Maryland Vacations Travel Guide

General Information

Baby Equipment Rentals - companies in Maryland that rent baby gear and equipment including car seats, strollers, cribs and more

Family Resorts in Maryland - resorts, hotels and other family friendly lodging

Maryland Office of Tourism - things to do, places to stay, maps, calendar of events and more.

Zoos

Baltimore Zoo
Druid Hill Park
Baltimore, Maryland 21217
Phone: (410) 396-7102
Meet more than 2,000 animals - including chimpanzees, warthogs, elephants, leopards, and more! Take a safari through Africa. Discover hands-on adventures in our #1-rated Children's Zoo. And explore the winding path through the Lyn P. Meyerhoff Maryland Wilderness.  Learn about endangered wildlife at Keeper Encounters, EdZOOcation classes, behind-the-scenes tours, and Zoo camps.

National Aquarium in Baltimore
501 E Pratt St Pier 3
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Phone: (410) 576-3822
The Aquarium strives to blend naturalistic exhibit elements with the most modern interpretive techniques, engaging visitors by focusing on the beauty of the aquatic world. Exhibits are designed to replicate natural environments with typically no unnatural mixing of species; specimens are chosen to give the best examples of the biological concept in an interesting and accurate way. The collections embrace diverse world-wide habitats.

Salisbury Zoological Park
PO Box 2979
Salisbury, Maryland 21802
Phone: (410) 548-3188
The zoo now provides naturalistic enclosures for almost 500 species native to North, Central and South America.

Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo
13019 Catoctin Furnace Rd.
Thurmont, Maryland 21788
Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo offers more ways to meet, feed, and sometimes touch exotic animals than any other place we know.  From bears to boas, macaws to monkeys, panthers to prairie dogs, meet over 350 exotic animals on your safari.

Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary
11704 Fenno Road
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772
Phone: (301) 888-1410
On a visit to Merkle, one may see red fox, a groundhog, or a white-tailed deer. In the summer, ospreys nest close to the Visitor Center and the hummingbirds, finches and purple martins are abundant. In the neighboring ponds, visitors are likely to see herons and other water birds. On the trails one can see bluebirds and many different songbirds.  Bird watching, hiking, biking and fishing are available at various times of the year.

National Parks

Assateague Island and National Seashore
Berlin, Maryland
Phone: (410) 641-1441
Assateague is a windswept barrier island that offers many opportunities for seashore recreation and nature study along its thirty-seven miles. Ocean swimming, camping, bayside canoeing, crabbing, clamming, hunting, surf fishing, and off-road vehicle use are all popular.  The famous wild horses roam throughout and share beach to bay habitats with a host of other animals, including over 300 species of birds.

Fort Washington Park
Fort Washington, Maryland
Phone: (301)763-4600
Picturesque Fort Washington sits on a cliff overlooking the Potomac River and offers a grand view of Washington and the Virginia shoreline.  The 341 acre park offers an assortment of recreational opportunities. Picnic areas can be reserved for group activities and fishermen try their luck along the shore. There are also hiking and biking trails and a playground for children.

Monocacy National Battlefield
4801 Urbana Pike
Frederick, Maryland 21704
Phone: (301) 662-3515
Monocacy National Battlefield attractions include: walks, special programs, an auto tour and special events throughout the summer season.

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park
Sharpsburg, Maryland
Phone: (301) 739-4200
Hiking, biking, camping, fishing, boating, and horseback riding.

Antietam National Battlefield
Sharpsburg, Maryland
Phone: (301) 432-5124
This Civil War site marks the end of General Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North in September 1862. The battle claimed more than 23,000 men killed, wounded, and missing in one single day, September 17,1862, and led to Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation.  Self guided audio tours available.

Catoctin Mountain Park
Thurmont, Maryland
Phone: (301) 663-9330
With 25 miles of hiking trails winding through both Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park a variety of experiences are available ranging from easy to strenuous, many leading to outstanding scenic vistas. The roads of Catoctin Mountain Park offer scenic driving all year; but, portions of Park Central Road and Manahan Road are closed in winter. Camping, picnicking, wildlife viewing, fly-fishing, cross country skiing are all available at Catoctin Mountain Park.

Museums

U.S. Naval Academy Museum
Annapolis, Maryland
Utilizing three-dimensional and graphic materials, the Museum demonstrates the Navy's role, in war and in peace, in defending and preserving the ideals of our country and mankind. The exhibitions and related research are reminders of our naval heritage - a long record of loyalty, integrity, and service to the nation.

Babe Ruth Museum
216 Emory Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: (410) 727-1539
First opened to the public as the Babe Ruth Birthplace Shrine in 1974, the Museum has expanded over the past two decades to become the Archives of the Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Colts.

Great Blacks in Wax Museum
1601-03 East North Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21213
Phone: (410) 563-3404
America's first black history wax museum.

Maryland Science Center
601 Light Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: (410) 685-5225
Enjoy three floors of exhibits and demonstrations, the Davis Planetarium, and the IMAX Theater.

National Cryptologic Museum
Located at the intersection of Maryland Rt. 32 and the Baltimore/Washington Parkway (Maryland Rt. 295), near the National Security Agency
The National Cryptologic Museum is one of the few places where the curtain is parted. Here visitors can glimpse some of the dramatic moments in the history of American cryptology. The people who devoted their lives to cryptology and national defense, the machines they built, the techniques they used, and the places where they worked, are on display.

U.S. Frigate Constellation
Pier 1
301 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Phone: (410) 539-1797
The USS Constellation Museum offers "hands-on" activities and demonstrations daily as well as our self-guided audio tour.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Mill Street, P.O. Box 636
St. Michaels, Maryland 21663
Phone: (410) 745-2916
With nine exhibit buildings on 18 waterfront acres in scenic St. Michaels, step back in time as you enter the fully restored 1879 Hooper Strait lighthouse and feel what it must have been like to be out at sea alone, guiding ships to safety. Or climb aboard the skipjack Rosie Parks and experience the daily drudgery of sailing a large wooden boat while hauling up heavy oysters in freezing temperatures and winds. With a working boatyard, an impressive collection of decoys and our new interactive waterman's shanty, there's something of interest for everyone. Fun-filled festivals, engaging special exhibitions, hands-on boatbuilding classes, and outdoor summer concerts.

Theme Parks, Amusement Parks & Water Parks

Jolly Roger Amusement Park
Ocean City, Maryland
Jolly Roger Amusement Park has rides and games the whole family can enjoy.  Roller coasters, kiddie rides, bumper cars, log flume, carousel, simulated race car driving, Splash Mountain Water Park (water rides), miniature golf, go cart track and more.

Six Flags America
13710 Central Ave.
Mitchelleville, Maryland 20721
Phone: (301) 249-1500
Six Flags America features more than 100 thrilling rides, shows and attractions! Eight fun and furious roller coasters, live Hollywood-style shows including the new hip-hop high-energy music review - Radioactive!, plus a huge water park filled with more than a million gallons of splashin' action!  Looney Tunes MovieTown is a big park just for little ones where kids and parents can ride and play together on 12 different rides and attractions, including an interactive soft play area with foam balls, slides and more! Plus, kids can meet Bugs Bunny and all his Looney Tunes pals!

Trimpers Amusement Park
S. First Street & the Boardwalk
Ocean City, Maryland 21842
Phone: (410) 289-8617
Trimpers has something for the entire family. There are over 100 rides, games and amusements for young and old.  The Trimpers pride themselves in offering one of the largest, cleanest and safest amusement parks in Maryland.

Family Activities

All Earth Eco Tours
PO Box 119
Friendsville, MD 21531
Phone: (800) 446-7554 or local (301) 746-4083
All Earth Eco Tours is an outdoor tour company providing activities surrounding Deep Creek Lake area of Maryland. Nature lovers will enjoy the variety of tours available including kayaking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, guided hikes, and team building adventures. Many programs are available for people of all ages including yoga, nature photo workshops, storytelling around the bonfire and more. Families with young children will appreciate "Toddler Tuesdays" where kids ages 1 year to 5 years can enjoy arts & crafts, going on a nature walk, kiddie yoga, snacks, and lots of playtime!
 

If you know of a family activity in Maryland, let us know and we will add it here.

Summer - Family Vacation Hot Spots (Beaches, Lakes, etc.)

Ocean City, Maryland - Has long been called the "East Coast's Number One Family Resort" because it hosts numerous activities and events that appeal to every member of the family and because it offers accommodations to meet all tastes and budgets.  In the summer, the 10-mile stretch of free Atlantic Ocean beach in Ocean City features swimming, surfing, boogie boarding, surf fishing, kite flying, sand castle building, jogging, and a host of other pursuits.  In spring, summer or fall, head boats and charter boats take anglers out of Ocean City in search of white or blue marlin, blue fish, tuna and shark.  Maryland's famous blue crabs can be caught from a number of bayside fishing piers. The bays west of the island of Ocean City offer sailing, boating, fishing, jet skiing, water skiing, parasailing and windsurfing.

Ocean Pines, Maryland - Boasting 3,500 acres on the Saint Martin River, the Isle of Wight Bay and Manklin Creek, and just a short drive on Route 90 to Ocean City, "The Pines" is a mixture of waterfront, golf course and wooded lots and homes, as well as businesses, parks and water-oriented recreation.  Within Ocean Pines are a yacht club and marina, an 18-hole golf course and country club designed by Robert Trent Jones, several swimming pools, 16 tennis courts and numerous parks.

North Beach, Maryland - Discover North Beach, a quiet waterfront community located just 35 miles south of Washington D.C. and Annapolis, Md. Come stroll the boardwalk, go swimming at the beach or catch a rockfish off the 550ft pier. Explore fossils from millions of years ago along the waters edge. Enjoy fine dining and Entertainment, antiques, unique shops, and charming bed-and- breakfasts to rustic, family-owned lodgings located throughout the town. North Beach is a wonderful place to visit and live. So what are you waiting for, come on down to the beach and see what you've been missing. Come to a land of uncommon adventure and unspoiled beauty.

Tilghman Island - Annual special events on the island include the Tilghman Island Seafood Festival in June, the Tilghman Island Jazz Festival in September and the Tilghman Island Day in October.

Chesapeake & Delaware Canal - Extends from Norfolk, Virginia all the way to near Aberdeen, Maryland. Points of interest include Point Lookout (at the opening of the Potomac), Calvert Cliffs (Near Lexington Park), Janes Island (near Crisfield), White Crystal Beach (near Aberdeen), Beverly Beach (near Annapolis), and Gun Powder Falls (just north of Baltimore).

Deep Creek Lake - Fishing, boating and camping.  Deep Creek Lake State Park lies on the western shoreline. Located in western Maryland off U.S. 219.

Museums, National Parks, and Amusement Parks listed above.

Winter - Family Vacation Hot Spots (Ski Resorts, etc.)

Wisp Ski Area
296 Marsh Hil Rd
McHenry, Maryland 21541
Phone: (301) 387-4911
Wisp Ski Resort is located on Marsh Mountain which is 2470 feet at the base, 3080 at the summit with a 610 feet vertical drop. The 23 slopes and trails total 14 miles on 80 acres of skiable terrain. They have Maryland's only half pipe measuring 400 feet long for snowboard skiers to enjoy. Beginner trails make up 20% of all skiable terrain, 50% are intermediate trails, and the remaining 30% make up the expert trails, not excluding the daring Devil's Drop. Night Skiing is truly exciting, and The Wisp Ski Area offers night skiing on 90% of its mountain.

Helpful websites and services

If you know of a website or company that is helpful to families traveling to Maryland, let us know and we will add it here.

Travel Specials & Vacation Packages