Maryland's Fast-Growing Town South Of Baltimore Has A Walkable Downtown With Historic Charm And Local Eats

Not just Maryland's most populous city, Baltimore is also where a large chunk of the state's history and cultural museums are. But look past the city's boundaries, including its booming metro area, which is home to almost 3,000,000 people, and you will notice an ongoing expansion. One place that has been experiencing this boom is the small town of Trappe, identified as the fastest-growing in Maryland by Patch. A small, contained community, Trappe has casual neighborhood eateries and a walkable downtown. The latter is filled with historic charm, with numerous historic houses dotting its Main Street, and contributing to preserving Trappe's history together with its interpretive Rural Life Museum.

Trappe's geographical location also contributes to the diversity of opportunities on offer. Located in Talbot County, on the Eastern Shore, the town is sandwiched between Baltimore to the northwest and the Delaware border to the east. As such, it has easy access to Baltimore within a 1.5-hour drive, as well as plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation along the Choptank River and Eastern Bay, just on its doorstep. The proximity to the bay is also reflected in its restaurant scene, with local seafood options and casual coffee shops and eateries.

Reaching Trappe by car should take between one and a half and two hours, whether you are driving from the Baltimore-Annapolis metro area or from Washington, D.C. (traffic permitting). For travelers who are planning to arrive by air, the Baltimore/Washington International Airport is about an hour and a half (68 miles) away from Trappe.

The town's modest size of just 3 square meters makes it easily walkable. Its downtown area is where most of the sightseeing can be focused, thanks to Trappe's historic homes and charming architecture. Some of the most illustrious houses are along Main Street. Those include a restored Victorian house famed for its architectural grandeur, and a more modern, Southern-style family house just around the corner. Nearby, you will also find Trappe's own second-hand and vintage book store, the Unicorn Bookshop. Similar to The Book Thing, the Baltimore hidden gem book 'shop' with endless, free literary treasures, the Trappe shop has books floor to ceiling (about 30,000 tomes), and has a dedicated space for local history. The shop is located in a charming red-brick building just off Main Street, where it intersects with Route 50. 

The town's storied buildings may appeal to history buffs, like the Rural Life Museum of Trappe, just outside of the town boundaries. This living heritage site is spread across several historic buildings; though most, like the Carriage House and the Slaughter Smokehouse, have been moved and reconstructed from downtown Trappe, and have been preserved in their original appearance and structure.

For those who are curious to learn more about the region's history, the James E. Kirwan Museum is a short drive away over in Kent Island, which is also an underrated Maryland gem with seafood and coastal trails. Once a local merchant's general and lumber mill shop, today the museum offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the Eastern Shore through its artifacts.

Unsurprisingly, Baltimore is among America's top seafood cities for its fresh catches and vibrant harbor life. But you don't have to make a reservation in Charm City to find great food. While you won't find the abundance of Michelin-guide-worthy restaurants of Baltimore, Trappe still has its own local foodie appeal. Its three main restaurants are also within yards of one another, concentrated at the corner between Main Street and Maple Avenue.

Housed inside a handsome, red brick historic building on Main Street (previously the State Bank of Trappe), The Coffee Trappe doubles as the town's main specialty coffee shop and a spot for all-day breakfast, brunch, and lunch open six days a week. While it serves coffee and cakes made in-house all day, it also has a varied mealtime menu with local delicacies such as soft crab sandwiches and oyster stew. For international flavors, head across the road to Momma Maria's, a Greek-inspired neighborhood restaurant with slightly more upscale dining. Alongside American classics, Momma Maria's serves Mediterranean dishes such as spanakopita, seafood bucatini pasta, and pizzas; on Thursdays, it hosts a Greek night focusing on the peninsula's flavors.

Trappe's third restaurant, by the same local owner, is the Trappe Tavern. Unlike the town's Mediterranean restaurant, the Tavern serves more relaxed and rustic dishes like club sandwiches, burgers and fries, and fried oysters.