Discover Bel Air: History, Trails and Gardens

Bel Air is easy to explore on foot, with tree-lined sidewalks and a mix of historic and modern architecture. There are different routes and tours to help you find your way around: a hiking and biking trail along a former railroad line, and a self-guided tour of public art. Historic buildings, gardens and a weekly farmers market offer more ways to plan your stay.

Walking Tours and Trails in Bel Air

The scenic Ma & Pa Heritage Trail follows the former route of the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad and is designated for hiking and biking. The Williams Street Trailhead Station for the Ma & Pa Trail is centrally located in Bel Air. The trails, distances and central location of the starting point offer different ways to find your bearings: would you like to experience a former railroad line, or are you looking for a walking tour with a specified duration?

The Historic Walking Tour includes two scenic routes: one lasting 45 minutes and covering 1.8 miles, and another lasting 60 minutes and covering 2.3 miles. The longer option adds 15 minutes and 0.5 miles. You can compare the available routes by their stated duration and distance. Check the latest route information before setting out.

The Public Art Tour is laid out differently: it begins with a two-mile self-guided walk through downtown. This gives you two distinct formats to choose from—the Historic Walking Tour’s routes with stated durations, and a self-guided art tour. Here, too, it’s a good idea to check the latest route information before setting out.

Architecture and History

The Bel Air Courthouse Historic District is characterized mainly by two- or three-story brick or half-timbered buildings. They were built or renovated between the 19th and early 20th centuries. The district also represents an important aspect of Bel Air’s growth and development as the county seat. Architecture and local history can be considered together here: the buildings illustrate different styles and periods, while the district’s significance is tied to the development of the seat of county government.

Individual buildings also tell the story of Bel Air. The Bel Air Armory is significant for its connection to the reorganization and expansion of the National Guard system in the 20th century. The Hays House Museum is a living history site that offers tours of the historic townhouse; tour arrangements may change, so check before your visit. The Liriodendron is a historic mansion built in 1898 as a summer home for Dr. Howard Atwood Kelly, one of the founding physicians of Johns Hopkins. These different connections—the National Guard, townhouse history and a late-19th-century mansion—offer several tangible facets of local history.

Gardens, Downtown and Getting Around

The Rockfield Horticultural Gardens include a grass garden, a shade garden, an evergreen garden, a xeriscape garden, a kitchen garden, and a hummingbird and butterfly garden. The different garden areas have different focuses, from a kitchen garden to gardens named for their growing conditions or wildlife. Within the grounds, the Gazebo Garden provides a setting for public art by the Harford Master Gardeners.

The Bel Air Visitor Center is located at the Harford Artists Gallery in Armory Marketplace, just steps from historic Main Street. Operating details may change, so check before your visit. Historic downtown is also home to locally owned shops and boutiques. Along with its tree-lined sidewalks and mix of old and new architecture, the downtown area is one of the ways to explore Bel Air on foot.

Saturday Farmers Market

The Town of Bel Air holds a farmers market on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon in the parking lot next to the Mary Risteau Building at 2 South Bond Street. Vendors offer produce, meat, eggs, dairy products, preserved foods, baked goods, pet treats and other consumer products. The market is a separate activity to enjoy alongside the walking tours and historic sites. Check the location and hours before your visit; the selection of vendors may also change with the seasons.

Discover more destinations: Pylesville, Abingdon, Aberdeen, Havre De Grace, Monkton, Edgewood, Belcamp, Whiteford.

For the broader travel overview: Harford.