The University of Maryland is located in College Park, a close-in suburb of Washington DC. The City of College Park is primarily a college town, but it is increasingly attracting a diverse and highly educated population, due to nearby centers such as the National Archives at College Park, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and the new headquarters of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and due to the many expanding cultural, sporting and recreational activities available in and around the University of Maryland.
Cultural and sporting activities in College Park are dominated by the University of Maryland. The university's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center hosts a rich program of theatrical, musical, and dance productions by nationally renowned performers (discounted tickets for students). Thanks to its proximity to Washington DC, the university regularly hosts events involving prominent national political and cultural figures, which in recent years has included such figures as Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, and Barack Obama. Maryland's sports teams in football, men's and women's basketball, soccer and lacrosse are hugely popular, and on game days the 18,000 seat Comcast Center or 55,000 seat Byrd Stadium are filled to capacity. The Campus Recreation Center houses outstanding facilities for competitive and recreational sports, including world-class swimming facilities (venue for multiple world record swims). The University of Maryland even has an on-campus 18-hole golf course. College Park also is home to College Park Aviation Museum, which focuses on the early days of aviation when College Park Airport was an important flight center.
Other recreational opportunities in and around College Park include an extensive network of biking and running trails, ice skating, bowling, and even frisbee golf!.
Although shopping and dining opportunities in College Park have long been overshadowed by nearby centers such as Washington DC, Silver Spring, and Bethesda, College Park and the surrounding area are beginning a dramatic transformation. The university's East Campus Initiative (conceptual plans, detailed renderings) will soon transform the area between the campus and the College Park Metro Station into a vibrant new urban area, including new graduate housing, shopping, restaurants, cafes, live music venues, and a hotel. The new University Town Center at the nearby Prince George's Plaza metro station is expanding shopping, dining and entertainment options (image), and another substantial urban renewal project is underway at Greenbelt Station, one metro stop away from College Park, not to mention the Arts District Hyattsville initiative just to the south of College Park. The recently opened IKEA store in north College Park is very popular with students, and is attracting further retail development to College Park.
Many graduate students choose to live in College Park or in nearby areas such as Hyattsville, Greenbelt, Takoma Park, or Silver Spring. Many areas close to the university are served by the ShuttleUM bus service, which covers many popular routes and is free to students.