfield Inn & Suites Germantown Gaithersburg, 20025 Century Blvd, ☏ +1 301 916-0750. $110-210.
• 4 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Germantown - Gaithersburg, 20260 Goldenrod Ln, ☏ +1 301 428-1300. $90-170.

• South on I-270 leads south to Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Bethesda towards Washington, D.C.. Going north leads to Frederick.
• Rural Montgomery County, just northwest of Germantown, includes some good outdoor attractions, especially Sugarloaf Mountain—the Maryland Capital Region's favorite climb, with great views over the surrounding farmland, as well as Little Bennett Regional Park, which has tent campgrounds.

Routes through Germantown