Where To Wednesday: 10 Reasons To Visit Baltimore With Kids

We just got back from a memorable Father’s Day weekend in Baltimore. It’s only about 3 hours from our house, so it made for the perfect weekend getaway. It was the first time I traveled to the city with children and I was surprised to find out how kid friendly it was. There was so much to do and see. Our family had a great time and it’s certainly somewhere we will visit again. Our hotel was in the Inner Harbor which was very easy to get around. We didn’t have a need to move our car all weekend, which we really liked. The Inner Harbor is beautiful and has so many places for families to explore. Below are 10 reasons I would highly recommend a family trip to Baltimore:

 

1. Four Seasons Baltimore

The Four Seasons Baltimore is the perfect place for a family to stay. The staff is welcoming and accommodating to families, and they work extra hard to ensure guests of all ages are enjoying their stay. I’ll have plenty more details on our hotel stay in next week’s Where to Wednesday, so please check back. The highlight of our stay at Four Seasons Baltimore was definitely our time spent at their amazing pool! On the upper deck, there is a reflection pool, that’s only a few inches deep and perfect for little ones to run around and play in. The main pool area or “Splash Terrace” has a great restaurant and a beautiful pool that sits right on the harbor. We enjoyed touring around Baltimore and exploring the activities listed below, but while we were at the hotel, we had a chance to relax and really feel like we were on a resort vacation. Be sure to check back for more information and pictures from our stay at Four Seasons Baltimore!

 

2. National Aquarium

Julie came up for the day from DC to meet us at the National Aquarium and all 5 kids enjoyed it. It’s the most beautiful, clean aquarium I have ever been to. My girls are big sea animal lovers, so they were in heaven. Their favorite parts: watching the dolphins jump and play and getting to see the sharks swim by “so close we could count their teeth”. Another thing we really liked about the museum, were the easy to use, interactive information stands at the exhibits. Lately Maggie likes to know what every animal eats. She could easily find out what everything at the museum eats! For example, she’d touch a picture of a sting ray, tap “diet” and get to see pictures of what the sting ray eats. Even at 4, she could learn about the sea life all by herself. The National Aquarium was vacation highlight for our family!

 

3. Oriole Park at Camden Yards

We had a truly memorable Father’s Day this year. We took the Water Taxi from the hotel to Camden Yards for the girls first MLB game. Tom is a huge baseball fan, and it was such a treat to spend the day exploring Camden Yards and watching an Orioles game. I was surprised at how many fun things there were for kids at the park. Besides the excitement of watching the Orioles play, kids can head towards the Eutaw Gate to explore a kid’s zone, complete with a climbing structure, giant Oriole bobble heads, a chance to hit a “home run” off a tee and more. Nearby this fun kid’s area, there is a concession stand called “O What A Dog” that features kids hot dogs for just $1.50 and kids drinks for $1. A visit to Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a must for families visiting Baltimore!

 

4. Port Discovery 

Port Discovery is a fun, interactive children’s museum. Our first day in Baltimore was very rainy, and Port Discovery was the perfect place to play. Maggie and Alex loved the pretend grocery store, Tot Trails, and the Kick It Up soccer stadium. They also had a lot of fun in the Curious George exhibit. We read Curious George books all the time and they enjoyed a chance to interact with many of the things they’ve read about: like when George calls the fire department and playing with the movie projector.

 

5. Water Taxi

The Water Taxi was so easy to use and convenient. You can buy a pass for the day and hop on and off as you please. My kids loved riding around on this little boat. The day we got our passes, kids rode free (I believe they are free every Sunday).

 

6. Urban Pirates 

Urban Pirates gives families the chance to climb aboard the pirate ship “Fearless” for an fun and interactive adventure sailing through the harbor. The crew teaches your family to act like a pirate and navigate the water to discover treasure! We didn’t have a chance to ride on the ship, but enjoyed watching it all weekend. We could see it from our hotel window and the girls loved yelling “ahoy matey” every time they saw the ship cross the harbor. I’ve only heard great things about this adventure and we hope to check it out next time.

 

7. Fort McHenry 

This national monument and historic shrine is where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner and it is a great place to show children.

 

Now for a few great places to eat with kids: 

 

8. Wit & Wisdom

Adults and children will love Wit & Wisdom. The restaurant is inside the Four Seasons, but can be accessed from a beautiful patio on the harbor too. We enjoyed brunch on Father’s Day and it was wonderful. The decor is awesome and the atmosphere is very relaxing. In addition to their delicious main menu, Wit & Wisdom offers a kid’s menu too. Kids get marine themed coloring sheets, crayon and a fun pirate cup. The girls were entertained and well fed, while Tom and I enjoyed the best brunch we’ve had in a long time!

 

9. Phillips Seafood 

This chain of seafood restaurants has it’s flagship location in the heart of the Inner Harbor. You can eat outside on picnic tables, right by the boats. They have delicious crab cakes and great kids meal options too!

 

10. Best of Luck Candy & Ice Cream

While walking around the Inner Harbor, be sure to stop into Best of Luck for some delicious ice cream!

Please feel free to email with any travel planning questions. Happy Summer Travel!