Laurel

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 Commuter Rail Camden Line at the 1 Laurel MARC station and the 2 Laurel Racetrack MARC station.

By bus

From Washington, D.C., you can take the Metro to Greenbelt, and then transfer to Metrobus 89 or Connect-A-Ride H, which both lead straight into Laurel on US-1.

See

• Fairland Regional Park, 13950 Old Gunpowder Rd, Silver Spring, ☏ +1 301-699-CALL (2255). Sports complex, tennis bubble and skating rink. If that's not enough, they have a "stormwater management demonstration project area". Bring the kids! 
• 1 National Wildlife Visitor Center, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop (Patuxent Wildlife Research Center), ☏ +1 301-497-5760. F-W 9AM-4:30PM, closed Th. 
• 2 Laurel Museum, 817 Main St, ☏ +1 301-725-7975. W F 10AM-2PM, Su 1-4PM. free. 

Laurel Museum

• 3 Montpelier Mansion, 9650 Muirkirk Rd, ☏ +1 301-377-7817. Th-M 10AM-4PM, closed Tu W. (updated Dec 2019)

Do

• 1 Laurel Mill Playhouse, 508 Main Street, ☏ +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. (updated Mar 2018)
• 2 Dinosaur Park, 13100 Mid-Atlantic Boulevard, ☏ +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. (updated Mar 2018)
• Laurel Park, a thoroughbred horse racetrack, is located just outside the city limits.

Eat

Budget

• Mangos Grill Restaurant, 42 Washington Blvd (Route 1 South), ☏ +1 301-490-5200. Tex-Mex grill. (updated Mar 2018)
• Pupuseria Dona Azucena, 325 Washington Blvd. Salvadoran pupusas. (updated Mar 2018)
• Rico's Tacos, 323 Washington Blvd, ☏ +1 240-294-4616. Tacos and ice cream. (updated Mar 2018)
• Tampico Grill, 14605 Baltimore Avenue, ☏ +1 301-776-8834. Mexican restaurant and grill. (updated Mar 2018)
• Taqueria Los Primos, 9920 Washington Blvd N, ☏ +1 301-317-5087. Authentic Mexican taqueria. (updated Mar 2018)
• 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. (updated Mar 2018)
• Chi'bal Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar, 14933 Baltimore Avenue, ☏ +1 240-294-6536. Mexican restaurant, featuring a tequila bar with an extensive list. (updated Mar 2018)
• Kabu Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, 14601 Baltimore Avenue, ☏ +1 301-490-2288. Japanese steakhouse, hibachi grill, sushi and sashimi bar and full-service bar. (updated Mar 2018)
• Mad Cow Grill, 310 Domer Ave, ☏ +1 301-725-7025. Burgers and steaks combined with Caribbean favorites. Large selection of beers on tap. (updated Mar 2018)
• 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. (updated Mar 2018)

Drink

• Ragamuffins Coffee House, 385 Main St Laurel. A community-centric coffee shop in the heart of Old Laurel.
• Greene Turtle, 14150 Baltimore Ave, Laurel, ☏ +1 301-317-6650, gtlaurel@thegreeneturtle.com. 
• Nuzback's, 14405 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301-925-9820. A dive bar with very cheap drinks. Restaurant with cheap food. Try the grit sticks appetizer. 
• Remingtons, 3340 Fort Meade Road, Laurel, ☏ +1 301-490-7000. This dive is on MD Route 198 east of the Baltimore Washington Parkway and has karaoke. 

Sleep

• Ramada Laurel, 3400 Fort Meade Rd, ☏ +1 301 498-0900. 
• Quality Inn and Suites, 1 Second St, ☏ +1 301 725-8800, fax: +1 301 725-7874. 
• Fairfield Inn by Marriott - Laurel, 13700 Baltimore Ave, ☏ +1 301-498-8900. 

Go next

Routes through Laurel

Baltimore ← Columbia ←	N  S	→ Beltsville → Washington, D.C.
Baltimore ← Savage ←	N  S	→ Beltsville → Washington, D.C.
Baltimore ← Hanover ←	N  S	→ Greenbelt → Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. ← Beltsville ←	SW  NE	→ Savage → Baltimore