The Wayside Inn

Pilgrims!

David — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:59:10 +0000

So anyone who has a third grade sense of humor (and I have been accused of that more than once) knows that “Pilgrims!” is the answer to this riddle: “If April showers bring May flowers, what to may flowers bring? Pilgrims!” And what the heck does that have to do with The Wayside Inn and Ellicott City? Well, anyone who knows their history, knows that after the pilgrims landed, they had to learn to grow their own food in their new home and that they had quite a bit of help from the resident farmers, Native Americans. These local farmers brought them food, taught them how to grow, harvest and cook corn and other native crops. This help was probably the only thing that kept the pilgrims from starving!

We have kept that same tradition alive today with local farmer’s markets. Howard County and Ellicott City have a full schedule of farmer’s markets for you to visit while you are enjoying your stay in our beautiful area. There is a farmer’s market open every day of the week from Wednesday through Sunday; the Wednesday Market is only about a mile away from the Inn at our beautiful new Miller Branch Library.

These farmer’s markets will bring you an ever evolving seasonal selection of produce, jams, eggs, even meats fresh from their farms. The farmers can tell you how it was grown, give you cooking lessons, and tell you how to plant and grow fresh herbs, vegetables and flowers. Nothing tastes as good as food that was selected that morning from the farm or grown yourself and then picked just as you are ready to eat it.

All of the farmers markets are within just a few miles of The Wayside Inn and we can give you directions on how to find your daily market. We will even be glad to refrigerate any produce for you until the day you leave. Also, some of what you have for breakfast in the morning may have been bought the previous day at a farmer’s market!

So if you are planning your trip here and will be staying from Wednesday through Sunday, don’t forget to add a trip to one of the markets. Click here to view the schedule for the markets. They officially open for the year on May 8!

We look forward to seeing you soon,
David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636

Are you longing for a romantic getaway to a bed and breakfast in Ellicott City? Will your visit include shopping and dining at unique stores and gourmet restaurants? We invite you to The Wayside Inn, where relaxation, gourmet breakfasts and access to historic Ellicott City await.

Spring has SPRUNG!

Gina — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:24:47 +0000

Yes, it’s finally spring, and young people’s minds turn to, well, we already know what they turn to, but we are here to talk about fun things to do while you are visiting beautiful, historic Ellicott City. First and most importantly, The Wayside Inn gardens are slowly coming to life! Daffodils and Hyacinths are shyly showing their blossoms, Daylilies are popping up all over the garden and the Knockout Roses are budding and branches are sending out new shoots. It should be just a few weeks before warmer days accelerate the growth and our gardens will be blooming in full. We cannot wait! We love spring.

Historic Ellicott City, a mere two miles away from The Wayside Inn, is also bursting forth with new activity. There are events for families, couples, singles and everyone in between. New this year is the Spring Celebration, happening on April 20^th from noon until 7pm with events for the whole family. Monthly, there recurring events such as Girls Night Out, Ghost Tours, First Fridays and Second Sundays. For more info, visit the Historic Ellicott City website.

Come see us for this spring to enjoy an abundance of fun activities in Ellicott City, Howard County and beyond!

We look forward to seeing you soon,
David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636

Are you longing for a romantic getaway to a bed and breakfast in Ellicott City? Will your visit include shopping and dining at unique stores and gourmet restaurants? We invite you to The Wayside Inn, where relaxation, gourmet breakfasts and access to historic Ellicott City await.

So Much to Enjoy This Holiday Season in Ellicott City and Howard County, Maryland

Gina — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:12:32 +0000

Wow! Thanksgiving has come and gone, so it’s time to get out and start celebrating the winter holidays. As usual, there’s no shortage of things to do and see in Ellicott City and Howard County, Maryland. We’ve scoured the web (thanks to our friend Google) and have come up with the best sites listing wonderful local events. Check out:

Featured Events on the Howard County Tourism Council – These folks KNOW fun and list a plethora of great events.

Events on the Ellicott City Patch Site – The Patch sites have the wonderful feel of a hometown newspaper – online. Check out their ever-changing events page.

50 Free Things To Do in Howard County – Provided by the Howard County Public School System (teachers research everything, so we trust this list!).

Come see us for the holidays to enjoy an abundance of fun activities in Ellicott City and Howard County and beyond!

We look forward to seeing you soon,
David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636

A BIG Rainstorm in Ellicott City (aka Hurricane Sandy)

Gina — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:39:10 +0000

Well, by now you’ve heard the news. Hurricane Sandy is hitting the East Coast hard. We’re having some big rain here in Ellicott City, along with very strong wind gusts. As of this writing, the news and weatherpeople are telling us there’s more to come, so we’re battening down the hatches and getting ready. David even bought an extra-large bag of tortilla chips!

The round-the-clock news of the hurricane piqued our curiosity about the Atlantic Hurricane Season (henceforth referred to as AHS), so we turned to a favorite source for information, Wikipedia, to learn what they had to say:

“The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year when hurricanes usually form in the Atlantic Ocean. Tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic are called hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition, there have been several storms over the years that have not been fully tropical which are categorized as subtropical depressions and subtropical storms.

Worldwide, tropical cyclone activity peaks in late summer, when the difference between temperatures aloft and sea surface temperatures is the greatest. However, each particular basin has its own seasonal patterns. On a worldwide scale, May is the least active month, while September is the most active. In the Northern Atlantic Ocean, a distinct hurricane season occurs from June 1 to November 30, sharply peaking from late August through September; the season’s climatological peak of activity occurs around September 10 each season.” Read more…

Got all that? Our favorite words in this description of AHS include “aloft” and “climatological.”

On a serious note, we hope all you stay safe and dry during all of the rain and wind and we’ll see you after the the storm!

We look forward to seeing you soon,

David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636

“Pick Your Own” Farms Near Baltimore and DC

Gina — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 12:00:50 +0000

Being situated between Baltimore and DC offers our guests an abundance of outstanding activities right outside our doorstep. This time of year, it’s especially enchanting to make a trip to a “pick your own” farm to, well, pick your own fruits and veggies. And, with the weather cooling down, apple season (yum!) is in full swing and pumpkin season isn’t far behind. Cue the “Charlie Brown” music: Oh, Great Pumpkin, where are you?

If you’re ready to make a trip to the pleasant and plentiful “Pick Your Own” farms near The Wayside Inn, here’s a fun website entitled PickYourOwn.org that lists the farms in and near the Baltimore and DC areas, including those in Baltimore County, Howard County and Montgomery County, plus many other counties nearby.

“Pick Your Own” farms offer great fun for families, couples and everyone in between; we look forward to hearing your stories of adventure on the farm!

We look forward to seeing you soon,

David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636

Something for Everyone: Art Museums in DC and Baltimore

Gina — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:09:57 +0000

DC and Baltimore offer so many things: politics, sports (which could be considered one in the same), dining, music, shows, a vast array of cultural events and art museums, which really do offer something for everyone.

The Wayside Inn is about a 30 minute drive from Baltimore and about 45-60 minutes from DC. If you’re headed to DC, it’s easy to get there by metro and we’re located just 30 minutes from the Glenmont Metro Station. Traveling by metro also offers a few added bonuses: it’s a “green” way to go and allows convenient parking at the station, rather than parking in DC (which isn’t always easy or fun).

So, what’s your pleasure in art? Do you like the ultra-modern pieces? The classics? Greek statues? The Baltimore-DC metro area has it all: take a look these comprehensives lists of museums before your stay at The Wayside Inn. And, if you need assistance getting tickets or have general questions, we’re here to help. Just ask!

Art Museums in Baltimore (on Wikipedia)

Art Museums in DC (on Wikipedia)

We look forward to seeing you soon,
David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636

Are you longing for a romantic getaway to a bed and breakfast in Ellicott City? Will your visit include shopping and dining at unique stores and gourmet restaurants? We invite you to The Wayside Inn, where relaxation, gourmet breakfasts and access to historic Ellicott City await.

Thank You for Your Referrals

Gina — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 20:22:52 +0000

As we head into the second half of 2012, we’d like to take a moment to thank our clients and fellow business people for their referrals so far this year. Susan and I are always thrilled when a new guest comes to us by way of personal recommendation.

Firstly, we’re honored that a past guest or business contact put their own reputation on the line to recommend The Wayside Inn to others. Secondly, we feel a connection with the referred guest through our shared relationship with the referring person. Thirdly, we hope the referred guest will, in turn, tell their contacts about The Inn and expand its family of guests. It’s good mojo all around!

We’ll continue to strive for your referrals in the second half of the year (and in the years ahead) and invite you to tell your friends, family and contacts about us. We very much enjoy meeting all of the new folks who visit and enjoy the Ellicott City area, Baltimore, DC and beyond.

Please note: If you’re unable to refer us to a friend, would you contact us to share the ways we can do better? We seek continuous improvement and appreciate suggestions on how to make your stays more enjoyable. And, we promise not to cry (too long) when you share your thoughts and feelings with us!

We look forward to seeing you soon,
David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636

Summer Fun: “Beer and Fear”, Fireworks and First Fridays

Gina — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:40:10 +0000

Fireworks!

Like our guests, Susan and I are doers. It’s hard for us to sit still, so we’re glad to be in Howard County, Maryland because there’s so much to do during the summer months (and every season of the year). Here, residents and visitors enjoy events like “Beer and Fear”, Fireworks and the First Friday Celebrations in downtown Ellicott City, which are actually held throughout the year just minutes from the Inn.

Today, on the “Visit Howard County” website, I found this comprehensive, dynamic and exciting list of Featured Events, which showcases an ample mix of free and paid happenings and includes contact websites and other pertinent info. If you have little ones in your life, there are lots events for children of all ages (do you think they’d let me attend the Dinosaur Petting Zoo at the Howard County Conservancy?).

And, don’t forget the summer movies at the Wine Bin in Ellicott City, which are running now through September. Our friend Dave and his staff project movies on the large screen that’s hung on the side of their building, offer a wine tasting before each movie and even have coolers to chill your beer and wine (they’ve thought of everything). So, bring your chairs and a picnic and a few dollars to buy some popcorn and bottled water, the proceeds from which benefit Voices for Children of Howard County.

Well, I should be folding some towels or cleaning something, but when I chat with Susan this evening, we’re booking our next adventure!

We look forward to seeing you soon,
David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636

Atlantic Reed Consort

Gina — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:38:03 +0000

Atlantic Reed Consort

We recently found out about an eclectic group of chamber musicians called Atlantic Reed Consort and had a chance to speak with Bassonist Eddie Sanders about their work.

The group’s members met while playing in the US Air Force Band and formed Atlantic Reed Consort (ARC) about two years ago, modeling their group after an avant garde group called Califax in the Netherlands . “We started from a new slate as we came together to try new methods and styles in the classical genre,” noted Mr. Sanders. The group includes only reed instruments (hence the name) and doesn’t include the flute or the French horn.

“We’re based in DC and perform not only in the DC and Baltimore metro areas, but also other venues nationwide, which currently includes mostly schools, clubs and organizations. This fall, we’ll be playing at UC Berkley and UC Irving in California and are working to book larger performances locally and across the US.”

ARC offers a range of music for its audiences including Jazz, contemporary, Renaissance music played in the 1500′s and their own original scores, most of which are being composed by ARC Clarinetist John Romano.

“We’re trying to really connect with our audiences through our performances. Before the pieces, we speak to the audience about the meanings and related stories around the music in hopes of sharing more in-depth perspectives on what they’re about to hear,” added Mr. Sanders.

Learn more about Atlantic Reed Consort here.

There’s so much culture and fun in the Baltimore and DC areas…come stay with us and enjoy your share!

We look forward to seeing you soon,
David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636

A Treasure in Our Backyard: Merriweather Post Pavilion

Gina — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:15:45 +0000

A mere fifteen minutes from The Wayside Inn in Columbia, MD, lives an amazing amphitheater nestled within the 40 preserved acres of Symphony Woods: Merriweather Post Pavilion. Named after the American socialite and founder of General Foods, Marjorie Merriweather Post, the venue offers an spectacular array of concerts and other events that draw thousands of visitors from around the country each year.

According the their website, “A concert season at Merriweather Post Pavilion is like putting your iPod on shuffle: the calendar features the best in rock, country, rhythm and blues, pop, jazz, hip hop, alternative, electronica and classical.” And, it’s true. This year’s season kicks off with the Sweetlife Food and Music Festival showcasing performers whose names we found incredibly intriguing: A$AP Rocky, Zola Jesus and Fitz & the Tantrums. Later in the season, concert goers can see the Capital Jazz Fest with well-known artists Anita Baker and George Benson.

The site also notes that, “Yes, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead played here!” and “If the backstage walls could talk, they’d echo Roger Daltrey and Robert Plant trading some wicked stories about when the Who and Led Zeppelin played here in the ‘70s.” If only we could have been a fly on the wall!

Improvements to the theater are ongoing, and, we believe, these changes foster the longevity of the venue, which has been hosting music legends and fans for more than 40 years. According to the site, “Recent enhancements include building an enormous kitchen that prepares the most delectable cuisines from all over the world, a Music Pinball Arcade, award-winning sculptures and the tripling of restroom facilities.” Ahem to that!

Come visit Merriweather Post during your next stay at The Wayside Inn. We know they’ll have a concert or two for you!

We look forward to seeing you soon,
David and Susan Balderson
Innkeepers
The Wayside Inn
Ellicott City, MD
(410) 461-4636