Towson

Towson is an unincorporated city in Central Maryland. It is located directly north of Baltimore City and is the county seat of Baltimore County.

Get in

By car

Just north of the City of Baltimore, Towson is easy to reach by car.

Towson is inside the Baltimore Beltway, I-695, and the principal exits for the city are at exit 25 for Charles St, and 27A for York Rd.

Coming up from the city, the main freeway is the I-83 Jones Falls Expy, which connects to the Beltway. (Alternatively, you can get off at exit 10A and take the Northern Pkwy to Charles St or York Rd, then turn left to get into Towson. Or, take Charles St or York Rd up through North Baltimore.

By bus

MTA operates several bus routes in the Towson area:

• Route 3 begins at Sheppard Pratt Hospital (across from Towson University campus), then operates along Osler Drive, Stevenson Lane, York Road to Towson Town Center, then past Goucher College, then along Joppa Road to Loch Raven Boulevard. Buses marked "Inner Harbor." Great for reaching Penn Station. Hourly service at most times.
• Route 8 is the main bus route in Towson, operating along York Road, with deviation on Dulaney Valley Road and Fairmount Avenue to serve Towson Town Center. Northbound buses reach Lutherville Light Rail Station, and are marked "Lutherville." Southbound buses go to Downtown Baltimore, and are marked "University of Maryland Transit Center." Operates every 10-15 minutes most times. Not the fastest way to get downtown; it is recommended to take Routes 11 or 48, or 8 north to Light Rail.
• Route 11 from Towson Town Center, through center of Towson, then down Towsontown Boulevard, through GBMC Hospital campus, and along Charles Street with deviation through Rodgers Forge before traveling to downtown Baltimore and Canton. Operates every 20-30 minutes at most times.
• Route 12 has limited trips along York and Dulaney Valley Roads to reach Stella Maris nursing home complex.
• Route 48 operates from Towson Town Center to Downtown Baltimore along the same route as Route 8 Monday-Saturday, making limited stops for a faster trip. Operates every 15 minutes at most times.
• Route 55 operates from Towson Town Center to the Fox Ridge community in the Essex area, and reaches the CCBC Essex campus, Franklin Square Hospital, and Golden Ring Plaza.

By light rail

• 1 Lutherville Station, 150 Ridgely Road West, Lutherville. Towson is served by the Lutherville Station on the Baltimore Light Rail, from which you can catch Bus #8 to head down York Rd. $2. (updated Apr 2023)

Get around

Towson sprawls. It's best to travel by car, although it is possible to get around the major commercial corridors (meaning mostly just York Rd) and Towson University by riding bus #8, or by walking.

See

• 1 Hampton National Historic Site, 535 Hampton Ln (Bus #11 to nearby Goucher College), ☏ +1 410 823-1309, fax: +1 410 823-8394. 9AM-5PM every day. At the time of its completion in 1790, this was the largest private home in the nascent United States. The grounds are open for tours, including the slave quarters, main house, and gardens. Free.  
• 2 Towson University, 8000 York Rd, ☏ +1 410 704-2000. Maryland's second largest university does not have much by way of attractions, but does see a steady stream of visiting prospective students.  
• 3 Goucher College. This is also a hub for prospective students. (updated Nov 2020)

Do

Towson Town Center offers a great variety of stores to accommodate all price ranges. There is also a substantial food court and restaurant section which attracts tourists.

• 1 Boordy Vineyards, 12820 Long Green Pike, Hydes (10 miles (16 km) northeast of Towson), ☏ +1 410-592-5015. Tasting: M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1-5PM. Tours: 2PM and 3:30PM daily. Boordy was founded in 1945 by Philip Wagner, the editor of the Baltimore Sun. It is Maryland's oldest operating vineyard. There are special events on weekends in the summer, with live music on Saturday nights. Tasting costs $5 to sample 6 wines or $15 for 8 wines in the Landmark Series. Tours included in tasting fee. 

Buy

• 1 Towson Town Center, 825 Dulaney Valley Rd. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. Towson Town Center is a large indoor shopping mall.  
• York Road hosts a variety of second hand stores which may be of interest to tourists interested in vintage items

Eat

• 1 Kathmandu Kitchen, 22 W Allegheny Ave, ☏ +1 410 847-9595. Nepalese and Indian food. Lunch buffet and large menu. Very good food and quick service. BYOB or wine -- no corkage fee! (updated Apr 2023)

Drink

Most of the bars are located on York Rd just south of the traffic circle. All of them are within walking distance of each other and it is common for locals to spend the night bar hopping in this area. The crowd in each bar varies depending on the season and the night. During the school year the bars are filled with Towson University students.

• 1 The Rec Room, 512 York Rd (just south of the Towson traffic circle), ☏ +1 410 337-7178. 10AM-2AM. A comfortable little bar attached to the famous Recher Theatre. It serves standard bar fare (burgers, fries, etc.). Most of the patrons are out back at the outdoor patio/bar during the warmer months. 
• 2 Charles Village Pub, 19 W Pennsylvania Ave (Just south of the Towson traffic circle), ☏ +1 410 821-8155. 10AM-2PM. 
• 3 Barley's Backyard Uptown, 408 York Rd (Just south of the Towson traffic circle), ☏ +1 410 825-3980. Daily 11AM-2PM. 
• 4 The Kent, 506 York Rd (just south of the Towson traffic circle), ☏ +1 410 825-2650. M-F 11AM-2AM, Sa Su 5PM-2AM. Low key, relatively quiet bar with an Irish theme and friendly staff. 

Sleep

• 1 Comfort Inn Towson/Baltimore, 8801 Loch Raven Blvd, ☏ +1 410 882-0900, fax: +1 410 882-4176. Minutes from Towson University. 
• 2 Holiday Inn Express Towson Baltimore North, 1100 Cromwell Bridge Rd, ☏ +1 410 823-4410. 

Go next

Routes through Towson

Harrisburg ← Cockeysville ←	N  S	→ Baltimore → END
Woodlawn ← Pikesville ←	W  E	→ Jct S N → Essex → Dundalk