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Tiptree Jam Museum
The Reading Room blends the intimacy of an inviting bar with the inviting solace of a good bookstore.
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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Bethesda

10 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Bethesda, Maryland

Updated June 27, 2024
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Unusual Attractions in Bethesda

Front gate of the park. (2020)

Bethesda, Maryland

Glen Echo Amusement Park

Once home to seven different roller coasters, Glen Echo has undergone many transformations since its founding in 1891.
Mushroom House

Bethesda, Maryland

Mushroom House of Bethesda

Surrounded by traditional homes, this Tolkien-esque dwelling stands out on a quiet street in suburban Maryland.
Naval Surface Warfare Center.

Bethesda, Maryland

Naval Surface Warfare Center

This massive swimming pool is the high tech home to the human-powered submarine races.
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Congressional Country Club in 2011.

Bethesda, Maryland

Congressional Country Club

Proto-CIA agents trained with grenades in the sand traps and fired machine guns from the fairways.
Porky The Litter Eater

Bethesda, Maryland

Porky The Litter Eater

This propitious plastic porcine has been petitioning park visitors to pick up after themselves for more than 50 years.
The Madonna in Bethesda

Bethesda, Maryland

Madonna of the Trail

She stares out across six lanes of traffic, clutching a musket and infant with determination.
The hospital tower.

Bethesda, Maryland

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

FDR's Art Deco hospital tower was hopelessly inefficient.
See All 10 Things To Do in Bethesda
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

8 Historic Military Relics in Maryland

Maryland has the distinction of being one of the first states to officially join the Union in 1788—and as such, it’s played both big and small roles in various battles across the nation's history. Here are eight nods to its military past, ranging from a furnace that produced George Washington’s cannonballs to an unusual museum dedicated to the U.S.'s cryptographic history.

View Itinerary
These Civil War guns are located at Fort Washington in Maryland.

Explore Bethesda, Maryland

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Architectural Oddities 2
History & Culture 2
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Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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