Baltimore
Housing a jaw-dropping collection of self-taught (or 'outsider' art), American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) is a celebration of unbridled creativity…
Must-see attractions in Maryland
Baltimore
Well worth the 7-mile drive north from the Inner Harbor, this grand 19th-century mansion provides a fascinating glimpse into upper-class Baltimore life of…
Baltimore
Standing seven stories high and capped by a glass pyramid, this is widely considered to be America's best aquarium, with almost 20,000 creatures from more…
Baltimore
Horror writer and poet, Edgar Allan Poe was buried (twice) on the grounds of Westminster Hall. His body was first deposited in an unmarked grave behind…
Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine
Baltimore
On September 13 and 14, 1814, this star-shaped fort successfully repelled a British navy attack during the Battle of Baltimore. After a long night of…
Baltimore
The magnificent Chamber of Art & Wonders re-creates the library of an imagined 17th-century scholar, one with a taste for the exotic. The abutting Hall of…
Maryland
It's all about the experience at this striking museum where art, architecture and landscape merge, and comfortable contemplation is encouraged. The…
Maryland
In Southern Maryland, skinny Calvert County scratches at the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River. This is a gentle landscape ('user-friendly' as a local…
Maryland
The country's oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, the grand 1772 State House also served as national capital from 1783 to 1784. Notably,…
National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
Baltimore
This simple but thought-provoking African American history museum has exhibits spotlighting Frederick Douglass, Jackie Robinson, Dr Martin Luther King Jr…
Baltimore
For the best views of Baltimore, climb the 227 marble steps of the 178ft-tall Doric column dedicated to America's founding father, George Washington. The…
Baltimore
Ship lovers can tour four historic ships: a coast guard cutter that saw action in Pearl Harbor, a 1930 lightship, a submarine active in WWII and the USS…
Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum
Maryland
This small but engaging museum sits inside an 1891 life-saving station at the southern end of the boardwalk. Here, the station keeper and six to eight …
Assateague Island National Seashore
Maryland
A low-key barrier island, Assateague is a place to relax. In the Maryland section of the national seashore, you can cycle along a 4-mile road, hike nature…
Maryland
In the 1600s, St Mary's City was a busy port and served as the state's first capital. Today, the spot is a living history museum romantically positioned…
Maryland
The Patapsco River and river valley are the defining geographic features of the region, running through Central Maryland to the Chesapeake Bay. To explore…
Maryland
The undergraduate college of the US Navy is one of the most selective universities in America. The Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center is the place to book 75…
Maryland
The western shore of Maryland – that is, the western peninsula created by Chesapeake Bay – terminates here, in a preserved space of lagoons, pine woods…
Baltimore
With more than 350,000 objects and seven million books and documents, this is among the world's largest collections of Americana. Highlights include one…
Maryland
The Maryland-run section of Assateague Island stretches for 2 miles along the coast and is tucked within the boundaries of the national seashore. Come…
Maryland
Of the many historical homes in town, the Hammond Harwood House, dating from 1774, is the one to visit. It has a superb collection of decorative arts,…
Maryland
A short stroll from the State House, this small but worthwhile museum highlights the history and achievements of Marylanders of African American ancestry…
Baltimore
Maryland has traditionally been home to one of the largest, most active Jewish communities in the country, and this is a fine place to explore their…
Maryland
On a gentle slope overlooking the Potomac River is St Ignatius Church, which hosts the oldest continuously active Catholic parish in the country. The…
Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum
Baltimore
Home to Baltimore's most famous adopted son from 1832 to 1835, it was here that the macabre poet and writer first found fame after winning a $50 short…
Baltimore
Also known as America's First Cathedral, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (much more commonly known as the…
Maryland
Welcoming its first passengers in 1830 and completed in 1831, this is the oldest surviving passenger train station in the US. A fun destination for kids…
Baltimore
Works by Van Gogh, Renoir, Degas, Georgia O'Keeffe and Andy Warhol fill the galleries, and the museum hosts thought-provoking temporary exhibits with a…
Old Jail Museum & Visitor Center
Maryland
Completed in 1876, this small jail replaced the 1858 jail – which was apparently quite easy to escape. The Old Jail is two stories high and the cells were…
Maryland
The woods here hug Seneca Creek, which winds a twisty course to the Potomac. Miles of hiking and biking trails await, as well as boating opportunities in…
Maryland
Preble Hall contains the US Naval Academy Museum, which traces the history of the US Navy, with a central exhibit area dedicated to the history and…
Baltimore
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was (arguably) the first passenger train in America, and this museum is a loving testament to both that line and American…
Baltimore
Two blocks north of the harbor, Port Discovery is a converted fish market that now wows younger kids with an urban tree house, an Egyptian adventure, a…
Blockhouse Point Conservation Park
Maryland
Montgomery County has carved this pretty park out of a corner of the Potomac River valley. From Blockhouse Point, you'll see views of the Potomac Valley…
Maryland
Sits between Potomac and Mattawoman Creeks. There are a few very easy nature trails that run through local hardwood forests, and the Retreat House, a…
Baltimore
Established in 1882 when philanthropist Enoch Pratt gave the city a $1 million endowment toward the remarkably progressive idea of a establishing a…
Maryland
Take a tour (offered hourly on the half hour) through this Georgian mansion for insight into 18th-century life for the upper class in Maryland. Don't miss…
Star-Spangled Banner Flag House & 1812 Museum
Baltimore
This historic home, built in 1793, is where Mary Pickersgill sewed the gigantic flag that inspired America's national anthem. Costumed interpreters and…
Maryland
If you really want to engage in tacky seaside fun to the fullest possible extent, hit up Trimpers Rides, one of the oldest of old-school amusement parks…
Maryland
A small satellite of the National Park System that consists of nature trails, boardwalks over freshwater wetlands, views of the Potomac River, and the…
