Don’t Miss These Delightful Holiday Home Tours in Maryland
What’s the only thing more fun than decking the halls of your own home for the holiday season? Seeing how other people decorate their homes, of course! The following list of opportunities to delight in tinsel-and tree-bedecked homes across Maryland is organized chronologically. Get out your calendar and see how many of these holiday home tours in Maryland you can attend!
Frederick County: Candlelight House Tour (Frederick)
Saturday, December 2, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.
Sunday, December 3, 12 p.m.-4 p.m.
Frederick’s popular Candlelight House Tour welcomes guests into six private homes decorated for the holiday season.
This year’s tour includes residences both in historic downtown and in Baker Park, where the unique architectural detail is often as ornate as the decor. Stop by Frederick City Hall for hot chocolate and cider, and shop for ornaments and limited edition prints while you warm up. $25 in advance/$30 weekend-of.
Kent County: Dickens of a Christmas 2023 Holiday House Tour (Chestertown)
Saturday, December 2, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Travel back in time to Chestertown’s Victorian holiday extravaganza.
Visit the festive homes that are a part of the Dickens of a Christmas Holiday House Tour, and enjoy holiday music, the Dickens Performers, carriage rides, and more during this magical town-wide weekend celebration. $40.
Frederick County: Candlelight Holiday Tour at Edgewood Gardens (Myersville)
Friday, December 8, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Peek into the privately-owned Edgewood house and gardens in Myersville.
The halls of the home will be bursting with live greens, homemade decorations, and folk art, and you can soak in the beautiful gardens during the estate’s Candlelight Holiday Tour. $30.
Montgomery County: Darnestown Holiday Home Tour
Saturday, December 9, 12 p.m.-4 p.m.
Local floral designers will transform two historic homes in the Darnestown/Germantown community – Pleasant Hills Plantation, built in 1765, and the John Hanson Gassaway House, circa 1812 – for the Darnestown Holiday Home Tour. You can also purchase wreaths and baked goods, take a hayride (additional fee), and visit local businesses offering discounts and promotions. $30.
Prince George’s County: Laurel Historical Society Holiday House Tour
Saturday, December 9, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
A beloved tradition since 1976, the Laurel Historical Society Holiday House Tour is returning this year after a five-year hiatus.
Get into the holiday spirit among some of Laurel Historic District’s most beautiful homes. $25 in advance/$30 day-of.
Allegany County: Holiday Decorations Guided Tour (Cumberland)
Saturday, December 9, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
The Holiday Decorations Guided Tour is a wonderful opportunity to explore the F. Brooke Whiting House in downtown Cumberland, which is typically only open by appointment.
The picturesque 1911 historic bungalow is filled with world-class collections of American, European, and British decorative arts and will be decked out for the yuletide season. $15 members/$20 non-members. Reservations required.
Anne Arundel County: Rising Sun Inn Candlelight Holiday Tour (Crownsville)
Saturday, December 9, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Learn about the Chesapeake region’s Christmas traditions during the Candlelight Holiday Tour at the Rising Sun Inn. Crownsville’s historic tavern has been hosting visitors since 1753 and will welcome you with some of Martha Washington’s favorite recipes. $18.
Cecil County: Chesapeake City Candlelight House Tour
Saturday, December 9, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
Private homes, churches, and bed and breakfasts will overflow with Christmas cheer during the self-guided Chesapeake City Candlelight House Tour. If you get to town early, you can enjoy the Christmas Parade of Horses and Christmas Market, finish off your gift list at the quaint shops in town, enjoy live music, and grab a bite at a local eatery. $20 in advance/$25 day-of.
Talbot County: Tour of Homes (St. Michael’s)
Saturday, December 9, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, December 10, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
One of the longest-running home tours in the state, St. Michael’s Tour of Homes will gain you entry to several charming village and countryside dwellings.
Included with your ticket is transportation by coach and admission to both the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and the Classic Motor Museum. Make a weekend of it and enjoy all of the seasonal delights Christmas in St. Michael’s has to offer. $30.
Queen Anne’s County: Holiday House Tour (Centreville)
Saturday, December 17, 3 p.m.-5 p.m.
Explore the festive interior of Centreville’s Lansdowne Manor, a beautiful red brick, nineteenth-century manor house featuring some of the best Federal architecture on the Eastern Shore, during its Holiday House Tour. Twinkling lights and glittering ornaments will transform each room into a Christmas wonderland. $75.
Allegany County: Holiday House Tours (Cumberland)
Thursday, December 14, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 17, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
A Victorian Christmas awaits you at Cumberland’s Gordon Roberts House.
The Holiday House Tour at this Second Empire mansion built shortly after the Civil War will include antique ornaments and a photograph with a Vintage Santa Claus. On other dates in December, you can attend afternoon tea or a Christmas buffet, sponsored by the Allegany County Historical Society. $15 members/$20 non-members. Reservations required.
Lead Photo Credit: Christmas in St. Michaels
About the Author
Heidi Glatfelter Schlag is a marketer, history lover, and traveler who can often be found exploring museums, parks, small towns, and farms. She founded Culture-Link Communications, where she helps local nonprofits and small businesses build their brands. Heidi lives in Frederick, MD, with her husband and two dogs.
