Agritourism | UMES Extension

Agritourism

By combining agriculture and tourism, UMES Extension aims to help farmers increase their revenue streams and spread community knowledge about agriculture on the Eastern Shore, throughout Maryland and the nation.

What is Agritourism

Agritourism is defined by Maryland law as “an activity conducted on a farm offered to the general public or guests for education, recreation or active involvement in farm operations.”

It is a viable option for maintaining a farm’s sustainability, helping to expand income sources.

Agritourism includes:

Farm tours

Hayrides
Corn mazes
Seasonal petting farms
Farm museums
Guest farms
Pumpkin patches
Pick your own or cut your own produce
Camping
Incidental outdoor stays
Classes related to agricultural products or skills
Picnic and party facilities in conjunction with any agritourism activity.

Agritourism continues to grow in Maryland. The 2017 Agriculture Census found 1,548 farms with an agritourism operation or direct sales. Agritourism events generated more than $162 million for the economy and helped support more than 1,000 jobs, according to a 2019 Maryland Department of Agriculture report.

How does UMES Extension help

The UMES Extension Agritourism Program provides education and training through conferences, workshops (including its popular traveling workshops), peer-to-peer interactions, as well as in-person and online training.

We facilitate the sharing and exchanging of ideas and best practices in agritourism with our stakeholders.

UMES Extension specialists use state-of-the-art methods and techniques to generate high-quality evidence, then provide evidence-driven solutions to address the challenges facing agritourism operations in Maryland.

UMES Extension outreach efforts include linking farmers markets with agritourism entrepreneurs, providing data-driven planning and programs, as well as value-added agricultural marketing options.

Find agritourism operations in Maryland with an Interactive Agritourism Map, developed by our experts.

Maryland Agritourism Conference

As part of these efforts, UMES Extension will host its second Maryland Agritourism Conference Nov. 15-17, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina in Cambridge, Maryland. The inaugural conference was held in December 2023, giving an opportunity for entrepreneurs, government entities, and educational institutions to gather and identify critical elements to grow agriculture-centered tourism in the state.

For a look back at the inaugural conference, click here.

Traveling and Destination Workshops

Traveling and Destination Agritourism Workshops take participants to agritourism venues on the Delmarva Peninsula and throughout the state of Maryland, where they learn about successes and challenges direct from operators.

These workshops offer a look at facets of the operations, including value addition, branding and marketing, as well as issues like managing visitors and liability, directing a labor force, and business aspects such as taxes, zoning and permitting.

From farm stands to farm stays to apiaries to pick your own, these behind-the-scenes looks offer real-world scenarios with helpful information you can apply to better your agribusiness.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension held a Destination Agritourism workshop Sept. 5, 2025, at Mary’s Land Farm in Ellicott City, MD. The workshop focused on how to start an agritourism operation, including a farm stay. Discussion topics included regenerative agriculture; cost, pricing and marketing strategies; food safety and handling; organizing and managing visitor activities; and human resources, liability, taxes, zoning, and permitting. (Photos by Dr. Prem Bhandari and Donna Price/UMES)

Interactive Map

Whether you’re looking for data on agritourism in the State of Maryland or simply looking for a place to pick your own strawberries or visit a local craft brewery, the map below can help you find every type of agritourism Maryland has to offer, and which businesses are closest to you.

For questions about or additions to this map, please contact Dr. Prem Bhandari or agritourism@umes.edu.

Learn how to use this interactive map.

What’s a you-pick? Read all agritourism venue definitions.

Disclaimer information

Agritourism Publications

Direct Sales Approaches, Visitors, and Profitability of Agritourism Operations in the US. *
P.B. Bhandari, E. Tucker-Oluwole, L.B. Karki, E.N. Escobar and M.T. Kairo
Preprints 2026. 2026020003. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202602.0003.v1
*This paper was presented at the National Extension Tourism (NETtra) Conference, Meredith, NH, Oct. 7-10, 2025.

Ingenuity Magazine 2026: 3 ways UMES Extension teaches value addition to family farms

Report: Maryland Agritourism: A Baseline Profile 2023.

Slideshow: Maryland Agritourism: A Baseline Profile (2022).

Factors Associated with the Profitability of Agritourism Operations in Maryland, USA*
P.B. Bhandari, K.U. Ejiogu, L.B. Karki, E.N. Escobar, N.N. Arbab and M.T. Kairo
Sustainability 2024, 16(3), 1025; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031025
Download PDF
*This paper was presented at the National Extension Tourism (NET) 2023 Conference, Milwaukee, WI, USA, 24–27 September 2023.

Answering Research Questions Using Survey Data: An Example from Maryland Agritourism.
Prem Bhandari
Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology 18(2):69-74. DOI:10.3126/dsaj.v18i2.73288
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/387575536_Answering_Research_Questions_Using_Survey_Data_An_Example_from_Maryland_Agritourism

The Buzz in Agritourism: Farm-to-table sows farm experience tourism opportunities.
Gail Stephens
Ingenuity Magazine. 2025. School of Agricultural and Natural Resources. University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Maryland. Pp. 20-22. https://issuu.com/umes.edu/docs/ingenuity_magazine_2025?fr=sNzRhYjc5MjIzMDI

Agritourism Fact Sheets

Agritourism in Maryland: What to Know

Agritourism in Maryland: The Challenges

Agritourism in Maryland: Marketing of Fruits, Vegetables and Value-Added Products

Other Agritourism Resources in Maryland

Statewide Guidance and Analysis: Maryland’s Value-Added Agriculture and Agritourism

Maryland Department of Agriculture – State Definition of Agritourism

Provides the official state definition of agritourism, clarifying guidelines and regulations for farmers and service providers.

ALEI’s agritourism matrix

Provides information on zoning links, agritourism definitions by counties, value-added definitions, farm alcohol producer definitions, uses permissibility and approval process, and more.

Maryland Office of Tourism – Agritourism

Highlights farm experiences and events across Maryland, supporting service providers in attracting visitors to local agricultural attractions.

Montgomery Planning – Agritourism Study

Investigates the growth and impact of agritourism within Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve, offering policy insights and recommendations.

Value-Added Agriculture in Maryland

This report provides detailed information about value-added agriculture in Maryland by directly incorporating results compiled from the Baltimore Metropolitan Council Value-Added Agriculture Report & Recommendations, data from the Business Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON) of Salisbury University, Maryland, and the 2017 USDA Agricultural Census.

Adding Value to Specialty Crops: Regulatory Decision Trees For Maryland Producers

This resource will equip growers with the information they need to identify the requirements that apply to their value-added operation. Understanding the various food production plans and facility requirements will also help producers assess the amount of time, effort, and investment needed to obtain the necessary license.

Agritourism Resources By U.S. States

https://www.agmrc.org/foodsystems/agritourism/state-resources