By AGNES PASCO CONATY
Credit: Agnes Pasco Conaty
My family faced this summer with challenges: Our son Joseph, who’s between his freshman and sophomore years at the University of Maryland, College Park, has been waiting for the decision call on a summer internship, and my husband and I both have significant work obligations. How to make the best of a long stretch of what is sure to be hot weather?
The three of us decided to put our creativity to good use and craft a device-free staycation. Luckily, there are loads of activities, venues and events right here in Laurel to satisfy most anyone’s interests. Come along, and I’ll introduce you to some of our tried-and-true family favorites.
Through the years, our family’s collected memories — along with lots of score cards — from the Rocky Gorge 4 Seasons Golf Fairway (8445 Old Columbia Road). We beta-tested the course this year when it opened in early spring in hopes of taking my brother-in-law there for his 60th birthday celebration. When we tested, the holes were filled with rain puddles and the hedges needed trimming. A day later, the birthday celebrant made three hole-in-one shots and didn’t mind the puddles; we all had a great time!
We have a family tradition of joining the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System’s summer reading program. Since we live less than 10 minutes from the Laurel Branch Library (507 7th St.), we’ve joined in the fun-filled, whole-summer reading adventure every year since our son was a year old (and eligible for his own library card.). We remember all the ice cream parties, nifty themed shirts, bags, Bowie Baysox tickets and loads of other swag we enjoyed through all those summers. And you can spend hot summer days in a cool, quiet space, too. If you don’t yet have a library card, you can sign up for one at your nearest branch library (for more about cards, go to the library system’s page at tinyurl.com/yc6hvamb). If you already have a card, you can take advantage of dozens of free in-person events. And using your card online, you can explore a new language through Mango, take a course through Kanopy and access a huge collection of movies, books and music with Overdrive.
There are four swimming pools in the city, too: the county-owned Fairland Sports and Aquatics Complex, the Laurel Municipal pool, Greenview pool and the West Laurel Swim Club. (All the pools require a fee or membership.) We have an Olympic-size pool in West Laurel that has a water slide. The complex also has basketball hoops, a ping-pong table and corn hole boards, and there’s a fenced area for toddlers and a snack shack.
Right here at home, my family has the wonders of our own backyard, where we can skip stones and watch minnows in the creek, look for signs of visiting deer, track bird calls, sketch summer wildflowers, delight in playful squirrels jumping from tree to tree or simply watch the sparkling reflections of sunlight on the water. At night, we sit around the fire and sing our favorite songs, listen to crickets or an owl, hear the crackle of burning twigs and share family stories from years gone by.
If you don’t have a backyard as nature-filled as ours, you can grab your picnic basket and blanket and head to Granville Gude Park for a movie or concert. These free events are held every Friday evening from late June to early August (for a full schedule of dates and times, go to tinyurl.com/5bv52wef). There’s a nearby concession stand at the park as well.
On rainy days or days that are simply too hot, we rummage through old boxes of jigsaw puzzles and lay out a 1,000 pieces on our basement table, taking turns to put them together. Or we revisit a remote-controlled car from years back and race it down the hall, making a thud on the wall in duet with our giggles and laughter. We play rounds of Scrabble, Snakes & Ladders or Mexican Train, and the winner gets to hold a worn-out trophy for the night. Or we crank up our turntable — yes, the old-fashioned one we treasure — and play those ‘60s and ‘70s tunes that even our son likes.
And when night falls, why not camp out in your own yard and look at the stars and fireflies? Scan the sky for the stars Vega, Deneb and Altair; they form what’s called the Summer Triangle. (Vega is one of the brightest since it’s close at 25 light-years away and fairly large; you should be able to see it, even without a telescope, on a clear-sky night.) If you live on the less populated side of Laurel you likely have a darker night sky; look up and try to find the Milky Way, which stretches from horizon to horizon. I wrote about night sky watching in my June column in The Laurel Independent (tinyurl.com/49pdfm56).
For those of you who would like a special, elegant bed and breakfast experience, consider booking a room at the Laurel Manor House Bed and Breakfast (1110 Montgomery Road). This beautifully restored home belonged to Edward Phelps, who was first elected mayor of Laurel in 1895 and went on to serve six more terms. The stunning Victorian, with its charming garden, has three lovely guest bedrooms named after the innkeepers’ favorite trees: dogwood, sycamore and willow.
When you’re short on time and resources, you don’t have to go far to have an enjoyable family vacation. Stay in Laurel and discover its many attractions right within reach, with no luggage needed — well almost!
