Emmitsburg

Founded in the 1700s and tucked among the blooming foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Emmitsburg is a quaint small town known for its Catholic shrines, which draw visitors from all over the world. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint, founded the country's first order of nuns here in the early 1800s. Today the historic downtown has antiques shops, a railroad museum, and well-maintained historic homes. Students from Mount St. Mary's University enliven the town.