Rockville is the third largest city in Maryland, with a population of 57,000. It is one of the bio-tech capitals of the world, and is part of Maryland's "Tech Corridor." It serves as the business, government and retail center of the Silver Springs, Bethesda and Chevy Chase area. There are two distinctive sections of Rockville?what is considered the city of Rockville, and the surrounding suburban area of Rockville.
Rockville is located north of Bethesda and Chevy Chase, and southwest of Gaithersburg in central Maryland. It is just twelve miles northwest of Washington, D.C.
Bethesda has a population of 55,000 residents and is located within the greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area. Named after the Bethesda Presbyterian Church, still located there today, the area has no boundaries, allowing easy access to nearby areas Rockville, Chevy Chase and Silver Springs.
Bethesda is the home to the National Institutes of Health, which offers tours to the public. It is also the site of the C&O Canal National Historic Park; part of the 185 mile Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Park Trail, running along the Potomac River.
Bethesda offers an array of theater options; and the American Film Institute, in nearby Silver Springs, is a hot spot for cinema buffs. Bethesda has what is known to locals as "restaurant row;" an eight-block stretch of upscale and ethnic eateries. In the ten mile span of road between Rockville and Bethesda, a shopping haven awaits, known as the "miracle mile." Also, in nearby Chevy Chase, Wisconsin Avenue features a variety of upscale fashions, and is likened to Fifth Avenue in New York.
Bethesda is located directly south of Rockville, and just west of Chevy Chase, bordering Washington D.C. to the northwest. Chevy Chase is on the eastern border of Washington D.C.
