1. Enjoy the Views and Family Fun at National Harbor
I took a 30-minute drive to National Harbor from D.C. to enjoy ocean views. Since it's located on the Potomac River, you can reach it by water taxi as well. You'll discover a treasure trove of accommodations, shops, boutiques, and places to eat here.
If you are traveling with kids, don't miss 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, you'll have a terrific view over the Potomac River, and you can see the White House, the Capitol Building, and the National Mall.
Kids also enjoy the large carousel with its legions of whimsical creatures so be sure to check it out.
For more adventure, you can also rent kayaks, paddleboards, and pedal boats.
2. Sign up for a tour of the U.S. Naval Academy
From National Harbor it's just 45 minutes to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. Stop by the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center or take a guided tour of the undergraduate college where U.S. Navy and Marine Corps members receive their four-year undergraduate training.
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 so you'll be supporting a good cause.
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.
Address: U.S. Naval Academy, 121 Blake Road, Annapolis, MD 21402, Phone: 410-293-1000
I enjoy writing about Annapolis, restaurants and art you can visit there.
3. Admire art at The Walters Art Museum
From Annapolis, it was just a 45-minute drive to Baltimore where you can spend an afternoon at The Walters Art Museum.
Among the delights that you can enjoy at of The Walters Art Museum are ancient Egyptian statues weighing 3,000 pounds, a notable collection of Greek sculptures and Roman sarcophagi. I also admired 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.
I was interested to learn that the museum’s collection of Thai bronzes and scrolls is one of the largest in the world.
If you are traveling with kids, check out the creative Family Art Center.
The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, Phone: 410-247-9000
4. See a lighthouse and more at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
From Baltimore, we drove to St. Michaels to see the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. You'll find it located in thirty-five buildings over eighteen acres directly on Chesapeake Bay.
Step back in time at this museum dedicated to the history of Chesapeake Bay, including the oyster and crab industry, shipbuilding, and sailing. I enjoyed writing about Chesapeake Bay, so this was a treat for me.
The 1879 lighthouse on the property enables docents to teach you about life as a lighthouse keeper.
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 you can visit.
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 213 North Talbot Street, St. Michaels, MD 21663, Phone: 410-745-2916
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay for the night (another great option is the Inn at Perry Cabin).
If you prefer to explore this area with a local guide, check out the guided walking tour or the sunset cruise.
We returned to D.C. to complete our first leg of the trip.
5. Learn about History at the Antietam National Battlefield
A few weeks later, we took a second trip discovering the best things to do in Maryland. Once again, we started in D.C. and drove 1 hour and 30 minutes inland to Sharpsburg, MD.
I visited the Antietam National Battlefield in Northwest Maryland which 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.
The visitor’s center contains exhibits about the battle and the Civil War. They screen a 26-minute film narrated by James Earl Jones. If you want to learn about history, there is a small field hospital museum displaying typical medical equipment used in the Civil War period.
Antietam National Battlefield , 302 E. Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD 21782, Phone: 301-432-5124
6. See hundreds of different species at the National Aquarium
From Sharpsburg, MD, we once again drove to Baltimore because there were more attractions I wished to explore there. The drive took 1 hour and 20 minutes. The first stop was the National Aquarium on Chesapeake Bay where we admired thousands of specimens and hundreds of species.
You can see dolphins, a multi-story Atlantic coral reef, an open ocean shark tank, and aviary and both land and sea animals.
My favorite for kids was the Living Seashore touch exhibit which enables you to interact with sea creatures such as stingrays and horseshoe crabs. Another favorite of mine was the Children’s Discovery Gallery. Behind the scenes tours are available to you as well, for an extra fee.
Address: National Aquarium, 501 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, Phone: 410-576-3800
7. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
Next day after breakfast, we headed to Fort McHenry. 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.”
A visitor center and twice-daily flag rituals educate you 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
8. Learn about the first railway line in America at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum
Afterwards, I wanted to explore the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, 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. If you love history like me, don't miss this museum on your trip to Maryland.
You will marvel at the outdoor G-Scale railroad and the indoor HO scale model. There is also the enormous collection of locomotives, historic buildings, and small objects such as clocks, pocket watches, signals, and lanterns.
You can sign up for a guided tour of the museum’s restoration shop or ride on authentic vintage trains.
Address: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, 901 W. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21223, Phone: 410-752-2490
9. Visit Historic Ships in Baltimore
I also wanted to visit the Historic Ships in Baltimore, 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.
Multi-ship tickets are the least expensive way you can experience these pieces of living history.
Pier 1, 301 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, Phone: 410-539-1797
We spent the night in Baltimore and decided to go to Bethesda, MD (about 1 hour by car).
10. Have fun at the KID Museum
In Bethesda we headed to the Kids' Innovation and Discovery Museum (the KID Museum). This 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
Chartreuse and Co.
From Bethesda, MD, it was a one-hour drive inland to Frederick to visit the antique market Chartreuse and Co.
4007 Buckeystown Pike, Frederick, MD 21704, Phone: 301-874-1882
From Frederick, MD, we returned to D.C.
I enjoy writing about the D.C. area and next I recommend the article about my favorite restaurants here.
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