About Bel Air, MD
General Information
Bel Air is a town that is situated about 30 miles north of Baltimore and 10 miles northwest of the Chesapeake Bay (Franklin, 2024). It is a historic city that celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2023 and originally centered around its courthouse in the wake of the Civil War (Franklin, 2024). Today, its main street area is the main central location with the courthouse, many government buildings, restaurants, bars, shops and its Bel Air Armory (events center).
Other Areas
There are many neighborhoods in Bel Air and usually they have close by shopping centers surrounded by residential homes. In Bel Air South, the festival shopping center (above) is one of those main areas.
Main Water Sources
The main water source is from surface water from Winters Run and two wells (MDE, 2005). Water is supplied by Maryland American Water Company and treatment is from Loch Raven Reservoir, the Susquehanna River and the seven local wells (MDE, 2005).
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Map and Main Areas
The three main areas of Bel Air are Bel Air North, Bel Air (Main) and Bel Air South. During this CityLab, portions of all three areas will be explored.
Attractions
Bel Air's top attractions are the Ma and Pa Trail, Independent Brewing Company, Liriodendron Mansion and Harford Artist Gallery (Tripadvisor, 2024).
Parks and Schools
While Bel Air is a Suburban Town/City, it is surrounded by many rural communities in Harford County. It has a number of parks and sports facilities that are used for children's tournaments like Cedar Lane Regional Park pictured above (Tripadvisor, 2024). Many people come to Bel Air due to its generally great schools and its location being situated between Pennsylvania and Baltimore (Franklin, 2025).