Located west of Carroll and Howard counties along Maryland's northernmost border and the Mason-Dixon Line, Frederick County has been called the "crossroads of the Civil War." Occupied by both Union and Confederate troops in the days before both the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Gettysburg, Frederick County was also the site of the Battle of South Mountain in 1862 and the Battle of Monocacy in 1865.

The county's historic nature, however, extends far beyond its role in the Civil War. The county was chartered in 1748, and encompasses a number of historic sites and museums. The City of Frederick boasts a 50-block historic district in its downtown, historic bridges are found throughout the county, and the Brunswick Railroad Museum C&O Canal Visitor Center is also found here.

Other Frederick County attractions include:

The National Museum of Civil War Medicine, highlighting Frederick's role as a major hospital center during the civil war.

More than 90 national, state, county and municipal parks.

The 35-acre Catoctin Wildlife Preserve & Zoo.

A number of fine wineries, breweries, and orchard markets.