Overview
Rockville is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is characterized by rolling hills, historic towns, and high tech industries
5 sights · 9 things to do · 18 places to eat · 15 bars & cafés · 11 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Rockville
Beall-Dawson House
Built in 1815, it is generally well preserved and is now a museum showcasing life in the early 19th century. It includes the former residents' living quarters as well as an exhibit of 19th-century medical equipment and m…
Cabin John Regional Park
The nicest park in Montgomery County, it features an ice-skating rink; indoor and outdoor tennis courts; and many picnic areas, trails and camp sites.
Peerless Rockville
In the historic red brick courthouse, this is a mini-museum about the city's important heritage.
St. Mary's School & Cemetery
Site of the grave of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
VisArts
An arts center with public exhibitions and classes.
Rockville Town Square
Community in downtown Rockville with stores, a movie theater, library, bars, an ice skating rink and community events located across the street from the Rockville metro station.
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.
- DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington — 17 mi away (major hub). Directions
- IAD Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles — 19 mi away (major hub). Directions
Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) is a 45-minute drive from Rockville. It is also accessible via ICC Bus 201.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $100–$125 a night (typical $125), from 3 listed prices.
- Typical meal: about $10 per person at listed restaurants.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$130, mid-range ~$180, comfortable ~$240.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Beall-Dawson House, Peerless Rockville, VisArts
- Lunch La Limena
- Afternoon St. Mary's School & Cemetery, Carl Henn Millennium Trail
- Dinner Pho 95
- Evening CremCafe
Day 2
- Morning Go Ape Zip Line & Treetop Adventure, Lake Needwood Boats, RedGate Golf Course
- Lunch Villa Maya Restaurant
- Afternoon Meadowside Nature Center, Rockville Town Square
- Dinner Il Pizzico
- Evening PB's Coffee & Dessert
Day 3
- Morning Cabin John Regional Park
- Lunch Tower Oaks Lodge
- Dinner Stanford Grill Rockville
- Evening Tower Oaks Cafe
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
In addition to the restaurants below, all of the popular East Coast chain restaurants are represented in Rockville.
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.
Understand
Rockville is the second largest incorporated city in Maryland.
Rockville is 12 mi northwest of Washington D.C. and is just south of Olney and Gaithersburg.
Get in
By plane
Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) is a 45-minute drive from Rockville. It is also accessible via ICC Bus 201.
Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) is a 30-minute drive from Rockville and is accessible via the Metrorail.
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is a 35-minute drive from Rockville but takes significantly longer using public transportation.
By train
- Routes stopping at Rockville:
- Capitol Limited operates daily between Chicago and Washington, D.C. including stops in South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Alliance, Pittsburgh, Connellsville, Cumberland, Martinsburg, Harpers Ferry, and Rockville.
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metrorail Red Line stops at North Bethesda, Twinbrook, Rockville, and Shady Grove.
- MARC Train, Brunswick line, offers service to/from Union Station in Washington DC as well as service to/from Gaithersburg, Germantown, Frederick, and Harpers Ferry.
By bus
Ride-on-Bus and MetroBus operate service between Rockville and other locations in Montgomery County, including Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Wheaton.
By car
- Rockville is accessible via Interstate 270, which links I-70 with I-495, the Capital Beltway.
- Maryland Route 355, known as Hungerford Drive in the downtown area, Frederick Road to the north, and Rockville Pike to the south, is the most important north-south thoroughfare in Rockville.
- Downtown Rockville lies near the nexus of Route 355 with Maryland Route 28, called Montgomery Avenue to the west of the intersection.
- Maryland Route 586, Veirs Mill Road, connects downtown Rockville to Wheaton to the southeast.
- Route 189, Falls Road, runs southwest to its terminus at Great Falls.
Get around
By car
A car is best used to get around the city. However, Ride-on-Bus, MetroBus, and the Metrorail can be used if traveling between popular destinations.
Parking meters in Rockville are linked to the MobileNOW payment system and app.
By bicycle
There are several bicycle trails in Rockville. For information on Capital Bikeshare, the bike sharing network of the Washington D.C. area, see Washington_DC#Get_around.
See
Do
Parks
Golf
Buy
Eat
Budget
In addition to the restaurants below, all of the popular East Coast chain restaurants are represented in Rockville.
Eat A&J Restaurant
Affordable but good Chinese cuisine and dim sum.
Eat Silver Diner
A classic American diner with milkshakes and a jukebox.
Eat Taipei Tokyo
Chinese, Thai & Japanese cafeteria style.
Eat Z&Z Manoushe Bakery
Palestinian bakery, specializing in Manoushe (Palestinian flatbreads), ingredients sourced from Palestine.
Eat Yekta Supermarket & Kabob
Persian eatery located next to an affiliated imported-food market. Take-out only and in a strip mall, but excellent kabobs and other Persian dishes. Near Twinbrook metro station.
Mid-range
Eat Il Pizzico
Homemade Italian food.
Eat La Brasa Latin Cuisine
Everything Latin from quesadillas to Peruvian rotisserie chicken.
Eat La Limena
Peruvian and Cuban cuisine.
Eat Mosaic Cuisine and Cafe
Waffle sandwiches in an artsy setting.
Eat Pizza CS
A lively pizza restaurant that also has games such as shuffleboard.
Eat Siena's Vegetarian Pizzeria Restaurant
All-vegetarian, kosher menu.
Eat Villa Maya Restaurant
Mexican.
Eat Yuan Fu Vegetarian
Vegetarian Chinese.
Eat Tower Oaks Lodge (Clydes)
Very tasty but fairly affordable cuisine, mostly American fare but some foreign or foreign-influenced dishes. Serves breakfast/brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Splurge
Eat Nick's Chophouse
Steakhouse.
Eat Stanford Grill Rockville
Steak house with a good fish selection.
Drink
Bars
Drink Botanero
Good small plates and wine.
Drink Cafe 2020
Korean Bar
Drink F M Karaoke
Popular karaoke bar.
Drink Full On Craft Eats & Drinks
Good selection of craft beers.
Drink Hank Dietle's Tavern
Open since the 1950s, this bar is situated in a bungalow with a porch. Features a pool table & live music.
Drink Jonathan's Publick House
Famous for serving beer in frozen mugs.
Drink Quench
Craft cocktail lounge.
Drink Gilly's Craft Beer & Fine Wine
Unpretentious beer and wine bottle shop and bar highlighting Maryland and DC craft breweries, deli sandwich options available.
Cafes
Drink Carmen's Italian Ice & Cafe
A local favorite during the warmer months. Offers gelati, Italian ice, custard, and some other fare. On the 8th of every month, most chilled desserts are half off.
Drink PB's Coffee & Dessert
Sleep
Nearby
Gaithersburg
City / town · 46 listings · 5 mi away
Kensington
City / town · 13 listings · 5 mi away
Glenmont
City / town · 19 listings · 6 mi away
Potomac
City / town · 5 listings · 6 mi away
Wheaton
City / town · 27 listings · 6 mi away
Olney
City / town · 18 listings · 6 mi away
Bethesda
City / town · 53 listings · 8 mi away
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Park · 6 listings · 8 mi away
My experience
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