Baltimore was never a one-industry town. If you think of Pittsburgh, you naturally think of steel. If you think Detroit, cars. But Baltimore? Think straw hats and umbrellas. And boots, space capsules, and schooners. And Linotype machines. And cigars, seaplanes, and refined sugar. And radios and sail cloth and toilets…. the list goes on. Baltimore […]
kid-friendly
How Kids Can Science at the Maryland Science Center!
I kinda wished I was a kid again. Or had young kids again (my kids are all grown). Because the Maryland Science Center is all about kids and science and teaching kids things by simply making it fun to explore ideas and concepts. Yes, I visited the Maryland Science Center as an adult. And without […]
Where History Runs Deep — Exploring Grand Caverns
Grand Caverns, formerly known as Weyer’s Cave, is located in the central Shenandoah Valley in the town of Grottoes, VA and is America’s oldest “show cave.” Open to the public since 1806, there’s a lot of history in the cave, as former presidents and Confederate and Union soldiers have visited it over the years. Today, […]
Holiday Lights at Annmarie Sculpture Garden
Just one month of every year the Annmarie Sculpture Garden transforms into a Garden of Lights. As you stroll the quarter-mile, wheel-chair accessible (and stroller accessible) walk, you get to discover a cool light show… wild animals… a magical ocean… wintery wonderlands… aliens… and dragons. In addition, some of the sculptures are incorporated into the […]
The Simple Joy of a Christmas Train Garden
Trains and Christmas seem to go together. The first model trains appeared in 1891 and 13 years later, a group of English hobbyists began building little worlds to go along with these wonderful trains. Electric model trains appeared just before WWI, and the 1920s saw an explosion of these as toys for the wealthy. By […]
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth with a Chocolate Truffle Experience
A chocolate truffle is a type of chocolate confectionery, traditionally made with a chocolate ganache — a mixture of melted chocolate and warmed cream — cooled until firm, rolled, and coated with chocolate, cocoa powder or chopped toasted nuts, usually in a spherical, conical, or curved shape. Their name derives from their resemblance to truffles, […]
Going Wild at the Virginia Safari Park
I’ve enjoyed drive-through animal “safari” zoos several times, always delighting in seeing (and usually getting to feed) the animals. Kids will love it, but so will any but the most cynical of adults. And believe it or not, this makes a great winter daytrip! The Virginia Safari Park was no different, and cool — it’s open […]
The National Zoo Can Be Daytripped on a Budget!
Visiting the National Zoo’s 1,800 animals from 300 different species can be a great way to spend a happy day. I challenge you to visit them all! Where a trip to the National Zoo starts to break the bank is for food. So simple solution: pack a healthy picnic — there are several places where you […]
Something Fishy at the National Aquarium!
There’s something fishy at the National Aquarium in Baltimore! Over the years, the National Aquarium has changed its focus from entertainment to conservation. An emphasis on the importance of water, and the earth as a water system, is a core message throughout the exhibits. Water isn’t just a habitat for the animals displayed. It’s integral […]
Explore the Odd and Creepy at Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium
3D masks that look as if they’re looking at you. You have permission to stare. This T-Rex sculpture is made out of Pop-Tart foil…believe it or not! Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium has the weird, bizarre and just plain odd. Looking for a life-sized T-Rex made out of pop-tart foil? Then look no further, […]
Gentle Hike in Cedarville State Forest
Cedarville State Forest is a state forest and protected area in the state of Maryland, near Brandywine, Cedarville, and Waldorf. It offers hiking trails, campsites, a fishing pond, hunting land, and picnic and recreation areas. The headwaters of the Zekiah Swamp are located in Cedarville, extending south through Charles County for 20 miles, eventually emptying […]
Kayaking Lake Laura
Lake Laura is a mile-long, man-made lake near the border of the Virginia, West Virginia state line, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. The lake is surrounded by mountains, homes hidden in the trees high up on the shore. We’d intended to launch our own kayak… Literally up a creek without a paddle but […]
Baltimore’s Historic Ships: A Lightship, a Coast Guard Cutter and a Lighthouse
This article looks at the US Coast Guard Cutter Taney, the Lightship 116 Chesapeake, and the 7 Foot Knoll Lighthouse, all part of the Historic Ships of Baltimore maritime museum, which is located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. These ships serve as a reminder that the Inner Harbor for 200 years was — and still is — a […]
Baltimore’s’ Historic Ships: A Sloop of War and a Submarine
Historic Ships of Baltimore is a maritime museum located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor — and is a good way to remember that the Inner Harbor for 200 years was — and still is — a major east coast port. There is so much to cover in this museum that it required two separate articles. This […]
Historic St Mary’s City: Visiting Maryland’s Colonial History
The fully working replica of The Dove sailing ship, one of the two original settlers ships that established the first Maryland colony. Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC) is a National Historic Landmark and an important archaeological site marking the former colonial town that was Maryland’s first colonial settlement of the European invasion — and the fourth permanent English […]