The 10 Best Things to do in Baltimore, Maryland (MD)

One of major league baseball's newest stadiums, the Orioles' home field has the intimate feel and charm of an old-fashioned park.

The Walters Art Museum is a cultural hub in the heart of Baltimore. Located in the city’s Mount Vernon neighborhood, the Walters is free for all. The museum’s collection spans more than seven millennia, from 5,000 BCE to the 21st century, and encompasses 36,000 objects from around the world. Walking through the museum’s historic buildings, visitors encounter a stunning panorama of thousands of years of art, from romantic 19th-century images of French gardens to mesmerizing Ethiopian icons, richly illuminated Qur’ans and Gospel books, ancient Roman sarcophagi, and serene images of the Buddha. The Walters' mission has been to bring art and people together and to create a place where people of every background can be touched by art. Admission to the museum and special exhibitions is always free.

Committed to putting Maryland back on the map as the premier distiller of Rye Whiskey. Sagamore Spirit's award-winning Straight Rye Whiskey is cut to proof with unique spring-fed water from Sagamore Farm. We are currently open for whiskey tastings and other guided experiences. Visit SagamoreSpirit.com to book your experience today. We also have curbside pickup for those shopping our online store!

Considered one of the world's best aquariums, the National Aquarium's mission is to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures. It champions environmental initiatives by engaging with visitors, volunteers, education groups and schools to actively participate in the preservation of the world's natural resources and living systems. The National Aquarium delivers meaningful experiences through its living collection of more than 20,000 animals from more than 800 species of fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles, marine mammals and sharks, as well as through exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences like sleepovers and tours, science-based education programs and hands-on experiences in the field.

A unit of the National Park Service. Site of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812, where Francis Scott Key was inspired to pen "The Star-Spangled Banner" in September of 1814.

This charming national historic district, dating back to the 18 century, has cobblestone streets, historic buildings, craft and antique stores, coffee houses and street fairs. Stop by the Art Gallery of Fells Point to see some fine work by local artists.

The B&O Railroad Museum, a full affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the birthplace of American Railroading, is home to the oldest, most comprehensive collection of railroad artifacts in the Western Hemisphere including an unparalleled roster of 19th and 20th century railroad equipment. You’ll enjoy exploring our expansive Museum campus, known as the Mount Clare Shops and Station and was the original railroading complex of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). Founded in 1827, the B&O had a dramatic economic, social, and cultural impact on our society. Its nearly 200-year history is deeply intertwined with the story of America and helped shaped our nation through invention, innovation, and ingenuity. Experience two centuries of American railroading history throughout our campus of historic buildings, exhibitions, interactive displays, and our world-class collection of rolling stock —locomotives, passenger cars, freight cars, and maintenance vehicles. All Aboard!

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) is home to an internationally renowned collection of 19th-century, modern, and contemporary art. Founded in 1914 with a single painting, the BMA today has 90,000 works of art-including the largest holding of works by Henri Matisse in the world.* The museum is currently undergoing an unprecedented $28 million renovation to provide visitors with a more welcoming environment and more imaginative and inspiring encounters with art. The BMA is remaining open throughout the multi-year project so that visitors can enjoy its outstanding selection of European and American painting and sculpture from the 17th through 20th centuries and the newly reinstalled Contemporary Wing with 14 galleries showcasing the art of our time. Two beautifully landscaped gardens display an array of 20th-century sculpture that is an oasis in the city. The museum's 100th anniversary will be celebrated in November 2014 with the reopening of the grand historic entrance designed by John Russell Pope and a beautiful new presentation of the museum's distinguished collection of American art. Subsequent reopenings include expanded galleries for the African and Asian art collections and a new learning and creativity center that will open in 2015. Since 2006, the BMA has eliminated general admission fees so that everyone can enjoy the power of art. * Many of the BMA's works by Matisse are part of a special exhibition traveling to museums in Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and San Antonio in 2013 and 2014. If you are visiting to see a specific artwork, please call the BMA Box Office to make sure it will be on view.

One of America's oldest seaports dating from the 1600s is today an important landmark and popular tourist destination. Park your car and follow the brick promenade through this bustling complex of eateries, stores, museums, entertainment and children's attractions. Sample the fresh seafood right out of Chesapeake Bay.

The American Visionary Art Museum is the nation's museum for self-taught, intuitive artistry. Three historic buildings house wonders created by farmers, housewives, mechanics, the disabled, the homeless, as well as the occasional neurosurgeon—all inspired by the fire within. From carved roots to embroidered rags, tattoos to toothpicks, ‘the visionary’ transforms dreams, loss, hopes, and ideals into powerful works of art. "one of the most fantastic museums anywhere in America" - CNN "Best Museum in Maryland" - USA Today "a temple of outsider art" - New York Times