Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center — Attraction in Solomons

If you have kids, this is one of the best places to go in Calvert County. My childrens' homeschool co-op rents AMG's classrooms for our classes two days a week, and we are so grateful for this space, especially for free-play after classes.

Perhaps the most popular attraction is the Garden in Lights holiday display. It is a showstopper every year. Halloween in the Garden is another big draw. It can get a little packed sometimes, but they have really gotten better at managing the crowds. I recommend looking online and reserving a ticket/entry times for events when available to help make entry a quick and easy process.

Some other great events to be on the lookout for: Fairies in the Garden, Insectival, Martin Luther King Jr Day, Summer camps (nature, art, and yoga themed), and pottery classes.

For year-round, everyday visits (my favorite), the Fairy Lolly is the most magical of all. 🧚‍♀️ Watching my kids play in nature and in this little imagination-fueled village is just the best. They are always adding new things to explore and enjoy.

Home to aquatic turtles and an axolotl, the indoor wildlife display is also open year-round. It is kid-friendly, with plenty of safe tactile opportunities to keep little hands busy. Not to mention, the ever-changing, ever-growing art collection makes for such a wonderful atmosphere. Don't forget to check into the art studio to see if there is a free craft or community art project to participate in. 😍🎨

Lastly, the gift shop has some awesome finds for grown-ups & kids, and it is a great place to visit if you need something unique or if you are stumped on what to give someone. Fair warning: if you go into the main building through the front door, you are going to walk right through the kids' shop area. You might have a hard time getting little ones through there without spending some money. 😉 Luckily, if you are just visiting the Lolly, there is a booth located near its entrance, and you can check in there instead of...

Beautiful grounds with 20th century bronze, steel and marble sculpture displayed throughout. Also interspersed are more contemporary pieces made of driftwood and found objects, many by local artists. Walkways are stamped with patterns to make even the mundane delightful, or painted with images or activities to keep younger visitors engaged on long walks through the garden. Trees allow for glimpses of distant art pieces and keep you intrigued, moving forward. Faerie houses dot the landscape as well, to provide fodder for storytellers and pique the interest of story-listeners. Pieces are nestled into the woods in such a way that you often don't see them at first - or even second - glance. I am pretty sure you could go again and again, or walk through in a different order, and you'd never see the same collection twice. Don't forget to visit the gallery indoors! When we went there was a paper exhibit upstairs that was great! And a craft room downstairs for families. There's also a charming gifts shop and nature center. I was also delighted by the native butterfly garden outside, close to the museum's front door and the creekside overlook on the art walk (playhouses and rocking chairs included) that featured a view of St. John Creek (I've seen this spot from my kayak and had no idea I was looking at the museum grounds!). I...

Just an hour drive south of Washington, D.C. is a sculpture garden. Annemarie Sculpture Garden is an affiliate of the Smithsonian and houses many pieces from the Hirshhorn Museum (Washington, D.C.). With its own collection of art and the large arts center on campus, it's a whimsical place to bring the whole family. Here's why I loved it:

1. Art: Although there is a small gallery on the second floor of the arts center, most of the pieces are outside in the garden. Follow a number of trails through the forest and stumble upon pieces like a rock with an upside-down painted astronaut or a little house that leads to an alphabet scavenger hunt for kids. Most of the pieces are modern art.

2. Fun: Kids love this place. There's a fairy village, a colorful area filled with pieces for kids, outdoor art classes and fun sidewalk paint asking kids to "Gallop like a unicorn" and "Hop like a frog."

3. Price: Even if you spend hours here, they just ask for a suggested donation of $5 per person. I think it's worth a donation larger than $5!

4. Amenities: There's plenty of parking, restrooms (even during the pandemic) and an art school.

If you go, drive a few minutes into historic Solomons to walk along the water while enjoying a slice of key lime pie from...