Maryland · best-of list
8 Top Things to Do in Maryland
All 8 things to do our route editors picked in Maryland, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. 8 come with an insider tip, and 4 cost nothing to visit.
Our curated picks
8 things to do in Maryland, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Baltimore 5 picks
American Visionary Art Museum
Baltimore · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Museum of self-taught artists' work, with mosaic-covered exterior.
Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Photo: Jmj1000 (talk) (Uploads) · Public domain
B&O Railroad Museum
Baltimore · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Historic roundhouse holding one of the largest collections of 19th-century locomotives.
Tip: Short train rides run on selected days.
Photo: Luis Armando Fernandez Intriago · Google
Fort McHenry National Monument
Baltimore · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Star-shaped fort whose 1814 defense inspired 'The Star-Spangled Banner'.
Tip: Take the Water Taxi from the Inner Harbor.
Photo: Keith Paré · Google
National Aquarium
Baltimore · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Large aquarium with a rooftop rainforest and Atlantic coral reef exhibit.
Tip: Book timed tickets; weekday mornings are calmer.
Photo: Matthew Binebrink · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Walters Art Museum
Baltimore · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Free museum with armor, ancient art and illuminated manuscripts in Mount Vernon.
Tip: Free admission; pair with the Washington Monument nearby.
Photo: Dylan k · CC BY-SA 3.0
Fells Point 2 picks
Robert Long House
Fells Point · On our Baltimore New Year's Eve route
1765 brick house on South Ann Street, the oldest surviving urban residence in Baltimore, with a colonial garden.
Tip: The exterior and garden wall are easy to see on a walk from Thames Street.
Thames Street & Broadway Square
Fells Point · On our Baltimore New Year's Eve route
Cobblestoned waterfront heart of the 18th-century port, lined with rowhouses, taverns and the City Pier.
Tip: Walk the promenade east from Harbor East; it takes about 15 minutes.
Photo: Paul Sableman · CC BY 2.0
Inner Harbor & Harbor East 1 pick
Inner Harbor New Year's Eve Fireworks
Inner Harbor & Harbor East · On our Baltimore New Year's Eve route
Free city celebration at the Inner Harbor with live music in the evening and fireworks over the water at midnight.
Tip: Stand on the west or south shore of the harbor to see the barges and the Domino Sugars sign together.
Photo: Astoddard73 · CC BY-SA 4.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Maryland?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 8 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Maryland has the most things to do on this list?
Baltimore has the most (5 of 8), followed by Fells Point (2) and Inner Harbor & Harbor East (1).
Are any of these free?
4 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Robert Long House, Inner Harbor New Year's Eve Fireworks, Thames Street & Broadway Square and The Walters Art Museum. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Maryland
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Baltimore 5 on this list
- Fells Point 2 on this list
- Inner Harbor & Harbor East 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.