The Top 5 Reasons to Visit Owings Mills, Maryland Now
WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF
PUBLISHED JUNE 2022 • 4 min read
Minutes away from Downtown Baltimore takes you to the historic mill town of Owings Mills, Maryland. Once an isolated mill town known for grinding flour, producing grist and for the production of plaster from limestone—this quaint suburb is now the heart of bustling Baltimore County. Within easy reach of Downtown Baltimore, you have extensive upscale shopping and art museums all at your fingertips. But, right in the heart of Owings Mills Metro Centre you’ll find a haven for foodies.
Image courtesy of Visit Baltimore
1. THE SHOPPING
Baltimore, in Vogue. Surrounded by monuments, museums, and historic and quirky neighborhoods, Harbor East celebrates the now. A favorite among locals and tourists alike, this shopping mall is home to many upscale shopping retailers, fine dining establishments, and exciting cultural and family-friendly entertainment attractions. Spend a day in Harbor East and you’ll find there’s no shortage of ways to indulge yourself.
In addition to Harbor East’s own attractions, take a short walk along the waterfront promenade to Batimore’s Inner Harbor. You’re also just a few blocks from Fell’s Point and Little Italy. Right next to Harbor East is an even newer neighborhood called Harbor Point. It’s home to Sandlot, a temporary beach oasis open during the summer. Here you’ll be transported to a tropical island with fruity drinks, live music and volleyball and bocce ball courts.
2. THE ART
Founded over 100 years ago, the Baltimore Museum of Art connects art to Baltimore and Baltimore to the world, embodying a commitment to artistic excellence and social equity in every decision from art presentation, interpretation, and collecting—creating a museum welcoming to all.
Bold, brave, and essential, it is the unwavering vision of the Baltimore Museum of Art to be the most relevant publicly engaged museum in the United States. In addition, take a stroll through the sculpture gardens where you’ll find 33 sculptures positioned across nearly 3 lush acres. Along the path, linger for an up-close look at both towering and smaller-scale examples of modern and contemporary sculpture created within the last 100 years.
As you’re walking the neighborhood streets, look for some of the most interesting murals in the city. Spanning the neighborhoods of Charles North, Greenmount West, Remington, and Barclay, Station North—you’ll discover a diverse collection of artist live-work spaces, art galleries, historic rowhomes, and most importantly, murals. Walk through Graffiti Alley, hear the stories of how these murals got painted and learn about newer murals in these districts!
3. THE COCKTAILS & CUISINE
The newest upscale New American dining experience in Baltimore County has arrived in the heart of Metro Centre. The Tillery Restaurant & Bar brings a modern and intimate dining ambiance to Owings Mills, Maryland. Here, traditional fare meets culinary innovation. For your artisanal cocktail fix, we recommend trying the Kara’s Old Fashioned—a bourbon lover’s dream, this cocktail is concocted with Maker’s Mark bourbon, honey syrup, orange bitters, paired with honey stir stick from Honey House and presented with a smoke top.
The Tillery Restaurant & Bar in Owings Mills, Maryland
Local hospitality is at the center of it all. And at the center of hospitality is food. The Tillery Restaurant & Bar brings the best of the expansive countryside together with a modern and intimate dining experience—and they call it “Farm to Centre.” Dynamic specials featuring the seasons' best produce pair with the dependability and indulgent comfort of a prime cut of beef. An array of favorite dishes include Fried Green Tomatoes with line cream, crab salad and pepita Romesco, Pork Belly with Heritage Farms pork belly, sesame carrot purée, Gochujang glaze and pickles, Crispy Soft Shell Crab Sandwich with Maryland blue crab, tempura batter, Tillery sauce, fresh spring slaw, and sourdough toasted to perfection, BBQ Charbroiled Wellfleet Oysters with Gochujang butter, parmesan and scallions, Duck Confit Bao with pickled red cabbage, hoisin aioli and crispy shallots, Chicken & Waffle with buttermilk marinated chicken breast, house-made Belgian waffle and Honey House hot truffle honey, as well as The Tillery Burger with candied bacon and farm fresh sunny side up egg.
For those craving something sweet, end your experience with Mango Panna Cotta. Hungry yet?
4. THE GARDENS
Dating back to 1907, Sherwood Gardens puts on a unique and glorious display of tulips of many varieties, all imported from Holland. The 80,000 tulips occupy over 28 beds spread throughout 6-acres of gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.
There are few better places to enjoy a warm day in Baltimore than by taking advantage of this hidden gem known as Sherwood Gardens. So, pack a lunch, spread out a blanket and relax. Admission is free and the grounds are also pet-friendly.
5. THE ARCHITECTURE
A National Historic Landmark, Homewood House Museum is one of the best-surviving examples of Federal-period Palladian architecture in the nation. Built circa 1801 for members of Maryland’s prominent Carroll family, the house also was home to at least 25 enslaved individuals, including William and Rebecca Ross and their 2 children, and Izadod and Cis Conner and 6 of their 13 children.
Homewood House Museum in Baltimore, Maryland
Homewood House Museum is best experienced via an award-winning guided tour, which winds through the house’s 11 elaborately furnished rooms and tells the intertwined narratives of the Carroll, Conner, and Ross families.
WHERE TO STAY IN OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND
As the first full-service hotel of its kind in Owings Mills, Maryland, the 4-Diamond Marriott Owings Mills Metro Centre is located amidst the shopping, dining, and events of Metro Centre at Owings Mills. Relax in the elegant lobby lounge and dine at The Tillery Restaurant & Bar, Baltimore County’s newest upscale American dining experience.
