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Family Friendly Activities in Baltimore
Have you ever visited a historical place or activity center as a child and then returned many years later as an adult with a renewed sense of appreciation? This list of 14 family activities in Baltimore, Maryland has something for everyone in the family. The outdoor, nature, history, artistic educational exhibits, hands-on activities and more will entice someone in your family. This list includes a few places outside of the Baltimore area, in DC, Virginia, and West Virginia which isn’t too far away!
For the lifelong learner, these 14 activities are entertaining and educational. Many of these I visited more than once as a child, and some places, every year. Now as an adult, I get to revisit them with fresh eyes. And watching my children experience them makes our excursions even better.
I’m sure I zoomed past much of the text as a child, that I now enjoy reading as an adult. Some places have added new and exciting exhibits. I look forward to these family friendly activities as much, if not more than my children. Who says being a parent isn’t more fun than being a child? 😉
Most of the places on this list are located in Baltimore, Maryland area, but a few are a little farther out in Howard County, Montgomery County, D.C., and in Virginia. The District of Columbia could truly use its own post, but I’m including a few of my favorites in this one since it’s not that far from Baltimore. And I’ve included Harpers Ferry in West Virginia because it sits right on the Maryland line. Family activities in Baltimore will keep you busy for quite some time!
These 14 activities are best suited for the art enthusiast, nature lover, and those who like to learn more about science and history. Some of the exhibits have changed over the last few decades, so I highly recommend revisiting them if you haven’t been in awhile. There are so many things to do in Baltimore.
The List of Places to Visit in the Baltimore, DC area, Virginia, and West Virginia
Here is the list of family activities in the Baltimore area, in no particular order. The first 7 on the list are things to do in Baltimore City. The rest are in the Howard County, Montgomery County, D.C., area, Virginia and the last one is on the Maryland line in West Virginia.
- Maryland Science Center
- National Aquarium
- Baltimore Museum of Art
- Walters Art Museum
- Fort McHenry
- The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
- Port Discovery Children’s Museum
- George Washington’s Mt. Vernon in Virginia
- Robinson Nature Center
- Claude Monet Immersive Experience
- National Gallery of Art in D.C.
- Brighton Dam Azalea Garden
- Main Street Ellicott City
- Harpers Ferry West Virginia
As an artist, I particularly love any place with a beautiful aesthetic, and therefore art museums are naturally going to be enjoyable for me. And as a nature and astronomy lover, any time a place has beautiful indoor exhibits combined with the ability to spend time outdoors, I am in my element.
Maryland Science Center. One of my absolute favorite memories with my family was watching an Imax film about Monarch butterflies at the Maryland Science Center. It was so inspiring. The film was 3D with those 3D glasses, and the butterflies seemed to fly out of the screen towards us. The story was heartfelt and beautifully done and I just can’t stop thinking about, even though I saw it a couple of years ago now. I’d go back to see it again.
The skeletons of dinosaurs greet you as you enter the Science Center. You can spend an entire day at the Science Center, and have plenty to see. For the little ones, there is a hands on room with games and water play and so much more. My children loved that room. For all ages, the exhibits teaching you about electricity, the way things work, and so much more are awesome! Everything is interactive and entertaining. They have a planetarium with showtimes throughout the day, so make sure to catch one of those as well.
You can see all of the Science Center in one day, however, you’d likely want to return if you want to read everything in all of the exhibits, or attend more than one Imax or planetarium show.
National Aquarium. The National Aquarium is one of the most recognizable buildings in Baltimore cityscapes. When it comes to family activities in Baltimore, this one is top notch. There’s a reason that I have many friends with young children who bought season passes to the National Aquarium. It is worth going a few times a year. The fish, the dolphins, the turtles, the stingrays, the humid rainforest, and all the sea life make each visit a little different. There is also a room with windows overlooking the Baltimore Harbor, for some nice cityscape views.
Even the architecture of both the exterior and interior of the Aquarium is interesting to look at. As you tour around each level, the layout is unique and fun.
Baltimore Museum of Art. I have visited this amazing museum many times, as a child and as an adult. I studied artwork here while I was an Art Education major at Towson University. I took my students on field trips here years later. And then I was excited to bring my children. Some of the most vibrant artworks at the BMA are displayed in the Cone Collection.
Behavior in art museums should be quiet, like a library. If you plan to bring young children to an art museum, just plan to stay as long as they will be able to handle it, depending on their age. You can tell them before going into the museum to use their inside voices and then engage them with the artwork by asking them which pieces they like. Start with the basics by asking what colors or shapes they see in a painting. Describe details that you see in an artwork and what you like about it. This will develop their ability to think critically and analyze artwork.
Art appreciation is gift that everyone has the ability to develop. For those of you who enjoy creating art, you can use this museum visit as an art history lesson, then check-out library books on an artist or genre of art that you saw in the museum when you get home. This can be used to create an artwork with your children at home using the Master Artists as inspiration.
To help you get started, find a book or look online for the Elements and Principles of Design. This will give you the tools, or words, you need to describe artwork. Another suggestion is to do this in reverse. I’ve shown my children books with artwork from Master Artists and then when we travel to a museum to see it, they get excited that the artwork on the wall looks familiar and appreciate seeing the originals in person.
Walters Art Museum. It’s the same story as I mentioned with the Baltimore Museum of Art. I remember when the new exhibits were added over the years, particularly the Chamber of Wonders. This was very unique for an art museum at that time, and I loved how art and nature were combined into an eye-catching exhibit. Of course you’ll want to view the ancient Egyptian art with sarcophagi. My favorite exhibits are usually the oil paintings.
Family activities in Baltimore that include art expose you to many cultures. And Baltimore is a city with cultural diversity and history.
Fort McHenry. If your children like a good maze, then walking around this outdoor square with all of its nooks and crannies is pretty fun. You might see canons, or a room with some antiquities. If you recall your American History, Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner while observing an attack on Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. The visitor center will refresh your memory on the history of Fort McHenry with a brief film and some visual exhibits. I recommend visiting on a day with fair weather, because most of your time will be spent outside. Bring your National Parks passport book for a stamp.
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. This is one of the classic family activities in Baltimore. When you first enter the main gate the Prairie Dogs are on the left, which I always liked as a child. A few years ago, when my family visited the Badlands in South Dakota, and I saw Prairie Dogs in their natural habitat it made me appreciate the set-up at the Maryland Zoo even more. It is similar to their tunnels in the wild.
There are lion statues inside the entrance. Growing up we would take pictures of us sitting on a lion statue, and people still do that today. You can see everything at the zoo in one day. The zoo is stroller friendly and it is best to go during the spring, summer, or fall since most of the animals will be visible. The African Journey exhibit has zebras, rhinoceros, lions, giraffes, elephants, and more.
My favorite animals are probably the orangutans; they are so cute. The penguin exhibit is one of our favorites and we also like the polar bears. Personally, I have never cared for snakes (ok, I’m downright scared of them), so I avoid that indoor reptile exhibit. But if you don’t mind them, you’ll get to see frogs, turtles, and other reptiles in that exhibit too.
The Farmyard is really cute! This is a great spot for the little ones. You can see alpacas, donkeys, pigs, sheep, goats, and more. And nearby this area you can see the train that runs through the park. That is a fun ride for families as well. There are more things to see, but I listed a few. If your children like ice cream, then you’ll probably stop for that and lunch at some point as well.
Port Discovery Children’s Museum. I loved this place when my children were little. It is great for imaginative play and you get a mix of fine motor and gross motor skill building activities. Kids love to build with large blocks. They can go grocery shopping or fix you a pretend meal in the store/kitchen area. Water play is always a win with young children. You can also sit in a more quiet area and read a book or color with your child.
There are many more things to do here and you can spend several hours here before your kids need a nap. A great option for a rainy day, indoor family activities in Baltimore will keep your children entertained for hours.
George Washington’s Mt. Vernon. There is so much history at Mt. Vernon, of course. The house tour gives you a peek into what the rooms may have looked like 291 years ago. The main house was built in 1734 and was expanded later on. My family usually visits in warmer months to see the beautiful gardens and to spend time outdoors on the grounds. The indoor exhibits teaching about American history are really impressive.
Mt. Vernon is a nice combination of nature and history, strolling the extensive grounds and taking in all the views is really something special. The indoor exhibits are impressive for the artist’s eye, as I find the different art media displayed to be so interesting! The sculptural components mixed with the visual imagery and various educational and historical manipulatives are entertaining for adults and children.
Definitely take a tour of the house as well. Include ample time to walk around the expansive grounds to see gardens, stables, and pathways. Take some time to sit on the lawn out front of the house or gaze over the beautiful views of the Potomac River.
My middle child was pleased to receive a map with some variation of a scavenger hunt to focus on throughout the day. He kept the map as a reference for each location. You can spend the entire day here.
Mt. Vernon has added so much since I visited as a child. They even have 4D movie with snow, fog, and canon effects. At the time of this writing, the theatre is closed until 2026 for renovations, so maybe add this to your bucket list for a future visit.
Robinson Nature Center. The indoor exhibit here is one of the most creative nature exhibits I have ever seen. Walking down a ramp to see the different sections of exhibits with something at every eye level is really neat. Look up, look down. Turn the corner and find an insect display or walk into a darker room to see what lights up. You know those exhibits you can find all over the country with fake water; yeah, I LOVE those! I always want to stare at the fake water because it looks so realistic and there’s usually some creature suspended in it. It reminds of the water you see in train gardens too.
Robinson Nature Center has all these beautiful textures, patterns, and colors that really engage the viewer. What’s more, it wouldn’t be a nature center without the incorporation of real nature outdoors. So you can walk through the grounds which include many wooded trails and see what you can find. It is also near the Middle Patuxent River and Skunk Cabbage Creek. In another area, the kids (and parents) can play on obstacle course like structures. This place has it all.
One of my favorite parts of Robinson Nature Center is the planetarium. Astronomy is so fascinating and their planetarium has different topics at different times to learn about the Milky Way, constellations, and other celestial information.
Claude Monet Immersive Experience. Sure you can go to the National Gallery of Art and see some original paintings by Monet, and you should (that’s next on the list), but it’s also pretty fun to take kids to the Immersive Experience too. As an artist who absolutely loves the Impressionist Era, this was fun for me. I visited the real Claude Monet home in Giverny, France many years ago and was very inspired. His beautiful home, inside and out, was an amazing step back in time.
Monet’s garden and water lily pool is so well maintained. I took many photos there and painted an oil painting of a gladiola photo I took in the garden. Whether you’ve already been to Giverny or not, you may find the Immersive Experience to be the next best thing. It’s all indoors, and reminded me very much of the sights I saw in the real Giverny. The kids and I liked walking over the water lily bridge. There was fake water under the bridge, which we’ve already established that is something I’ve been into since I was a kid. The projectors had fish swimming all around the water.
The best part of the Claude Monet Immersive Experience was the gigantic room with projectors all over the walls and floors. Naturally, as an Art Education Major, I took many art history classes. Through study and having traveled to many art museums in the USA as well as in France and many other countries, I have seen many original works by Claude Monet.
Just sitting in the lounge chairs with my family got me all excited about seeing the artworks pop up on the walls. What made them extra special was the incorporation of movement within the artworks themselves. The flowers were swaying the in wind. The orange coy fish were swimming in the pond as the water lilies floated upon the surface. Ladies in their 19th century dresses were slightly moving their heads or they held parasols in the fields. It was very relaxing and enchanting.
After we left I asked my children what they enjoyed the most about the exhibit, and my 15 year old daughter said, “the smell.” Or rather, she meant the “scent” of the large room which she thought smelled like flowers. So there you have it, not only was it immersive in a visual and tactile way, it also touches the sense of smell. When we got home, I opened up my photo albums to show my children the real Monet home in Giverny. It was a good day!
National Gallery of Art in D.C. This museum is enormous and full of stunning artworks I enjoy seeing every few years! You probably can’t see all of it in one day with young children, but you can choose to focus on many exhibits and spend more time really gazing at the details of your favorite works of art. I recommend going at a time when there might be a special traveling exhibit. Check before you go to see what installations will be there and for how long.
After we went to the Immersive Experience, I wasn’t planning on going home without making sure we saw Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment. It ran from September 2024 – January 2025 and I am so glad we got to see it in September just a few days after it opened. This really brought our “Monet Day” full circle, since many of his oil paintings were included in the exhibit. Moreover, the timing of our art day was perfect for my daughter who was going to be writing a research paper on Claude Monet for her French class. You might be able to catch a different traveling exhibit when you go.
Brighton Dam Azalea Garden. I’ve known about this garden for several years, but finally visited it for the first time in 2024. All I can say is, “Wow! You will not be disappointed!” This is a truly impressive landscape of azaleas with almost maze-like paths nearby the water. There are beautiful views to behold in every which direction. Timing is important to visit this location, so add it to your “Spring to-do list.” Visit around the time of peak bloom, usually in May.
As a photographer, if there’s one thing I learned about the outdoors, is that the weather has a big impact on predicted bloom dates. So you need to pay attention because in Maryland, we don’t know exactly when certain flowers will bloom. But look for these pink and white azaleas around May.
Main Street Ellicott City. Historic Ellicott City is a quaint, little town filled with shops, restaurants, and the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum. The station was built in 1831 and is the oldest station still standing in the United States. I grew up in Ellicott City, and I remember seeing the markings on the stone building walls showing how high the floods had risen during some of the floods.
Main Street is a relatively small area, so you may just spend a couple of hours walking down the street visiting the shops in the historic buildings and then go out for lunch. One of my favorite Mexican restaurants is on Main Street in Ellicott City, called La Palapa Grill and Cantina.
Harpers Ferry. Harpers Ferry is actually a historic town in West Virginia, but it is included here because it isn’t too far away from Ellicott City and Baltimore. It can easily be reached via route 70 west. I would recommend spending a full day here. Parking is limited near the historic center so you can park in the lot by the visitor center and take the tram down to the historic center. Bring your N.P. passport book for a stamp.
It is most known for it’s role in the Civil War. John Brown, the abolitionist, was a key figure here. Geography is an interesting lesson at this location, as you’ll get to stand in nearly 3 states on a bridge that overlooks the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. From here you’ll see where Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia converge.
What to Bring to Family Activities in Baltimore, DC, VA, and WV?
Comfortable walking shoes are must for most of these places. Some of the historical places are registered parts of the National Park System, so if you have a Passport to your National Parks, bring it along to add a stamp. I bought one for each of my children to carry with them throughout their lives so they can always remember every adventure we went on together as a family. And of course, bring your camera, or cell phone to some of the historic sights, such as Mt. Vernon and Fort McHenry.
You can bring a picnic lunch to the outdoor historical sights and the zoo. Art museums usually prohibit food. Don’t forget a hat and sunscreen for outdoor locations. There are so many great family activities in Baltimore and the surrounding areas.
Family Photography
Family activities in Baltimore include many indoor and outdoor options. The Baltimore, Maryland area has history, culture, art, nature, and so much more. While you are on your family day trip you may want to take your own family photos. This post on how to take your own family photos might be helpful for you if you have a DSLR camera and a travel tripod.
Rebecca Leigh Photography is a newborn, baby, and family photographer in the Ellicott City area.
I am not affiliated with any of these family activities in Baltimore or places elsewhere recommended in this post.
Things to do in Baltimore, family activities in Baltimore, Baltimore, family day trip
