Things to Do in Reisterstown

Nestled in the rolling hills of Maryland's countryside, the Wakefield Valley Golf Club showcases three different nine-hole courses. Each course presents a unique set of challenges, with the green course showcasing lengthy par 5s and the white course challenging golfers with hilly terrain and water holes that lure errant shots and experimental scuba-tank golf bags. The gold course, meanwhile, sets up demanding tee shots into narrow fairways, as seen on its signature eighth hole, where water guards the green on all sides.

Golfers can warm up for rounds at the driving range and practice green or employ the swing-honing advice of PGA Professional Scott Magee, who teaches enough students to believe that he will find one who can pull a putter from a stone. Guests can also refuel rumbling stomachs with casual food and drinks at Fenby’s Restaurant.

Inside the new digs of Glazed to Perfection, visitors can indulge in a variety of artistic endeavors, no matter their experience level. The paint-your-own-pottery area beckons participants to select from 200 bisque pieces such as vases, platters, and teapots that they can decorate with pictures and texts of their choosing. Glass fusing allows artists to meld disparate pieces of glass together to form inimitable designs or crystal balls that don’t work, and Tiny Hands crafts invites youngsters aged 2–6 to delve into creative projects they can share with their families.

Across Paintball Adventure Park's 36 acres and 12 fields, adrenaline-packed moments occur every Saturday and Sunday. Their three woodsball fields present a jungle-warfare-like environment, whereas the Village centers around a two-story wooden castle with elevated bridges, watchtowers, and paint-breathing dragons. Other battlegrounds challenge players' tactical skills as they maneuver through obstacles to flank the opposition and take the hill, or slip through the tight quarters of the six airball fields. Before battles, paintballers can also gear up at the shop with everything from paintball markers to protective gear, and groups of 10 and more can prowl the fields during private parties.

“Pimlico is more than a dirt track bound by four streets,” explained then-Maryland Club president Alfred G. Vanderbilt 50 years ago. Vanderbilt was referring to Pimlico’s status as an “American institution,” a title it has earned as the country’s second oldest racetrack. Founded in 1870, Pimlico has weathered everything from World War II to the day steeds skipped work en masse to see Seabiscuit, and remains a popular destination to this day as host to the US Triple Crown’s second leg, the Preakness Stakes. In its four-star Terrace dining room, patrons dine on buffet breakfasts and lunches as they view thoroughbreds galloping to the finish line. Meanwhile, the screens in the venue’s Sports Palace project simulcasts of offsite races, and the patrons seated in the Jockey Club enjoy especially clear views of the competing horses without having to glue equine portraits to the insides of their sunglasses.

Maryland Wine curates the abundant spread of wineries and vineyards that dot the state’s landscape, keeping tabs on the more than 400 wines they produce. Holders of the Maryland Wine Passport wind their way through the state’s six wine trails, tracking their progress as they taste vintages and take photos with their favorite vines. The site also keeps track of local wine news and upcoming winery events.

When Superior Tours looks for new drivers, it wants polite, reliable, and personable people, and it doesn't even consider those with fewer than five years of experience. Its drivers all work only for Superior Tours so that they can be on time and well rested for each trip. Luxury, 54-passenger motorcoaches pick up groups from the airport, ferry people to New York City for a day of urban exploration, or steer toward Atlantic City where passengers can hit the slots. The company also programs charter trips for corporate outings, church trips, and charter-bus-of-the-month clubs.