Maryland is a state located along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Although it is a very small state in terms of total land area, Maryland possesses a wide variety of climate zones. This is because local elevations vary greatly, as does proximity to sources of fresh and salt water.
The eastern portion of Maryland possesses flat topography and boasts a humid subtropical climate, which makes it an ideal winter vacation destination; winters are mild rather than cold. Summers across this portion of the state tend to be hot and humid. In contrast to this is western Maryland, which features higher elevations that produce mild summer temperatures along with cool winters that are often snowy.
In between is the Piedmont region, where snowfall can exceed 20 inches annually and temperatures of 10 degrees below zero are not uncommon during the winter months. The large city of Baltimore, home to the National Aquarium, is located in the east while Westminster and Gaithersburg are in the Piedmont.
Although one of the original 13 colonies which banded together to form the new nation, Maryland is also a place that is thoroughly modern and up-to-date, as can be seen in the environmentally friendly policies adopted by the state during the new millennium. Tourists staying in vacation homes in Maryland have many opportunities to learn how Marylanders have reduced their total energy consumption -- strategies that can be brought home to other states.