Andrea Sachs has written for Travel since 2000. She has reported from nearby places such as Ellicott City, Md., and the Jersey Shore, and from far-flung locations, including Burma, Namibia and Russia.

Cascading down steep, rocky hills just west of Baltimore, Ellicott City, Maryland, is a former mill town that now attracts artists and shoppers. Founded in 1772, it's a good place to hunt for ant ...