Things to Do in Maryland

National Harbor, only minutes from DC by car or by ferry, is located on the Potomac River, and it is a treasure trove of accommodations, shops and boutiques, and places to eat.

Family-friendly fun begins with The Capital Wheel, a 180 foot high enclosed Ferris wheel with 42 climate-controlled gondolas seating eight persons each.

From the top of the circle, riders have a terrific view over the Potomac River, and they can see the White House, the Capitol Building, and the National Mall.

Families will also love the large carousel with its legions of whimsical creatures and the biking and hiking trails.

They can also rent kayaks, paddleboards, and pedal boats. Warm Sunday nights bring outdoor movies, a candy shop is filled with plenty of treats, and a replica pirate ship offers its own kind of fun for all.

165 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745, Phone: 877-628-5427

The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis is where U.S. Navy and Marine Corps members receive their four-year undergraduate training.

The Naval Academy welcomes visitors at the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center and offers guided tours of the undergraduate college.

At the Visitor Center, you will find exhibits about life as a midshipman during the four-year program of study and a 13-minute film called “The Call to Serve.”

All proceeds from guided tours and from sales at the Naval Academy’s gift shop benefit the Brigade of Midshipmen.

Visitors over the age of 18 must have valid photo identification and must park off-site unless accompanied by an individual with Department of Defence credentials.

121 Blake Road, Annapolis, MD 21402, Phone: 410-293-1000

The Walters Art Museum opened in 1934 with the intent to publicly display the artworks and sculptures collected by the Walters family in the 19th century.

Its collection of art and its building have expanded and continue to welcome visitors from around the world.

Among the delights of The Walters Art Museum are ancient Egyptian statues weighing 3,000 pounds, a notable collection of Greek sculptures and Roman sarcophagi, medieval art including works on ivory, Art Nouveau jewelry, and paintings by some of the world’s most famous artists, including Raphael, El Greco, Monet, and Manet.

The museum’s collection of Thai bronzes and scrolls is one of the largest in the world.

Guided tours are available for families and school groups, and restless children and their parents will find respite in the creative Family Art Center.

600 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, Phone: 410-247-9000

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a unique contribution to education and history and is located in thirty-five buildings over eighteen acres directly on Chesapeake Bay.

The museum is dedicated to the history of Chesapeake Bay, including the oyster and crab industry, shipbuilding, and sailing.

The 1879 lighthouse on the property enables docents to teach visitors about life as a lighthouse keeper, and the Lighthouse Overnight Program allows youngsters to keep watch at night.

The museum has a working shipyard used for education and the restoration of its one hundred Chesapeake Bay boats. The museum has a bounty of educational programs and a small gift shop.

213 North Talbot Street, St. Michaels, MD 21663, Phone: 410-745-2916

We recommend this weekend itinerary if you decide to stay longer:

The Antietam National Battlefield in Northwest Maryland is protected by the National Park Service along the Antietam Creek and commemorates the bloodiest one-day battle in American history.

The Civil War battle, which took place on September 17, 1862, left 23,000 soldiers dead.

You can visit the battlefield site as well as the Antietam National Military Service, in which 5,000 Union soldiers from the Battle of Antietam, as well as veterans of World War I, World War II, the Spanish-American War, and the Korean War are buried.

A visitor’s center contains exhibits about the battle and the Civil War, and they screen a 26-minute film narrated by James Earl Jones. There is a small field hospital museum displaying typical medical equipment used in the Civil War period.

302 E. Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD 21782, Phone: 301-432-5124

The National Aquarium is an award-winning facility on Chesapeake Bay containing more than 17,000 specimens of 750 species.

Since its opening in 1981, its goal has been to inspire conservation of the earth’s aquatic species and resources.

The museum is home to eight bottlenose dolphins, a multi-story Atlantic coral reef, an open ocean shark tank, and the critically acclaimed Australia Wild exhibit, which contains an aviary and both land and sea animals.

In this exhibit, visitors can watch the flight of kookaburras and rainbow lorakeets and see freshwater crocodiles and the ferocious barramundi fish.

The Living Seashore touch exhibit enables visitors to interact with sea creatures such as stingrays and horseshoe crabs, and the Children’s Discovery Gallery is a wonderful place to visit with young children. Behind the scenes tours are available for an extra fee.

National Aquarium , 501 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, Phone: 410-576-3800

When the British attacked Chesapeake Bay on September 13, 1814, the U.S. Army was waiting in the star-shaped coastal battlements of Fort McHenry. Their might overpowered the British, and in the early morning hours of September 14, the officers at Fort McHenry raised a garrison flag, measuring 30 feet by 42 feet over the fort, signalling victory.

Francis Scott Key was so moved by this sight that he penned a poem called “Defence of Fort M’Henry,” which was later set to music as “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Active until the end of World War II, the fort is now a National Historic Monument curated by the National Park Service. A visitor center and twice-daily flag rituals educate visitors on the crucial defensive role played by the fort.

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, 2406 East Fort Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21230, Phone: 410-962-4290

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum is a testament to the first railway line in America to transport people and their goods.

Initially constructed in 1830, the B&O Line was Baltimore’s effort at competing with the newly built Erie Canal, which carried goods to New York City.

It is one of the oldest railroads in the United States, and its museum has the largest collection of 19th century American locomotives in the world.

Train aficionados will marvel at the outdoor G-Scale railroad and the indoor HO scale model, and the enormous collection of locomotives, historic buildings, and small objects such as clocks, pocket watches, signals, and lanterns.

Guided tours of the museum’s restoration shop are available, as are rides on authentic vintage trains.

901 W. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21223, Phone: 410-752-2490

The Kids' Innovation and Discovery Museum, or the KID Museum, is a family-friendly museum and maker space within Washington, D.C. suburb Bethesda, acclaimed by The Washington Post for its collaborative and creative exhibits and experiences fostering critical thinking and technical skills.

More than a dozen Open Explore activities are offered for museum guests, along with several maker studios and spaces offering Open Build time.

Hands-on activities strive to foster STEM and art learning and prepare future generations for critical problem-solving experiences.

KID Museum , 3 Bethesda Metro Center Suite 140, Bethesda, MD 20814

Historic Ships in Baltimore is a collection of four military vessels from different periods of American history. The USS Constellation is a frigate that served from 1797-1853, protecting American commerce interests in the Caribbean.

The US Coast Guard Cutter Taney, built in the mid-1930s, was used extensively in war and at peace.

USS Torsk is a submarine that saw service in the Pacific in World War II, and Lightship 116 Chesapeake was a vessel used by the U.S. Lighthouse Service.

You can also learn about the ships’ importance throughout military history.

For school and scouting groups, there are overnight adventures available.

Multi-ship tickets are the least expensive way to experience these pieces of living history.

Pier 1, 301 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, Phone: 410-539-1797