Baltimore boasts the total package for family fun

Sitting on the Patapsco River (an arm of the Chesapeake Bay), the city of Baltimore, Maryland, offers families a myriad of activities. Baltimore is home to the Baltimore Orioles and the Baltimore Ravens, but it’s also the location of Johns Hopkins University and Hospital. With history, arts and culture, and hands-on family museums, it’s a great family destination.

Here are FIVE must-see stops for families when visiting Baltimore.

1. Be an Animal

A vacation in Baltimore isn’t complete without a visit to the award-winning Maryland Zoo. The zoo is divided into ecosystems, so you can explore the Arctic, the plains of Africa, and the Maryland wilderness. Visit all your favorite animals, including lions, elephants, giraffes, polar bears, and chimps.

In the interactive children’s zoo, kids hop from lily pad to lily pad, sit in an oriole’s nest, play on a giant barn silo slide, and get up close and personal with barn animals in the petting zoo.

With ever-changing programs, events and exhibits, the Baltimore Zoo offers something new every time.

Details: Location: From I-83, take Exit 7 (West) to Druid Park Lake Drive and follow signs to the Zoo. Hours: 10 a.m.—4:30 p.m., March 1 through December 31 (last admission one hour prior to closing). Tickets: 12 and older $15; ages 2-11 $10; children under 2 free. Special Internet Pricing available here. Parking is free. (410) 366-LION or http://www.marylandzoo.org.

2. Experiment and Explore

Whether you have a future paleontologist who’d love to lead a fossil dig or a child who’s curious about why he sneezes, chart your course for the Maryland Science Center. Kids will love the hands-on displays and cool exhibits that explain everything from the human body to the birth of a star.

Younger children can try their hand at creating waterways and dams in the popular water play area, building Lego towers, or entering an undersea world complete with deep sea coves, a fishing pier, and tugboat helm.

Admission price includes an IMAX film, which is a blast for kids of all ages, especially if they’re interested in seeing the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen or Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince on the big-BIG screem!

Details: Location: 601 Light Street Hours: Monday closed; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission for all exhibits, the planetarium, and an IMAX film: 13 and older $18.95; ages 3-12 $14.95; children under 3 free. Parking extra. Extra fee for the some special exhibits. (410) 685-5225 or www.mdsci.org.

3. “Oh Say Can You See?”

Give your kids a living history lesson at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, just minutes from the Inner Harbor. The “Star-Spangled Banner” was written by Francis Scott Key in response to the brave defense of this fort during the Battle of Baltimore (September 13-14, 1814).

The beautiful star-shaped fort is available for self-guided tours (running or walking, depending on the energy level of your family). There is a daily flag change at 9:30 a.m. and 4:20 p.m., weather permitting. The National Park Service also offers free interpretive programs.

Children ages 8 t 14 can earn Junior Ranger certificates and badges by gathering the answers to various questions about the fort and its history. Just start out at the Visitor’s Center by watching “The Defense of Fort McHenry.”

Details: Location: From the Inner Harbor, take Light Street south to Key Highway. Turn left and follow the Fort McHenry signs to Lawrence Street. Turn right on Lawrence Street and then left on Fort Avenue to the park. Park Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitor Center: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission: 16 and older $7 (7 day pass); under 16 free. (410) 962-4290 or www.nps.gov/fomc.

4. Water World

If you think aquariums only house fish, think again. The National Aquarium in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is constantly rated one of the best aquariums in the world, and it’s no wonder why. The inhabitants of this museum include the ever-popular bottle-nosed dolphins, sharks, turtles, octopi, and—to the surprise of many—land-dwelling creatures as well. Overall, the Aquarium boasts more than 600 species of animals.

In late 2005, the Aquarium opened its largest expansion ever.  The new building houses the impressive new exhibit “Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes,” highlighting the bizarre animals that live in Australia’s Northern Territory.

The best time to visit this incredibly popular attraction is before 10:30 a.m. on weekends and after 3 p.m. on weekdays.

Details: Location: 501 East Pratt Street, Inner Harbor. Admission: 12 and older $29.95; ages 3-11 $19.95; children under 3 free. Seasonal hours vary. (410) 576-3800 or http://www.aqua.org.

5. Clang Clang Clang went the Trolley

San Francisco claims the trolleycars, but Baltimoreans were served by streetcars long before San Francisco even had paved streets!

Step back in history at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. This kid-friendly attraction boasts a dozen authentic streetcars, some 125 years old. The newest were in operation in Baltimore up through the 1960s. Your kids will love getting to climb up on and around the trolleys. General admission offers unlimited rides on some of the original Baltimore streetcars.

Don’t miss the gift shop, which is full of train and streetcar memorabilia, including Thomas the Tank Engine items.

Details: Location: 1901 Falls Road. Admission: 12 and older $7; ages 4-11 $5; family maximum $24. Open Sundays noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays June-October noon to 5 p.m. (410) 547-0264 or www.baltimoremd.com/streetcar.