Cumberland (Maryland)

• Visitor information

Walking is not only the best method, but also the only method for exploring the downtown area. The Baltimore Street commercial district is closed to traffic and is a pedestrian-only mall. Within a few blocks of this area, one can easily walk to the Canal Place Heritage Area, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, the Washington Street Historic District, as well as a variety of other shops and restaurants. It is important to note that while it is possible to walk from the train station to the only downtown hotel, the Holiday Inn, one has to cross a high-traffic section of railroad tracks to access the hotel as well as the rest of the downtown area.

In order to explore the rest of the city and region, however, having a car is advised. Be aware that in the downtown area, parking can sometimes be difficult to find. One public parking garage is available: the Center City Garage on the corner of Pershing and George Streets. There is also a small parking lot accessible from Liberty Street, but the parking garage at this location is now by permit only. There is visitor parking at the Western Maryland Station on Mechanic Street, and metered parking under the Crosstown Bridge (I-68), and along many side streets.

Washington Street Historic District is an approximately 35-acre (140,000 m2) residential area to the west of downtown Cumberland and contains large-scale 19th- and 20th-century houses.

• 🌍 Allegany County Courthouse, 30 Washington Street. The city's most prominent building, which looms over the Cumberland skyline, is very pretty. 
• 🌍 Brooke Whiting House of Art, 632 Washington Street, ☏ +1 301-777-7782. Th-Sa 10AM-4PM, tours every hour on the hour. Brooke Whiting, a wealthy world traveler from Cumberland, bequeathed his house and large art collection to the city as a museum. The collection focuses on decorative arts from East Asia, Europe, and America. 
• 🌍 Canal Place, 13 Canal Street. A National Historic Park at the center of Cumberland in the very attractive Downtown Historic District (along Baltimore St), including the historic Western Maryland Railway Station, a canal boat, festival grounds, an ice-skating rink, and Washington's Headquarters 
• 🌍 Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 16 Washington St. An impressive Gothic church in the historic downtown, which was built upon the former site of Fort Cumberland, where George Washington began his military career. 
• 🌍 Washington Street Library, 31 Washington St, ☏ +1 301-777-1200. Greek Revival-style building constructed between 1849 and 1850 

• The Country Club Mall is the only indoor shopping mall in at least a 70-mile radius of Cumberland. It is in suburban La Vale, which is about 5 minutes driving time from downtown. Anchor stores include JC Penney, Sears, The Bon-Ton, and Walmart Supercenter.
• 🌍 Baltimore Street. and its cross streets have several boutiques and specialty stores of interest, including Monkey Business (trendy ladies' clothing), The Book Center (quality books for all ages, as well as a wide selection of magazines, newspapers and cigars), and the Emporium (independent vendors of antiques, art and collectibles). 
• 🌍 Cohongaronta Gallery, Terminal Loop, Wiley Ford WV (Greater Cumberland Regional Airport). airport terminal business hours. Named after the Shawnee name for the Potomac River, this gallery has many displays about the history of the Potomac Highlands area. The gallery also has a 40%-scale replica of the Wright Brothers' 1903 Wright Flyer airplane. 

Most dining in the city itself is in the downtown area. Ethnic restaurants (Chinese) and American cuisine are widely available. Be aware that most restaurants on the downtown mall can be pricey, especially for dinner. For the more budget-conscious traveler, five fast food establishments are also located close to downtown, and the Culinary Cafe, a unique educational restaurant for students at Allegany College of Maryland, is also not costly, and is on the downtown mall. Many other common chain restaurants are located in LaVale.

• 🌍 Ristorante Ottaviani, 25 N Centre St, ☏ +1 301-722-0052. Tu-Sa 5-10PM. Fine Italian dining in the downtown historic district. (updated Oct 2017)
• 🌍 Crabby Pig, 13 Canal Street, ☏ +1 301-724-7472, info@crabbypig.com. Seafood and barbecue, specializing in Maryland crabcakes. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Jin's Asian Cuisine, 36 Queen City Drive, ☏ +1 301-777-5555. Tu-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-10:30PM, Su noon-9:30PM. Chinese and Japanese menu including sushi, plus a few Thai dishes. Available for take-out, delivery or eat in. (updated Apr 2024)

Many pubs and bars are located downtown and throughout the city. For those who prefer non-alcoholic beverages, try Mark's Daily Grind or the Queen City Creamery for coffee.

• 🌍 K Bar, 1118 Virginia Ave, ☏ +1 301 777-9748. Cumberland's diviest dive bar is a great, if rough-around-the-edges, place to hang out and have a beer and a cheeseburger. (updated Oct 2017)

• 🌍 Patrick's Pub, 7 Willison Place, ☏ +1 301-722-1007. M-Sa 11AM-9PM, Su 11AM-8PM. Pub food, fish-and-chips, and a wide selection of beers on tap. (updated Feb 2024)

As stated above, the only downtown hotel is the Cumberland Holiday Inn. All other hotels are located in the surrounding area. Best Western, Comfort Inn, Super 8, Slumberland Motel, and the Red Roof Inn all offer great accommodations in LaVale, about five minutes driving time from downtown. Days Inn and Hampton Inn are located in Frostburg, about 15 minutes away. In addition, the Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort in Flintstone offers luxury accommodations.

• The Castle B&B, 15925 Mount Savage Road, Mount Savage, ☏ +1 301-264-4645. One of the more intriguing Bed & Breakfasts in Maryland, this actually is a castle in the woods outside Cumberland. The rooms are gorgeous, and they'll pamper you at breakfast—no continental nonsense here! F Sa $145-175. 
• 🌍 Ramada Cumberland Downtown, 100 S George Street, ☏ +1 301-724-8800. (updated Oct 2017)
• Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort, 16701 Lakeview Road NE, ☏ +1 301-784-8400. This resort in Flintstone offers offers two golf courses, a spa and a number of children's activities. The pool is on the small side. (updated Oct 2017)
• 🌍 The Fairfield Inn, 12 Wineow Street, ☏ +1 301-722-0340. Included in the price is a breakfast to start out the ride with. Bring your swim trunks for the pool. $100-149. (updated Oct 2017)

• Rocky Gap State Park 12500 Pleasant Valley Rd. +1 301-722-1480 is just seven miles east of the city on I-68, and offers a couple nice 4-5 mile hikes. Fishing is another great activity here, on Lake Habeeb.
• Cumberland Narrows. The narrows are a tight pass through the Wills Mountains, just to the west of Cumberland on US-40. Great views over Cumberland and the surrounding countryside from the overlook there.