The Best Things to Do in Baltimore With Kids

In the Federal Hill neighborhood, unrestrained imagination and a lot of love are on display at the American Visionary Art Museum. It houses a huge collection of great American outsider art, cherishing non-mainstream artists across multiple floors in multiple buildings. It’s perfect for a child to see different perspectives, emotions and the celebration of the human spirit through the eyes of various artists. The gift shop is also great for exploring.

With a mission to inspire, empower and engage with kids through science, the message at the Maryland Science Center is quite clear: interaction is crucial. From hands-on experiments demonstrating how electricity and the human body work to mesmerizing displays in the planetarium, the institution has been engaging with the public, most incredibly, since 1797, and after a major expansion in 2004, new exhibitions were added on all levels of the complex, as well as a permanent hall showcasing dinosaurs. Three-dimensional film technology is also available in the IMAX Theater.

Located on Inner Harbour since 1975, the original Chessie Dragon boats are a popular local family outing and impossible to miss. Share the energy of pedal-powering your four-seater boat quite joyously. They are available to rent from April to November, weather permitting. The year 2012 also saw the introduction of the clean-energy and leg-saving alternative, pirate electric boats, that hold up to six passengers each.

Opened in 1953 on the site of the oldest railroad station in America, just west of the Inner Harbor area, this museum has an immense collection of railroad memorabilia, an operating replica of the first locomotive, which kids love to ride, and much more. There is no other time-warping experience anywhere that offers the visual timeline of railway trains over two centuries. Bizarre as it may sound, the B and O is not just for train buffs. The functioning roundhouse and gleaming engines will absolutely delight.

There are family deals at the famous Orioles baseball stadium, right across from Inner Harbor, where a uniquely Baltimore experience can be had. Settle in for an afternoon of being part of a big crowd cheering on game day. Oriole Park is a charming old-time stadium where the thwack of leather against bats and the smell of popcorn and hotdogs make for a great time, no matter the final score.