Overview
Laurel is a city of 30,000 people (2020) in Prince George's County, Maryland. Largely residential, the city maintains a historic district centered on its Main Street, highlighting its industrial past.
4 sights · 2 things to do · 11 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Laurel
Montpelier Mansion
Fairland Regional Park
Sports complex, tennis bubble and skating rink. If that's not enough, they have a "stormwater management demonstration project area". Bring the kids!
National Wildlife Visitor Center
Laurel Museum
Laurel Mill Playhouse
Laurel Mill Playhouse is an amateur theater with a year-round season of comedies, dramas and musicals.
Dinosaur Park
The Dinosaur Park preserves a deposit of fossils from the early Cretaceous Period, about 110 million years ago. This is one of the most important dinosaur fossil sites east of the Mississippi River.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 30°F. Very hot (Jul) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Washington, D.C.)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BWI Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Baltimore — 12 mi away (major hub). Directions
- DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington — 19 mi away (major hub). Directions
Laurel is very easy to get to by car, as US-1 passes directly through its center, and to the east and west are I-95 and MD-295 (the Baltimore-Washington Pkwy). From either highway, take MD-198 (exit 33 off I-95) to go east-west into Laurel.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Typical meal: about $12 per person at listed restaurants.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Laurel Museum, Laurel Mill Playhouse
- Lunch Tampico Grill
- Afternoon Dinosaur Park, Montpelier Mansion
- Dinner Pupuseria Dona Azucena
- Evening Nuzback's
Day 2
- Morning National Wildlife Visitor Center
- Lunch Mangos Grill Restaurant
- Afternoon Fairland Regional Park
- Dinner Taqueria Los Primos
- Evening Remingtons
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
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Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car
Laurel is very easy to get to by car, as US-1 passes directly through its center, and to the east and west are I-95 and MD-295 (the Baltimore-Washington Pkwy). From either highway, take MD-198 (exit 33 off I-95) to go east-west into Laurel.
By plane
Laurel is quite close to Baltimore-Washington International Airport—just about a 25-minute drive along the B-W Pkwy.
By train
Laurel has its own stops on the Marc Commuter Rail Camden Line at the Laurel MARC station and the Laurel Racetrack MARC station.
By bus
From Washington, D.C., you can take the Metro to Greenbelt, and then transfer to Metrobus 89 or Connect-A-Ride H, which both lead straight into Laurel on US-1.
See
Do
- Laurel Park, a thoroughbred horse racetrack, is located just outside the city limits. It will host the Preakness Stakes, the second race in the US Thoroughbred Triple Crown, in 2026 while the race's normal home of Pimlico in Baltimore is being rebuilt. After Pimlico reopens in 2027, Laurel Park will permanently close.
Eat
Budget
Eat Tampico Grill
Mexican restaurant and grill.
Eat Pupuseria Dona Azucena
Salvadoran pupusas.
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Eat Mangos Grill Restaurant
Tex-Mex grill.
Eat Taqueria Los Primos
Authentic Mexican taqueria.
Eat Toucan Taco
The sign outside might say "Toucan Taco", but locals will refer to this as "Tippy's", the name from when it opened in 1972 until 1992. The Chili Con Queso and Sunken Burrito are particular favorites.
Mid-range
Eat BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse
Part of a chain of restaurants served by a microbrewery.
Eat Salsa Brava Urbana Kitchen
Mexican restaurant, featuring a tequila bar with an extensive list.
Eat Kabu Steakhouse and Sushi Bar
Japanese steakhouse, hibachi grill, sushi and sashimi bar and full-service bar.
Eat Mad Cow Grill
Burgers and steaks combined with Caribbean favorites. Large selection of beers on tap.
Eat Red Hot & Blue
Barbeque and blues music.
Eat Olive on Main
Both Middle-Eastern and standard American fare. Crabcakes. Beer and wine list.
Drink
- Ragamuffins Coffee House, 385 Main St Laurel. A community-centric coffee shop in the heart of Old Laurel.
Drink Nuzback's
A dive bar with very cheap drinks. Restaurant with cheap food. Try the grit sticks appetizer.
Drink Remingtons
This dive is on MD Route 198 east of the Baltimore Washington Parkway and has karaoke.
Sleep
Nearby
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City / town · 13 listings · 3 mi away
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Colesville-Burtonsville
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Berwyn Heights
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New Carrollton
City / town · 3 listings · 9 mi away
Hanover
City / town · 5 listings · 10 mi away
My experience
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