Bethesda used to be a quiet suburb but its close proximity to Washington DC and the extension of the Metro Red Line has seen this area grow into a thriving city in its own right. The great thing about Bethesda is that it has still retained its peaceful suburban feel and there are many family friendly hotels, restaurants and attractions.

Downtown Bethesda

The downtown area has a wonderful range of different dining options from top quality fine dining through to quick and easy fast food joints. There are also plenty of shops and other entertainments in the downtown area to keep you occupied. There isn’t much parking in the centre of Bethesda so if you are coming in to enjoy the facilities it is best to use the Bethesda Circular. This is a free service that can take you all around the city and runs from 7am through to 2am Mon to Fri and 6pm to 2am on Saturdays.

Places of Interest

There are not many historic sights in Bethesda, mainly because this is a fairly new area of development. However this is the home of Maryland’s Madonna of the Trail stature. This sixteen foot high monument is one of twelve across the US that commemorates the wives and mothers who suffered hardships in the days of pioneering in the Wild West. These moments were funded by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution and are located along the National Old Trails Road. The Bethesda monument faces east towards Washington.

Annual Events

There are a number of summer concerts and events in Bethesda and many of these are free. This includes the Bethesda Outdoor Movies Night which offers family friendly, free screenings at the Woodmont Triangle (corner of Norfolk and Auburn Avenue) five nights a week.

Hotels

There are lots of hotels in Bethesda to choose from, many of which are suitable for families. Here are just some of the different hotels on offer:

• Hilton Garden Inn – this luxury hotel can offer a number of excellent facilities includes a state of the art fitness centre, heated indoor pool and an excellent American grill style onsite restaurant and lounge bar. This hotel is ideal for both leisure and business travellers and can offer meeting and conference space. The rooms are modern and comfortable and provide the latest conveniences including flat screen televisions, air conditioning and high speed Internet access.

• Doubletree Hotel – this hotel is conveniently located in the downtown area, close to lots of restaurants, bars and other attractions. The hotel can also offer a good onsite hotel and lounge bar and a lovely roof top outdoor pool. Rooms are modern and come equipped with flat screen televisions, coffee makers, work desks and Internet access.

• Bethesda Marriott Suites – this modern hotel is just half a mile from the main shopping and entertainment districts in downtown Bethesda. The hotel can offer a number of onsite facilities including a business centre, outdoor pool, conference facilities and a good onsite restaurant which serves classic American cuisine.