Bel Air, MD | Mini Travel Guide

When Matthew and I first moved in together it was right here in Bel Air, Maryland. I had just graduated from college and Matthew wanted to get out of cold and grey central New York. We found our first apartment right down the road from this lovely historic downtown center. I loved all the old buildings, the great places to eat and hang out, and all the cute shops, including The Pink Silhouette owned by my friend Christina, who you may remember from her wedding last July. Matt and Christina were kind enough to let us spend the night while on our drive to Charleston. It was so nice to see them and to make a quick stop into town before driving the rest of the way to South Carolina.

Down the road from the historic center is a larger part of town with a Target, mall, and numerous stores and franchises including a Barnes and Noble. It is located conveniently to anything you could need, but my favorite part was the small town hidden before the busy main street. Don’t be fooled, Bel Air is actually a really large town, yet it has that small town feel that feels an awful lot like home.

The town gets surprisingly busy on weekend morning, but there are plenty of places to park. The Bel Air parking garage charges only fifty cents per hour. Walk by the fountain, check out the vintage record shop, stop by a boutique, and take a seat (indoor or out) at the numerous places to eat.

The Bel Air armory, built in 1915, looks like a castle directly in the middle of main street. There is a cute little park right alongside the building.

Matthew’s favorite was always Buontempo Brother’s Pizza.

My favorite was always Savona. The amazing fresh foods that the owner ordered from Italy and would pick up numerous times a week right off the boat. Savona also has a lovely selection of wines. There is a wide collection of pubs in town. One of my favorites is Sean Bolan’s Irish Pub.

The Tower is a town favorite.

You have to love the murals. This one was painted while we were living in Maryland. I was sad to see that the Main Street Oyster House (where I was a hostess briefly before we moved) did not last. The mural right outside the building was stunning. I was so sad to see all the artist’s work painted over into a boring beige when we drove into town.

Matthew and I used to sit on this fountain with our ice cream cones and ride our bikes into town.

Floral rompers and jumpsuits:

Out of all the places we lived in Maryland, this one really felt like home. I definitely don’t miss the Maryland traffic though! It is always fun to get a little nostalgic. If you’re on your way to Baltimore or Washington DC and need a place to stretch your legs and stop for a bite to eat, make Bel Air one of your road trip destinations.