Bowie, a populous city in Prince George County, Maryland, has grown tremendously from a tiny railroad stop to the county’s fifth largest city.
In 1853, Colonel William Ducket Bowie gained ownership of a charter which led to building a rail line in the city.
The railroad spurred economic growth in the area and led to the development of Bowie as a city.
Belair, an estate constructed around 1745 for Governor Samuel Ogle, was the first substantial habitation in the said area.
Later, Huntington, a small farming town, grew there.
In 1816, the city was incorporated.
In 1880, it was renamed Bowie in honor of Oden Bowie, the governor of Maryland from 1867 to 1872
With many things to do, it has something for everyone, such as arts and culture, outdoor activities, and shopping.
Here are the best things to do in Bowie, Maryland:
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Spanning about 85 acres of parks and open spaces, Allen Pond Park is a great place to take a stroll and have a picnic lunch.
Allen Pond Park has a playground for the kids, an amphitheater, and a trail to get you moving.
The main draw of Allen Pond Park is a large artificial ten-acre pond stocked with bass and crappie for fishing enjoyment.
With approximately 40% of the park surrounded by trees, the region provides a home for furry animals.
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You can bond with your family while floating around the pond on a boat rental.
For those with toddlers, Opportunity Park is the best place to visit with its fun playground.
Other attractions in Allen Pond Park are Bowie State Park and Bowie Ice Arena.
The Bowie Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts venue perfect for those who love watching live shows.
Located next to Bowie High School, Bowie Center for the Performing Arts is the result of an innovative public-private partnership.
The center is known for producing various stage plays, dance performances, and musicals.
The Bowie Center for the Performing Arts is also a great place to take the family as they offer family-friendly events from time to time.
The 800-seat auditorium or 150-seat Bowie Blade-News Recital Hall/Community Room can host anything from a school production or concert to an off-Broadway show.
Founded in 1993, the National Capital Radio and Television Museum is devoted to preserving artifacts associated with electronic media.
The museum features vintage radios, TVs, phonographs, audio equipment, and ephemera.
You can examine the 40lb portable radio and the Philco “Mystery” remote control for a more in-depth look at broadcasting history.
The National Capital Radio and Television Museum chronicles pre-radio equipment’s evolution through television and other contemporary radio-based technology.
The museum also features kid-friendly exhibits, early radio and television program recordings, and interactive demonstrations of how radio waves function.
If you’re interested in the behind-the-scenes of radio and television programs, join their tours of seven galleries.
The Bowie Farmers’ Market is a produce market open every Sunday from May to October.
You can find fruits and vegetables, fresh flowers, herbs, eggs, honey, yogurt, and baked goods.
Coffee lovers might as well try the roasted coffee available in the market.
Coasters made of resin, wall art, cheese boards, spoons, and other handcrafted items are also being sold in the market.
Meat lovers will also be happy to know that they offer chicken, beef, pork, and even mutton.
Not only does the market provide fresh, local produce, but it’s also a great way to support the Bowie community.
Immerse yourself in a real-life escape room adventure at All in Adventures Escape Room.
You will have 50 minutes to solve puzzles and think of strategies to complete the mission and escape the room.
All In Adventure Escape Rooms provides something for everyone and will get your heart racing.
There are eight different storylines to pick from.
You can try the Escape from Alcatraz Challenge or collect treasure at Treasure Island.
You can even become a hero at the Superhero’s Adventure Escape Room or escape from the undead at the Zombie Apocalypse.
All In Adventure Escape Rooms boasts clean and spacious rooms perfect for team-building exercises, birthday parties, or a fun night out with friends.
The Bowie Playhouse is a community theater producing shows since 1976.
The City of Bowie owns and controls the Bowie Playhouse, which serves as the base of operations for the Bowie Community Theatre and 2nd Star Productions.
The Bowie Playhouse is a 150-seat enclosed theater restored in 2008 and opens year-round.
Access free parking at the White Marsh Park near the Playhouse.
You can watch plays starring local artists, such as the thriller/mystery Wait Until Dark, or the postwar drama All My Sons.
The theater also holds musical events and concerts from time to time.
The Bowie Town Center is an outdoor shopping mall with more than 70 stores, including Macy’s, Lane Bryant, Foot Locker, and Claire’s.
For complete pampering, the Bowie Town Center also features health, bath, and beauty shops, such as Luxury Spa Nails, Rally’s Hair Salon, and Bowie Town Barbers.
The Bowie Town Center also has a food court with various dining options and the exciting All In Adventure Escape Room.
Established in 2001, the Bowie Town Center is in the heart of Bowie.
Kids also have a play area to let out some energy and plenty of places to sit and relax.
Formerly a 600-acre horse farm, Bowie Golf Club sits on a beautifully manicured property into an 18-hole course.
The golf course features rolling hills, mature trees, and stunning fairways for users who want to relax.
Improve your skills with Bowie Golf Club’s instructors, who can teach from the newbies to the advanced players.
Tournaments and competitions occur regularly at the Bowie Golf Club.
The pro shop at The Bowie Golf Club provides a full range of golf equipment and accessories in addition to complete golf services.
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The Belair Mansion, constructed in 1745, has hosted several Maryland governors, including Samuel Ogle, George Plater, and Oden Bowie.
The historic house was meticulously restored and now serves as a museum that offers tours to the public and highlights the lives and eras of Bowie’s people from 1747 to 1950.
Among the collections on the show are family silver, paintings from the 18th century, and furniture crafted in the United States.
Belair Mansion is one of only two stables that produced two Triple Crown winners and significantly impacted thoroughbred horse race competitions.
William Woodward, a famous American horseman of the twentieth century, eventually made the Mansion one of his residences.
The Belair Mansion, which Woodward expanded in 1914, reflects its 250-year history.
The Belair Stable Museum is a must-visit for any horse lover.
The stable was home to some of the most famous racehorses in history, including the renowned father and son Gallant Fox and Omaha.
The stable, constructed in 1907 by William Woodward, was famous in the US from the 1920s through the 1950s.
The Belair Stable Museum celebrates the successes of Belair’s predecessors throughout a 200-year racing career.
It also showcases Belair Stable Museum’s numerous agricultural functions and includes the living quarters of a 1923 Stablemaster.
Relish that adrenaline rush when you zap your friends at the Castle Laser Tag.
The multi-level castle has state-of-the-art laser guns and fog machines that create a real battle experience.
A Wise Wizard will guide you as you navigate the castle’s corridors, towers, and secret rooms.
If you get tired of the castle, you can test your strength as you explore the ropes, beams, and boards on top of the arcade games.
Finally, wind down with the arcade games, which include air hockey, and classic skeeball, among others.
You can even celebrate birthday parties and group events at Castle Laser Tag.
The Bowie Skate Park is perfect for celebrating with your friends and families.
The Bowie Skate Park is a 10,000-square-foot cement skateboarding area open to inline and skateboard users and has components for street and vertical skating.
You can rent the Bowie Skate Park for a private party, or you can have your party during the public skate session.
The Bowie Skate Park also offers classes for beginners and those who want to improve their skating skills.
The skate park has various features, including kinked rails, quarter pipes, and a beginner’s area.
Your kids will have a grand time as they skate and play while you watch them in the spectators’ area at the Bowie Skate Park.
Located at the Bowie Town Center, Ichiban Sushi Asian Bistro is the perfect place to satisfy your Asian food cravings.
Large red sofas and dark wood tables with gold chair slipcovers await you in the waiting room, as well as a full-wall waterfall in the nook.
Ichiban Sushi Asian Bistro offers a wide variety of traditional Japanese sushi, sashimi, and tempura, as well as Chinese dim sum.
There are also two party rooms for larger gatherings, one of which has a single enormous granite table, specialty dining items, and lovely décor.
Other Asian classics, including curry pots, Thai-inspired meals, and a wide vegetarian variety, are also on the menu.
Bowie Ice Arena has served the city of Bowie since 1971 as a recreational ice skating rink offering public skating and skate rentals.
The rink is open most of the year and offers ice skating lessons for those who want to learn how to skate.
If skating is not your thing, you can watch a hockey game or a figure skating competition at the Bowie Ice Arena.
If you have kids, you can enroll them at Small Skate Camp, where they will learn skating in a fun and safe environment.
If you’re looking for a place to host a birthday party or group event, the Bowie Ice Arena is the perfect place.
The 182-acre Whitemarsh Park is a nature lover’s paradise.
The park offers hiking, biking, bird watching, and fishing.
There is also a playground for preschoolers and a picnic area with grills for those who want a barbecue.
If you want to explore Whitemarsh Park, take the nature trail that winds through the woods, stretching approximately 1.5 miles of improved path.
Visitors can also take a break at a park’s pavilions, available for rent.
Whitemarsh Park is the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors.
Andrew Bossi, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
The Bowie Railroad Museum features exhibits on the early days of railroading in Bowie and the city’s role in the Civil War.
Following the Civil War, railroad layout designs from Baltimore to Southern Maryland started taking shape.
In 1872, the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad inaugurated Bowie Station, which eventually became a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad System.
A developer grabbed the chance and built “Huntington City” surrounding the railroad station.
Stores, hotels, and cozy Victorian homes lined the sidewalks of Huntington City.
Bowie replaced the name of the city of Huntington in 1880 as a dedication to Governor Oden Bowie, who was vital in bringing the railroad to the area.
In 1989, they demolished the railroad station to make room for a new train station located at Bowie State University.
However, the station remained a popular stopping point.
To honor the station’s significant contribution to Bowie’s history, the city rebuilt the structures in the early 1990s.
Bowie is a gorgeous neighborhood that provides various recreational opportunities, delicious dining experiences, and interesting shops to explore.
Bowie is known for its diversity and excellent standard of living.
Whether looking for a place to take your family for a day out or searching for a new place to call home, this is the perfect place for you.
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