The University of Maryland is situated in the Washington DC metropolitan area, just a few miles from downtown Washington. College Park has a station on the Washington DC Metro system (map), making it a short ride to central Washington. Some graduate students choose to live near downtown and commute via metro to the University of Maryland.
The Washington DC metropolitan area has a population of over 5 million, it includes the capital city of the United States (1, 2, 3), and is one of the most vibrant cities in North America. Washington boasts a remarkable range of cultural and scientific resources, including the many world-class museums of the Smithsonian Institution (all free!), the National Gallery of Art, the Library of Congress, one of the world's largest libraries, and many important theater and concert venues. Evening entertainment can be found in Washington's many lively neighborhoods, including Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Chinatown, and U Street. The Washington area is also home to NASA, the National Institutes of Health, and many other national laboratories and agencies, plus a number of other prominent universities, including Georgetown University and George Washington University.
Nearby outdoor activities include the National Mall (satellite), the National Zoo, hiking at Great Falls National Park, or biking in Rock Creek Park, and slightly further away the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Washington is home to major sports teams such as the Washington Redskins (football), the Washington Wizards (basketball), the Washington Nationals (baseball), the Washington Capitals (hockey), and DC United (soccer).
The Washington area is a major transportation hub, served by three international airports (Washington National Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport), providing easy access to the entire United States and direct flights to many destinations in Europe, Asia, and South America. Washington is also a major rail hub for Amtrak, which provides regular rail service to such cities as Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, although the cheapest connection to New York may be the 'dragon bus' service. For getting around town when the metro doesn't work, some students like to use FlexCar as a cheap option, and biking is increasingly popular (regional trail map).