Montgomery County is the most populous county in Maryland and one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, a suburban region bordering Washington, D.C. to the north and northwest. It is a commuter county in the classic sense — most of its residents work in Washington or in the enormous federal government contractor economy that lines the I-270 corridor — but it has genuine character in its historic towns, its agricultural past, and its unusually well-preserved open spaces.
Rockville, the county seat, has a revitalised town centre around Rockville Town Square and holds the graves of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Bethesda, closer to Washington, is the most urbanised part of the county: a dense, walkable area with a strong restaurant scene and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Silver Spring at the southeastern corner has a diverse, lively downtown that serves as the county's most transit-accessible hub, anchored by the Discovery Building and a busy stretch of restaurant and bar options along Georgia Avenue.
The county's western half retains much of its agricultural character. The Sugarloaf Mountain natural area offers hiking and views, and the farm country around Poolesville and the Seneca Creek watershed is good cycling territory. The C&O Canal National Historical Park follows the Potomac River along the county's southern border, offering flat walking and cycling on a historic towpath all the way from Washington to Cumberland.