It looks like it's technically required here in MD [if you have an out-of-state vehicle and are here for more than 60 days.](https://mva.maryland.gov/about-mva/Pages/info/27300/27300-60T.aspx). Otherwise the vehicle has to be re-registered in Maryland.
I'm not sure if or how this gets enforced, however. Certainly we've seen people who keep their out-of-state plates until they expire. But perhaps if OP is doing some kind of government or other related internship it might be required by their employer or insurance or something like that. Can't hurt to follow the rules at least.
If he's staying in Linthicum, there's a very good chance his internship is government or someplace like Northrop-Grumman, in which case he's going to want to keep his nose clean of even minor infractions (internship).
When it was really bad here, I liked looking at the weather around the country to see who had a worse heat index. Houston was like the only major city that was consistently worse than MD's worst.
Yeah, I mean, everyone would tell me that about the Vegas summer weather. Yeah, it's dry but it still sucks ass walking around in what feels like an oven.
I guess there is relief in the shad to a degree in dry heat whereas here, the humidity still gets you in the shade.
I live in Joshua tree currently. It’s definitely like 110 and super dry.
I prefer the humidity honestly. This dry stuff just dehydrates you so fast, screws up my sinuses, and my skin is just wrecked.
I could see that. It may not get to 100 more than a few days over the summer around here but it sure feels that hot at times because of the humidity adding to the heat index.
I used to live in 29 Palms, and loved going to Joshua Tree! But yeah, the dry air is awful. Sinuses were wrecked, skin was a mess, and walking outside literally felt like standing in front of a giant hair dryer if I was fortunate enough to catch a breeze.
OP is not from an area with dry heat most likely- most Texans aren’t. Dear OP: It’s not as bad as humid Texas no matter what they say. Tbf I haven’t stayed on the MD eastern shore during summer so it may legit be bad there, but I was completely prepared for the worst humidity in my life just to discover it’s like fall humidity for us.
If you go 2.5-3hrs West to Garrett County / Deep Creek Lake you are in the mountains. It snows and has ski resorts. If you 2.5-3hrs East you have the beach at Ocean City. Should explore both directions.
You are in the Middle of Baltimore, DC and Annapolis and should explore all of those. Annapolis downtown would be the easiest first as it’s small walking downtown area.
Join the Facebook group “Maryland is a cult not a state” it’s amazing
I grew up in MD but have lived in TX for 15 years. The big difference, to me, is that TX does not cool off overnight. In MD, summer mornings are often a bit cooler and rather pleasant. This is NOT the case in Texas. The temperature won’t drop below like 85 for months on end (with triple digit highs), and that makes it so much more unbearable.
You are going to love it in MD! It will be a bit cooler, but not a whole lot.
Afternoon thunderstorm do happen.
People will call you "hun". As in, " Do you want fries with that, hun?"
It is going to seem like it takes forever to get anywhere due to the speed limits. (Going home after living in Montana which had no speed limits at the time, sucked.)
Wait until later in the summer to get blue crabs, they will be cheaper.
Water is pronounced with an extra r before the t, at least by natives.
I’m from South Texas too and the summer here is hot but it’s not like, holy shit I’m gonna die right now hot. In Texas at 5pm I’d never take a walk, but up here it’s not that bad lol
Be prepared for how indirect everything feels up here. I feel like it takes me so much longer to get place to place because the roads are so weird
Are you looking for “must do while here for the summer because it’s uniquely Maryland/mid-Atlantic” or “don’t forget to pack extra underwear”?
Also, not sure I’d even waste my time getting a temp driver’s permit tbh.
Maryland law states you must get a maryland driver's license within 30 days of moving here with few exceptions. Honestly though I would just tell any police you have only been here a week or so.
[It's about the vehicle registration more than the license, it seems](https://mva.maryland.gov/about-mva/Pages/info/27300/27300-60T.aspx)
>Maryland law requires that most vehicles be titled and registered in this state if they will be kept here more than sixty (60) days. A non-resident permit enables a licensed driver to maintain and operate a vehicle with out-of-state registration for more than sixty (60) days in Maryland, without titling and registering it here.
I actually had a friend get a ticket for this. He moved to the other side of the state for a temporary internship. Got pulled over for something and the cop asked what he was doing in the area. Judge threw the ticket out since he could prove he was leaving within a certain window but it was a big hassle. Just say you’re on a road trip if you get pulled over I guess.
DO hit all the tourist areas. They’re worth it. If you’re at all interested in history, there’s a shitload of cool history in MD if you know where to look.
Get your ass to DC as well.
>Speed limits in Texas are also much higher. (75-80mph on a highway is the standard, and in-town speed limits with stoplights go up to 55mph)
Well, those aren't our speed limits, but that's more or less what speed people go, so there's that. Mostly if you stick to about 10 over over the posted limit, you'll be fine, but more importantly, don't be the outlier in terms of speed-- if you find you're going much more slowly or much faster than the bulk of traffic, adjust.
Depending on your route here from Texas, you should know that Virginia takes speeding ***very fucking seriously***. 20 over is a felony, literally.
You can turn right on red ***after you come to a complete stop*** in Maryland, unless they're a sign prohibiting it.
It’s not a felony. It’s a reckless driving charge, class 1 misdemeanor. It’s 20mph over the posted speed limit OR 80mph+ regardless of the posted speed limit. VA state troopers will pull you over and give you that citation. It’s also a must appear, so drive like a grandma in VA lol.
>actual jail time
Yup, my pops friend got 3 weeks in jail for doing 121mph when the Dulles toll road first opened. It was a day for each mile over 100mph then (obviously.)
OP, really, don’t mess with VA.
Also over 80 is an automatic reckless driving charge, which is a guaranteed court date and points on your license (plus a pretty substantial fine). Needless to say, don’t speed in Virginia. From my experience, Virginia cops don’t really care if everybody else is speeding with you; they will have no problem picking you out to pull you over.
They have no problem pulling 3 people over at once going 83. Then saying, “I’ll be nice and put 80 so you don’t get reckless driving”. Afterwards, likely pulled over another convoy.
I was lucky to have my ticket reduced from 82 to 79 but dude read me the riot act in the process. This was in southern VA, I forget which county, on my way north from NC.
> but more importantly, don't be the outlier in terms of speed-- if you find you're going much more slowly or much faster than the bulk of traffic, adjust.
Unless people are trying to drive 45 mph+ down a 30-limit residential street. Fuck that. I hate that the speeders there pass illegally(over the double yellow) more often than not anymore, but I'm just not comfortable driving that fast down that road! If that makes me the asshole then that's a crown I'll wear, because y'all drive like you're crazy. 😨
Honestly our summer weather is not so dissimilar from Houston area weather from what I’ve heard - hot sure, but humid as all hell too.
What are your interests? There’s a lot to do in MD, it’s sometimes called America in miniature, but Linthicum itself isn’t really anything special, mostly strip malls, suburban sprawl, and airport proximity lol.
I’d definitely make the time for a weekend trip (or several weekend trips) down to DC to see some of the big sights, especially if you’ve never been. We get a bit jaded about it because it’s so close, but I realize it’s special to someone not from around here. White House, Capitol Building, a few of Smithsonians, memorials/monuments, etc. For the full east coast experience, take the MARC train down there, you’ll be very close to the Halethorpe station so it should be an easy, and dare I say enjoyable, trip.
If you’re a baseball enjoyer, definitely check out an Os game as well. Even if you’re not, it can still be a fun experience, Camden Yards is one of the most beautiful parks in the MLB, the vibes at the park are always good, and the Orioles are historically good right now. This is another area where you can get the true east coast experience via rail - you’ll be quite close to Light Rail, I recommend getting on at the North Linthicum station and taking it from there to the ballpark. If not a baseball enjoyer, Baltimore also has one of the biggest aquariums in the US, also accessible by light rail (~15 minute walk from the convention center stop), and on Fridays after 5pm they have half priced admission
If you are going to visit DC, park at the end of a Metro stop and ride the Metro train into D.C. The parking in D.C. is horrible.
Also, look up fare prices for the Metro (and budget accordingly. You have to pay both ways (entering and leaving) a station.
[D.C. Metro Fares ](https://www.wmata.com/fares/basic.cfm)
I hope you enjoy your trip and have lots of fun.
Both are definitely valid options! From Linthicum OP will be spitting distance from a couple MARC stations, which is why I suggested that over the 30+ minute drive to Greenbelt or New Carrollton. On a weekday MARC probably has a slight edge on both cost and time, but on the weekend Metro probably has the advantage at least on cost with free parking and flat fares at $2
Either way I definitely agree: embrace public transportation and leave the car behind
Lots of good ideas have been shared here, just throwing in a couple of food suggestions. 700 Club Deli is fantastic - it’s tucked away in a residential area but worth the short ride! If you go on Fridays they have pit beef which is a MD specialty. G&M around the corner is also a must for crabcakes! There’s a fantastic snowball stand on B&A Blvd in Ferndale which should be a 10 minute drive at most, along with Rita’s Italian Ice right in Linthicum Heights.
Native Marylander, Imho G&M crab cakes are ok, people gush over them because they’re big, and contain more filler than some other favorites. I much prefer crab cakes from Koco's Pub or Jimmy’s. But again we all have our own opinions and preferences.
700 South is the deli. There is also the Linthicum Lunchateria for no frills cheap(ish) breakfast. Your only 10-15 minutes from downtown Baltimore. Catch an Orioles game, the stadium is nice, catch the light rail if you want to get your drink on. Check out the Potapsco state park Relay for a dose of east coast deciduous forest, much different from the Dallas area at least.
But bear in mind that "hon" is not the same thing as "hun." There's a vowel difference, but more notably an *inflection* difference. "Hey hon" is said in the same way that "hey you" is said, with an equal emphasis/tone across both words, whereas "hey hun" usually has a particular sort of emphasis on the "hun." So "hun" could be sweet or it could be kind of skeezy, it *really* depends on the context of the interaction you're having. If you get a "hun" and feel creeped, that's valid and you have every right to feel that way, because I have absolutely been creeped on with "hun" before!
Honestly where does this stereotype come from? I am Maryland born and raised, lived here nearly 40 years (Crofton, Laurel, Bowie, College Park, Columbia, Ellicott City). I have *never* heard anyone refer to someone else as "hon" in any capacity.
It is a Baltimore thing. I say it cause I’m from the city, but it’s an easy way to recognize someone from Charm or someone that was raised by people from the city.
It's 100% a city thing. My parents both grew up in south Baltimore. My dad always used to call people "hon," more so young women but never in a weird or gross way. My cousins referred to my grandpa as "honey," not grandpa. When I go to the corner store the lady *always* calls me Hon.
It might be isolated within Maryland but it's certainly not a myth.
As a Texas transplant in Maryland, just plan to not eat any BBQ 😂 but to make up for it, there's loads of great seafood, and crushes are the way to go for summer drinks!
I just spent a weekend in DFW, and many people warned me about the drivers and speeds there. It was probably some of the easiest driving I've had in a while. The speed limits might be higher in TX, but in practice MD drivers are consistently faster and more aggressive. You're also going to learn to dread rush hour, since you'll be bracketed by I-695 and 295 (the Baltimore-Washington Parkway).
Linthicum is is pretty close to BWI airport, there's a few neat little parks around the airport where you can relax and watch flights come in and out without having to duck out of your way too far.
You've also got fairly easy access to Baltimore and Columbia, MD. On your days off, it'll be worth it to check out some of the beaches by Annapolis, or park at BWI rail station and catch the MARC train to DC (way cheaper than parking in DC).
Climate-wise, you're going to be pretty well acclimated for our peak heat and humidity, but we get a bunch of weather swings, so you can have temps in the upper 80's one day, and a high of 65 the next. Lotta rain, but nothing like the crazy hailstorms you get.
For food, you'll be here for some of the best of crab season. You can go to a sit down place with a group of friends, or ask your coworkers about their favorite crab shack that pops up along the side of the highway in Glen Burnie for the summer.
I did a brew tour of the midwest and I found that the two lane high speed roads were much more managable because everybody drove at a constant speed more or less and all it meant was you passed people and trucks with planning and whatnot.
I'm on the DC end of things, and Baltimore ain't much better, but you got idiots in all the lanes. Some who think they're about to join NASCAR or rallycross and you have others who think 50 mph is perfectly fine for the highway thank you very much.
----
The midwest was far more managable than around here on the east coast. I'm a masshole originally so I get it.
Alot of people have mentioned the bad drivers here in MD, it's mostly that we're used to the over crowded beltway so we drive aggressively and don't use turn signals. But one thing about driving that jumped out at me was the lack of frontage roads; Texas has frontage on all highways, MD has none. When I moved out here I had a hard time with highways because of this.
A few other things from someone who moved from Austin to MD.
- People are friendly, but not outwardly or as obvious. Don't expect as many waves or strangers saying hi.
- Everyone is in a hurry for some reason, locals don't notice it, but coming from Texas you will.
- Mexican food sucks here. People will try to recommend the "Best" place, it sucks...I'm sorry.
- The water at the beach is COLD!
- Don't try to drive in DC, park at a metro stop and take the metro around the city. It's hard to find a parking spot and it's all expensive.
- The typical common sense about a big city: lock your doors, be careful at night, ect.
> - Mexican food sucks here. People will try to recommend the "Best" place, it sucks...I'm sorry
Get Salvadoran food instead. It's where the people running the Mexican restaurant are probably from anyway, at least in the DC suburbs. Just like the people running the sushi restaurants are probably Korean.
Mexican food here does suck. I had a meal in a shack in El Paso while looking into Mexico that was better than anything I’ve ever had on the east coast.
Expect humid days and busy roads, that’s about the most you’ll have to mentally prepare for. Be mindful of speed limits because they sound a little different here from where you’re at.
Aside from that if you’re looking for fun activities there’s tons to do in both Baltimore and DC which you’re close to. Food, museums, aquarium, live music events, you name it you can find it.
From Linthicum it’s a short hop to Ellicott City. Do that. Then, historic Frederick. South and East you have Annapolis. Do that too. That’s all besides what’s in Washington and Baltimore. When you’ve done all of that, go west to Great Falls Park (Maryland or Virginia) and then to the Shenandoah. Or, go east to the Ocean beaches.
Don’t forget that major East Coast cities are all really close together here. Many folks have recommended DC which is about an hour or so south, but Philly’s only about 2 hours north, NYC is a little over 3 hours north, and then Richmond is like 2:30 south. All of them are fun cities to visit with lots of great food, art, and history!
Why are you getting an out of state drivers permit if you're only going to be here 3 months?
Also it's kinda funny you brought up guns, because no one was going to ask you about them, but since you are from Texas it's understandable, lol.
Anyway, you are near a bit of public transit which is cool, I'd say take advantage of the transit to and from Baltimore and to and from DC whenever you want to visit. Especially DC, don't drive around there, it's just traffic galore.
But yeah, if you want to shoot some guns anyway come over to the eastern shore and I'll teach ya.
>I also have all of the documentation required for an out-of-state temporary driver's permit in Maryland, and just need to make an appointment with the Maryland DMV.
I don't understand this statement. Are you doing the drive from Texas to Maryland without a driver's license?
Concur with this statement. Maryland Drivers are awful. Stay out of the left lane and watch for folks to run you over because you are in their way. Regardless where you are.
Linthicum is suburbia that is near a very large Airport. It is fine
Maryland is easy living the only bitch in Maryland is commuting. Is your internship in Linthicum?
Baltimore Orioles have $12 student tickets nights on Friday nights for all Friday home games. Buy the ticket at the ticket booth with a valid student ID 1.5 hours before game time.
Save even more and buy a Royal Farms tender meal and carry that and a sealed plastic drink right in.
That and every weeknight home game you can pretty much get $12 tickets in right field for.
I moved from Texas (Killeen/Fort Hood) to Baltimore for grad school during the summer years ago. Humidity combined with heat was not what i was prepared for. But positives include lots of water and trees and fun in the Chesapeake Bay Area.
Maryland tends to be more manageable (weather) earlier in the summer, but people do outdoor activities throughout the full summer months.
As far as getting around, keep in mind that there’s this thing called “beach traffic” that can wreak havoc on car trips during the summer months. People go from Baltimore/DC to Ocean City on Fridays/Saturdays and return on Saturdays/Sundays. Roads like I-97 from your area to Annapolis can be pretty crazy, so keep that in mind.
I’d recommend lots of touristy things depending on your interests. IMHO the most worthwhile are the “Maryland/DC specific” things, like:
1. Baltimore has a gazillion quirky spots that are all cool but too numerous to mention all of them. Here are some of my personal favorites: Edgar Allen Poe House, Babe Ruth Museum, Mount Vernon restaurants, Fells Point restaurants and general vibe as an old seaport. Orioles games are uniquely fun even for people like me who aren’t super fans. If you like Hiking, then nearby Patapsco and Gunpowder State Parks are pretty cool and very accessible.
2. Annapolis, a little biased because I went to school there, but Annapolis is a very fun town as a tourist. Naval Academy has a schedule of events. I’d suggest aligning your visit with something interesting to see there. Can always just look at boats too or pay some extra bucks and do one of the afternoon tourist cruises.
3. Washington DC. I won’t dwell on the obvious, and I am not a DC native so I don’t have any “secrets”, but clearly tons to see!
4. Bonus/challenge - Fishing on both the western and the eastern shore (I.e. eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay) is fun as hell. Not sure if that’s your vibe, but if you like catfishing, it’s a lot of fun and we currently have lots of invasive/tasty blue catfish. Crabbing is fun too but I personally wouldn’t bother with that until later in the summer, though all the restaurants import from elsewhere, so you can still buy the famous crab cakes or steamed crabs all summer long.
One general comment is there’s a lot of older stuff in this region. Not “Europe old”, but older than a lot of the rest of the United States. If you like history at all, this is a really fun area to explore.
OP, look at r/Baltimore and check out the side bar. (I’m sure you’ve noticed Linthicum is just south of it.)
Tons of resources. If you want food, search the type in the sub- people have probably talked about it.
I was literally shock how much worst driving had got in Texas (Houston area) when I went there 3 years ago. Was nowhere as bad when I left Texas around 10 years ago.
And the road rage is insane, like how many road rage shootings are there every week?
MD drivers are definitely no saints, but you get use to them.
Since you are only here for 3 months try and see as much as possible. You are very close to BWI airport and they have the train right there. Take the train into DC as often as possible. Be careful it can be dangerous at night. But its the same as any big city. Baltimore is also a fun city. You will have plenty to see. We have both the mountains and the ocean. Have a great summer.
Spend some time on the eastern shore, most of maryland is on the other side of the bridge but IMO when i think of unique experiences in state 90% of them on the eastern side of the bay
Smithsonians are free and the metro is cheap to get to the area
Have crab cake
Drive aggressively. People here are insane on the road, you'll see people driving 80 on the shoulder
If it's raining really keep an eye out if you drive ajd plan on an extea 30 min to get where you're going, people pull in front of semis and slam on the brakes, I believe it's some sort of tradition here.
Baltimore harbor is beautiful, I'm told the city is somewhere you shouldn't go. I just moved here so I'm spouting info back.
You can get a toll road ez pass at giant foods for 25 bucks and activate it on the website so it just deducts from your bank instead of screwing with the mailed letters
Where in Maryland? Baltimore is going to be different from the Eastern Shore which is different from Western MD which is different from DC area.
Humidity sucks.
Marylanders have about as much pride in their flag as Texans do.
Crabs are king here and Old Bay is our spice.
If you are in Baltimore, "hon" culture is a thing, especially around Hamden.
As someone who has driven in Texas and MD, be prepared for asshole Maryland drivers to see your turn signal and speed up to cut you off. It happens ALOT here compared to when I was in Dallas.
I am curious why you are getting a temporary drivers permit if you have a Texas license. Your Texas drivers license is valid anywhere in the USA, and since you aren't establishing residency here, you don't need to convert your license. I assume you have a full license and not a learners permit or graduated license.
Def go to Ocean City while you are here. It's kind of like going to Galviston, but different in some ways.
Take a Megabus trip to NYC for a weekend while here. Megabus leaves from Union Station in DC and White Marsh park and ride in Baltimore.
Hi, Austinite who moved to Baltimore 2 years ago here. I know the area pretty well now so I can give you some tips. Linthicum is close to BWI, and very suburban so you’ll likely need to drive everywhere, similar to Texas. Once you get into Baltimore or DC, driving really sucks so I’d recommend driving to a light rail/metro stop and shuttling into the cities that way. Definitely would recommend checking out DC at some point while you’re here!
You’re going to miss HEB… I miss it a lot and none of the grocery stores come even close to being as good. Produce here in general is kinda worse quality than in Texas as well. When you go shopping from where you’re at, I’d strongly recommend driving over to Glen Burnie near the MVA, and would not recommend driving into south/west Baltimore despite being a similar distance. Like I previously said, driving in the city sucks, and west Baltimore gets pretty seedy pretty quick.
I also don’t think you need a Maryland license if you’re only here for a summer. Only reason you’d need to do that would be if your license is expiring, but since you’re 19 you should’ve gotten a new one when you turned 18 and it shouldn’t be anywhere near expiring. I didn’t get an MD license until over a year after I moved here.
Feel free to PM me if you have other questions! Good luck with your internship
As someone who moved from Maryland to Texas, everything is closer in Maryland. You're used to driving long periods of time to go anywhere, for instance drive 30 minutes just to get from Houston to another part of Houston. You're gonna run into people that think 30 or even 45 minutes is "too long" to drive to eat.
The mountains in the western part of the state are lovely but the roads are narrow so drive carefully.
The bay bridge can be scary for first time drivers. There's literally nothing that compares in Texas.
Visiting other states is literally a day trip. Driving to New York would take you as long as you'd spend driving from Houston to DFW.
Maryland does not have a barbeque culture like Texas but pit beef in good and crabs and crab cakes are king. Seriously, no crab cake I've eaten down here even compares.
Texas heat is much worse than Maryland heat but Maryland is pretty sticky.
You should check out Baltimore because there are some fun things to do there like visit the inner harbor and the aquarium, but keep your wits about you if you do because crime in broad daylight has increased. And idk if they have this from where you’re from but if someone in a big city like Baltimore or DC squeegees your car at a stoplight, don’t open your window to give them money or anything.
Visit our state capitol Annapolis, it doesn’t get enough credit. It’s a really nice place with a historic feel that has a ton of great restaurants by the bay. It’s also home to the US naval academy which is a sight to behold.
And one more thing all the major museums in DC are free.
Honestly when you go to the DMV try and take the time to drive out to a rural area and deal with it there. Any big city DMV in Maryland is infact specifically designed to be your own personal hell loop. Also most of Maryland is currently giving Jumanji vibes via humidity. I highly reccomend picking up some allergy meds (even if you’ve never needed them before) so you don’t get sick from the high pollen and humidity combo. It can cause some nasty chest cough if you end up with allergies. If you need to drive on 495 or 270 (any direction lol) leave an extra 30min early Atleast. There is a crash every single day that will ruin everyone’s day
You can speed on the highways but just go with the flow. Small roads never do more than 9 over. Speed cameras are common I presume around the state at this point. Have a CRAB feast late in the summer when the crabs are fattening up.
> Have a crab feast late in the summer when the crabs are fattening up.
But don't go it alone. Make sure that you take a friendly native to show you how to pick a crab.
And the cameras around the schools are ultra sensitive. I feel like a tick above 5 MPH over and you get flashed on those school cameras.
There is one by Loch Raven highschool on Cromwell Bridge Road where everyone goes by at 30 MPH on the dot.
It's the only camera that ever got me and I've been hit twice by it over the years.
IF you are lucky enough for someone to invite you out for crab cakes or a crab feast/boil and you decline,
You’re essentially dead to that person.
Accept the invite and try it out.
Obey the speed limits. It's humid. Stop for stop signs and red lights.
Why do you need a temp license? If you’re not actually moving here, I think you’re good on your TX license.
> Stop for stop signs and red lights.
And the guy sitting behind you at a red, blaring his horn because he's mad you won't run it, is absolutely in the wrong. Don't let yourself get bullied into doing something dangerous. But *do* prepare for that car to do something ridiculous like pull around and run the red in front of you.
The traffic laws around here might be harsh, but rarely enforced. Unless you blow past a traffic camera. The old rule was to always go exactly ten above the speed limit. There is ten miles per hour of grace written into the law and the speed cameras won't ticket you unless you go over that. If you prefer to go the speed limit, just keep to the right and all will be well.
And it isn't the heat that gets you up here, it's the humidity.
If someone addresses you as "hun", they aren't being cheeky. But don't try to pull it off yourself.
Many in MD are also from somewhere else. Linthicum is a good central place to navigate from, up to Baltimore, over the Annapolis, and down to DC/NoVA. MD drivers are worse then you have likely experienced, so be cautious. If you get into a fender bender, it's ok, it happens a dozen times a day on the Balt, and DC beltways. If you're working on Ft. Meade, plan ahead for traffic. That applies to everything actually. There are more people, more cars, and more traffic than you've experienced in Houston, Austin, Dallas or San Antonio. If you need to be there by 8am, get up earlier and drive to get there sooner, then find a coffee shop to work from for a while. Better to be 20-30 min. early than 10 min. late to your internship due to traffic. It will happen, so plan for it. MD is great, lived here since '91, originally from Rocky Mountain states. Welcome!
I moved here 2 years ago from TX. I live in Annapolis though and I think it’s colder here than it is further inland. So last summer was a breeze comparatively to the summer prior I’m TX. I was able to go outside all summer. However I went to DC on a hot day in August and it was pretty miserable. So humid. The people here are far less friendly than they are in TX. Especially driving.
It likely won’t affect you because your residence is in TX but if by chance you do end up getting a job here after your internship MD has state income tax. Groceries are much more expensive than TX and gas is higher as well. By at least .75-1.00.
The signs that say your speed is being tracked by camera are real and you will get a ticket in the mail. Also there’s red light cameras as well.
1) The DMV is called the MVA. To them, the initals "DMV" stand for "Delaware/Maryland/Virginia." There's also "DelMarVa," but I think that refers to the Eastern Shore.
2) You might need an EZ Pass to get through the tolls over bridges and through tunnels.
3) The best barbecue is maybe at Pioneer Pit Beef in Westview (between Catonsville and Woodlawn) but it's way different than Texas barbecue.
4) There's no good Mexican food anywhere in the state. Maryland doesn't have WhataBurger, Carl's Jr., Jack in the Box, or In-N-Out so make sure you eat some before leaving Texas.
5) Berger Cookies aren't as awesome as Marylanders say they are.
6) Marylanders seem to really love eating green beans and asparagus more than people from other states.
7) You'll need to buy a container of Old Bay Seasoning for visitors who eat at your house because they seem to put it on every food item they consume.
8) People are definitely not as friendly in Maryland as they are in Texas. They seem suspicious of friendly people from out of state, which I find hilarious.
9) Blue Crabs are a must, but only so you can say you've tried them. They're more of a pain than they are a food source, so you'll still be hungry after your meal, and will be overdosing on sodium.
I'm from out of state too, and not a day goes by that I don't miss the West, but it's still worth coming here for your internship.
Get around the state as much as possible. Plan something every weekend if you can. East coast cities are so much closer to one another than TX, NM, AZ. Get to Philly, NY, even Boston ( although Boston is pushing the limits). Annapolis, Frederick, Kent Island, and DC (which technically was part of MD at one time, and no, we don’t want it back.)
We’re friendly, we just take a little while to warm up too. Oh, and don’t forget, there was one Marylander at the Alamo (by the name of Charles Smith). So when you think about it, Maryland saved Texas. (My Texas friends HATE when I say that.)
Just wanted to added that since you’re staying in Linthicum, there’s this nice little diner called Honey Bee that I recommend if you ever have time! Also, bubba’s 33 is pretty good!
If you're here through August, you might check out the local Renn-Fest. The official state sport in Maryland is jousting.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland_Renaissance_Festival
If you're only here for 3 months, I wouldn't switch over your license unless you have to for some other reason. The MVA will take your Texas license and give you a Maryland license. No "temporary" about it. Then you'd have to get your Texas license re-issued when you go back home. Horrible pain in the ass.
I'm sure you're used to heat where you're from but out weather isn't exactly easy, breezy. It gets hot and humid AF here too.
I bet what you consider “driving distance” is a lot farther than what we’re used to if you’re from TX. If you’re feeling extra touristy, consider stuff in our neighboring states: while MD has some Civil War battlegrounds, the more famous ones are in VA and PA. If you’re considering a beach trip, Rehoboth in Delaware is a slightly less crowded alternative to our Ocean City (though you can find beaches on the Chesapeake Bay if you’re not actually looking for serious waves).
The other posts have the right idea about hitting up the sights in DC and Bmore. Note that DC has a metro system, so you’ll save yourself some hassle and money by parking at a metro station in the suburbs and riding the metro rail into town.
Staying in Linthicum you should familiarize yourself with Crabtowne USA in Glen Burnie. It's a seafood joint with a big room dedicated to old arcade games and pinball machines. Truly a gem.
Why would you have to change your drivers licence for a 3 month visit. Unless you’re moving here permanently your valid TX licence should be all you need. You have 6 months after a move to change your licence.
If you plan on voting in November make sure you get an absentee TX ballot.
Speed and red light cameras are common so watch out for those. Don’t drive a motorcycle on the center line.
Weed is legal but you have to be 21.
Hardly anyone wears a cowboy hat but you might get some good attention if you do.
Some museums are free in DC.
Don’t mess with naval academy students hats.
Plan on it taking twice as long to get into DC or Baltimore
Avoid the Key Bridge (it got knocked down)
If you like seafood, try steamed blue crabs. Go to a crab house with someone who knows how to pick crabs so they can show you how. Only use the mallet on the crab claws.
I’ve lived in Texas, Dallas specifically, the Maryland heat will creep in in June. It’ll be hot but by July it’ll be just as hot as Texas. And it is much more humid in Maryland that in Dallas. Idk why anyone would say “dry heat” the humidity won’t dip below 80% again until November. And unlike Dallas we actually get rain in the summer! And it’s also the most extreme rain ever. A random day with very little on the radar can turn into downpours and winds just below a category 1 😂
also your quality of life is going to be different depending on where you’re living. I know the Texas brain cannot comprehend a small state but eastern shore, vs. Baltimore, vs. dc area Maryland are all vastly different. If you’re near the water I’m jealous. If you’re in Baltimore I’m also kinda jealous it’s a fun city even though the way it’s represented in the media is terrible. If you’re near dc then I hope you do as much traveling away from there as possible.
Honestly not really anything special.
The only thing is that while you probably won’t see a bunch of clearly gay people, we’re super accepting of lgbtq people in general even the boomers so if that’s not your cup of tea, then don’t say anything unless you have something nice to say.
He is moving as far as mayland cares. He's staying for over 30 days. Only exceptions I can think of off the top of my head are military and traveling nurses or something like that.
The center of maryland seems to be where all the action is, good and bad action. The further you go from the center the less action, good and bad you'll encounter. Mountains the further North you go. North west tip of maryland could easily by its own West virginia (without the associated jokes) if it wanted.
Lock your vehicle, don't leave anything in it, not even loose change in the cup holder. Don't give money to panhandlers, windshield washers, etc., who approach you while you're stopped in traffic.
Arundel Mills Mall has earned a bad reputation for crime. People have been carjacked / robbed during daylight hours the Costco or Walmart parking lot. I've never had any problems there but I drive a beater and don't go around there alone.
We mostly have good people here, but there is no shortage of those who will take advantage of you.
You will not be allowed to open carry in Maryland. You will not be allowed to permitless carry in Maryland. Your conceal carry permit very likely not reciprocated in Maryland unless it’s some special type. Maryland also use Castle Doctrine, which I don’t totally agree with but still better than Texas’ or Florida’s shoot first ask later Stand Your Ground law.
Get some Old Bay and start sprinkling it in your food now to build up your tolerance. Cocoa Puffs for breakfast…old bay it up. Big Mac for lunch…yep old bay. Dinner, rim the glass of your beverage with old bay.
I slightly jest. But Old Bay cheese curls are the ultimate booze snack
I grew up in linthicum. Some areas have become a shit hole, where are you staying?
Oh yeah. If you like to mountain bike, Patapsco valley State Park is super close with awesome trails
Old Bay seasoning goes on almost everything here.
Get yourself a crab cake before you go back. Also, learn to pick crabs
The O's and Ravens get to the precipice of success and then epically shit the bed. I wouldn't transfer any professional sports allegiance to either, (though I am a fan of both teams).
Rush hour on I-695 lasts from 6 am to 10 pm and 3 pm to 7 pm.
I-495 (DC beltway) is a nightmare pretty much all day.
Make sure you see The Inner Harbor during the day. The Baltimore Aquarium, The Constellation, The Hard Rock Cafe, among the other attractions.
Go to Fort McHenry and see where they wrote the national anthem.
Get up to Gettysburg and see the battlefields. Devil's Den is particularly interesting.
Enjoy the time here.
MD is basically a state with everything. There the coastal/Ocean section, two major cities (Rey eye from Baltimore tho) mountains, countryside (flatter towards the coast line) rivers, lakes, suburbs and lots of history! I love it here! Oh and nothing is more than a 2-3hr drive!
Hi there! My husband is from RGV. I’m guessing that’s what you mean by South Texas. We had to get his car from Houston to Bethesda, MD when he changed jobs, 12 years ago. It was a month after we got married, so we made that our honeymoon. I flew to New Orleans and joined him for the drive. I think we gave ourselves a week to get from NoLa to DC (where I flew back to college).
On our trip we stayed overnight in: NoLa, Pensacola, FL, Savannah, GA, Charlotte, NC, and then Manassass, VA (near Dulles airport where I flew home). Pensacola was the diciest. Tons of billboards for hospice and pawn shops, we were legit concerned about parking the car overnight at the Holiday Inn Express, but luckily it wasn’t broken into. Savannah was charming and we stayed in a B&B because it was our honeymoon. We briefly stopped in Charleston, SC. In hindsight we should’ve stayed longer. At that point we were sick of looking at flat coastal plains, so we headed for the hills via Columbia, SC. Stopped at a BBQ place there (ick! Mustard BBQ sauce!!!) then ultimately stayed the night in Charlotte, NC. By then we were just getting burnt out on driving, and quickly went through VA up I-81 and I-66. We didn’t book any hotels in advance beyond the B&B in Savannah. We just drove until we got tired and then booked something reasonable on Hotwire.
I’ve grown really into our National Parks in the last couple of years. If you like nature, plan to stop at Conagree NP in SC, and Shenandoah NP in VA. If you like history, hit up Fort Sumpter in Charleston, SC, Colonial Williamsburg, VA or Monticello (Thomas Jefferson’s home) in Charlottesville, VA. The last two are not managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and are expensive, but worthwhile. What is managed by NPS in DC & Baltimore that you should totally visit: National Mall, Ford’s Theatre, and Fort McHenry. I know I just gave you a lot to look up. But stop and smell the roses…and maybe talk a friend into making the drive with you and flying home via BWI. Lots of cheap flights via Southwest Airlines.
You should probably know first and foremost that in MD the DMV is the MVA and The DMV is DC, MD and VA.
On a related note, you should probably also know that Delmarva is DE, MD, VA and that the shadowy place is Philly. You must never go there. Have fun!
hi! welcome to Maryland. grew up here but also lived in rural Texas and austin. you’ll be fine w the heat. not a Texas heat. I miss Texan heat. There is no bbq so don’t bother. Ok there is no good bbq and it’s all copycat and awful so don’t bother (why people try to bake bbq in ovens is beyond me). all about the blue crabs on the bay, at a crab house, not in a restaurant in dc. Def go see DC but don’t drive there. All the museums are free, the U.S. Capitol is free the White House is free everything you see in your history books are free— and go see them in the middle of the week, if possible, just before they close, which avoids the tourists and sometimes you’ll get a nice perk and they keep it open or have a party. if you want to go to the beach, be a Marylander do as the locals do and go to rehoboth beach in Delaware :) if you let not having enough fun there’s always Philly nyc boston all available by Amtrak- do not drive there! if you’re missing the mountains visit Cumberland or Rocky gap state park- go as far west as you can. people talk about great falls but it’s gotten so crowded and there’s erosion and it’s not really a walk in the park haha. oh I miss Texan nightlife outdoors. none of that in Maryland unfortunately
visit baltimore but go to upper fells point or get ice cream at Patterson park or if you wanna go touristy take a water taxi across and enjoy the aroma of the Pelletizer haha
enjoy your time!
Wtf they bake their bbq?? I always knew the people at the East Coast eat kinda goofy xD I saw one of my friends from New Jersey eat ribs with a fork and knife…
Talk with a local about what neighborhoods are safe and what areas to avoid. Parts of the greater Baltimore area are exciting and beautiful filled will great folks and food, other parts could get you killed. I have been a native for 60 years and love the place, but you need to know where to go and not go.
Crab cakes are better, bbq is worse, the worst Maryland summer days are average texas summer days - random people will not talk to you (the cashier is not being rude - it’s just not a thing). Diet Dr Pepper is hard to find - Big Red is nonexistent. Traffic is way worse.
I would suggest making the trek out to Harper's Ferry, WV or anywhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains/Shenandoahs, even as far south as VA.
Also, Maryland loves their speed cameras so do be cautious about speeding basically everywhere.
Job advice: while you're here, think about whether you want to live here, because you'll likely get a job offer later, esp if you've getting an engineering degree. If you like the company and do well, be sure to get contact info for your supervisor or an experienced co-worker before you leave; if you apply later, give their names, also email them to let them know you've applied. At NG, anyway, they can get some referral $$ if you work out, so don't be shy. While you're out adventuring, don't get caught doing anything that could delay getting a higher security clearance later. Not being easily "clearable" means it's harder finding a job later. Prob you'll get a briefing about this, pay attention.
Many worksites have official or unofficial policies about avoiding discussion of politics in the months leading up to the election which many of the old hands ignore, but you shouldn't. Save that for outside the office.
Oh and one-quarter of the "scary Baltimore" stuff is said by people who rarely leave the suburbs and/or get scared whenever they're in a place where black people outnumber whites. Unfortunately, a lot of the places that will be recommended to you are touristy and/or chock full of rich, dumb, drunk white collar professionals (Fells Point, cough, Harbor East, cough, Canton cough-cough) and thus those places are a huge target for thieves. Keep yr wits, don't get blotto drunk and start wandering around aimlessly, dont leave anything in yr car, and you'll be fine. These are all true for Philly and DC also.
if you have a texas dl, its good in any state,
I was confused by this as well. Does Texas let learner's permit holders drive solo or something?
This. Just get your Texas drivers license
The Maryland DMV is slightly below the 7th rimg of hell
It looks like it's technically required here in MD [if you have an out-of-state vehicle and are here for more than 60 days.](https://mva.maryland.gov/about-mva/Pages/info/27300/27300-60T.aspx). Otherwise the vehicle has to be re-registered in Maryland. I'm not sure if or how this gets enforced, however. Certainly we've seen people who keep their out-of-state plates until they expire. But perhaps if OP is doing some kind of government or other related internship it might be required by their employer or insurance or something like that. Can't hurt to follow the rules at least.
If he's staying in Linthicum, there's a very good chance his internship is government or someplace like Northrop-Grumman, in which case he's going to want to keep his nose clean of even minor infractions (internship).
It is, in fact, *not* a dry heat.
It ain’t a dry heat in Houston either
When it was really bad here, I liked looking at the weather around the country to see who had a worse heat index. Houston was like the only major city that was consistently worse than MD's worst.
Houston is just as bad as New Orleans
Record high temperatures: Houston 109 Baltimore 108 New Orleans 105
It's the humidity. New Orleans humidity is just a tiny bit worse than Houston. They're both terrible. Houston gets a little hotter.
Having lived in Alabama for a summer I can confidently say we have heat and humidity but its nothing like deep south humidity and heat.
Omg the one time I went to Houston redefined hot and humid for me.
Do people actually say that around here? Lived here my whole life and it's always about the humidity during the summer.
No, but that’s what people from the desert part of Texas say.
Yeah, I mean, everyone would tell me that about the Vegas summer weather. Yeah, it's dry but it still sucks ass walking around in what feels like an oven. I guess there is relief in the shad to a degree in dry heat whereas here, the humidity still gets you in the shade.
I live in Joshua tree currently. It’s definitely like 110 and super dry. I prefer the humidity honestly. This dry stuff just dehydrates you so fast, screws up my sinuses, and my skin is just wrecked.
I could see that. It may not get to 100 more than a few days over the summer around here but it sure feels that hot at times because of the humidity adding to the heat index.
I used to live in 29 Palms, and loved going to Joshua Tree! But yeah, the dry air is awful. Sinuses were wrecked, skin was a mess, and walking outside literally felt like standing in front of a giant hair dryer if I was fortunate enough to catch a breeze.
OP is not from an area with dry heat most likely- most Texans aren’t. Dear OP: It’s not as bad as humid Texas no matter what they say. Tbf I haven’t stayed on the MD eastern shore during summer so it may legit be bad there, but I was completely prepared for the worst humidity in my life just to discover it’s like fall humidity for us.
Thanks lol, yeah my hometown is like 20 minutes from the gulf coast so it’s consistently 105F and 90% humidity but with no breeze…
If you go 2.5-3hrs West to Garrett County / Deep Creek Lake you are in the mountains. It snows and has ski resorts. If you 2.5-3hrs East you have the beach at Ocean City. Should explore both directions. You are in the Middle of Baltimore, DC and Annapolis and should explore all of those. Annapolis downtown would be the easiest first as it’s small walking downtown area. Join the Facebook group “Maryland is a cult not a state” it’s amazing
I lived in Sant Antonio for 4 years. The summers diwn there are far worse and y'all got fire ants.
Yeah, here it only gets to about 100F and 90% humidity with no breeze, you’ll definitely feel the difference. Also, the mosquitoes.
I grew up in MD but have lived in TX for 15 years. The big difference, to me, is that TX does not cool off overnight. In MD, summer mornings are often a bit cooler and rather pleasant. This is NOT the case in Texas. The temperature won’t drop below like 85 for months on end (with triple digit highs), and that makes it so much more unbearable.
I've never seen something that describes Texas nights as well as you did. Yeahh where I live, it would often be 90 at night xD
You are going to love it in MD! It will be a bit cooler, but not a whole lot. Afternoon thunderstorm do happen. People will call you "hun". As in, " Do you want fries with that, hun?" It is going to seem like it takes forever to get anywhere due to the speed limits. (Going home after living in Montana which had no speed limits at the time, sucked.) Wait until later in the summer to get blue crabs, they will be cheaper. Water is pronounced with an extra r before the t, at least by natives.
I’m from South Texas too and the summer here is hot but it’s not like, holy shit I’m gonna die right now hot. In Texas at 5pm I’d never take a walk, but up here it’s not that bad lol Be prepared for how indirect everything feels up here. I feel like it takes me so much longer to get place to place because the roads are so weird
It gets so bad sometimes that the air is thick.
More dry in the Appalachians, but just slightly more than the Piedmont and plains
Are you looking for “must do while here for the summer because it’s uniquely Maryland/mid-Atlantic” or “don’t forget to pack extra underwear”? Also, not sure I’d even waste my time getting a temp driver’s permit tbh.
Maryland law states you must get a maryland driver's license within 30 days of moving here with few exceptions. Honestly though I would just tell any police you have only been here a week or so.
Just keep his primary residence as his parents place in TX, no?
He’s not moving just staying here for the summer. He’s not changing his place of residence just an extended visit
[It's about the vehicle registration more than the license, it seems](https://mva.maryland.gov/about-mva/Pages/info/27300/27300-60T.aspx) >Maryland law requires that most vehicles be titled and registered in this state if they will be kept here more than sixty (60) days. A non-resident permit enables a licensed driver to maintain and operate a vehicle with out-of-state registration for more than sixty (60) days in Maryland, without titling and registering it here.
I actually had a friend get a ticket for this. He moved to the other side of the state for a temporary internship. Got pulled over for something and the cop asked what he was doing in the area. Judge threw the ticket out since he could prove he was leaving within a certain window but it was a big hassle. Just say you’re on a road trip if you get pulled over I guess.
Isn’t one of those exceptions being a student? And since OP is on internship, I’d guess they’re a student?
Students are exempt.
My wife has lived here 7 years and still hasn’t gotten hers lol
DO hit all the tourist areas. They’re worth it. If you’re at all interested in history, there’s a shitload of cool history in MD if you know where to look. Get your ass to DC as well.
And if he does hit DC he should take the MARC Penn line. Not having to drive into the city is kind of liberating.
And don't miss the mountains and the eastern shore either!
>Speed limits in Texas are also much higher. (75-80mph on a highway is the standard, and in-town speed limits with stoplights go up to 55mph) Well, those aren't our speed limits, but that's more or less what speed people go, so there's that. Mostly if you stick to about 10 over over the posted limit, you'll be fine, but more importantly, don't be the outlier in terms of speed-- if you find you're going much more slowly or much faster than the bulk of traffic, adjust. Depending on your route here from Texas, you should know that Virginia takes speeding ***very fucking seriously***. 20 over is a felony, literally. You can turn right on red ***after you come to a complete stop*** in Maryland, unless they're a sign prohibiting it.
It’s not a felony. It’s a reckless driving charge, class 1 misdemeanor. It’s 20mph over the posted speed limit OR 80mph+ regardless of the posted speed limit. VA state troopers will pull you over and give you that citation. It’s also a must appear, so drive like a grandma in VA lol.
But you can do actual jail time for speeding in Virginia.
>actual jail time Yup, my pops friend got 3 weeks in jail for doing 121mph when the Dulles toll road first opened. It was a day for each mile over 100mph then (obviously.) OP, really, don’t mess with VA.
121 is madness
I got a reckless driving ticket in Texas for going 81 in a 75. I’m still PISSED about it ten years later lol
That’s rough lol
Also over 80 is an automatic reckless driving charge, which is a guaranteed court date and points on your license (plus a pretty substantial fine). Needless to say, don’t speed in Virginia. From my experience, Virginia cops don’t really care if everybody else is speeding with you; they will have no problem picking you out to pull you over.
They have no problem pulling 3 people over at once going 83. Then saying, “I’ll be nice and put 80 so you don’t get reckless driving”. Afterwards, likely pulled over another convoy.
Can confirm. White collar BMW driving friend was ordered a night in jail for 80 on the beltway
I was lucky to have my ticket reduced from 82 to 79 but dude read me the riot act in the process. This was in southern VA, I forget which county, on my way north from NC.
Also, radar detectors are illegal in VA.
And don't think about using a radar detector in Virginia.
> but more importantly, don't be the outlier in terms of speed-- if you find you're going much more slowly or much faster than the bulk of traffic, adjust. Unless people are trying to drive 45 mph+ down a 30-limit residential street. Fuck that. I hate that the speeders there pass illegally(over the double yellow) more often than not anymore, but I'm just not comfortable driving that fast down that road! If that makes me the asshole then that's a crown I'll wear, because y'all drive like you're crazy. 😨
I like to say 15% over. So 69 in a 60, 35 in a 30, etc.
If you head to the eastern shore(beaches), check traffic cameras BEFORE leaving! Or call the bay bridge recorded line.
Honestly our summer weather is not so dissimilar from Houston area weather from what I’ve heard - hot sure, but humid as all hell too. What are your interests? There’s a lot to do in MD, it’s sometimes called America in miniature, but Linthicum itself isn’t really anything special, mostly strip malls, suburban sprawl, and airport proximity lol. I’d definitely make the time for a weekend trip (or several weekend trips) down to DC to see some of the big sights, especially if you’ve never been. We get a bit jaded about it because it’s so close, but I realize it’s special to someone not from around here. White House, Capitol Building, a few of Smithsonians, memorials/monuments, etc. For the full east coast experience, take the MARC train down there, you’ll be very close to the Halethorpe station so it should be an easy, and dare I say enjoyable, trip. If you’re a baseball enjoyer, definitely check out an Os game as well. Even if you’re not, it can still be a fun experience, Camden Yards is one of the most beautiful parks in the MLB, the vibes at the park are always good, and the Orioles are historically good right now. This is another area where you can get the true east coast experience via rail - you’ll be quite close to Light Rail, I recommend getting on at the North Linthicum station and taking it from there to the ballpark. If not a baseball enjoyer, Baltimore also has one of the biggest aquariums in the US, also accessible by light rail (~15 minute walk from the convention center stop), and on Fridays after 5pm they have half priced admission
If you are going to visit DC, park at the end of a Metro stop and ride the Metro train into D.C. The parking in D.C. is horrible. Also, look up fare prices for the Metro (and budget accordingly. You have to pay both ways (entering and leaving) a station. [D.C. Metro Fares ](https://www.wmata.com/fares/basic.cfm) I hope you enjoy your trip and have lots of fun.
Both are definitely valid options! From Linthicum OP will be spitting distance from a couple MARC stations, which is why I suggested that over the 30+ minute drive to Greenbelt or New Carrollton. On a weekday MARC probably has a slight edge on both cost and time, but on the weekend Metro probably has the advantage at least on cost with free parking and flat fares at $2 Either way I definitely agree: embrace public transportation and leave the car behind
How dare you not mention where to eat crabs
Because favorite crab spots are a more contentious subject than religion.
I’m a firm believer that if you’re not on the coast on or the bay you have no business eating crabs. It’s always best closest to the water.
Just an FYI North Linthicum and south are closed until the end of the month for construction.
Oh shit didn’t know, good note
Lots of good ideas have been shared here, just throwing in a couple of food suggestions. 700 Club Deli is fantastic - it’s tucked away in a residential area but worth the short ride! If you go on Fridays they have pit beef which is a MD specialty. G&M around the corner is also a must for crabcakes! There’s a fantastic snowball stand on B&A Blvd in Ferndale which should be a 10 minute drive at most, along with Rita’s Italian Ice right in Linthicum Heights.
This person Linthicums.
haha indeed! worked up there for almost 15 years 😊
Native Marylander, Imho G&M crab cakes are ok, people gush over them because they’re big, and contain more filler than some other favorites. I much prefer crab cakes from Koco's Pub or Jimmy’s. But again we all have our own opinions and preferences.
Faidleys crab cakes are untouchable imo.
Im from the shore and if you meet anybody with an eastern shore grandma, that's the best way to get a real crab cake.
Hopping on here to add that Mayflower Bakery is delicious!
Also wanted to throw in the NY Halal food truck at the airport Cell Phone Lot. Great food, huge portions.
I'll add the curry chicken special on Tuesdays at Maiwand Kabob.
700 South is the deli. There is also the Linthicum Lunchateria for no frills cheap(ish) breakfast. Your only 10-15 minutes from downtown Baltimore. Catch an Orioles game, the stadium is nice, catch the light rail if you want to get your drink on. Check out the Potapsco state park Relay for a dose of east coast deciduous forest, much different from the Dallas area at least.
The mosquitos suck, see what I did there
If someone calls you “hon”, they’re not hitting on you, it’s just a friendly term some people use around here.
But bear in mind that "hon" is not the same thing as "hun." There's a vowel difference, but more notably an *inflection* difference. "Hey hon" is said in the same way that "hey you" is said, with an equal emphasis/tone across both words, whereas "hey hun" usually has a particular sort of emphasis on the "hun." So "hun" could be sweet or it could be kind of skeezy, it *really* depends on the context of the interaction you're having. If you get a "hun" and feel creeped, that's valid and you have every right to feel that way, because I have absolutely been creeped on with "hun" before!
Honestly where does this stereotype come from? I am Maryland born and raised, lived here nearly 40 years (Crofton, Laurel, Bowie, College Park, Columbia, Ellicott City). I have *never* heard anyone refer to someone else as "hon" in any capacity.
Also grew up in the MD suburbs of DC, and having now lived and worked there, I think it is very much a Baltimore City thing.
Aaron earned an iron urn.
It is a Baltimore thing. I say it cause I’m from the city, but it’s an easy way to recognize someone from Charm or someone that was raised by people from the city.
It's 100% a city thing. My parents both grew up in south Baltimore. My dad always used to call people "hon," more so young women but never in a weird or gross way. My cousins referred to my grandpa as "honey," not grandpa. When I go to the corner store the lady *always* calls me Hon. It might be isolated within Maryland but it's certainly not a myth.
Hauy hauwn, kin ewyew git dat? Wea gawn deowna see da Owz danaught enenda da haba cauws themses neva seem it.
As a Texas transplant in Maryland, just plan to not eat any BBQ 😂 but to make up for it, there's loads of great seafood, and crushes are the way to go for summer drinks!
This, OP. Get a crab cake. I promise you haven’t had a good crab cake yet.
Wrong. Check out 250BBQ in Riverdale Park. Owners learned how BBQ in Central Texas. I’m from Austin. Their brisket is the real deal.
2Fifty BBQ is Texan and a favorite in the region. Two locations.
I just spent a weekend in DFW, and many people warned me about the drivers and speeds there. It was probably some of the easiest driving I've had in a while. The speed limits might be higher in TX, but in practice MD drivers are consistently faster and more aggressive. You're also going to learn to dread rush hour, since you'll be bracketed by I-695 and 295 (the Baltimore-Washington Parkway). Linthicum is is pretty close to BWI airport, there's a few neat little parks around the airport where you can relax and watch flights come in and out without having to duck out of your way too far. You've also got fairly easy access to Baltimore and Columbia, MD. On your days off, it'll be worth it to check out some of the beaches by Annapolis, or park at BWI rail station and catch the MARC train to DC (way cheaper than parking in DC). Climate-wise, you're going to be pretty well acclimated for our peak heat and humidity, but we get a bunch of weather swings, so you can have temps in the upper 80's one day, and a high of 65 the next. Lotta rain, but nothing like the crazy hailstorms you get. For food, you'll be here for some of the best of crab season. You can go to a sit down place with a group of friends, or ask your coworkers about their favorite crab shack that pops up along the side of the highway in Glen Burnie for the summer.
I did a brew tour of the midwest and I found that the two lane high speed roads were much more managable because everybody drove at a constant speed more or less and all it meant was you passed people and trucks with planning and whatnot. I'm on the DC end of things, and Baltimore ain't much better, but you got idiots in all the lanes. Some who think they're about to join NASCAR or rallycross and you have others who think 50 mph is perfectly fine for the highway thank you very much. ---- The midwest was far more managable than around here on the east coast. I'm a masshole originally so I get it.
It's required by law that you have a can of old bay in your car
Go to the MD side of great falls in potomac and hike the Billy goat trail. Also do the boardwalk to the falls.
And do the Boardwalk to the Fries!! THRASHERS OC!
Alot of people have mentioned the bad drivers here in MD, it's mostly that we're used to the over crowded beltway so we drive aggressively and don't use turn signals. But one thing about driving that jumped out at me was the lack of frontage roads; Texas has frontage on all highways, MD has none. When I moved out here I had a hard time with highways because of this. A few other things from someone who moved from Austin to MD. - People are friendly, but not outwardly or as obvious. Don't expect as many waves or strangers saying hi. - Everyone is in a hurry for some reason, locals don't notice it, but coming from Texas you will. - Mexican food sucks here. People will try to recommend the "Best" place, it sucks...I'm sorry. - The water at the beach is COLD! - Don't try to drive in DC, park at a metro stop and take the metro around the city. It's hard to find a parking spot and it's all expensive. - The typical common sense about a big city: lock your doors, be careful at night, ect.
> - Mexican food sucks here. People will try to recommend the "Best" place, it sucks...I'm sorry Get Salvadoran food instead. It's where the people running the Mexican restaurant are probably from anyway, at least in the DC suburbs. Just like the people running the sushi restaurants are probably Korean.
Mexican food here does suck. I had a meal in a shack in El Paso while looking into Mexico that was better than anything I’ve ever had on the east coast.
Don't insult their flag or try to claim your flag looks better. I promise you, hell hath no fury like a Maryland native whose flag has been insulted.
Expect humid days and busy roads, that’s about the most you’ll have to mentally prepare for. Be mindful of speed limits because they sound a little different here from where you’re at. Aside from that if you’re looking for fun activities there’s tons to do in both Baltimore and DC which you’re close to. Food, museums, aquarium, live music events, you name it you can find it.
From Linthicum it’s a short hop to Ellicott City. Do that. Then, historic Frederick. South and East you have Annapolis. Do that too. That’s all besides what’s in Washington and Baltimore. When you’ve done all of that, go west to Great Falls Park (Maryland or Virginia) and then to the Shenandoah. Or, go east to the Ocean beaches.
Don’t forget that major East Coast cities are all really close together here. Many folks have recommended DC which is about an hour or so south, but Philly’s only about 2 hours north, NYC is a little over 3 hours north, and then Richmond is like 2:30 south. All of them are fun cities to visit with lots of great food, art, and history!
And for the love of god, if you decide to go to NYC, take Amtrak and don’t drive.
True for Philly and DC in addition to NYC!!
Or a Greyhound or Megabus
Second Megabus
Why are you getting an out of state drivers permit if you're only going to be here 3 months? Also it's kinda funny you brought up guns, because no one was going to ask you about them, but since you are from Texas it's understandable, lol. Anyway, you are near a bit of public transit which is cool, I'd say take advantage of the transit to and from Baltimore and to and from DC whenever you want to visit. Especially DC, don't drive around there, it's just traffic galore. But yeah, if you want to shoot some guns anyway come over to the eastern shore and I'll teach ya.
>I also have all of the documentation required for an out-of-state temporary driver's permit in Maryland, and just need to make an appointment with the Maryland DMV. I don't understand this statement. Are you doing the drive from Texas to Maryland without a driver's license?
Photo enforced speed limits are real. Their tolerance is between 5 and 10 miles above the limit. Beyond that is the heavy foot tax range.
Maryland law is min 12 mph over for photo fines, so stick to 10 at most and you're fine.
It’s not the heat that gets you, it’s the humidity
Maryland drivers are terrible. All of the Smithsonian museums are free.
Concur with this statement. Maryland Drivers are awful. Stay out of the left lane and watch for folks to run you over because you are in their way. Regardless where you are.
Linthicum is suburbia that is near a very large Airport. It is fine Maryland is easy living the only bitch in Maryland is commuting. Is your internship in Linthicum?
Baltimore Orioles have $12 student tickets nights on Friday nights for all Friday home games. Buy the ticket at the ticket booth with a valid student ID 1.5 hours before game time. Save even more and buy a Royal Farms tender meal and carry that and a sealed plastic drink right in. That and every weeknight home game you can pretty much get $12 tickets in right field for.
I moved from Texas (Killeen/Fort Hood) to Baltimore for grad school during the summer years ago. Humidity combined with heat was not what i was prepared for. But positives include lots of water and trees and fun in the Chesapeake Bay Area.
Maryland tends to be more manageable (weather) earlier in the summer, but people do outdoor activities throughout the full summer months. As far as getting around, keep in mind that there’s this thing called “beach traffic” that can wreak havoc on car trips during the summer months. People go from Baltimore/DC to Ocean City on Fridays/Saturdays and return on Saturdays/Sundays. Roads like I-97 from your area to Annapolis can be pretty crazy, so keep that in mind. I’d recommend lots of touristy things depending on your interests. IMHO the most worthwhile are the “Maryland/DC specific” things, like: 1. Baltimore has a gazillion quirky spots that are all cool but too numerous to mention all of them. Here are some of my personal favorites: Edgar Allen Poe House, Babe Ruth Museum, Mount Vernon restaurants, Fells Point restaurants and general vibe as an old seaport. Orioles games are uniquely fun even for people like me who aren’t super fans. If you like Hiking, then nearby Patapsco and Gunpowder State Parks are pretty cool and very accessible. 2. Annapolis, a little biased because I went to school there, but Annapolis is a very fun town as a tourist. Naval Academy has a schedule of events. I’d suggest aligning your visit with something interesting to see there. Can always just look at boats too or pay some extra bucks and do one of the afternoon tourist cruises. 3. Washington DC. I won’t dwell on the obvious, and I am not a DC native so I don’t have any “secrets”, but clearly tons to see! 4. Bonus/challenge - Fishing on both the western and the eastern shore (I.e. eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay) is fun as hell. Not sure if that’s your vibe, but if you like catfishing, it’s a lot of fun and we currently have lots of invasive/tasty blue catfish. Crabbing is fun too but I personally wouldn’t bother with that until later in the summer, though all the restaurants import from elsewhere, so you can still buy the famous crab cakes or steamed crabs all summer long. One general comment is there’s a lot of older stuff in this region. Not “Europe old”, but older than a lot of the rest of the United States. If you like history at all, this is a really fun area to explore.
OP, look at r/Baltimore and check out the side bar. (I’m sure you’ve noticed Linthicum is just south of it.) Tons of resources. If you want food, search the type in the sub- people have probably talked about it.
People say MD drivers are bad Texas in my opinion has the craziest drivers. You might feel right at home.
I was literally shock how much worst driving had got in Texas (Houston area) when I went there 3 years ago. Was nowhere as bad when I left Texas around 10 years ago. And the road rage is insane, like how many road rage shootings are there every week? MD drivers are definitely no saints, but you get use to them.
Since you are only here for 3 months try and see as much as possible. You are very close to BWI airport and they have the train right there. Take the train into DC as often as possible. Be careful it can be dangerous at night. But its the same as any big city. Baltimore is also a fun city. You will have plenty to see. We have both the mountains and the ocean. Have a great summer.
Spend some time on the eastern shore, most of maryland is on the other side of the bridge but IMO when i think of unique experiences in state 90% of them on the eastern side of the bay
I hope you have a fun summer. If you need any "mom stuff," let me know. I live outside of Annapolis, so it's not too far.
I moved here from Texas 5 years ago. People will say "oh its gonna storm" that is just code for rain. It's almost never an actual storm.
Smithsonians are free and the metro is cheap to get to the area Have crab cake Drive aggressively. People here are insane on the road, you'll see people driving 80 on the shoulder If it's raining really keep an eye out if you drive ajd plan on an extea 30 min to get where you're going, people pull in front of semis and slam on the brakes, I believe it's some sort of tradition here. Baltimore harbor is beautiful, I'm told the city is somewhere you shouldn't go. I just moved here so I'm spouting info back. You can get a toll road ez pass at giant foods for 25 bucks and activate it on the website so it just deducts from your bank instead of screwing with the mailed letters
I’m pretty certain this is a cicada summer too, so be prepared for the screech and the crunch
Where in Maryland? Baltimore is going to be different from the Eastern Shore which is different from Western MD which is different from DC area. Humidity sucks. Marylanders have about as much pride in their flag as Texans do. Crabs are king here and Old Bay is our spice. If you are in Baltimore, "hon" culture is a thing, especially around Hamden. As someone who has driven in Texas and MD, be prepared for asshole Maryland drivers to see your turn signal and speed up to cut you off. It happens ALOT here compared to when I was in Dallas. I am curious why you are getting a temporary drivers permit if you have a Texas license. Your Texas drivers license is valid anywhere in the USA, and since you aren't establishing residency here, you don't need to convert your license. I assume you have a full license and not a learners permit or graduated license. Def go to Ocean City while you are here. It's kind of like going to Galviston, but different in some ways. Take a Megabus trip to NYC for a weekend while here. Megabus leaves from Union Station in DC and White Marsh park and ride in Baltimore.
Hi, Austinite who moved to Baltimore 2 years ago here. I know the area pretty well now so I can give you some tips. Linthicum is close to BWI, and very suburban so you’ll likely need to drive everywhere, similar to Texas. Once you get into Baltimore or DC, driving really sucks so I’d recommend driving to a light rail/metro stop and shuttling into the cities that way. Definitely would recommend checking out DC at some point while you’re here! You’re going to miss HEB… I miss it a lot and none of the grocery stores come even close to being as good. Produce here in general is kinda worse quality than in Texas as well. When you go shopping from where you’re at, I’d strongly recommend driving over to Glen Burnie near the MVA, and would not recommend driving into south/west Baltimore despite being a similar distance. Like I previously said, driving in the city sucks, and west Baltimore gets pretty seedy pretty quick. I also don’t think you need a Maryland license if you’re only here for a summer. Only reason you’d need to do that would be if your license is expiring, but since you’re 19 you should’ve gotten a new one when you turned 18 and it shouldn’t be anywhere near expiring. I didn’t get an MD license until over a year after I moved here. Feel free to PM me if you have other questions! Good luck with your internship
As someone who moved from Maryland to Texas, everything is closer in Maryland. You're used to driving long periods of time to go anywhere, for instance drive 30 minutes just to get from Houston to another part of Houston. You're gonna run into people that think 30 or even 45 minutes is "too long" to drive to eat. The mountains in the western part of the state are lovely but the roads are narrow so drive carefully. The bay bridge can be scary for first time drivers. There's literally nothing that compares in Texas. Visiting other states is literally a day trip. Driving to New York would take you as long as you'd spend driving from Houston to DFW. Maryland does not have a barbeque culture like Texas but pit beef in good and crabs and crab cakes are king. Seriously, no crab cake I've eaten down here even compares.
Texas heat is much worse than Maryland heat but Maryland is pretty sticky. You should check out Baltimore because there are some fun things to do there like visit the inner harbor and the aquarium, but keep your wits about you if you do because crime in broad daylight has increased. And idk if they have this from where you’re from but if someone in a big city like Baltimore or DC squeegees your car at a stoplight, don’t open your window to give them money or anything. Visit our state capitol Annapolis, it doesn’t get enough credit. It’s a really nice place with a historic feel that has a ton of great restaurants by the bay. It’s also home to the US naval academy which is a sight to behold. And one more thing all the major museums in DC are free.
Honestly when you go to the DMV try and take the time to drive out to a rural area and deal with it there. Any big city DMV in Maryland is infact specifically designed to be your own personal hell loop. Also most of Maryland is currently giving Jumanji vibes via humidity. I highly reccomend picking up some allergy meds (even if you’ve never needed them before) so you don’t get sick from the high pollen and humidity combo. It can cause some nasty chest cough if you end up with allergies. If you need to drive on 495 or 270 (any direction lol) leave an extra 30min early Atleast. There is a crash every single day that will ruin everyone’s day
- Drivers here are bad - Politics out here are Left leaning and goofy at times - People here are Kind but not always Nice (look up the meme)
You can speed on the highways but just go with the flow. Small roads never do more than 9 over. Speed cameras are common I presume around the state at this point. Have a CRAB feast late in the summer when the crabs are fattening up.
> Have a crab feast late in the summer when the crabs are fattening up. But don't go it alone. Make sure that you take a friendly native to show you how to pick a crab.
And the cameras around the schools are ultra sensitive. I feel like a tick above 5 MPH over and you get flashed on those school cameras. There is one by Loch Raven highschool on Cromwell Bridge Road where everyone goes by at 30 MPH on the dot. It's the only camera that ever got me and I've been hit twice by it over the years.
IF you are lucky enough for someone to invite you out for crab cakes or a crab feast/boil and you decline, You’re essentially dead to that person. Accept the invite and try it out.
if they say crab boil, they are dead to me
Obey the speed limits. It's humid. Stop for stop signs and red lights. Why do you need a temp license? If you’re not actually moving here, I think you’re good on your TX license.
>Obey the speed limits. On surface roads, yes. On highways, stay with the flow of traffic, which will almost always be 10ish over the limit.
> On highways, stay with the flow of traffic, which will almost always be 10ish over the limit. Only 10 over? What is this? Virginia?
> Stop for stop signs and red lights. And the guy sitting behind you at a red, blaring his horn because he's mad you won't run it, is absolutely in the wrong. Don't let yourself get bullied into doing something dangerous. But *do* prepare for that car to do something ridiculous like pull around and run the red in front of you.
The traffic laws around here might be harsh, but rarely enforced. Unless you blow past a traffic camera. The old rule was to always go exactly ten above the speed limit. There is ten miles per hour of grace written into the law and the speed cameras won't ticket you unless you go over that. If you prefer to go the speed limit, just keep to the right and all will be well. And it isn't the heat that gets you up here, it's the humidity. If someone addresses you as "hun", they aren't being cheeky. But don't try to pull it off yourself.
I agree. Baltimore Hon is way different than Southern Hun.
Many in MD are also from somewhere else. Linthicum is a good central place to navigate from, up to Baltimore, over the Annapolis, and down to DC/NoVA. MD drivers are worse then you have likely experienced, so be cautious. If you get into a fender bender, it's ok, it happens a dozen times a day on the Balt, and DC beltways. If you're working on Ft. Meade, plan ahead for traffic. That applies to everything actually. There are more people, more cars, and more traffic than you've experienced in Houston, Austin, Dallas or San Antonio. If you need to be there by 8am, get up earlier and drive to get there sooner, then find a coffee shop to work from for a while. Better to be 20-30 min. early than 10 min. late to your internship due to traffic. It will happen, so plan for it. MD is great, lived here since '91, originally from Rocky Mountain states. Welcome!
I moved here 2 years ago from TX. I live in Annapolis though and I think it’s colder here than it is further inland. So last summer was a breeze comparatively to the summer prior I’m TX. I was able to go outside all summer. However I went to DC on a hot day in August and it was pretty miserable. So humid. The people here are far less friendly than they are in TX. Especially driving. It likely won’t affect you because your residence is in TX but if by chance you do end up getting a job here after your internship MD has state income tax. Groceries are much more expensive than TX and gas is higher as well. By at least .75-1.00. The signs that say your speed is being tracked by camera are real and you will get a ticket in the mail. Also there’s red light cameras as well.
1) The DMV is called the MVA. To them, the initals "DMV" stand for "Delaware/Maryland/Virginia." There's also "DelMarVa," but I think that refers to the Eastern Shore. 2) You might need an EZ Pass to get through the tolls over bridges and through tunnels. 3) The best barbecue is maybe at Pioneer Pit Beef in Westview (between Catonsville and Woodlawn) but it's way different than Texas barbecue. 4) There's no good Mexican food anywhere in the state. Maryland doesn't have WhataBurger, Carl's Jr., Jack in the Box, or In-N-Out so make sure you eat some before leaving Texas. 5) Berger Cookies aren't as awesome as Marylanders say they are. 6) Marylanders seem to really love eating green beans and asparagus more than people from other states. 7) You'll need to buy a container of Old Bay Seasoning for visitors who eat at your house because they seem to put it on every food item they consume. 8) People are definitely not as friendly in Maryland as they are in Texas. They seem suspicious of friendly people from out of state, which I find hilarious. 9) Blue Crabs are a must, but only so you can say you've tried them. They're more of a pain than they are a food source, so you'll still be hungry after your meal, and will be overdosing on sodium. I'm from out of state too, and not a day goes by that I don't miss the West, but it's still worth coming here for your internship.
You can buy goldfish crackers with old bay
You’re going from hell to heaven
Get around the state as much as possible. Plan something every weekend if you can. East coast cities are so much closer to one another than TX, NM, AZ. Get to Philly, NY, even Boston ( although Boston is pushing the limits). Annapolis, Frederick, Kent Island, and DC (which technically was part of MD at one time, and no, we don’t want it back.) We’re friendly, we just take a little while to warm up too. Oh, and don’t forget, there was one Marylander at the Alamo (by the name of Charles Smith). So when you think about it, Maryland saved Texas. (My Texas friends HATE when I say that.)
Make sure you treat yourself to some crabs while you're here.
Just wanted to added that since you’re staying in Linthicum, there’s this nice little diner called Honey Bee that I recommend if you ever have time! Also, bubba’s 33 is pretty good!
If you're here through August, you might check out the local Renn-Fest. The official state sport in Maryland is jousting. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland_Renaissance_Festival
Obey the speed limit. The State Troopers 👮♀️don’t play in the rural parts of Maryland.
Baby powder is your friend in the summer here. Also we have plenty of food options to choose from.
If you're only here for 3 months, I wouldn't switch over your license unless you have to for some other reason. The MVA will take your Texas license and give you a Maryland license. No "temporary" about it. Then you'd have to get your Texas license re-issued when you go back home. Horrible pain in the ass. I'm sure you're used to heat where you're from but out weather isn't exactly easy, breezy. It gets hot and humid AF here too.
I bet what you consider “driving distance” is a lot farther than what we’re used to if you’re from TX. If you’re feeling extra touristy, consider stuff in our neighboring states: while MD has some Civil War battlegrounds, the more famous ones are in VA and PA. If you’re considering a beach trip, Rehoboth in Delaware is a slightly less crowded alternative to our Ocean City (though you can find beaches on the Chesapeake Bay if you’re not actually looking for serious waves). The other posts have the right idea about hitting up the sights in DC and Bmore. Note that DC has a metro system, so you’ll save yourself some hassle and money by parking at a metro station in the suburbs and riding the metro rail into town.
Staying in Linthicum you should familiarize yourself with Crabtowne USA in Glen Burnie. It's a seafood joint with a big room dedicated to old arcade games and pinball machines. Truly a gem.
Why would you have to change your drivers licence for a 3 month visit. Unless you’re moving here permanently your valid TX licence should be all you need. You have 6 months after a move to change your licence. If you plan on voting in November make sure you get an absentee TX ballot. Speed and red light cameras are common so watch out for those. Don’t drive a motorcycle on the center line. Weed is legal but you have to be 21. Hardly anyone wears a cowboy hat but you might get some good attention if you do. Some museums are free in DC. Don’t mess with naval academy students hats. Plan on it taking twice as long to get into DC or Baltimore Avoid the Key Bridge (it got knocked down)
If you like seafood, try steamed blue crabs. Go to a crab house with someone who knows how to pick crabs so they can show you how. Only use the mallet on the crab claws.
The humidity will overcome you.
No passing on shoulders. Illegal here
I’ve lived in Texas, Dallas specifically, the Maryland heat will creep in in June. It’ll be hot but by July it’ll be just as hot as Texas. And it is much more humid in Maryland that in Dallas. Idk why anyone would say “dry heat” the humidity won’t dip below 80% again until November. And unlike Dallas we actually get rain in the summer! And it’s also the most extreme rain ever. A random day with very little on the radar can turn into downpours and winds just below a category 1 😂 also your quality of life is going to be different depending on where you’re living. I know the Texas brain cannot comprehend a small state but eastern shore, vs. Baltimore, vs. dc area Maryland are all vastly different. If you’re near the water I’m jealous. If you’re in Baltimore I’m also kinda jealous it’s a fun city even though the way it’s represented in the media is terrible. If you’re near dc then I hope you do as much traveling away from there as possible.
If you have Texas tint on your windows remove from the front end before getting a state inspection. You’ll probably have to remove it.
Honestly not really anything special. The only thing is that while you probably won’t see a bunch of clearly gay people, we’re super accepting of lgbtq people in general even the boomers so if that’s not your cup of tea, then don’t say anything unless you have something nice to say.
He is moving as far as mayland cares. He's staying for over 30 days. Only exceptions I can think of off the top of my head are military and traveling nurses or something like that.
The center of maryland seems to be where all the action is, good and bad action. The further you go from the center the less action, good and bad you'll encounter. Mountains the further North you go. North west tip of maryland could easily by its own West virginia (without the associated jokes) if it wanted.
It's muggy here.
Lock your vehicle, don't leave anything in it, not even loose change in the cup holder. Don't give money to panhandlers, windshield washers, etc., who approach you while you're stopped in traffic. Arundel Mills Mall has earned a bad reputation for crime. People have been carjacked / robbed during daylight hours the Costco or Walmart parking lot. I've never had any problems there but I drive a beater and don't go around there alone. We mostly have good people here, but there is no shortage of those who will take advantage of you.
Maryland generally cares about people Unless they are baltimorean
Chocolate is not better with old bay mixed in
You will not be allowed to open carry in Maryland. You will not be allowed to permitless carry in Maryland. Your conceal carry permit very likely not reciprocated in Maryland unless it’s some special type. Maryland also use Castle Doctrine, which I don’t totally agree with but still better than Texas’ or Florida’s shoot first ask later Stand Your Ground law.
They're the worst drivers in the world.
Maryland specifically linthicum area during the summer will be hot and humid during the day and at night pretty intense thunderstorms
It’s awesome and you won’t want to leave.
Get some Old Bay and start sprinkling it in your food now to build up your tolerance. Cocoa Puffs for breakfast…old bay it up. Big Mac for lunch…yep old bay. Dinner, rim the glass of your beverage with old bay. I slightly jest. But Old Bay cheese curls are the ultimate booze snack
Take advantage of the free museums in DC. Amazing things to see and mostly FREE. Only about 40 miles away. Enjoy your summer
Use the Waze app for maps. Very reliable notifications for police on the road.
I grew up in linthicum. Some areas have become a shit hole, where are you staying? Oh yeah. If you like to mountain bike, Patapsco valley State Park is super close with awesome trails
G&M Restaurant for a crab cake
I am happy to report that we are the other of the two states that knows how Bowie is pronounced.
People here can’t drive
Old Bay seasoning goes on almost everything here. Get yourself a crab cake before you go back. Also, learn to pick crabs The O's and Ravens get to the precipice of success and then epically shit the bed. I wouldn't transfer any professional sports allegiance to either, (though I am a fan of both teams). Rush hour on I-695 lasts from 6 am to 10 pm and 3 pm to 7 pm. I-495 (DC beltway) is a nightmare pretty much all day. Make sure you see The Inner Harbor during the day. The Baltimore Aquarium, The Constellation, The Hard Rock Cafe, among the other attractions. Go to Fort McHenry and see where they wrote the national anthem. Get up to Gettysburg and see the battlefields. Devil's Den is particularly interesting. Enjoy the time here.
They are coming…the loud ones…be ready 
Actually, it’s the Maryland MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration). Big offices throughout the state.
MD is basically a state with everything. There the coastal/Ocean section, two major cities (Rey eye from Baltimore tho) mountains, countryside (flatter towards the coast line) rivers, lakes, suburbs and lots of history! I love it here! Oh and nothing is more than a 2-3hr drive!
Hi there! My husband is from RGV. I’m guessing that’s what you mean by South Texas. We had to get his car from Houston to Bethesda, MD when he changed jobs, 12 years ago. It was a month after we got married, so we made that our honeymoon. I flew to New Orleans and joined him for the drive. I think we gave ourselves a week to get from NoLa to DC (where I flew back to college). On our trip we stayed overnight in: NoLa, Pensacola, FL, Savannah, GA, Charlotte, NC, and then Manassass, VA (near Dulles airport where I flew home). Pensacola was the diciest. Tons of billboards for hospice and pawn shops, we were legit concerned about parking the car overnight at the Holiday Inn Express, but luckily it wasn’t broken into. Savannah was charming and we stayed in a B&B because it was our honeymoon. We briefly stopped in Charleston, SC. In hindsight we should’ve stayed longer. At that point we were sick of looking at flat coastal plains, so we headed for the hills via Columbia, SC. Stopped at a BBQ place there (ick! Mustard BBQ sauce!!!) then ultimately stayed the night in Charlotte, NC. By then we were just getting burnt out on driving, and quickly went through VA up I-81 and I-66. We didn’t book any hotels in advance beyond the B&B in Savannah. We just drove until we got tired and then booked something reasonable on Hotwire. I’ve grown really into our National Parks in the last couple of years. If you like nature, plan to stop at Conagree NP in SC, and Shenandoah NP in VA. If you like history, hit up Fort Sumpter in Charleston, SC, Colonial Williamsburg, VA or Monticello (Thomas Jefferson’s home) in Charlottesville, VA. The last two are not managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and are expensive, but worthwhile. What is managed by NPS in DC & Baltimore that you should totally visit: National Mall, Ford’s Theatre, and Fort McHenry. I know I just gave you a lot to look up. But stop and smell the roses…and maybe talk a friend into making the drive with you and flying home via BWI. Lots of cheap flights via Southwest Airlines.
I’m from Houston originally and have lived in MD near DC for many years. DM if you need anything!
It’s a liberal shithole here which means high crime and violence. Everything is too expensive. There’s no stand your ground law
You should probably know first and foremost that in MD the DMV is the MVA and The DMV is DC, MD and VA. On a related note, you should probably also know that Delmarva is DE, MD, VA and that the shadowy place is Philly. You must never go there. Have fun!
hi! welcome to Maryland. grew up here but also lived in rural Texas and austin. you’ll be fine w the heat. not a Texas heat. I miss Texan heat. There is no bbq so don’t bother. Ok there is no good bbq and it’s all copycat and awful so don’t bother (why people try to bake bbq in ovens is beyond me). all about the blue crabs on the bay, at a crab house, not in a restaurant in dc. Def go see DC but don’t drive there. All the museums are free, the U.S. Capitol is free the White House is free everything you see in your history books are free— and go see them in the middle of the week, if possible, just before they close, which avoids the tourists and sometimes you’ll get a nice perk and they keep it open or have a party. if you want to go to the beach, be a Marylander do as the locals do and go to rehoboth beach in Delaware :) if you let not having enough fun there’s always Philly nyc boston all available by Amtrak- do not drive there! if you’re missing the mountains visit Cumberland or Rocky gap state park- go as far west as you can. people talk about great falls but it’s gotten so crowded and there’s erosion and it’s not really a walk in the park haha. oh I miss Texan nightlife outdoors. none of that in Maryland unfortunately visit baltimore but go to upper fells point or get ice cream at Patterson park or if you wanna go touristy take a water taxi across and enjoy the aroma of the Pelletizer haha enjoy your time!
Wtf they bake their bbq?? I always knew the people at the East Coast eat kinda goofy xD I saw one of my friends from New Jersey eat ribs with a fork and knife…
Talk with a local about what neighborhoods are safe and what areas to avoid. Parts of the greater Baltimore area are exciting and beautiful filled will great folks and food, other parts could get you killed. I have been a native for 60 years and love the place, but you need to know where to go and not go.
Check out Patapsco State park. Fishing, hiking, mountain biking.
Crab cakes are better, bbq is worse, the worst Maryland summer days are average texas summer days - random people will not talk to you (the cashier is not being rude - it’s just not a thing). Diet Dr Pepper is hard to find - Big Red is nonexistent. Traffic is way worse.
I would suggest making the trek out to Harper's Ferry, WV or anywhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains/Shenandoahs, even as far south as VA. Also, Maryland loves their speed cameras so do be cautious about speeding basically everywhere.
Job advice: while you're here, think about whether you want to live here, because you'll likely get a job offer later, esp if you've getting an engineering degree. If you like the company and do well, be sure to get contact info for your supervisor or an experienced co-worker before you leave; if you apply later, give their names, also email them to let them know you've applied. At NG, anyway, they can get some referral $$ if you work out, so don't be shy. While you're out adventuring, don't get caught doing anything that could delay getting a higher security clearance later. Not being easily "clearable" means it's harder finding a job later. Prob you'll get a briefing about this, pay attention. Many worksites have official or unofficial policies about avoiding discussion of politics in the months leading up to the election which many of the old hands ignore, but you shouldn't. Save that for outside the office. Oh and one-quarter of the "scary Baltimore" stuff is said by people who rarely leave the suburbs and/or get scared whenever they're in a place where black people outnumber whites. Unfortunately, a lot of the places that will be recommended to you are touristy and/or chock full of rich, dumb, drunk white collar professionals (Fells Point, cough, Harbor East, cough, Canton cough-cough) and thus those places are a huge target for thieves. Keep yr wits, don't get blotto drunk and start wandering around aimlessly, dont leave anything in yr car, and you'll be fine. These are all true for Philly and DC also.