Winter is here, which means that everybody is gearing up for the holiday season. There are gifts to be bought, relatives to see, and places to go. One of the best areas in the county to head to during the holidays is Rockville Town Center, a popular place for social gatherings. It is the perfect place to buy gifts, enjoy the festivities, or just spend time with a special someone. This winter, don’t forget to drop by Rockville Town Center—fondly nicknamed RTC by some—to get your fill of the holiday spirit.
RTC, with its wide variety of stores, is a convenient place to find a gift for everyone on your list. Children are sure to enjoy the toys from Toy Kingdom, which sells toys of all shapes and sizes, also including children’s books. Adults would appreciate the unique clothing from Knits Etc. to add to their closets, as well as the beautiful handmade products from Ten Thousand Villages, which sells artisan home decor and accessories.
If all else fails, you can stroll into It’s Sugar, the candy store located right next to the town square that sells every variety of candy you can think of. Who doesn’t want a bag of delicious sweets to complement their holidays?
If you want a bite of something else other than candy, RTC is full of restaurants and cafes to dine in. Starbucks is a classic favorite for every coffee lover—their seasonal drinks and winter specials always help you get in the holiday spirit. Located right next to Starbucks is the French bakery, Vie de France, which sells delicious pastries and sandwiches. Other restaurants, like Five Guys, Miso Fusion Cafe, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Panera are also there if you are looking for a heartier meal.
Besides visiting stores and dining at restaurants, there are plenty of other relaxing activities to do. The Regal Cinemas movie theater is located only a few blocks away from the main square, so you can watch the latest movies with your friends and family. If books are more your style, you can head to the Rockville Memorial Library to curl up with a nice book and read.
However, the crowning jewel of RTC’s assets in winter is obviously the ice rink, which gets put up every winter. Rent a pair of skates and you can spend the night gliding on the ice under the city lights, up to as late as 11 p.m. for most days. There are also nightly holiday tree light shows every hour, beginning at 4:50 p.m. Special events on the ice rink include the Winter Skate Party Series on January 6, where you can dress up as a prince or princess and skate to Disney tunes, and annual Menorah Lighting on December 27.
For more details on events in Rockville Town Center, go to their website: http://rockvilletownsquare.com.
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Ami Thaivalappil of Richard Montgomery High School