YEARS VISITED: 2006, 2020, & 2025.

———- BALTIMORE ———-

All three of our visits to Maryland have involved the city of Baltimore. Our first experience came in 2006 when Jill, our friend Theresa, and our 7-month old daughter flew to Baltimore to join up with myself and friend Rick. Rick and I had just completed a week long history conference on the east coast and were excited to be reacquainted with our families. In the summer of 2020 we spent an afternoon at Fort McHenry, and in 2025 we rode the train from Washington DC to Baltimore for an Orioles game. While we admittedly haven’t spent a ton of time in Maryland, we have visited the states most iconic landmarks.

RESTAURANTS: In 2006 we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe, located at the Inner Harbor. After dinner we walked the boardwalk area. Many of the cities main attractions are located here and it is a fun place to explore.

However, we were warned about Baltimore at night and subsequently cut our night walk short. For the record, we didn’t experience any moments of feeling unsafe but felt like we should be cautious and wanted to be smart about our visit. The family and I returned in 2020 and explored the Inner Harbor during the day. It is a beautiful and fun place to get a feel for the city. Roughly one mile from Inner Harbor is Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Just outside the stadium in left field is Pickles Pub. We discovered this Baltimore classic in 2025. It opened in 1988 and has been a Baltimore favorite ever since. Their crab pretzel was featured on the Travel Channel’s ‘Food Paradise.’ Service was awesome and we had a blast interacting with Oriole fans.

Fells Point, a mile east of Inner Harbor, is home to many great restaurants. We found The Horse You Came In On where we enjoyed a couple of drinks and an appetizer. It is advertised as being the “oldest continually running saloon in America.” It was established in 1775, is said to be the last place Edgar Allan Poe was last seen before his death.

STADIUMS AND/OR SPORTING EVENTS: I have now seen three Baltimore Orioles games at Camden Yards. The first was with my dad the summer following my college graduation. The second was with my wife and 7-month old (oldest) daughter in 2006. My most recent visit was in 2025 again with my wife and youngest daughter.

Following each of our visits I have come away impressed with the stadium and organization as a whole. The attention to detail of the stadium, as well as the employees staffing the games, are both first rate. This was the first MLB stadium to be designed in an old fashion or retro style. This is definitely one of my favorite stadiums.

Before each game we wandered around the outside of the stadium. Highlights for us were seeing the Brooks Robinson statue behind the left field fence and the Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken statues in center field. In right field the warehouse is the main attractions and gives the stadium it’s iconic look.

In front of the warehouse is Boog’s Barbeque pit. In 2006 we were shocked to find the Oriole great hanging out at the barbeque pit interacting with fans.

Boog Powell played for the Orioles for over a decade, hit over 300 MLB home runs, and developed into a fan favorite. His barbeque stand has been serving Baltimore on Camden Street since the stadium opened in 1992. Following the games in 2006 and 2025 we exited the stadium on the left field side and followed a trail of painted baseballs on the sidewalk to the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum.

While playing for the New York Yankees and swatting over 700 home runs he became famous. However, he was born and raised in Baltimore. His childhood home has been converted into a museum celebrating his legendary achievements.

Displays ranged from Yankee memorabilia, to an elaborate showcase celebrating MLB’s 500 home run club.

There is no better place to celebrate the Great Bambino while simultaneously teaching your kids about the legend of Babe Ruth.

NOTABLE DESTINATIONS & STOPS: In 2020 we spent an afternoon at Fort McHenry located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

The fort was made famous during the War of 1812. The British attacked hoping to take control of the major port city of Baltimore. Fortunately, America was successful in repulsing the British bombardment.

During the battle Francis Scott Key, who witnessed the attack, wrote the poem “The Defense of Fort McHenry.” It instantly became a patriotic hit and evolved into our Star Spangled Banner.

Unfortunately for us the museum was closed due to the COVID outbreak. We were able to walk through the fort and the surrounding grounds. This is an excellent place to ride bikes, go for a walk, or sit and watch a sunset. The Francis Scott Key Bridge (seen below) collapsed in 2024 after being hit by a cargo ship.

———- NATIONAL HARBOR ———-

National Harbor is located just south of Washington DC. We stayed at a Club Wyndham there in 2025 and loved our week long stay. I don’t know this to be fact, but the whole area felt new and had a resort-type feel. There were many restaurants all within walking distance, a large pier jetting into the Potomac River, and a paved walking path along the shore. A massive Ferris Wheel was on the pier. While we did not take a ride, I am sure on a sunny day the views are spectacular and I am assuming you can see downtown Washington DC.

The main downtown street was the “American Way” and the entire downtown had many tributes to our armed forces as well as to American history.

When we visited, the spring Water Lantern Festival was being held at Spirit Park. Hundreds of people gathered, and what we learned through their website “allows community members to create a unique lantern before setting it afloat in the water, lighting up the night.” Music was being played, food trucks were brought in, and it provided an awesome spectacle on the water.

RESTAURANTS: We ate breakfast at the Silver Diner. It is open all day, is located on American Way, and had an extensive menu. Besides, who doesn’t like an old fashion diner? We also ate at Rosie Mexicano. It is located on Waterfront street, has a view of the river, and we thoroughly enjoyed their chicken & steak quesadilla’s.

———- ANNAPOLIS ———-

Also in 2006 in Annapolis, we walked into an unlocked Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The stadium, which is the home of the Navy Midshipmen as well as a professional Lacrosse team, is beautiful.

Every military conflict the Navy has ever been involved in is written along the front panels of the stadium. I can only imagine how cool it would be to see this stadium full of sailors cheering on their team on a Fall Saturday afternoon.

ADVENTURE(S): While I unfortunately don’t have very many pictures, we did spend a warm July day in 2006 exploring the historic city of Annapolis. The city is located on Chesapeake Bay and is the home of the United States Naval Academy. It is also one of the oldest cities in America. This was our first real experience with a colonial east coast town and we absolutely fell in love. Additionally Annapolis is the Capital of Maryland and the State House served as the United States Capital at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War. We toured the Maryland Capital Building where we were able to enter the same chambers that George Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief in 1783. This is also where the Treaty of Paris was signed, effectively ending the Revolutionary War.

Whenever we return to Maryland, the charming colonial city of Annapolis is #1 on our list to visit.

———- CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD, ANTIETAM (SHARPSBURG) ———-

The Civil War battle of Antietam, located in Sharpsburg, is still the bloodiest one day in American history. Sadly, 23,000 Confederate and Union soldiers lost their lives here in 1862. Following this battle President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves in all Confederate states. In 2006 I was accepted to the “Civil War-Eastern Campaign” Conference. For a week we traveled on a tour bus stopping at major civil war battlefields from Virginia to Pennsylvania. It was on this trip that I toured Antietam National Battlefield. We walked along the Sunken Road, stood outside the Dunker Church, and finished by walking across the Burnside Bridge.

While I enjoyed every minute of it, what I loved the most was seeing the artifacts, buildings, or landmarks in person that I had seen in history books. If you are interested in truly understanding the whys, hows, and whats of any historical event I cannot state strongly enough the importance of traveling to the location. It is amazing how much more I learned in person rather than simply reading about the battle.

• OUR LIST TO VISIT OR RETURN TO:
• Annapolis
• Ocean City Boardwalk
• National Aquarium, Baltimore
• Kayak / Stand Up Paddleboard Chesapeake Bay
• Thomas Point Shoal Light, Chesapeake Bay
• Paw Paw Tunnel, Oldtown
• Holland Island, Toddville
• Baltimore Orioles game