# Things to do in Baltimore/Annapolis **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 4, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636 "2014-11-04T16:33:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/21 "2014-11-05T14:09:19Z")
My memories of Baltimore include enjoying such places as Peabody’s Book Store and Beer Stube, Haussner’s, and Obrycki’s. So I’m absolutely useless in this thread, but felt the need to contribute. Bo Brooks still in business? Good to hear that Bertha’s is. QtM, Baltimoron from 1975-1983 “The Glory Years” ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/22 "2014-11-05T15:44:46Z")
> [@Orwell](#): > > …Charm City… Do note that the are some questionable neighborhoods that give Baltimore its second nickname of “Harm City”, hon. Like DC, some of these neighborhoods are within walking distance of major tourist attractions that themselves are pretty safe. Know where you are going, and don’t go into sketchy neighborhoods alone or after dark. But this isn’t Baltimore specific, you should already know this if you’ve been to DC, Philly, NYC, or really any major city. > [@Orwell](#): > > … > As for touristy things, I also recommend the National Aquarium in Inner Harbor. I think Annapolis would be boring for most kids/teens. Second the National Aquarium, but I haven’t been in ages. It’s awesome for kids. If you go to Annapolis, there is the awesome US Naval Academy to see, with a nice campus and museum. Do note that this is legally a military base, and you will need to show ID and pass security to enter. Last I checked, you didn’t need any specific advance clearance to enter, just go to the gate and say you want to see the campus and museum, and show your ID. There’s also the private St. John’s College in Annapolis, which is notable because of its extreme age for a US university (late 1600’s), and the fact that they have signs all over campus reminding you that visitors are permitted. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/23 "2014-11-05T16:28:54Z")
> [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](#): > > The American Visionary Arts Museum- a bit weird, very cool. > > [http://www.avam.org/](http://www.avam.org/) We did a Dopefest there some years back!! I really enjoyed it, and I can’t believe I forgot about it. Definitely worth a visit! I loved the Museum of Industry, but mostly because it was a walk down memory lane for me. So much of it reminded me of growing up in the Baltimore metro area in the 60s. It’s difficult for me to see it thru tourist eyes, but I really got a kick out of it. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/24 "2014-11-05T16:31:45Z")
Drive around the beltway a few times and video it. Friends back home won’t believe you without proof. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/25 "2014-11-06T03:46:43Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > We are coming from Indy, … They play lacrosse in Indy? (just kidding) > [@](#): > > My son is a jock, but a smart one. He appreciates history and architecture etc… You could check out the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame on the Hopkins campus. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/26 "2014-11-06T13:31:01Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > You could check out the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame on the Hopkins campus. I hope Piggy Federico made the Hall! ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/27 "2014-11-06T14:16:44Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > Fort McHenry is cool enough to make the effort to get there without the water taxi (drive, don’t swim). Trivia Note re: drive to Ft McHenry: Have you ever seen Hitchcock’s “Marnie” (1964)? Fast forward to the end scene right as Sean Connery is driving Tippi Hedren to see her mother. There will be a very short scenic clip of a remarkably long and beautiful street in Baltimore with red brick houses lining each side. The scene is both unforgettably beautiful and haunting at the same time. That said… after driving the odd corkscrew of circular turns through the bridges and highways around Ft McHenry, you will come (finally) to a long residential street of red brick houses leading to the entrance to the the Fort McHenry. Personally, I thought that it looked Very familiar. I can’t find an internet cite specific enough to confirm or deny that this is definitely the street shown in the movie or not, but if you scroll to the end of the movie and then look when you go, you’ll be able to decide for yourself. (…yeah, yeah, and if you were at Central Park, I’d point out Wollman rink / “Serendpity”, the pond by The Castle / skating scene “The Bishop’s Wife”, and that The Dakota is 50 feet away from the building pictured in “Ghost Busters”, etc. etc.) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/28 "2014-11-06T17:21:10Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > ::cue travelogue music:: > > Flying into BWI? Why not forego the expense and hassle of a rental car or the highway robbery of a taxi ride and take **THE LIGHT RAIL** from the airport to Camden Yards (or be adventurous and take it all the way to Hunt Valley before returning to Downtown Balto). Thrill to the sights of Ferndale, Linthicum and Baltimore Highlands before disembarking at the Stadia where all of the downtown area is laid out at your feet. > > YouTube has many clips of the route. Is the light rail where the Amtrak station is or a different location? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/29 "2014-11-06T18:05:39Z")
**asterion** –first, a caveat: I haven’t been back to that area in 17 years, and the light rail has expanded in the meantime. Google “Baltimore Light Rail” and enjoy. Best I can tell, there is a short line that goes from Penn Station to Camden Yards, where you can catch the other line to head farther south (or north). There’s also a subway line to Johns Hopkins hospital, but I know nothing about that, sorry. Amtrak also goes to BWI. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/30 "2014-11-06T18:20:50Z")
I was in Baltimore this spring for a weekend. We stayed in Fell’s Point, and made sure to take the water taxi over to Inner Harbor. It was a beautiful ride. I second all the suggestions to do Fell’s Point/Inner Harbor/Water Taxi. Inner Harbor is a bit “touristy,” but certainly worth visiting, and the aquarium is outstanding. There is also this little hole-in-the-wall hot dog place in Fell’s Point that had the best damn cream soda I ever had. And really good hot dogs. ETA: Forgot to say - I haven’t been to Annapolis in 20 years, but I really enjoyed it. The best part was a visit to the Naval Academy! ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636/31 "2014-11-06T20:09:07Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > They play lacrosse in Indy? (just kidding) > > You could check out the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame on the Hopkins campus. Actually we get that a lot. We have a very strong team and we routinely win everything in the Midwest so we go out east a couple of times per year to see how we fare against those teams. We usually do very well there as well. Frequently after a win we will have people from the other team come up to clarify where we are from and after hearing Indiana they always say they didn’t know we played it here. As for the hall of fame, my son went there on his last trip out. Anyway, thanks everyone for your suggestions but it looks like I’ll have to save them for later. After faxing the hotel the doctor’s restrictions they agreed to let me out of any cancellation penalties so we decided to scrub this trip and use the airfare credit to probably go someplace warm this winter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-in-baltimore-annapolis/703636.md?page=1)