The city of Westminster prides itself on providing a wide range of parks and activities for residents to enjoy. Dutterer Family Park -- Westminster’s newest -- offers walking trails, sports facilities and a pavilion for picnics. Other recreational areas include the Family Center, which features exercise equipment, an arcade and child supervision. In addition to Bear Creek, a few other golf courses are just a short drive away in the surrounding communities.

Westminster also hosts several annual events such as Fallfest, a 25-year-old celebration that is held every September. Festivities include family entertainment, food, crafts and a carnival. Other events include the Annual Wine Festival, outdoor movie nights, parent-child “date” nights and a weekly concert series held on each Friday afternoon in June. The town sponsors several children’s programs, from summer camps to a wide range of sports leagues for children of all ages.

Another major Westminster attraction is the Carroll County Farm Museum, a 142-acre site dedicated to preserving the agricultural heritage of the county. The farmhouse itself was once known as the Almshouse and was used to house transients and criminals, as well as the county’s impoverished. The museum provides tours through a number of exhibits including a blacksmith shop, a tinsmith and a spinning/weaving exhibit.

There are several shopping opportunities in and around Westminster. The Town Mall of Westminster provides 80 specialty stores, a cinema and several restaurants. Smaller stores are located throughout the city for everyday needs.

Students from Westminster attend schools within the Carroll County Public School system, one of the highest-performing districts in the state according to the Maryland School Performance Report. According to their Web site, the mission of this school system is to “ensure that every student can thrive as a responsible citizen in a changing world by providing a rigorous and challenging curriculum in partnership with quality staff, caring families and support from community members.” Students consistently score above state averages on standardized tests. Eight elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools from this expansive district are located in Westminster.

For those seeking higher education, Carroll Community College and McDaniel College -home of the Baltimore Ravens football camp -- are located right in town. Also located in the area is the Carroll County Career & Technology School, a school that has been ranked as the best of its kind in Maryland. Other post-secondary options such as Goucher College, Johns Hopkins University and Loyola College are nearby.