50+ Things To Do in Baltimore with Kids
Planning a visit to Baltimore with your kids?
If you are planning a trip and need a list of things to do in Baltimore with kids, You’re in the right place, because I live in Maryland, and love Baltimore! It is the largest city in Maryland and is filled with lots of great experiences from historic sites, family activities, museums, and more.
It is such a fun place, with plenty of unique attractions, making it the perfect family-friendly destination. Baltimore is also fondly known as Charm City and it certainly lives up to that name.
Ready to discover the 50+ best things to do in Baltimore with kids? Let’s get to it! Check out all the fun kid-friendly things to do in Baltimore and start planning your next family trip! Some of these things to do are paid, but there are also a lot of free things for kids.
Free things to do with kids in Baltimore
1. Rash Field Park
Rash Field Park is one of the coolest parks in Baltimore that the entire family will love to go to! This is a newly renovated park that is filled with activities for each age group to enjoy. From a huge playground for little ones to a skate park for older kids, this park has it all!
Go spend some time outside and enjoy being in nature and the sunshine while playing at this park for a few hours one day.
2. Baseball Game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards
If your child loves to watch baseball games, take them to watch a live game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Children nine years old and under are free! There is even a fun play area for kids to help keep them entertained.
It is home to the Baltimore Orioles and they just might be able to catch an Orioles game during the baseball season.
3. Walter Sondheim Fountain
Head over to the Walter Sondheim Fountain during one hot summer day and let your toddlers have fun at the splash pad! This fountain is located right next to West Shore Park and runs from May to September. It’s the perfect way to relax and enjoy the heat!
4. Patterson Park
There are so many fun things to do at Patterson Park! Going to parks is one of the top things to do in Baltimore with kids because your children will never get tired of playing outside at a park.
At Patterson Park, there are tons of options for things to do, including Go ice skating at the ice rink, Play basketball or tennis, Have fun on the playground, Go swimming, Enjoy the lake and more!
5. Graffiti Alley
This is a hidden alley in Baltimore and is perfect for Graffiti artists.
6. The Playground at Our Stadium Place
You will find tons of fun indoor playgrounds all over Maryland to enjoy; however, the Playground at Our Stadium Place is one of the top favorites. Kids took part in designing this park, so it makes sense it is most loved by them too!
This playground has a tot lot, an older kid’s area, climbing structures, slides, swings, and just about anything a kid could dream of!
You can also check out some other outdoor playgrounds to take your kids while in maryland.
7. Baltimore Museum of Art
For your creative children, take them to be surrounded by stunning artwork at the Baltimore Museum of Art. This is a fun thing to do with kids in Baltimore that will inspire them with their art pieces in new and exciting ways. They also have some free drop-in art activities which are perfect for young kids.
The Baltimore Museum of Art has free admission, making it a budget-friendly option too!
8. Cylburn Arboretum
If you want a park that is surrounded by nature, wildlife, and peaceful serenity, you’ll want to come to Cylburn Arboretum. This is the perfect place for families who love exploring and being in nature together.
Here you will find 200 acres of nature! Walk along the trails as you spot different flowers and wildlife, or go visit a relaxing garden; the options are endless here!
9. Federal Hill Park
This is a great park located in the Baltimore area and is about 2 minute walk from the American Visionary Art Museum. You can get a beautiful view of the Inner Harbor as well as a great area to walk around, take your dogs or have lunch on the grass.
If you are here till late, it also provides an amazing sunset view close to dusk. There is also a clean and fenced playground where children can play and enjoy. Federal Hill Park is included in our list of outdoor playgrounds in Maryland.
10. Sherwood Gardens
If you come to the Sherwood Gardens during the springtime, you will find over 50,000 colorful tulips to enjoy! It is a beautiful garden to be in all year round, but you will especially want to visit during the spring months.
This is also one of the free things to do in Maryland with families.
11. Enoch Pratt Free Library
Why not take your kids to the Enoch Pratt Free Library one day? A library is a great place for kids to get some good books to read throughout the week. Plus, this library always has tons of fun, free events for kids of all ages!
12. The Book Thing
Another one of the cool things to do in Baltimore with your kids is to go to The Book Thing. One day each month, you can enter and get as many books as you want, absolutely free! This is such a fun way to instill in your child a love for learning and reading books.
If you have plenty of books, you can also sort through them with your kids and drop them off as donations as well. It is a nice way to teach your kids about donating items and serving others too!
Paid things to do in Baltimore with kids
13. Port Discovery Children’s Museum
One of the best things to do in Baltimore with kids is the Port Discovery Children’s Museum. This museum helps make learning and discovering new things fun for kids; most of the time, they never want to leave!
Every exhibit and activity here is interactive and allows your child to let loose and just have fun. Here you will find three levels filled with activities for infants to elementary-age children. You can easily spend the entire day at the Port Discovery Children’s Museum!
Port Discovery is also one of the best Baltimore Maryland Harbor attractions, so if you are in Maryland, you have to make a stop here!
14. Maryland Science Center
Another place kids can learn through playing and having fun is the Maryland Science Center. Here kids can learn about dinosaurs, discover the planets, and explore the body through various interactive activities.
You will find science activities for toddlers, elementary students, and beyond. This is the perfect place for kids of all ages and is one of the best family attractions in Baltimore md. Maryland Science Center is worth visiting with your kids and is one of our highly recommended indoor play places for kids in Maryland.
15. Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Located in Druid Hill Park, the Maryland Zoo is the perfect place to take your kids. Your children will love exploring and seeing all the fun animals. From elephants to lions, cheetahs, lemurs, zebras, penguins, snakes, and alligators, this zoo does have it all!
Because it is a pretty big zoo, you can come here multiple times and still have a blast each time.
16. National Aquarium in Baltimore
If your children love learning about the ocean and marine life, take them to the National Aquarium! Similar to the zoo, there are incredible animals here your kids will be fascinated with. It is a great place to learn while having fun!
There are some fun tours you can do as a family or just explore all on your own.
We had an amazing experience at National Aquarium when we went.
17. Paddle Boats
Take your kids on the water with these super fun paddle boats! Choose from a boat shaped like a dragon or a pirate ship and have fun on the water. You cannot go wrong with these paddle boats in Baltimore!
18. iFLY Baltimore
Take your older children to iFLY for an incredible experience. Here your kid can enjoy learning how to fly and the feel of it in a safe environment. Kids over three years old and over 40b and inches are allowed too!
19. Bengies Drive-In
Give your kids the experience of a drive-in movie at Bengies Drive-In! This drive-in has been around since 1956 and has one of the biggest movie screens in the entire United States!
Going to the drive-in one night is one of the best things to do in Baltimore with kids to give them a unique and fun experience. Kids of all ages would love to go see a movie, all the while staying in their car. Kids should do this at least once in their lifetime!
20. B&O Railroad Museum
Teach your kids all about trains at the B&O Railroad Museum. Kids of all ages can enjoy this place to visit in Baltimore with plenty of fun interactive exhibits. You can go on train rides and have a guided tour to learn all about these awesome trains.
During the holiday season, this museum does a Polar Express experience too!
21. Black Cherry Puppet Theater
At the Black Cherry Puppet Theater, your family can enjoy a night out watching some fun puppet shows. This place also has many events throughout the year just for kids as well, including how to make their puppets!
You will also find musical performances here and other art forms. Some events are free to enjoy while others you will need tickets to attend.
22. Baltimore Museum of Industry
Older kids might have fun learning from all the exhibits at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. If you are homeschooling your kids, this is a great hands-on learning experience too!
Learn about the World War II flying boat bomber, visit a 1910 pharmacy, step into a print shop, learn about old machines, and so much more. It is a fun way to teach your kids about what life was like in the early 1900s.
23. Patterson Bowling Center
Take your family out for a fun bowling night one day at the Patterson Bowling Center. This bowling alley has been in Baltimore since 1927!
Bowling is such a fun family activity your kids will love to do over and over again; it might even become a family tradition!
Start your children off young and teach them how to bowl, and come here as often as you can.
25. The Bounce Playhouse
When the weather gets rainy and unpleasant for outside adventures, take your kids to The Bounce Playhouse. This entire place offers a safe environment for your kids to let loose and simply have fun.
There are plenty of bouncy houses inside where kids can run, climb, slide, and develop their gross motor skills without going outside.
25. Irvine Nature Center
The Irvine Nature Center offers a place for families to come to enjoy learning about nature together. This place has a variety of family programs that allow you to be together and make plenty of great memories.
Go on a family night hike, and learn about butterflies, birds, squirrels, and so much more with each of the programs offered especially for families.
26. National Museum of Dentistry
This is not your normal museum, but it is another fun thing to do in Baltimore with your children one day. Here you can learn all about being a dentist and your teeth! There is a Mouth Power exhibit that has huge teeth for kids to learn how to brush and take care of their teeth.
Come visit the National Museum of Dentistry with your kids one day, and who knows, you might spark an interest in becoming a dentist with your child!
You will find this museum at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
27. Washington Monument
You will want to take your children to see the Washington Monument at least once during their youth. It is a great place to teach them about some of the U.S. history and climb this national monument!
There are 227 stairs to reach the top of the monument, so if your family is up for it, don’t forget to wear your tennis shoes!
Come in early December to watch the annual monument lighting celebration!
28. Baltimore Helicopter Sightseeing Tour
Experience Baltimore from a totally different level on this helicopter tour
🛩 Prefer to look over Baltimore from the air? Join the Baltimore Helicopter sightseeing tour, one of the highest rated tours, with a near-perfect 5 Star rating.
29. Rawlings Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Another beautiful place to visit with your kids is the Rawlings Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. This place has five beautiful greenhouses and a big colorful garden you will love to see. From fountains to tropical pools, there is so much to explore with this conservatory!
Each greenhouse replicates conditions for several parts of the world! See tropical plants in one greenhouse and plants that grow in a desert in another. This is the perfect place to feel like you are traveling all over the world without ever leaving Baltimore!
30. Carrie Murray Nature Center
For another fun way to have your kids explore nature, take them to the Carrie Murray Nature Center. Here you will find hands-on learning opportunities for your kids to instill a love for nature in them.
They will get to meet live animals and be in the outside world. When you arrive, you will get a backpack and binoculars to help you explore.
Check out some more amazing nature centers in Maryland to explore.
31. Walters Art Museum
The Walters Art Museum is a great place to visit with kids! It’s home to beautiful art from all over the world, and there are plenty of activities, art programs, and exhibits for kids to enjoy. The museum is also located in a really fun neighborhood, so it’s the perfect place to spend a day in Baltimore.
There’s something for everyone at the Walters Art Museum, so be sure to check it out! If you are looking for the best places in Maryland to take your kids over the summer, this is one of them.
32. American Visionary Art Museum
Visiting an art museum with kids can be a great experience. The American visionary art museum is a perfect place to take your children if you want to introduce them to some new and interesting art.
This museum is filled with colorful and creative paintings, sculptures, and other pieces that are sure to fascinate and entertain your kids. This is definitely a must-see place if you have art lovers in the family.
33. Fort McHenry National Monument
The defense of this star-shaped fort in the early 1800s inspired Francis Scott Key’s poem, ‘The Star Spangled Banner,’ later used as the words for the U.S. National Anthem.
At the monument, kids can enjoy learning how the British had attacked the fort but hadn’t managed to capture it. they can also see the cannons, cannon balls, prisons, the American flag change, and more.
At the visitor center, they can also watch a short film that provides an overview of the Battle of Baltimore and the writing of the U.S. national anthem.
Fort McHenry is also one of the most fantastic national parks in Maryland to take your kids to.
34. Inner Harbor Chessie Paddle Boats
These paddle boats are a great way to get some workouts in. if you plan to do this, it’s best to do it on a breezy day so you can catch the wind plus it probably would not be as crowded. These paddle boats allow you to get a beautiful view of the Baltimore Harbor.
35. Edgar Allen Poe House
Edgar Allan Poe House is located in Baltimore, and it is dedicated to the life and work of the famous author. Kids will love exploring the house and learning about Poe’s life and writing. There is also a gift shop on-site where you can purchase souvenirs.
36. Baltimore Water Taxi
One of the best things to do in Baltimore with kids is to enjoy a ride on the Baltimore Water taxis. It gives a great experience for the Baltimore Inner Harbor, views of Fell’s Point, Canton, Little Italy, etc.
37. Fells Point Food Tour in Baltimore
Enjoy an amazing food tour that guides you through the historic district where you can check out a ton of great family-run restaurants to sample specially made dishes like Polish, Baltimore-style pit beef, and Spanish tapas.
38. Ripley’s Believe it or not
A great example of funny things to do in Baltimore with kids, Ripley’s believe it or not is a nice stop for you. This museum is really fun, especially for those who love to see odd things as it’s filled with lots of oddities from around the world.
One thing you have to check out is the really funny bathroom but it’s something you have to check out for yourself. The mirror maze is also a fun part of it.
39. Social studio art class
This is a nice art studio in Baltimore where kids can explore, engage, express, expand, exchange, and empower! It provides a place for kids to discover art excellence and what it means to them.
40. Top of the world observation level
This is located on the 27th floor of the World Trade Center and is the world’s tallest pentagonal building. It is home to the only Baltimore attraction to offer an awe-inspiring view of Maryland’s urban center.
From the observation level, you can see Baltimore spread out in front of you. Anyone interested in cities and buildings will appreciate this spot.
41. Creative alliance
If you’re looking for a fun and artsy day out with the kids, Creative Alliance in Baltimore is a great place to visit. This non-profit arts center has something for everyone, from exhibits and classes to theater performances and music concerts.
There’s also a cafe on-site, so you can grab a bite to eat while you’re there.
42. Urban Pirates
If you’re looking for something different to do with your kids in Maryland, consider Urban Pirates. This attraction is a pirate adventure park that lets kids explore and have fun while learning about pirate culture.
Urban Pirates gives you a real-life experience of being a pirate on a ship out in the water. Your child will have a blast as they learn how to act like a pirate, play pirate games, and shoot out of water cannons!
43. Artscape
Artscape is another great thing for kids to do. It is a great festival for the entire family and especially if you have creative kids. There are lots of music, dance, art, live performances, and more. the creative visionaries.
44. Little Italy
In the heart of Baltimore’s downtown, sitting peacefully between the Inner Harbor and Fells Point in Baltimore is the friendly and charming neighborhood of Little Italy. The authentic Italian restaurants, friendly people, and real sense of community are inviting.
Celebrated in Baltimore as a cultural and ethnic icon, a trip the Baltimore’s Inner Harbor will be rounded off with a trip to Little Italy.
45. Baltimore Streetcar museum
This is a unique but well-worth experience in Baltimore. The staff here are all volunteers but are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The streetcars are well maintained and you get to ride various streetcars in the collection from various time periods while also getting an in-depth tour of the garage with streetcars.
46. Historic Ships
Head over to the USS Constellation where you can experience the educational tours and climb aboard each ship to learn the roles they played in history.
47. Babe Ruth Birthplace and museum
This museum shows the life and times of George Herman “Babe” Ruth, who was Baltimore’s native son and who became America’s first sports celebrity and an international icon.
Top things to do in Baltimore with kids: Restaurants
Baltimore has a lot of great places to take kids in Baltimore especially when it comes to grabbing food, here are some of our favorites:
48. Blue Moon Café
If you are in Baltimore, you have to stop at Blue Moon Café, especially for brunch. There are two locations in Baltimore. Be sure to arrive on time because there is usually a long line, especially on weekends. Try out the captain crunch toast and Sweet Baby Jesus, you won’t regret it!
49. Miss Shirley’s Café
Another personal favorite of mine, Miss Shirley’s café is amazing. It also gets filled up fast, so arrive early. The pancakes, although simple, are always great especially with the syrup. They have about 3 locations in Maryland.
50. The PaperMoon Diner
This is a really fun and creative diner to take your kids. It is very bright and airy and tons of fun. Your kids can spend some time browsing the different toys and collectibles. The staff is great, super attentive and quick.
51. Vaccaro’s Italian Pastry Shop, Little Italy
They have a ton of great coffees and desserts especially for family outings. If you’re visiting Baltimore or live there, this is a must visit. It is also walking distance from the harbor.
52. The Charmery
This is a family-owned ice cream shop with tons of seasonal flavors to choose from. The saffron olive oil is super amazing, so highly recommend trying that one. One thing is that due to its location, parking can be a bit tight
Bonus thing to do in Baltimore with kids
53. Signature Spirit of Baltimore Dinner Cruise
This three-hour luxury dinner cruise is a favorite experience for locals and tourists alike. This cruise up the Patapsco River takes diners past attractions like the Maryland Science Center, Francis Scott Key Bridge, and Pride Mast Memorial, giving you a unique opportunity to view them at night.
The gourmet buffet will provide an experience to match the views and sights. The views of the Inner Harbor from the boat are unique to any you will see elsewhere in Baltimore, and the open-air roof gives a view like no other.
FAQS on things to do in Baltimore for kids
Is Baltimore safe to visit?
Yes, for the most part, Baltimore is safe to visit. As we all know, crime can happen anywhere, however most of the tourist attractions are usually located in well-lit and heavily populated areas which is great. There are of course certain neighborhoods to avoid such as Cherry Hill and West Baltimore.
Is Baltimore family friendly?
Yes, Baltimore is very family friendly. Although there are a lot of young people in this area, it is filled with a lot of family friendly activities you can enjoy.
What are the best hotels in Baltimore?
When staying in Baltimore, there are a couple of nice hotels that come highly recommended. You can check out this list of where to stay in Baltimore listed out by neighborhoods.
However these are my three top recommendations of hotels in Baltimore:
- Sagamore Pendry Baltimore: Very comfortable bed and room. Staff are super pleasant and helpful.
- The Ivy Hotel: Gorgeous historic hotel with excellent employees
- Hotel Indigo Baltimore Downtown, an IHG Hotel: Very comfortable hotel bed with well maintained and spacious rooms plus the staff are friendly and helpful.
How do I get to Baltimore?
The Baltimore Washington International Airport is located in Anne Arundel County and is 9 miles south of Downtown Baltimore. You can get to Baltimore from the airport using an Uber which will be the quickest but most expensive way. A second option is to rent a car .
Conclusion: 50+ Things To Do in Baltimore with Kids
There are so many fun things in Baltimore for kids all year round. With its close proximity to Washington, DC, your kids are sure to have a blast.
From seasonal activities to everyday adventures, you will find countless family-friendly activities in Baltimore that will give your kids plenty of opportunities to play and have fun.
