A Fun, Free Itinerary in Ellicott City

It’s still cold, ya’ll. We may have been in shorts and shades last Friday, but as per the norm of Maryland weather, we’re staring down the barrel of some frozen temps again this week. This week Are We There Yet?! columnist Frank Bolinsky has more indoor activities for us…it’s time to hop on I-97 and check out some hot spots in Ellicott City.

Ellicott City is one of my favorite places in Maryland. The downtown is beautiful and there are so many great restaurants and shops. Our two favorite restaurants are Manor Hill Tavern and the Phoenix Upper Main. You also have to stop at Doc Taylor’s massive toy store, EC Pops candy and popcorn store, and the Unusual Company which has non-dairy desserts and a fun store to peruse. On top of the stores, Ellicott City has lots of free, indoor activities and you can access a variety of hikes right from the downtown.  

The main draw is the Ellicott Mills Children’s Museum. It’s free and it’s fun. The museum is divided into four themed rooms and a garden: Quaker School; Great Room; Ellicott General Store; Mill Display. All are meant to be hands on for the kids to play and learn. The staff is friendly, helpful, and informative. You could easily spend an hour or more here.  

Right next door is the Museum of Howard County History. This is no entrance fee. The museum is made up of two large rooms with displays that our children found to be very engaging.

Not far down the hill is the Ellicott City Firehouse Museum which is also free but small. Right past that is the B&O Railroad Museum which is free and has a lot to see. There are train cars to climb in and on. They have multiple rooms indoors with train displays and historical displays.  

When we go to Ellicott City, we park at the Circuit Courthouse lot, as it’s a large lot, has easy in and out access, and it’s just a short stroll down a steep hill to everything. It was free when we went. All four museums have semi-limited hours and days when they are open, so it is important to plan ahead. You could easily do all four in one day and throw in getting food or you could split it up over two days to get more out of it. Ellicott City is a nice, quick trip that makes you feel like you got out of town for a bit and had a little family adventure!