National Aquarium in Baltimore
Visitors can walk into a room surrounded by patrolling sharks, wander among the coral reefs, follow the yearly migration of fish, and visit a rainforest on the roof at one of best aquariums in the country. In addition to the watery denizens, exhibits include a puffin display; Maryland: Mountains to the Sea; and a new Amazon River Forest filled with plants and animals as well as fish. The sharks and the dolphin presentation are the main attractions. On a cold day, it's a joy to skip right to the top of the aquarium and bask in the Amazon heat that envelops the brightly colored birds, the shy iguana, and the sloth. (For the best views, come straight here when the aquarium opens, as that's when the animals are most active.) Though you walk in front of most of the exhibits, you actually walk inside the doughnut-shaped Coral Reef and the Open Ocean (shark) tanks, getting up close with these exotic creatures. At feeding time in the coral reef, the divers always draw a crowd.The Marine Mammal Pavilion is connected by covered bridge to the main hall. It's where you'll find the dolphins. Don't miss the presentations; reserve a seat when you pay your admission at no additional fee.Insider tip: The aquarium draws huge crowds in summer. Beat the crush by ordering timed tickets in advance or order tickets from the aquarium website. Nonpeak times are weekday mornings, Friday evenings, and after 3pm. A new Australian exhibit is under construction and will open in spring 2005.

Port Discovery
This is a kid-powered museum where in exhibits covering three floors, kids of all ages (though mostly ages 6-12) can cross the Nile to explore ancient Egypt, climb through a kitchen drain as they solve a mystery in Miss Perception's Mystery House, and climb and play on the three-story-high Kidworks. Walt Disney Company "Imagineers" designed most of the exhibits. Adding to the activity are some high-tech toys in the PD Kid Club, where children use computers to compose music, shoot videos, or produce their own cartoons. Oasis Story Times are offered at 11am Monday through Saturday in summer and Tuesday through Saturday during the school year.As part of a visit -- or on its own -- visitors can take a trip on a tethered helium balloon that rises 450 feet above Baltimore. The HiFlyer (tel. 410/949-2359) can carry 20 passengers (including up to three wheelchairs) for the 20-minute ride. It flies 11:30am to 8pm (until 10pm Fri and Sat) daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with weekend hours September through May whenever the weather's agreeable. You can see to the city's limits.

Cylburn Arboretum
You'll have to look for this one but when you find it (just off Northern Pkwy., a quick run up the Jones Falls Expwy.), you'll be thrilled with the fascinating gardens and fancy mansion. A patchwork of gardens covers part of the grounds: a formal Victorian garden, children's garden, and gardens devoted to butterflies, shade, roses, and vegetables. Woodland trails wind 2 1/2 miles through the forests of Cylburn. There's a bird sanctuary where 161 species have been spotted, including the Baltimore oriole and bald eagle. The house, an ornate stone building with mansard roof, tower, and cupola, has an equally ornate interior with inlaid floors, mosaics, and plasterwork. In fact, the mansion was undergoing restoration and renovations for handicapped accessibility in the fall of 2003. It houses a horticultural library, nature museum, and bird museum. Tucked in the woods off very busy I-83 and Northern Parkway, the park is a peaceful retreat from urban life.

Marriott Baltimore Washington International Airport
The Baltimore Washington Airport Marriott is conveniently located in the heart of the BWI gateway community adjacent to BWI Airport, one of the fast growing airports in the United States. Complimentary airport shuttle service is provided twenty-four hours. The hotel's location offers easy access to major interstate highway systems with downtown Baltimore ten miles north and Washington DC thirty miles south. The full-service Baltimore Washington Airport Marriott offers newly renovated ...

Four Points by Sheraton BWI Airport
Nearby Airports: * Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) - .5 Mile * Washington National Airport - 30 Miles Nearby Cities: * Hanover - 4 Miles * Elkridge - 5 Miles * Glen Burnie - 5 Miles * Severn - 6 Miles * Fort Meade - 7 Miles * Cantonsville - 8 Miles * Jessup - 9 Miles * Baltimore - 10 Miles * Pasadena - 10 Miles * Columbia - 14 Miles * Laurel - 14 Miles * Ellicott City - 15 Miles * ...

Hyatt Regency Baltimore
* Near Penn Station * 2 miles from Amtrak Station (about 17 blocks) * 12 miles from Baltimore-Washington International ...