3 Best Sights in Prince George's County, Maryland

Three miles northeast of Greenbelt, the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) research center in Beltsville has developed everyday innovations such at backyard fly traps, orange juice from concentrate, and seedless grapes. Today BARC's research priorities are climate change, food safety, nutrition and obesity, international food security, and bioenergy. When several offices were attacked by anthrax mailings in 2001, it was scientists at this Beltsville location who helped determine where the anthrax came from. The visitor center is inside a log lodge built in 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and tours take at least two hours. Because of their length and technical nature, tours are not recommended for children below middle-school age. There are neither free food samples nor cafeterias on-site, but ARS sponsors a farmers' market down the road from the visitor center on Thursdays. Reservations are essential; call at least three weeks in advance. The visitor center, building 302, is located on Powder Mill Road, about a half mile away from the main building on Baltimore Avenue. It may not show up on a GPS, so call ahead for directions.

The Wright Brothers once trained military officers to fly at College Park Airport, the world's oldest continuously operating airport, which is now affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. The College Park Aviation Museum is a tribute to the Wright Brothers and early aviation. Children can spin propellers and dress up like aviators. In fall, the museum hosts the Hollywood Flyers film series, showing blockbusters and documentaries about flight. Screenings take place at 1 pm on Saturday, and are free with museum admission. At the Peter Pan program, preschoolers make airplanes and hear stories on the second and fourth Thursday of the month (10:30 to noon). On their Web site, the museum offers podcast audio tours in English, Spanish, and French.

One of the largest campuses in the country, the University of Maryland at College Park has an enrollment of about 37,000. The College Park campus began as an agricultural college in 1856, and became part of the University of Maryland in 1920. The university's athletic teams (the Terrapins) participate in the highly competitive Atlantic Coast Conference and draw large crowds to Byrd Stadium and the 17,950-seat Comcast Center. In Turner Hall, visitor-center staff provide information about the university and maps for getting around the sprawling campus of 1,200 acres and 270 buildings. At the dairy, ice cream made from campus cows' milk is available by the cone or carton.