With warm weather approaching, the desire to go outside and take day trips with friends increases. From sight-seeing to mini golf, Baltimore has various outdoor venues, historic sites, fairgrounds and parks students can visit that are close and cost-friendly.
FELLS POINT
Fells Point in downtown Baltimore is a great neighborhood that includes nightlife, tours and attractions. Baltimore Ghost Tours provide haunted walking excursions of Fells Point and Mount Vernon, according to Visit Baltimore. Day and evening tours cost $13 and the activity lasts one hour.
ORIOLE PARK AT CAMDEN YARDS
Opening day for Major League Baseball has come and gone, but the Baltimore Orioles remain undefeated seven games into the season. Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a beautiful location that offers Student Night tickets on Friday nights starting at $7 for upper-level seating. Students can take the Metro from Owings Mills to the front of the ballpark with less than a minute walk to the gates. Camden Yards is located next to the Inner Harbor where there are numerous restaurants, entertainment and shopping overlooking the water.
FORT MCHENRY
Baltimore is filled with many historic sites; the most popular among history buffs is Fort McHenry. Not only did the Battle of Baltimore happen here, and the national anthem was also created by Francis Scott Key during the battle. Park hours are 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. according to the National Park Service. The park offers reenactments, tours and a gift shop for visitors.
MARYLAND ZOO IN BALTIMORE
Students may want to spend a day at the zoo and its surrounding park, Druid Hill. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore offers a variety of interesting and offbeat activities, including goat grooming sessions, penguin encounters, visits with the African elephants and family scavenger hunts. Members can enter free, and the cost for non-members is $18. A membership is less than the cost of two visits, so it is worthwhile to consider becoming a member.
DRUID HILL PARK
Druid Hill Park’s 745 acres surround the zoo and includes the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens, open year round, filled with magnificent flower beds. Take a picnic lunch around the lake, explore the historic structures on the park’s grounds and even enjoy the bike trails. Take the Metro or Light Rail to get there.
Baltimore has an array of outdoor activities for students to participate in, ranging from historical landmarks to entertaining locales. Take a moment to explore the city, and take advantage of the nice weather.