Baltimore, Maryland is a beautiful little city about an 45 minutes out of Washington D.C. It’s Inner Harbor is a beautifully restored area with access to the Chesapeake Bay. Charming row homes line the streets and one can occasionally catch a glimpse of cobblestone pathways. Recent re-development of the area has made it a hotspot of the region with easy access to the Baltimore Penn Station, and Greyhound and Amtrak stops. The Baltimore Aquarium offers world reknowned exhibits with over 10,500 animals in its care. Children can watch the dolphin shows, touch a hermit crab, listen to an electric eel as it emits its pulsating shock, or walk through a tropical rainforset (there are numerous birds and animals from tropical forests in here). The Maryland Science Center is a short walk away. It features an IMAX theater that will draw you into their 3-D nature movies. Children are welcome to walk around and touch the different exhibits to learn why things work the way they do. Disney’s Port Discovery Museum helps children learn as they have fun. They can indulge in crafts, crawl through a three story tree-house (it seems to scare the adults more than the kids), cook in a 50’s style diner, and watch performances. Museaums in the area include the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park, the Baltimore’s Civil War Musuem, Geppis Entertainment Musuem, Baltimore Public Works Museum, the Star Spangled Banner Flag House, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, the Baltimore Museum of Industry, and the Fells Point Maritime Museum.
If you need to sit down after all this walking around, take the water taxi to Fells Point, Fort McHenry, the Canton waterfront park or just ride it around the harbor for some sightseeing. You can then choose to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe, ESPN Zone, the Rusty Scupper, Phillips Seafood, and McCormick and Schmicks. You are also welcome to visit Baltimore’s Little Italy for a taste of authentic Italian cuisine and culture. Wind down i the summer with the free concerts and entertainment right on the waterfront. Listen to Afro-Caribbean rythyms, learn how to waltz, or just watch the clown’s funny antics. You can also catch free movies in Little Italy.
Baltimore is experiencing a renaissance and has an eclectic mix of music, food, and educational activities that will make your stay memorable. No wonder it’s called Charm City!
