Foremost of the treasures hiding within the bounds of Druid Hill is the Maryland Zoo, formerly known as the Baltimore Zoo. Opened in 1876, the small zoo saw moderate traffic until it was beset by financial troubles following a major cosmetic overhaul that was designed to boost the number of visitors and make the zoo more visually appealing.
The zoo is still open, though, and there are a number of animals and exhibits to check out. Lions, elephants, rhinos, penguins, giraffes, zebras, chimps and crocodiles are just some of the fauna at the Maryland Zoo. There's also the children's section of the zoo where kids can play inside oversized bird's nests, turtle shells and lily pads -- and when I say "kids," that can definitely apply to the ones who are still kids at heart.
Next in Druid Hill is the disc golf course. What's disc golf, you may ask? Well, it's just like regular golf except instead of putting a ball into a hole, one throws a Frisbee into an elevated basket. Most of the rules and terms used in disc golf are identical to regular golf.
In Maryland and elsewhere, there are a surprising number of disc golfers, sometimes called "frolfers." The sport has expanded into an underground sporting phenomenon. The 27-"hole" Druid Hill Disc Golf Course is equipped for amateurs and pros and hosts tournaments and other disc golf competitions.
Druid Hill is also a pleasant backdrop for a stroll or a picnic with a date or with your family or friends. A huge network of walkways traverse the park, leading past relics of the park's history. Lost ponds, fountains, statues and stairways are all over, as well as other monuments and cemeteries. For those with a taste for adventure, it can be a thrill to explore the older corners of the park that have been cut off by new paths and discover various structures that have since been overgrown with vines. Some of the derelict structures are from old zoo exhibits; others are leftover from construction projects that never went anywhere.
Gazebos, ancient trees, rolling fields and a massive reservoir that is Druid Lake round out the spectacle of the park. During the spring and summer the area truly does become the urban oasis that it was meant to be when it was first built, and continues to attract visitors to its verdant confines.
Location: Northwest Baltimore
Boundaries: Druid Park Drive to the north; Druid Lake Drive to the south; I-83 to the east; McCulloh Street and Reisterstown Road to the west
Highlights/Landmarks: The Maryland Zoo, Druid Lake, Courtney Lake, Druid Hill Disc Golf Course, Mondawmin Mall (nearby)
Trivia: Baltimore-based R&B group Dru Hill got its name from Druid Hill.
What is now the Druid Hill Disc Golf Course lies on the part of Druid Hill that was previously an arboretum. That explains the vast number of various old trees.
Visitors during the 1870s got to the park via steam engine.