The Best College Town In Maryland

Around nine miles northeast of Washington, DC, College Park is a forward-thinking community that welcomes all. Home to the University of Maryland (UMD), this college town shines for its blend of youthful spirit, urban amenities, and suburban charms. Its proximity to The Nation's Capital is largely to thank, providing access to big-city perks while being just far enough to maintain a small-town feel.

While it is widely recognized as the best college town in Maryland, College Park is an active and exciting place for people of all ages and backgrounds, students and non-students alike. Whether visiting, attending UMD, or considering a move to this vibrant town, your time in College Park will be enriched by a dynamic and welcoming atmosphere. The college helps shape this charismatic energy, although its influence is just the tip of the iceberg. College Park’s natural surroundings, cultural attractions, and exciting social scene are also to thank, while its strong sense of community is the glue holding it all together.

A Town Shaped By Its College

College Park has been a hub of education, innovation, and advancement for nearly 170 years, with its passion for progress still thriving in 2025. Since its first days as the Maryland Agricultural College in 1856, the University of Maryland (UMD) has helped improve College Park and Maryland as a whole. The Agricultural College began with the goal of welcoming creative minds and innovators, whose problem-solving and research helped Maryland’s farming prosper.

Today, UMD is one of the nation’s leading public research universities, with key areas such as climate change, social justice, and health. By confronting local, national, and global challenges, UMD lives up to its problem-solving origins. The college also helps College Park achieve its modern mission and vision: to enhance the quality of life for its community through “innovation, connectivity, and sustainability.” The effect of these values can be seen in studies like the one performed by BrokeScholar. Based on measures such as Mental Health & Wellness, the study found College Park to be the “#1 Healthiest College Town in the US” in 2023.

Top Attractions at the University of Maryland

Beyond its legacy of innovation and research, the University of Maryland is at the heart of College Park’s entertainment. The school is especially known for its art scene and sports, both drawing students, locals, and out-of-towners by the thousands. The University of Maryland Art Gallery is one of the best places to experience the school’s “Arts For All” initiative. The gallery showcases student and faculty artwork along with borrowed exhibits from around the world. For a live theater or musical performance, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center is another popular on-campus attraction, hosting around 1,000 events each year.

Sports fans, on the other hand, come to College Park for UMD’s on-campus stadium and arena. The SECU Stadium is used for men's and women's lacrosse, but its main claim to fame is college football. It has featured countless national championship football games, including one notably attended by the Queen of England in 1957. Nearby, the XFINITY Center is an indoor arena mainly known for housing the Maryland Terrapins basketball teams, with a 17,950-seat capacity.

Off-Campus Fun in College Park

Lake Artemesia Natural Area

Lake Artemesia Natural Area is College Park’s liveliest green space, known for its trails, waterfront, and wildlife. Centered around the beautiful 38-acre Lake Artemesia, the Natural Area is completely free to explore, making it especially popular with students, locals, and visitors on a budget. The Area also features paved, wheelchair-accessible paths like the Luther Goldman Birding Trail, allowing people of all abilities to enjoy views of the water.

In the warmer months, the grass around the lake is typically dotted with picnickers, while the playground is popular with families. In contrast, fall and winter bring bundled-up strollers who enjoy staying active on the trails. Lake Artemesia, while manmade, is also known for attracting a wide range of birds normally drawn to larger bodies of water. With over 220 bird species reported in the Area, it has become a popular birding and wildlife photography destination. Monthly “Bird Walks” are also offered twice a month by Prince George’s Audubon Society and Patuxent Bird Club.

College Park Aviation Museum

College Park is famously home to the College Park Airport, the oldest continuously operating airport in the world. Founded by the legendary Wright Brothers, it has been an active airport since 1909. The Aviation Museum is located on the grounds of this historic airport in affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution, where visitors can explore its one-and-a-half-story exhibit area.

The space features an expansive range of aviation artifacts and aircraft, showcasing the airport’s “many significant aviation firsts.” With frequently changing exhibits and interactive activities to engage younger visitors, people of all ages can enjoy this iconic College Park attraction. Throughout the year, people can also enjoy the museum’s many events, like their Women in Aviation Tour on March 8th, 2025, or their Cub Corner: Museum Community Day on May 17th.

College Park Day

College Park Day is the town's most popular annual festival, hosted to foster a sense of connection and bring the community together for a day of fun. Set in the College Park Aviation Museum & Airport parking lot, admission to the event is completely free, allowing the town's student population, families, and visitors alike to come together and let loose.

On top of free entry, the festival offers a variety of other complimentary perks, including parking, a dedicated Kids Zone with games and activities, and shuttle services from locations like the University of Maryland campus and City Hall. Paid features include an array of local food vendors, food trucks, and breweries, while live entertainment across three stages is also provided free of charge.

Scheduled for October 18th from 12 to 6 PM in 2025, College Park Day will feature performances by a lineup of local bands and family-friendly entertainers. Attendees can also explore community exhibits, engage with wandering performers, and enjoy free admission to the College Park Aviation Museum for the day.

Cafes, Dining, and Nightlife in College Park

Beyond its reputation as Maryland's best college town, College Park is known for having a diverse culinary scene and nightlife that cater to a wide range of tastes. Around the University of Maryland campus, a spirited student community can be found at cozy coffee shops like the Quantum Cafe, Footnotes Cafe, and The Coffee Bar, offering a relaxed, academic setting. As evening approaches, the energy shifts to College Park's youthful bar scene and pub-style eateries, with popular spots like the Lobby Bar, Looney's Pub, and Terrapin's Turf drawing lively crowds.

For a more upscale dining experience, the GrillMarx UMD Steakhouse & Raw Bar shines as an ideal date night destination. Alternatively, families can enjoy the casual setting of restaurants like the College Park Diner. Regardless of age or taste, College Park's food and beverage landscape reflects the town's vibrant and varied population, catering to a range of preferences and needs.

A Town That Welcomes All

With a median age of 21.6 in 2022, College Park is undoubtedly a youthful town, which is unsurprising given its student presence. Nonetheless, students and non-students alike live here in harmony, with countless initiatives in place to maintain this unity. As an AARP Age-Friendly Livable Community, College Park is constantly working to implement policies and plans to improve the town’s livability for people of all ages. Areas such as housing, transportation, health, and community support are evaluated, tracked, and revised to help residents live healthily, safely, and independently regardless of age.

Diversity, inclusion, and equity are also at the forefront of College Park’s values to ensure people of all cultures, identities, abilities, and incomes are welcomed and supported. The town incorporates frequent equity training for City Staff and also appoints a Racial Equity Officer, whose role is to review “City policies and services through a diversity and inclusion lens.” In 2020, College Park’s Mayor and Council also passed Resolution 20-R-16 to explicitly renounce systemic racism and actively confront racial inequities. Through these comprehensive efforts, College Park demonstrates its unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming community for all.

Reasons to Visit or Consider a Move to College Park

Anchored by the University of Maryland and a collective pride in social progress, College Park shines as one of the best towns in the United States. Its proximity to Washington, DC is the cherry on top, granting access to top medical facilities like MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, cultural attractions like the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and a healthy job market.

However, College Park’s own charms and features make it stand out on its own, with a cozier pace and friendlier atmosphere than the big city. Whether attending the University of Maryland, moving here with your family, or stopping in for a visit, College Park will welcome you with open arms, inviting you to savor its festivals, green spaces, museums, and diverse culinary scene. People from all walks of life can thrive in College Park, where a vibrant community, abundant opportunities, and a commitment to inclusivity converge to create an exceptional place to live, work, and explore.