24 Hours in Baltimore

24 hours in Baltimore… is not nearly enough time to take in this beautiful city! Baltimore is rich in history, crab, and family friendly fun. It also has more statues and monuments per capita than any other city in the U.S. Sit outside next to the Inner Harbor and remember that this was the birthplace of the American national anthem, written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, when the Fort was defending the Baltimore harbor.

Baltimore is buzzing with excitement, and being the largest city in Maryland, that comes as no surprise. We were only here for 24 hours, and we will definitely have to return to explore more! Visitors will appreciate how easy Baltimore is to get around without a car. Walkable cities are a sight for sore eyes when on a road trip, or when traveling with kids!

I have compiled a list of the three A’s: Accommodations, Adventures, and Appetite!  If you have any questions about Baltimore or our trip please shoot me an email!

Accommodations

We had the absolute pleasure of staying at Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace, located in the Inner Harbor. I have never experienced hospitality and genuine enjoyment of meeting guests quite like the Renaissance. I normally never mention specific names in my blog posts, but I cannot help myself this time! Gary, one of the Navigators of the hotel, made my girls laugh and smile, going out of his way to bring joy to those he met. Chris is the hotel manager and he truly rolls out the red carpet and makes sure you know all the best local spots around Baltimore. You can feel their love for the city, and suddenly the nickname “Charm City” all makes sense!

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We stayed in the Presidential Suite, a first for our family! Let me tell you, if we were in Baltimore for another day, we may have just stayed in the room watching the Inner Harbor and relaxing. It is spacious, it is luxurious, grand, cozy, welcoming, and just downright jaw-dropping! There is a beautiful dining room table and living room, and a pretty grand entryway and doorbell to boot (I have never been in a hotel room with a doorbell!). The bedroom has it’s own sitting area, king size bed, and bathroom with dual shower heads – it is a huge shower!

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If that isn’t enough, it is also very centrally located with amazing views of the Inner Harbor. We were a quick walk from the National Aquarium, Port Discovery Children’s Museum, and several restaurants and attractions. Oh, and there is also an indoor pool, perfect for year-round swimming.

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Adventures

National Aquarium – Get up close and personal with dolphins, sharks, poisonous frogs, jellyfish, and more at this amazing aquarium in Baltimore! Shark Alley is an amazing sight, with several levels of floor to ceiling tanks full sharks and stingrays (we stayed here a while). The two-story rainforest has some beautiful birds that love to welcome you with their squawks. Take a stroll through Australia, visiting with some of their unique wildlife. Dolpgin Discovery was where we spent a lot of time, watching the dolphins play ball was a highlight. They are not doing any public natural behavior sessions, but if you’re there at the right time you will catch one (it is quite amazing to watch).

Highly recommend this amazing aquarium that has such a wide variety of marine life! (Located within walking distance of the Renaissance)

Port Discovery Children’s Museum – This is probably one of the most unique children’s museums we have ever been to, in the best way possible! Port Discovery is the hub of imaginative learning and play, not to mention their four-story SkyClimber. With over 80,000 square feet and 3 floors of play and learning, this was a huge hit for the whole family! (Located within walking distance of the Renaissance).

Pirate Ships of Baltimore – Located in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore lies a fun family activity – electric powered pirate ships! Take your family on board a pirate ship and steer around the harbor. Our kids had a great time being the captain, and it is well worth the $25 for 30 minutes! We did this right before dinner and our kids were in the best mood (parenting win).

Appetite

Watertable Restaurant – Located within the Renaissance Baltimore Inner Harbor, here you can enjoy a delicious buffet breakfast with a view! The food was delicious with many options, from pancakes to pastries and fruits and yogurt – this is the perfect place to fuel up before a fun day of exploring! Also, in typical Renaissance fashion – the staff here was incredibly kind and attentive!

Blackwall Hitch – East coast seafood does it again – Blackwall Hitch did not disappoint! Our server, Miss Texas, was everything you’d hope for when dining with kids (she even stopped and played a game of tikc-tack-toe with my girls)! The food was incredible, get the crab cakes! I also got a delicious Moscow mule that I am definitely going to *attempt* to recreate at home. All around this place is top notch, I highly recommend stopping here for dinner, oh and their happy hour specials are great!

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Underground Pizza Company – Right around the corner from the children’ museum is Underground Pizza Company. This deep dish pizza was really good, and a great stop for lunch.

Leinie Lodge & Beer Garden – Across from Underground Pizza Company, we brought our pizza here for a beer. It is a neat location and the beer was cold on a hot day (need I say more?).

Until next time…