I have lived in Maryland my whole life and never once have I thought about living anywhere else. I can't say the same for my fellow Marylanders however. In school fellow classmates would always say how excited they are to get out of Maryland, how they can't wait to leave, and how much they hate it here. I've always been baffled by that. Sure the weather can be strange, and depending on where you live there may not be anything to do for miles, but Maryland has it's perks.

Some cool history on Maryland, the state was first founded in 1632 by a man named Cecil Calvert. It was named after the King of Englands wife Henrietta Marie and was known as "Maries Land" before they shortened it to the current name.

Our state capital is pretty cool too. While Annapolis was not the first capital of Maryland, in fact it was St Mary's before they moved it for religious reasons, it has it's fair share of history. Did you know that Maryland had it's own version of the Boston Tea Party? The ship The Peggy Stewart was burned in response to the tea tax right on the Annapolis pier by the Son's of Liberty. Our state made newspaper the Maryland Gazette provided discussions on the issues of the Revolution and is still running today, though it was sold and goes by a different name.

Annapolis was even the nations capital for a few months following the Revolution. It was in Annapolis that the Treaty of Paris was ratified in the Annapolis State House to end the Revolution and create a sort of peace between the States and England. It was also at the Annapolis State House that General George Washington stepped down at the Commander of the Continental Army.

Not impressed by some of Maryland's awesome history? Well here's some stuff you can enjoy in Maryland present day.

Crabs. Marylanders love crabs. And don't forget the Old Bay. If there's anything Maryland does right, it's make crabs. Crabcakes, cream of crab soup, actual crabs that you peal apart, Maryland has it down. Want to know where to get the best cream of crab soup? Harris Crab house on the Eastern Shore has such thick and rich cream of crab soup, my friends and I go there at least once a month. Just order a side of hushpuppies or fries to dip in the soup and you'll be set. Trust me on this.

Maryland has some pretty awesome State Parks. I've volunteered at Patapsco Valley State Park for three years in a row and I've had a blast. There's beautiful trails, great picnic areas, and at Soldiers Delight there's an aviary where visitors can see a few of the birds. Quiet Waters Park is another fun one to go to, especially when it gets colder because they have an outdoor ice skating rink. If you love the outdoors, you're going to love Maryland State Parks.

One of my favorite places to go in Maryland is Downtown Annapolis, where all the history happened. Main Street has the best shops, from Kilwin's the candy store to the famous Chick and Ruth's. In the winter the Holiday lights decorate the street and look beautiful against the water. There's plenty to explore in DTA, and many of the buildings from the Revolution are still standing today, available for tours. It's a beautiful little city with so much to do all year round.

I love Maryland with all my heart and feel so much pride in this beautiful state. Other cool Maryland things to note, we've got the Ravens, the Orioles, our state sport is jousting, our flag is pretty awesome, Tom Clancy lived here (my mom even knew him), the American anthem "The Star Spangled Banner" was written here, and where else can you find some delicious Baltimore made Berger Cookies? To sum it up, I think Maryland is awesome and you should too.