Saturday, July 5, 2014

Charm City: Why You Should Take a Family Vacay to Baltimore

Each summer, we have a one week window to take a vacation where Jeremiah is off. Since we had our daughter two years ago, we have been participating in "stay-cations". The truth is, it is serious business traveling with a young child.

Now that Ryann is weeks away from being two, we figured we better take advantage of the two year old limit for a lap child before we missed our window. After chatting about a few options, we decided to venture to Baltimore. Biggest deciding factor: my sister and almost brother-in-law reside in Baltimore and although Jeremiah and I have been there, we have never take Ryann to visit them.

We booked our flight and off we went. As I mentioned before, traveling with a toddler is hard work!

A week after returning home from our trip, I am so glad we decided to take Ryann to Baltimore. Here's why:

  1. The Harbor: All kids love boats, carousels, music and diverse sounds. You can find all of these elements in the harbor. Harbor Rating: 4 out 5
  2. Fed Hill: "This neighborhood is known for its excellent view of the Inner Harbor and Baltimore skyline, as well as the postcard-perfect walkable streets. Imagine brick-front houses, cobblestone sidewalks and quaint storefronts displaying a diverse range of goods and services. Locally owned shops, restaurants and Cross Street Market, one of Baltimore's cool public markets, make this one of Baltimore’s most popular and welcoming areas. - See more at: http://baltimore.org/neighborhoods-maps-transportation/federal-hill#sthash.76dCtkXK.dpuf If you make the climb to the top of the Hill (there is actually a hill), you will discover an awesome park with unmatched views of the harbor. 
  3. The National Aquarium: This is an absolute must if you are in Baltimore. As a lover of all things science related, I can not imagine a better place to share my passion with Ryann. This was my second trip to the aquarium and I was just as in awe as I was on my initial visit. Things to check out: the dolphins, the sharks, the simulated rainforest habitat and the jellyfish. Regardless of age, all family member with have a fabulous experience! Aquarium Rating: 5 out 5
  4. Proximity to Washington DC: It is a 45 minute drive into Washington DC. Yes, Ryann is only two. However, she took in all that she could from this historic locale. We started at the Museum of Natural History and Science where we were able to experience everything from insects to the evolution of life. The best part is that admission into all of the Smithsonian Museums is FREE and they allow you to bring in strollers! After lunch, we ventured to the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and the Lincoln Memorial. It was a pretty warm day but we survived. I was also very impressed with all of the clean bathrooms along the way. With a recently potty-trained toddler, this was a huge concern and the ease of accessibility reduced all of our anxieties. We ended the day in Georgetown. Main Street is an eclectic collection of shopping and diverse food choices. Upon the insistence of my sister, we braved the line at Georgetown Cupcakes. My Review: if there is a line, PASS. While they were not terrible by any means, a 30 minute wait for a $3 dollar cupcake that was less than stellar is not worth it. Overall, it was a great experience in DC and I hope Ryann feels a sense of pride when she see the pictures of herself exploring this rich, historical city. Washington DC Rating: 4.5 out of 5
  5. Camden Yards: This was on our “to-do” especially since the Orioles were playing our hometown Rangers while we were there. We ended up not making it to our planned game because we spent more time than anticipated in DC. However, I have been to Camden Yards years ago and regardless of your feelings about baseball, this is an awesome place to catch a game.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, we definitely wrote a short novel during our trip to Baltimore.