Outdoor Activities ...
As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).
When in The Downs, we use the following websites to find information relevant to The Downs and the surrounding area.
- Weather ...
- Before heading outdoors, you should check the weather:
- The National Weather Service forecast for The Downs
- Astronomy & Satellites ...
- Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
- To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for The Downs:
- 39.016778, -76.553297
- Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
- The Heavens-Above Website, centered on The Downs
- Bird Watching ...
- We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
- The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Anne Arundel County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
- eBird sighting report for Anne Arundel County
- Since The Downs is near Prince George's County and also Queen Anne's County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
- eBird sighting report for Prince George's County
- eBird sighting report for Queen Anne's County
- Waymarking ...
- Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
- Waymark.com
Communities Also Named The Downs ...
We found fourteen communities that share the name The Downs.
Within Maryland, the name The Downs is unique.
Beyond Maryland, we know of another fourteen communities that are located throughout in the United States.
- Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
- Alabama
- Macon County
- This The Downs is located in Macon County and lies 696 miles [1,120.1 km]<1> to the southwest of the The Downs that is located in Anne Arundel County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Macon County community of The Downs.
- Tuscaloosa County
- This The Downs is located in Tuscaloosa County and lies 732 miles [1,178 km] to the west southwest of the The Downs that is located in Anne Arundel County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Tuscaloosa County community of The Downs.
- Georgia
- Warren County
- This The Downs is located in Warren County and lies 523 miles [841.7 km]<1> to the southwest of the The Downs that is located in Anne Arundel County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Warren County community of The Downs.
- Washington County
- This The Downs is located in Washington County and lies 534 miles [859.4 km] to the southwest of the The Downs that is located in Anne Arundel County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Washington County community of The Downs.
- Illinois
- Kansas
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
- Salt Lake County
- This The Downs is located in Salt Lake County and lies 1,862 miles [2,996.6 km]<1> to the west northwest of the The Downs that is located in Anne Arundel County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Salt Lake County community of The Downs.
- Weber County
- This The Downs is located in Weber County and lies 1,863 miles [2,998.2 km] to the west northwest of the The Downs that is located in Anne Arundel County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Weber County community of The Downs.
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Alabama
Curious and Interesting Names Near The Downs ...
As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.
- Arnold
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Arnold have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Arnold is located in Anne Arundel County
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Arnold <4>
- Cranberry Woods
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cranberry Woods have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranberry Woods
- Cranberry Woods is located in Anne Arundel County
- Crownsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crownsville
- Crownsville is located in Anne Arundel County
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Crownsville <4>
- Downs on the Severn
(Less than 2 miles to the east)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Downs on the Severn have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downs on the Severn
- Downs on the Severn is located in Anne Arundel County
- Dreams Landing
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dreams Landing have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dreams Landing
- Dreams Landing is located in Anne Arundel County
- Evans Hill
(Less than 2 miles to the north)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Evans Hill have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans Hill
- Evans Hill is located in Anne Arundel County
- Harbor Oaks
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Harbor Oaks have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbor Oaks
- Harbor Oaks is located in Anne Arundel County
- Harbour Glen
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Harbour Glen have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbour Glen
- Harbour Glen is located in Anne Arundel County
- Herald Harbor
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Herald Harbor have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herald Harbor
- Herald Harbor is located in Anne Arundel County
- Hickory Hills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hickory Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Hills
- Hickory Hills is located in Anne Arundel County
- Hidden Hills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hidden Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hidden Hills
- Hidden Hills is located in Anne Arundel County
- Honeysuckle Ridge
(Less than 2 miles to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Honeysuckle Ridge have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honeysuckle Ridge
- Honeysuckle Ridge is located in Anne Arundel County
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Joyce
(Less than 2 miles to the east) - Lark Hill
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast) - Lincoln Heights
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lincoln Heights have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Heights
- Lincoln Heights is located in Anne Arundel County
- Little John
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Little John have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little John
- Little John is located in Anne Arundel County
- Maid Marion
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Maid Marion have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maid Marion
- Maid Marion is located in Anne Arundel County
- Mariners Cove
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mariners Cove have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mariners Cove
- Mariners Cove is located in Anne Arundel County
- Oak Court
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south) - Parole
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast) - Ravenshead
(Less than 2 miles to the north)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ravenshead have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravenshead
- Ravenshead is located in Anne Arundel County
- Robin Hood Hill
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Robin Hood Hill have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robin Hood Hill
- Robin Hood Hill is located in Anne Arundel County
- Rolling Hills
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rolling Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolling Hills
- Rolling Hills is located in Anne Arundel County
- Rolling Knolls
(Less than 2 miles to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rolling Knolls have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolling Knolls
- Rolling Knolls is located in Anne Arundel County
- Terrace Gardens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Terrace Gardens have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terrace Gardens
- Terrace Gardens is located in Anne Arundel County
- Threemile Oak Corner
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Threemile Oak Corner have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Threemile Oak Corner
- Threemile Oak Corner is located in Anne Arundel County
- Twin Hills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Twin Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Hills
- Twin Hills is located in Anne Arundel County
- Valentine Creek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Valentine Creek have been provided by the GNIS.<3> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valentine Creek
- Valentine Creek is located in Anne Arundel County
- Joyce
How Far From The Downs to ...
We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as The Downs to various places of note, such as the White House.
With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in The Downs and extending to:
- Annapolis, which is the Seat of Anne Arundel County, lies just to the Southeast.
- Annapolis, which is the State Capital of Maryland, lies just to the southeast (SE).
- The White House (Washington, DC) is 27 miles [43.5 km]<1> to the west southwest (WSW). If you could walk a straight line from The Downs to White House, with an average speed<5> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take just about two full days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take just over a day.
- The shortest distance<6> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,872 miles [9,450.1 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
- The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,576 miles [10,583 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<8>
- The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,453 miles [7,166.4 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<9>
Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for The Downs. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
The official website for Anne Arundel County: www.co.anne-arundel.md.us/
The official website for State of Maryland: www.maryland.gov/
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- The Downs) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in The Downs. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 39.0168, Longitude: -76.5533 In this case, the coordinates for The Downs have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). |
| <2> | If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer. Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Mile's to see Pete ... Mile's is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name. Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time. Also keep in mind that The Downs could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out. |
| <3> | The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required. |
| <4> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <5> | While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day. |
| <6> | The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from The Downs to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East. |
| <7> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 307.597 degrees. |
| <8> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 303.125 degrees. |
| <9> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 304.465 degrees. |