Silver Spring Park - Silver Spring, MD

Rich with culture, Silver Spring also played a key part in American history. The area was named after a little spring flecked with mica found in 1840 by Francis Preston Blair. Blair's son, Montgomery Blair, worked as postmaster general under Abraham Lincoln during the civil war and represented Dred Scott at the Supreme Court.

The neighborhood developed into more of a city suburb in the late 1880s and throughout the 20th and 21st centuries underwent numerous revitalization projects and commercial growth, attracting a wide ethnic and cultural range of settlers.

For an enriching historical experience, take your pick of an eclectic selection of museums, from the Meditation Museum to the National Museum of Health and Medicine to the National Capital Trolley Museum.

The highly ranked AFI DOCS film festival occurs annually, hosted by Silver Spring-based Discovery Communications and the American Film Institute. The yearly Silver Spring Jazz Festival draws the largest crowd.

From authentic international cuisine to art cinema and rollicking live music, Silver Spring Park provides something for every taste. Restaurants crowd around the downtown area to create a perfect spot to stroll around and search for just the right place.

Grab a fresh cup of coffee and settle into a couch at Zed's Cafe, where the interior truly fits the self-described "casual environment." The cafe feels more like someone's living room rather than a hip eatery thanks to a quirky mix of sofas, recliners, stools, old rocking chairs and tables. Try the veggie quiche and smoked salmon sandwich with a caramel macchiato while you study or hang out. Select from nearly endless lunch options in this neighborhood. Go for the deep dish pizza at Armand's Chicago Pizzeria, or try the perfectly seasoned kafta sandwich at The Lebanese Taverna Cafe. Order the flavorful pupusas at La Casita Pupuseria & Market for a unique lunchtime experience. Among the high number of Ethiopian restaurants, try the Ethio Express Grill for quality fast food. Enjoy a leisurely dinner of stuffed grape leaves at Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant on Georgia Avenue.

Locals, entrepreneurs and University of Maryland students all pack the Parkway Deli & Restaurant for dinner at this hole-in-the-wall spot. Fill up with the knockwurst platter alongside potato pancakes. Unwind with a pint of Starr Hill Northern Lights craft beer brewed in Charlottesville. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a slice of tres leche cake and a thick, house-made chocolate milkshake.

Quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger with a lager or whiskey and one of the best burgers in town at Quarry House Tavern. Due to its somewhat obscure location under an Ethiopian restaurant, you may not even notice when you pass by this basement bar. The hip yet unpretentious ambiance and live music on Saturday nights make this hidden gem worth the discovery. For more live music, catch a concert and an inexpensive beer at The Fillmore. The venue showcases local, national and international musicians. Look for low-key entertainment at the AFI Silver Theatre to view the latest indie or foreign film. Locals grab the Metro to D.C. for trendier nightlife, as Silver Spring doesn't have much in the way of dance clubs.

Residents in the busier areas of Silver Spring can complete some errands and activities on foot, whereas other sections require a car. Commuters can either drive Georgia Avenue or the Washington Baltimore Beltway, known as I-495 to get to downtown D.C. or other areas of Maryland. For public transportation options, a metro stop sits right in the neighborhood. The Silver Spring station on the red line is only a 15 minute ride from the heart of D.C.. The local Metro bus also provides a means of getting around.

Certain streets have bike lanes, and even safer is the option to take the Sligo Creek or Rock Creek Park Trails. Parking can get pricey at the metered street spots closer to downtown and other busy areas, though locals know to snag metered spots after 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. in commercial areas when they become free. Along some of the more residential streets, parking remains free.

Residents of Silver Spring enjoy both exercise and leisure activities in the numerous well-maintained parks where dogs and kids are both welcome patrons.

Both Rock Creek and Sligo Creek Parks run through the neighborhood, Rock Creek being perfect for bikers and joggers, while Sligo Creek provides smaller, hillier trails more suited to a stroll or a low-key playground for the little ones. Both are free for casual activities, but Rock Creek requires a moderate fee to reserve picnic shelters or event areas.

Grab a nice bit of greenery in the midst of shopping and dining at downtown Acorn Park, or head to the popular Wheaton Regional Park for playgrounds, picnics, sports fields and multiuse trails. Families head to both Woodside Urban Park and General Getty Neighborhood Park for less crowded outdoor time and well-kept playgrounds. Both are open to the public and free of charge.

Summertime brings the diverse outdoor music concert series right in downtown, where you can catch anything from Swing to Latin music every Friday evening. Though not held in a park, the Jazz and Silver Spring Street Festivals are both enjoyable outdoor events.

Though the cost of living in Silver Spring is about 2 percent lower than the Washington D.C. average, residents still pay well to live in this active, urban neighborhood bordering the nation's capital.

For a one-bedroom apartment, budget about $1,180 per month. Those commuting into downtown D.C. take the Metro's red line straight to Union Station for $3.40 during peak hours and $2.70 during nonpeak hours using the SmartTrip card. Grab a bus to other areas of Montgomery County or D.C. at $1.75 for the regular and $4 for the express.

Stop by a local neighborhood bar to relax with a cold beer for about $5 a pint. Drivers look to pay about 8 percent above the national average cost of gas.

The shopping options in Silver Spring provide a blend of popular chain stores and individual boutique and specialty shops to suit your need of the day. Most stores center around the downtown section. Shoppers search the sales at Ross Dress for Less and Marshalls among other usual chain stores in downtown City Place Mall, at Colesville Road and Fenton Street.

Bargain hunters find their haven in the Pennyworth shop with well-kept vintage clothes or the Record Exchange, where you can buy dirt cheap CDs, DVDs, and vinyl. Grab an exciting page-turner at Silver Spring Books.

Locals flock to Fenton Street Market every Saturday to stock up on fresh organic produce and meats as well as unique arts and crafts. Whole Foods and Safeway serve a larger selection of grocery items. Plus, several smaller grocers like Snider's Super Foods are scattered throughout the neighborhood.