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We are going to start our tour today in the heart of the Kentlands – a well-known area of Gaithersburg that backs up to the Lakelands neighborhood. We’ll be turning right on Center Point Way but just ahead, you will see the local movie theater. It’s a state-of-the-art luxury theater offering food and drink service brought to your seat. And on your right and left are some great restaurants including Mod Pizza, Cinco de Mayo, Dog Haus, Five Guys and Vasilis. Both the Kentlands and Lakelands have walkable neighborhoods and it’s so nice to be able to walk up to grab lunch or dinner or a cup of coffee.

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As you can see, there are several retail stores in the area for shopping including two grocery stores – a Giant and a Whole Foods, as well as Michaels, PetSmart, Party City, several wine and beer stores, nail salons, hair salons, and more. Up ahead of you on the other side of Kentlands Boulevard, will see a brand-new drive through Starbucks. Be sure to turn left on Kentlands Boulevard.

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There are also many other restaurants in the area including Coal Fire which has amazing artisan style pizzas, salads and sandwiches, Thai Tanium, Kenaki Sushi, Bonefish Grill, not to mention Chick Fil A, Jersey Mikes, Panera Bread, and more. Be sure to order the Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish! You won’t be disappointed. Just ahead you’ll be hitting a roundabout. Be sure to go three-fourths of the way around and don’t forget to yield to other cars.

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Residents of both neighborhoods enjoy running and bike paths connecting the two neighborhoods, a seasonal farmers market – which we will see up ahead, outdoor musical events, large community pools and clubhouses that offer meeting rooms and fully equipped fitness centers.

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Up ahead you will veer left on to Main Street. Straight in front of you under the pavilion and on the lawn area on your right is the site of the Main Street Farmers and Artists Market, which occurs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. throughout the year. You will find a variety of fruits and vegetables, desserts and other baked goods, crab cakes, and various art shops. Up ahead you be making a right turn on Inspiration Lane.

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The Kentlands and Lakelands together used to be an approximate 1,100-acre farm that included a mansion, brick barn, private firehouse and a small greenhouse – all of which are still standing and in use today. The farm was sold in 1988 to begin development of Kentlands, which was one of the first attempts to create a neo-traditional neighborhood, more commonly known as New Urbanism.

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The Lakelands is an extension of Kentlands and is also designed in the neo-traditional community style. Both neighborhoods are a mix of single-family homes, townhouses and condominiums. Make sure you turn right on Firehouse Lane.

• Distance : 0.12
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On your right is the Kentlands Firehouse, one of the few surviving structures from when the area was a farm. It was renovated and is now a private home. On your left, is the Gaithersburg Arts Barn - a beautifully renovated stable that once housed horses on the former Tschiffely estate. Today, the Arts Barn is part of Arts on the Green, the City’s home for visual and performing arts. In addition to a 99-seat theater, the Arts Barn offers rotating art exhibits, artists-in-residence studios, a gift shop, and an active schedule of visual and performing arts classes, workshops and camps for children and adults. My daughters took summer theater camps here including productions of Annie and Peter Pan. They loved it and it’s amazing how the kids can put on an entire production over the course of one or two weeks. Next, you’ll be turning left on Briscoe Street.

• Distance : 0.18
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On your left is the Kentlands Mansion, which reflects the beauty and grandeur of the early 1900s, with 22-foot ceilings, dark wood paneling, polished hardwood floors and crystal chandeliers. This historic venue is often used for weddings and also serves as an art gallery with a rotating exhibition. It is also a favorite of the local high schoolers for prom and homecoming pictures. As you continue your drive, on your right is Inspiration Lake – a popular place for walking, running or biking.

• Distance : 0.40
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On your left is the Kentlands Green – over an acre of green lawn surrounded by towering shade trees. Pull up a blanket and have a picnic, play catch with your kids, or consider renting the space for a wedding, arts event or other social gathering. The Green adjoins the historic Kentlands Mansion and Gaithersburg Arts Barn. In October, you will not want to miss the fabulous Oktoberfest hosted by the city complete with traditional music, food, beer, horse drawn carriage rides, and more. Be sure to turn right on Golden Ash Way.

• Distance : 0.36
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Up ahead you’ll be making a left on Main Street and on your right is Lakelands Park which includes baseball fields, a skate park, Billy’s Playground, and a gorgeous turf soccer field owned and maintained by the City of Gaithersburg. Throughout the year, sports teams use the field for practices and games including Lakelands Park Middle School up ahead on your right, which has use of the field during the school day. As you drive to your next destination, enjoy a tour of the Lakelands neighborhood.

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On your left is the Lakelands Clubhouse along with two pools, tennis and basketball courts and a playground for Lakelands residents to enjoy. You’ll be turning right on Linslade Street.

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On your left is Four Corners Park, one of many green spaces throughout the Kentlands and Lakelands where you will often see families and friends gather to play or exercise. As you are exiting the neighborhood, on your left is Lake Varuna – a popular spot for local fishing. Up ahead, we’ll be leaving the Lakelands neighborhood and you will be heading south on Great Seneca Highway.

• Distance : 1.61
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On your right through the woods is the Muddy Branch Trail and Creek which my kids and I have hiked many times. The trail will take you all the way to River Road – about 14 miles through wooded terrain that follows the creek. An interesting fact about Gaithersburg is that the Arts are very much of part of our local culture. There are three art galleries with rotating exhibits including at the Arts Barn, Kentlands Mansion and the Activity Center at Bohrer Park – which you will see a little later in our tour. And there are more than two dozen permanent Art in Public Places installations throughout the city. Pretty cool right? You’ll continue straight on Great Seneca and turn left on Sam Eig Highway and from there we will pick up our tour over in another neighborhood called Downtown Crown. Also, if you have a dog, up ahead on Sam Eig Highway and Diamondback Drive is a dog park that is popular with dog owners.

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Welcome to Downtown Crown – one of the newest neighborhoods in Gaithersburg. Be sure to make your first left on to Copley Place. Similar to Kentlands and Lakelands, the Downtown Crown development is a mix of different home styles designed to be a walkable community. Up on your left you’ll see a Harris Teeter shopping store, as well as a Starbucks. On the right is LA Fitness Club. We’ll be making a right on Crown Park Avenue.

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As you drive down Crown Park Avenue you will notice several restaurants, many with outdoor seating, including Ruth’s Chris, Coastal Flats, Ted’s Bulletin, Paladar, &Pizza and more. Ted’s Bulletin is known for their homemade pop tarts and amazing shakes.

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As you continue your drive, I hope you can get a feel for the Downtown Crown neighborhood including its future growth.

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So what do you think so far? We still have much more to see but can you see yourself living here?

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Coming up ahead of you is the Downtown Crown clubhouse and pool area. As you go left on Decoverly Drive, you’ll notice more development for the neighborhood on your right. Your next turn will be up ahead, and you will be making a right on Fields Road. Across the field on your right is the future site of a new high school as well as more homes.

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As you turn left on to Washingtonian Boulevard, you are heading towards another area of Gaithersburg known as Washingtonian Rio. This area includes several hotels – perfect for out-of-town guests, as well as several office buildings and many restaurants and stores which you will see coming up.

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On your right is the Washingtonian Rio area featuring an AMC movie theater, Dave & Buster’s, several restaurants, ZIPS dry cleaners and so much more. There is also a man-made lake designed with a path for walking or biking, paddleboats, and a carousel for the kids. The area also includes Rio Park – a wonderful kid friendly playground. An interesting fact is that more than 90% of Gaithersburg residents live within a half mile of a City park. In all there are 27 parks in Gaithersburg! Lots of space to explore and relax.

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As you look to your right you can catch a glimpse of the lake including the bridge that connects both areas of Washingtonian Rio. Uncle Julio’s on your right has amazing fajitas! It’s one of our favorites! Anchored by a two-story Target, Kohls and Dicks Sporting Goods, the Washingtonian Rio shopping center offers even more restaurant options, Barnes & Noble, and specialty shops like South Moon Under, White House Black Market and Loft.

• Distance : 3.44
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The annual Gaithersburg St. Patrick’s Day Parade is held on these streets which is loads of fun! Another circle is coming up and you’ll want to go to the right on Washingtonian Boulevard. After that you’ll be turning right at the light on to I-370 East, also known as Sam Eig Highway. As you turn on to I-370, you will see a Lifetime Athletic fitness center directly across the highway – a great place to get in a good workout. You are going to follow I-370 to exit 2 which will put you on to MD 355 North – also known as Frederick Avenue. You’ll be driving for about 5 minutes and then I’ll catch up with you at our next destination.

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After you turn left on Education Boulevard, on your right is Gaithersburg High School. Home to the blue and gold, Gaithersburg High School is one of three high schools in Gaithersburg. At the circle up ahead, you’ll want to proceed around and follow the signs for Bohrer Park.

• Distance : 0.22
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Make a right just ahead and then make another quick right into the parking lot. Welcome to Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm – the official park of Gaithersburg! Drive slowly so I can tell you lots of great things or feel free to pull over and park a minute. There are so many activities to enjoy at this 58-acre park including an outdoor pool and water park, 18-hole mini golf course, skate park, 2 fishing ponds, and open fields. I had my son’s birthday party at the skate park when he was younger, and the kids loved it! Many of the City of Gaithersburg summer camps enjoy visiting the pool once or twice a week which is great fun for the kids and a nice way to cool off in the summer.

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Up ahead on your right is the Activity Center at Bohrer Park which includes a fitness center and several indoor courts used for recreational basketball, volleyball and other sports. The City of Gaithersburg offers many wonderful recreational sports league programs, amazing summer camps, and many classes for adults and kids, some of which are held here at Bohrer Park. I’ve spent many days inside this building watching my kids play basketball.

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The large lawn area on the right is great for family outings and the perfect spot to watch the City of Gaithersburg’s 4th of July fireworks.

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Follow your GPS and head left on Route 355 and we will drive over to Olde Town Gaithersburg.

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Make your immediate next right as our first stop in Olde Towne Gaithersburg is Gaithersburg City Hall. All official city business is conducted here, and the grounds of City Hall are also home to the annual Gaithersburg Book Festival held every May, which draws national authors and more than a thousand book enthusiasts. There is also a stage on your left where concerts and shows for children are held.

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Griffith Park is also located on the grounds of City Hall and is a great place for young children to play. As you follow the exit signs from City Hall, you will find yourself at the Gaithersburg train station.

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Pull over and park for a minute while I tell you about the train station. Originally built in 1884 for the Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the station consists of two historic buildings. The Gaithersburg Community Museum is located in the 1884 Freight House, alongside a 1918 steam engine, a 1982 caboose and a 1953 RDC. Inside the Museum, you can touch and feel your way through historic objects and images.

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Olde Towne Gaithersburg is host to the annual City of Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade which is loads of fun with activities for everyone! We’ll be heading left on Diamond Avenue as we drive to your next destination. Also, just a block away are Gaithersburg Elementary School and Gaithersburg Middle School.

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Just ahead we are going to turn left on Brookes Avenue but if you went right, about a block away there is an awesome park. Constitution Gardens Park celebrates the past, present and future of Gaithersburg with interactive play spaces inspired by the history of the area. The Log Town area of the park features a play space with natural climbing elements, log playhouses, stump stools, log flumes and a sensory garden. You’ll also find hand carved wooden animals that remind us of Gaithersburg’s agricultural past. Next, we’ll be turning right on Frederick Avenue also known as Route 355.

• Distance : 0.33
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We’re about to turn left on Chestnut Avenue. Up ahead on Chestnut Avenue I have to tell you all about the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. The fair is a nine-day event held in mid-August complete with carnival rides, agricultural animals, traditional fair food as well as pig races, an art and photography show, and so much more. Begun in 1945, the fair was born out of a desire to create a county show for the 4-H members in Montgomery County to exhibit their prize livestock, as well as homemaking and craft projects to the community. Look for the fair sign on your right. The Montgomery County Fair has been in its current location since 1949 and is one of the largest county fairs in the State of Maryland. I myself rarely miss a year at the fair! The Fairgrounds also hosts other events including the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival, Flea Markets, banquets and meetings.

• Distance : 1.00
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You are now on Route 117, also known as West Diamond Avenue. As you continue your drive on to the next destination, be sure to keep an eye out for the various restaurants and stores along the way including Dogfish Head restaurant, Buffalo Wild Wings and Home Goods. A couple miles further down this road, you would also find a Bowl America bowling alley as well as Seneca Creek State Park. In Gaithersburg we are so lucky to have several parks and lakes including Seneca Creek State Park. Comprised of 6,300 acres, the park extends along 14 scenic miles of Seneca Creek, as it winds its way to the Potomac River. There are over 50 miles of trails open for hiking and biking along with fishing, boat rentals and a tire playground. The 90-acre Clopper Lake within the park has an approximate 3-mile trail around it. You can also launch your own paddleboard, kayak or canoe and enjoy a peaceful few hours on the water. The park is home to many picnic areas with tables and grills provided. In the spring, be sure to come visit the Peony Gardens and experience a field full of peonies, a beautiful sight to behold. In the winter, be sure to visit the Winter Lights Festival, a 3.5-mile drive through the park that takes you past more than 450 illuminated displays and beautifully lit trees that light up the night. In conjunction with the Winter Lights Festival, the park offers additional activities including S’more Lights, Wine Under the Lights, Run Under the Lights, and Leashes n’ Lights where you can walk or run through the lights with your furry pet. We are incredibly lucky to have this wonderful park so close by in Gaithersburg. We are going to be making a left on Quince Orchard Road.

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Gaithersburg is home to many biotech and other high-technology firms and the area is often referred to as the “technology corridor.” On your left, you will see the National Institutes of Standards and Technology. NIST has called Gaithersburg home since 1961, bringing an incredible amount of growth to the City. An interesting fact is that NIST houses the standard meter and kilogram to which all others are compared for accuracy. NIST’s arrival gave Gaithersburg the designation as the “Science Capital of the United States.”

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Up ahead on your left you will see the Quince Orchard Park neighborhood as well as the main campus for Astra Zeneca which is one of Gaithersburg’s largest employers. The campus is quite large and includes several buildings in addition to – yes, another park! Discovery Park recently opened and includes a gaga pit, playground equipment and lots of green space and covered picnic tables. I’ve shown you lots of great stuff about Gaithersburg, but there is so much more! After you cross Great Seneca Highway and continue along Quince Orchard Road, up ahead you’ll find Quince Orchard High School (known as QO to most). QO is home to the 2019 State Championship Football team, with the Cougar for its mascot. The Red Army student section is a sight to behold at Friday night football games in the Cougar Dome. You’ll be hard pressed to find a high school with more community spirit than QO. Also, across from the high school, you’ll find the Quince Orchard Public Library. A second library in Gaithersburg is located a few miles east on Quince Orchard Road. Surrounding the intersection of Darnestown Road and Quince Orchard Road are several amazing restaurants including Café Roma, Inferno which was voted one of the top pizzerias in the country, Nothing Bundt Cakes, another Starbucks, Neal’s Bagels, Spring Mill Bread Company, Gemelli’s Italian Market, among several others. You will also find numerous shops including Artisans, CVS, a county liquor store, as well as Potomac Garden Center on Darnestown Road. If you drove north on Darnestown Road, you would see signs for Rocklands Winery and Windridge Winery. The area has seen an influx of new wineries and breweries in the past few years. A visit to Windridge will leave you feeling like you are in a California vineyard with a lush green lawn and rolling hills. Just a short drive from Gaithersburg, you will find so much more to do including Sugarloaf Mountain, several golf courses and country clubs, Top Golf, a large soccer complex, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and so much more. This concludes our tour of the City of Gaithersburg. What did you think? I hope you enjoyed the tour. I would love to hear from you and show you around personally. Call me, Christine Neal, at 301-503-7701 or email me at ChristineNealHomes@gmail.com. Also feel free to check out my website at ChristineNealHomes.com. Thank you again for letting me show you around Gaithersburg with the UCPlaces app! Have a wonderful day!