Baltimore’s Inner Harbor: Family fun by land and sea

The kid-friendly Inner Harbor sparkles with boats, restaurants, shops and a National Aquarium.

By Nina Gass

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, located in the downtown area, offers a wide range of fun things to do all within walking distance of dozens of Baltimore hotels. Our family always enjoys sneaking in some learning opportunities on vacation. Inner Harbor provides a number of places to do so, including Port Discovery: The Children’s Museum and the Maryland Science Center.

The kids especially enjoyed many of the interactive exhibits at the Children’s Museum, including the R&D DreamLab at Adventure Exhibitions. The Science Center is chock full of fun with exhibits, science encounters, an IMAX theater and a planetarium.  The National Aquarium in Baltimore also features a number of fascinating exhibits on sea life, the environment and conservation efforts that help entertain and educate. Be sure to check out the 4-D Immersion Theatre for an experience that makes you feel what it’s like to be in the ocean.

Another favorite activity was to take the Baltimore water taxis, which are not only a practical means of reaching your hotel if you are staying farther afield, but also a fun way to take in the sights around Inner Harbor, including Fort McHenry Monument, the home of the Star Spangled Banner. The water taxis also make stops at Maritime Park, which is the location of Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Museum and where my sons were in awe of the boat-building tour.

There are a number of Baltimore Inner Harbor hotels to choose from since the area attracts both tourists and business people due to its downtown location and proximity to the Baltimore Convention Center. One of our favorite cheap hotels in Baltimore is the Brookshire Suites because it offers value-added extras for families like ours who need a bit more space and can enjoy a satisfying complimentary breakfast.

Related resources

• Cheap Baltimore flights
• Family vacations
• Spring break vacations

Nina Gass is a freelance travel and business writer who lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two boys. An avid traveler and dreamer, Nina makes the most of her international family connections throughout the U.S., Australia, England and Mexico.

Tagged: Family time, Hotels