Potomac Street, Downtown Hagerstown

Hagerstown, nicknamed The Hub City, is a charming city on the edge of the Appalachian Mountains and near the Potomac River in northwestern Maryland, United States.

Understand

Hagerstown City Park

Hagerstown is the county seat of, and the largest city in, Washington County. The city is perhaps best known for its outlet mall, which offers a huge variety of clothing among other things. The community is named after Jonathan Hager, a German pioneer who settled the area in the mid-1700s. Hagerstown has an approximate city population of 40,000 and metropolitan population of 270,000 (2019).

Get in

By car

Hagerstown is only 75 minutes away from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Harrisburg. The main interstate highways running by the city are I-81 and I-70, each of which have multiple well-signed exits for Hagerstown and intersect southwest of the city. US 40 and US 11 run through the city and cross in central Hagerstown.

By bus

Atlantic Coast Charter Buses has stops in Hagerstown.

By plane

• 1 Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR  ^IATA) (5 mi (8.0 km) due north of the city). Commercially serviced by flights from Orlando-Sanford International Airport and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport through Allegiant Airlines, and Pittsburgh International Airport and Washington-Dulles International Airport via Sun Air Express.  

Alternatively, one can use Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI ^IATA), Harrisburg International Airport (MDT ^IATA), Washington National Airport (DCA ^IATA), or Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD ^IATA) all of which are within 60–75 mi (97–121 km) driving distance of Hagerstown.

Get around

• Renting cars or driving to Hagerstown is advised because only the downtown area is walkable. Walking downtown, however, is safe and charming.
• For a taxi you could call Miller Cabs, Turner Vans, or hail Downtown Taxi cabs on the streets in downtown.
• County Commuter buses are effective and go to all points in Hagerstown and Washington County.

See

View of the mountains from a Hagerstown suburb on a beautiful January day

Aside from simply admiring the ubiquitous vistas of the Appalachian Mountains, you might also want to see:

• 1 Discovery Station, 101 W Washington St, ☏ +1-877-790-0076. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 2-5PM. Non-profit volunteer-run science museum dedicated to providing an exciting learning environment for curious minds of all ages. Active Military and Reservists (and immediate family members) free, children 3 and under free, ages 4-17 $6, adults $7, seniors (55 and over) and retired military $5.  
• 2 Hagerstown City Park, 501 Virginia Ave, ☏ +1 301 739-8577. 6AM-10PM. Stroll through a beautifully traditional city park, with playgrounds for the kids, picnic areas, and a flock of ducks and geese to accompany you on your walk around the park's lake. free. 
• 3 Hager House, 110 Key St, ☏ +1 301 739-8393. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 2-5PM. See the founder of Hagerstown's pre-Revolutionary War house. $3. 
• 4 Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, 501 Virginia Ave (Hagerstown City Park), ☏ +1 301-739-5727, fax: +1 301-745-3741, info@wcmfa.org. Tu-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-4PM, Su 1-5PM. Free. 

• Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum, 296 S Burhans Blvd, ☏ +1 301 739-4665. 4 model train layouts and various other railroad memorabilia, this museum is open year-round and is inside a former railroad roundhouse, hence its name. (updated Aug 2019)

Theatre

• 5 Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St, ☏ +1 301 790-3500, +1 301 790-2000, fax: +1 301 791-6114. Symphony House that plays host to famous performers and all of the Maryland beauty pageants. Home to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. 
• 6 Washington County Playhouse, 44 N. Potomac St, ☏ +1 301 739-SHOW (7469). Dinner theatre. 

Do

• The city is a focal point for mountain bikers, fishermen, canoeists and hunters interested in the plentiful outdoor recreational opportunities in the area. The Appalachian Trail and the Chesapeake and Ohio (C & O) Canal Towpath are close by.
• 1 Hagerstown Flying Boxcars (Municipal Stadium), 274 Memorial Blvd. E. (from Dual Hwy., turn west on Mt. Aetna Road and continue until it becomes Memorial Blvd. at the stadium), ☏ +1 301 791-6266. A-level minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Washington Nationals. 
• 2 Black Rock Golf Course, 20025 Mt. Aetna Rd, ☏ +1 240 313-2816. $26-42/18 holes. 
• 3 Hagerstown Speedway, 15112 National Pike (6 miles west of Hagerstown), ☏ +1 301 582-0640. Weekends Feb-Oct. A dirt track. 
• 4 Mason Dixon Dragway, 21344 National Pike, Boonsboro (9 miles southeast of Hagerstown), ☏ +1 301-791-5193. NHRA sanctioned, 1/4 mile, dragstrip near Hagerstown. 

Buy

Hagerstown has multiple lifestyle/power centers with big-box stores, plazas, and 2 major malls:

• 1 Premium Outlets Hagerstown, 495 Premium Outlets Blvd., ☏ +1 301 790-0300, customerservice@primeretail.com. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 10AM-7PM. A large outdoor mall with over 100 stores. 
• 2 Valley Mall, 17301 Valley Mall Rd., ☏ +1 301 582-0700. M-F 10AM-9PM, F Sa 10AM-9:30PM, Su 11AM-6PM. The Valley Mall is one of two indoor malls in the Hagerstown Metropolitan area (the other is the Martinsburg Mall). There is close to 1 million square feet of retail space. The anchors are Macy's, The Bon-Ton, JCPenney, Sears, Regal Cinemas 16, Toys 'R' Us/Babies 'R' Us, Old Navy, Men's Wearhouse, and Shoe Dept. Encore. 
• 3 Just Lookin' Gallery, 40 Summit Ave, ☏ +1 301-714-2278, toll-free: +1 800-717-4278, justlookin@justlookin.com. Tu-Sa 11AM-7PM. Exhibits numerous paintings, mostly by African-American artists. (updated Jan 2023)

Eat

Hagerstown dining includes international flavors as well as landmark American establishments. Many restaurants can be found downtown, on and around US 40, in the North End, and near the Valley Mall. Typical chain restaurants are also abound, particularly along US 40 and around the main retail areas.

Budget

• 1 Alekos 2 Go, 511 Northern Ave (in North End), ☏ +1 240 313-4976. Greek and American cuisine. Drive-thru and pick-up services also available. 
• 2 Hagerstown Family Diner, 431 Dual Hwy. (adjoining the Best Western Grand Venice Hotel), ☏ +1 240 707-6330. Very popular traditional American diner. 
• 3 Krumpe's Do-Nuts, 912 Maryland Ave (in the rear) (on 913 DoNut Alley), ☏ +1 301 733-6103. Su-F 7PM - 2AM, closed Sa. A Hagerstown tradition since 1936. Iconic Hagerstown doughnut shop that hosts the annual New Year's Krumpe's DoNut Drop in the Public Square and the Krumpe's Donut Alley Rally 5k. 

Mid-range

• 4 Bulls & Bears Restaurant and Pub, 38 S. Potomac St (in the Arts and Entertainment District across from Maryland Theatre), ☏ +1 301 791-0370. Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM. Bulls & Bears presents Downtown Hagerstown with a unique experience featuring American cuisine in a New York style atmosphere. (updated Oct 2015)
• 5 Café del Sol, 1481 Salem Ave (just off I-81 Exit 7A), ☏ +1 301 739-3072. Serves Latin-American and Italian cuisine. 
• 6 Dolce, 792 Frederick St (on US 40 Alternate near the Claude M. Potterfield Pool), ☏ +1 301 745-6300. Serves Romanian, other Eastern European and Italian cuisine. 
• 7 Fuji Chinese Cuisine & Sushi, 11205 John F. Kennedy Dr Ste 205 (in Rosewood Commons, off Robinwood Drive), ☏ +1 301 393-9099, fujicuisine@yahoo.com. Serves authentic Chinese cuisine and sushi. 
• 8 House of Kobe, 757 Dual Hwy (near Massey Blvd), ☏ +1 301 797-6979, +1 301 790-1856, fax: +1 301 797-0087, info@thehouseofkobe.com. M-F lunch 11AM-3PM, M-F dinner 5-10PM, Sa dinner 3-10PM, Su dinner 3-9PM. Popular Japanese restaurant serving Hagerstown for 30 years. Moderate. 
• 9 Silk Thai Restaurant & Bar, 1580 Wesel Blvd Ste K (near the Valley Mall), ☏ +1 240-267-2142. Serves authentic Thai cuisine. 
• 10 Mango Grill, 11205 John F Kennedy Dr (in Rosewood Commons off Robinwood Drive.), ☏ +1 240 707-6220. Serves Indian and Thai cuisine. 
• 11 Rhubarb House, 12 Public Square (Downtown), ☏ +1 301 733-4399. American cuisine. 
• 12 Rik's Cafe, 1065 Maryland Ave (South End), ☏ +1 301 302-7541. American cuisine and bar. 
• 13 Sitar of India, 110 Railway Ln (near Massey Boulevard and the Valley Mall), ☏ +1 301 733-8223. Serves North Indian cuisine. 

Splurge

• 14 Fireside Restaurant, 1718 Underpass Way (off Halfway Blvd.), ☏ +1 301 733-4800. Dining at the Plaza Hotel will be a memorable experience. Attached to the Ramada Plaza Hotel, the Fireside Restaurant offers a full menu of steaks, seafood, and other American specialties in an upscale surrounding. 
• 15 Nick's Airport Inn, 14548 Pennsylvania Ave (Route 11) (Located next to Hagerstown Airport.), ☏ +1 301 733-8560, info@nicksairportinn.com. Lunch Monday-Friday 11AM - 2PM, dinner Monday-Thursday 5-10PM, dinner Friday & Saturday 5-10:30PM. Good atmosphere, great seafood, and fine dining. Reservations recommended. 
• 16 Sakura, 104 Railway Ln (near the Valley Plaza/Mall off I-81 Exit 5A), ☏ +1 301 393-9088. Excellent sushi and hibachi served in a lively but elegant atmosphere. 
• 17 Schmankerl Stube, 58 S. Potomac St (in downtown Hagerstown), ☏ +1 301 797-3354. Closed Mondays. Great Bavarian fare. Excellent selection of German beers on tap. 
• 18 Schula's Grill and Crab House, 11205 John F Kennedy Dr (in Rosewood Commons off Robinwood Drive), ☏ +1 301 714-1397. Seafood restaurant. 

Drink

Most drinking establishments in Hagerstown are found in the downtown area, but some are located in suburban areas including and near strip shopping centers.

• 1 Bennys Pub, 49 Eastern Blvd N, ☏ +1 301 791-5915. M-Sa 11AM - 2AM, Sunday 11AM-midnight. Food, ice cold beer, Entertainment weekly. Nice, friendly atmosphere. 

Sleep

Most hotels and motels in Hagerstown are located in proximity to exits along Interstate 70 and Interstate 81. Others, including full-scale hotels, are clustered along Route 40.

• 1 Quality Inn & Suites Hagerstown, 920 Dual Hwy (next to Valley Mall.), ☏ +1 301 739-9050, fax: +1 301 739-8347. 
• 2 Comfort Suites, 1801 Dual Hwy (next to Valley Mall.), ☏ +1 301-791-8100, fax: +1 301-766-2079. 
• 3 Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, 17612 Valley Mall Rd (next to Valley Mall.), toll-free: +1-800-456-4000, fax: +1 301 582-3529. 
• 4 Courtyard By Marriott, 17270 Valley Mall Rd (next to Valley Mall), ☏ +1 301-582-0043. 
• 5 Hampton Inn Hagerstown, 1716 Dual Hwy (near Exit 32B off Interstate 70 in the SE part of town), ☏ +1 301 739-6100, fax: +1 301 791-7885. 
• 6 Hampton Inn Hagerstown I-81, 18300 Peak Circle (near Exit 9 off Interstate 81 and the airport), ☏ +1 240 420-1970, fax: +1 240 420-1971. 
• 7 Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites, 241 Railway Ln (near Valley Mall shopping area), toll-free: +1-888-551-0222. 
• 8 Homewood Suites by Hilton, 1650 Pullman Ln (near Valley Mall shopping area), ☏ +1 301-665-3816. 
• 9 Microtel Inn & Suites, 13726 Oliver Dr, ☏ +1 240 527-2700. 
• 10 Ramada Plaza Hotel (Previously the Plaza Hotel), 1718 Underpass Way (near Halfway Blvd.), ☏ +1 301 797-2500. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Offers Wyndham Rewards, Full Service 6-story hotel with an oversized indoor pool, Fireside Restaurant & Lounge. On-site Laundry Facilities. 
• 11 Rodeway Inn, 901 Dual Hwy (Adjacent to the Clarion Hotel.), ☏ +1 301 714-0800, toll-free: +1-888-528-6738. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Adjacent to Clarion Hotel, Cancun Cantina nightclub, Barefoot Bernie's restaurant and bar, and Hager Hall convention center. $55-60. 
• 12 Sleep Inn & Suites Hagerstown, 18216 Col Henry K Douglas Dr, ☏ +1 301 766-9449, sleepinnhagerstown@gmail.com. Offering complimentary breakfast and hi-speed wireless internet. Indoor pool, fitness room and more. 
• 13 SpringHill Suites by Marriott, 17270 Valley Mall Rd (next to Valley Mall), ☏ +1 301 582-0011, fax: +1 301 582-9011. 
• 14 Super 8, I-81, Halfway Hagerstown, 16805 Blake Rd (near Exit 5B off Interstate 81), ☏ +1 301 582-1992, fax: +1 301 582-3488. 

Go next

• Whitetail Resort has alpine skiing on 16 trails, just across the state line in nearby Mercersburg in southern Pennsylvania.
• You could drive from Hagerstown to Antietam National Battlefield, Fort Frederick State Park, or the Chesapeake & Ohio (C & O) Canal National Historical Park.
• The Appalachian Trail offers walking paths and breathtaking scenery from atop South Mountain.
• If you want more scenery you could cross the Potomac River into West Virginia or tour nearby smaller towns like Sharpsburg, Boonsboro, or Smithsburg.
• Neighboring cities include Frederick and Cumberland in Maryland, Martinsburg in West Virginia, and Chambersburg in Pennsylvania.
• Nearby big cities Washington, D.C. and Baltimore are good day-trips from Hagerstown. In fact, many tourists to those cities stay the night in Hagerstown for cheaper lodging rates and to add a few local historic and retail spots to their itinerary.

Routes through Hagerstown

Washington, PA ← Hancock ←	W  E	→ Frederick → Baltimore
Harrisburg ← Chambersburg ←	N  S	→ Martinsburg → Roanoke
Cumberland ← Hancock ←	W  E	→ Frederick → Baltimore
Harrisburg ← Chambersburg ←	N  S	→ Martinsburg → Roanoke