Top 9 Things to do in Baltimore, Maryland (that aren’t in Inner Harbor)

Published on by Noelle

While the Inner Harbor is Baltimore’s most popular tourist attraction, there are also several lesser known gems in the city worth a visit. As someone who lives in the Baltimore area, here are nine of my Charm City favorites.

1. Rawlings Conservatory

The Rawlings Conservatory originally opened to the public in 1888. The conservatory is split into different themed rooms (tropic, desert, Mediterranean, orchid) and is most well known for the grand historic Palm House (pictured above, from the Victorian era). I spent a happy afternoon here learning about the plants in the rooms via a free cell phone self-guided audio tour. This is also great rainy day or winter activity as the conservatory is all indoors.

2. Get a snowball at Ice Queens

A snowball is an iconic Maryland dessert. It consists of chopped ice covered with a few pumps of flavor. The most traditional flavor (and my favorite!) is egg custard with marshmallow topping, but alternative flavors are available. Ice Queens is one of the most popular snowball shops in Baltimore with a cool colorful vibe and outdoor seating.

3. Fort McHenry National Monument

Fort McHenry was the location of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812. This event inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner”, the U.S. national anthem. Today, the National Park Service runs the site. Along with exploring the fort, there is a visitor center and a 0.9 mile seawall trail that looks out onto the Patapsco River and is enjoyable to walk along.

4. Go to an Orioles game at Camden Yards

Camden Yards is often hailed as one of the best stadiums in baseball thanks to its “retro” design; a former Baltimore & Ohio warehouse was incorporated into the architecture of the ballpark. Games are often filled with fun Baltimore traditions like the ketchup, relish, and mustard race, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” being played after the seventh inning, and yelling “O” as part of the National Anthem (“O! Say does that star spangled banner yet wave”). The stadium has a great policy that allows you to bring your own food and an unopened bottle of water in as long as it fits in a gallon size Ziploc bag. If you don’t want to pack your own food, there’s plenty of good food choices in the stadium as well.

5. American Visionary Art Museum

The American Visionary Art Museum features the work of self-taught artists without formal training. The art is very creative and not typical – think vibrant and quirky art. The museum also has a cool gift shop with fun items you can purchase.

6. The Observatory at Patterson Park

The Patterson Park Observatory is an iconic landmark within Patterson Park. The Observatory was built in the 1890s and is a tower resembling a pagoda. I enjoyed going to see the structure and while there, I also went for a 2 mile walk around the park. Patterson Park was established in 1827 and is a massive green space that has various amenities and seasonal events.

7. See a show at the Hippodrome Theatre

The Hippodrome Theatre is a restored historic theater that originally opened in 1914. The theater is very ornate and beautiful inside, and a wonderful place to see a show. Thus far, I’ve seen the musicals Six and Book of Mormon here, as well as the Nutcracker ballet.

8. Sherwood Gardens (Spring)

Sherwood Gardens is a free-admission garden that was established in the early 1900s. The best time to visit is in April and May when the tulips, azaleas, and daffodils in the garden are blooming. The gardens are a beautiful place to go for a walk and bring a picnic.

9. Miracle on 34th Street (December)

On West 34th Street in Baltimore, there is a block of row homes that decorate enthusiastically for the Christmas season, an event that has been dubbed the “Miracle on 34th Street”. A few homes have themed decorations like the Hanukkah house, flamingo house, Ocean City house, and the hubcap Christmas tree. Mark and I spent a festive evening viewing the all-out light displays. The Miracle on 34th Street runs from the first Saturday after Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.

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