Bel Air: Discover History, Gardens, and Trails

Bel Air combines historical insights, self-guided tours, gardens, and local market offerings into a diverse destination. Those planning a trip can combine culture and activity here: The Ma & Pa Heritage Trail follows the former route of the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad, while historic houses, a Courthouse District, and public art each offer distinct points of interest. When choosing your accommodation, it is therefore worth first considering whether you primarily want to experience tours, history, gardens, or local everyday life.

Getting Around on Foot or by Bicycle

The Ma & Pa Heritage Trail is a scenic walking and cycling trail along the former railway route. The Williams Street Trailhead Station of the Ma & Pa Trail is centrally located in Bel Air, providing a clear point of orientation for anyone who wants to combine exploring the town with an active outing. Another option is the Historic Walking Tour. It includes a 45-minute, 1.8-mile route as well as a longer 60-minute, 2.3-mile version. This allows you to choose between two different routes without giving up the town's historical perspective.

The Public Art Tour can also be incorporated into your daily plans. The self-guided tour through downtown is two miles long and focuses on public art. Together with locally owned shops and boutiques, it creates a town experience that is not limited to individual attractions. Downtown Bel Air is easy to explore on foot and combines tree-lined sidewalks with historic and modern architecture.

Bel Air's Historic Side

The Bel Air Courthouse Historic District features a cohesive group of predominantly two- or three-story brick or half-timbered buildings. The buildings were constructed or renovated from the 19th through the early 20th century. The district represents an important aspect of Bel Air's growth and development as the county seat. Those interested in local history and architecture can gain insight here into the town center's architectural development.

The Hays House Museum is a living history site and offers tours of the historic townhouse. The Bel Air Armory is significant because of its connection to the reorganization and expansion of the National Guard system in the 20th century. At Liriodendron, you can visit a historic mansion built in 1898 as the summer home of Dr. Howard Atwood Kelly, one of the founding physicians of Johns Hopkins. Liriodendron also offers galleries and tours for visitors.

For initial orientation, the Bel Air Visitor Center is located in the Harford Artists Gallery at Armory Marketplace, just a few steps from historic Main Street. There, you can combine your exploration with a visit to downtown without separating the themes of history, art, and local town life.

Gardens, Art, and Local Products

The Rockfield Horticultural Gardens provide a green contrast to the historic buildings. The grounds include a grass garden, a shade garden, an evergreen garden, a xeriscape garden, a vegetable garden, and a hummingbird and butterfly garden. The Gazebo Garden serves as a setting for public art by the Harford Master Gardeners. This makes it a worthwhile visit if you would like to experience garden design and art as part of the same outing.

A distinctive feature of the local calendar is the Bel Air Farmers Market. The town holds it on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon in the parking lot next to the Mary-Risteau Building at 2 South Bond Street. Products on offer include produce, meat, eggs, dairy products, preserved foods, baked goods, pet treats, and other consumer products.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Travel Plans?

When searching for a vacation rental in Bel Air, you can use your preferred daily rhythm as a starting point. For a trip focused on history, the Courthouse Historic District, Hays House Museum, Armory, and Liriodendron take center stage. If you prefer activity, the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail, Historic Walking Tour, and Public Art Tour can complement your plans. Gardens and the farmers market, in turn, offer distinct highlights for a quieter or more locally focused stay.

More Places to Help Plan Your Trip

For further research, you can also visit the entries for Belcamp, Aberdeen, Edgewood, Forest Hill, Monkton, Abingdon, Havre De Grace, and Pylesville.

For the overall travel overview: Harford.