Planning a Trip

Getting There

I-68, which runs right through the center of Cumberland, is the fastest route by car from either the east or west. From the east and north, I-70 will take you to I-68. For a more scenic drive, you can get off I-70 or I-68 onto the Old National Pike (U.S. Rte. 40).

Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) serves Cumberland on its Capitol Limited train route, which travels from Washington, D.C., to Chicago. It stops at the station on East Harrison Street.

The Greater Cumberland Regional Airport (tel. 304/738-0002; www.cumberlandairport.com) is actually in Wiley Ford, West Virginia, 2 1/2 miles off Route 68 at Exit 43B. It serves only private planes.

Visitor Information

Walking-tour brochures, maps, and information about Cumberland and the surrounding area are available at the visitor center operated by Allegany County Tourism (www.mdmountainside.com) at the Western Maryland Railway Station, 13 Canal St., Cumberland (tel. 800/425-2067 or 301/777-5132), open daily from 9am to 5pm. If you're coming from the east, the Sideling Hill Exhibition Center, off I-68 about 20 miles east of Cumberland (tel. 301/678-5442), is a great place to stop for brochures, information, and a view of the layers of rock exposed when the mountain was cut to build the road.

Special Events

The Heritage Days Festival (tel. 301/722-0032), held in mid-June in Cumberland, fills the streets with arts and crafts, entertainment, and train rides. C&O Canal and Rail Fest (tel. 540/888-1425), in mid-July at Canal Place, celebrates Cumberland's transportation heritage with living-history demonstrations, crafts, entertainment (often by nationally known performers), and food.