Upper Marlboro offers a range of reasons to stay: historic homes and buildings, a hike rated easy, equestrian events, and simple tent camping. When planning, the main consideration is the nature of each activity. A visit to the Frank Oslislo Visitor Center requires a reservation; the Paw Paw Trail, by contrast, is a clearly defined hiking option. If you're weighing cultural stops, nature, and equestrian sports, you can prioritize the activities that best suit your stay.
Sightseeing and Hiking
The Frank Oslislo Visitor Center at Merkle NRMA can be visited only by prior reservation. Since the reservation process may change, check the current requirements before making plans.
The Paw Paw Trail at Merkle NRMA is 1.2 miles long, flat, family-friendly, and rated easy. If you're specifically looking for an easy hike, this is an option with a clearly stated length and difficulty. The Visitor Center visit and the trail offer different experiences: a reservation-required visit on the one hand, and a walk along a designated trail on the other.
Historic Homes and Buildings
Darnall's Chance House was built in 1742 for James Wardrop and served as the home of several prominent tobacco merchants over the course of its history. The museum opened in 1988. The visitor program lets you tour Darnall's Chance and the Lettice Lee House and learn about the lives of colonial women. Darnall's Chance is also on the War of 1812 Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail and the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Trail.
Trinity Episcopal Church was built in 1846 on the site of a former 18th-century Presbyterian meetinghouse. Here, you can encounter both the property's earlier use and the specific 19th-century church building. Kingston is generally considered the oldest surviving building in Upper Marlboro. The Upper Marlboro Residential Historic District covers about 83.5 acres, extending the historical perspective from individual buildings to a larger district.
Equestrian Sports and Event History
The site of today's Prince George's Equestrian Center and The Show Place Arena has been used for horse racing since the mid-18th century. The Prince George's Equestrian Center offers facilities for rent year-round for local, regional, and national equestrian events. Spectators can watch events for free. Since event availability and policies may change, check the requirements for each event before visiting.
Equestrian sports therefore appeal to two different interests: the site's long history of use and today's events. Free admission is a practical consideration for spectators; if you plan to attend an event, be sure to check its specific requirements.
Camping at Jug Bay Natural Area
Simple tent camping is available year-round at Jug Bay Natural Area. There are four small group campsites and one site near the river. The sites are close to several hiking trails and can be reached on foot from the river. For a nature-focused stay, there are different types of campsites, as well as trails and the river to help you get your bearings.
Reservation requirements may change, so check in advance whether the campsite you want requires a reservation. The camping options differ considerably from the tours and events: here, the focus is on tent sites and their location near hiking trails and the river.
Discover more destinations: Landover Hills, Capitol Heights, Beltsville, Laurel, College Park, Greenbelt, Morningside, Forestville
For the broader travel overview: Prince George's.
