Baltimore Travel Guide

Fort McHenry is a fort best known for its role in the War of 1812 or the Battle of Baltimore, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay. It was during this time that Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star-Spangled Banner, the poem that was eventually turned into the National Anthem of the United States. Fort McHenry was also used during the American Civil War as a military prision and World War II as a coast guard base.

National Aquarium One of Baltimore’s leading attractions, the Aquarium opened in 1981 and houses 16,500 animals on 4 different levels. The main gallery overlooks a pool of sharks, sting rays and a sea turtle. Up the spiral stairs you will find the rainforest exhibit, with several animals found in such environments as the Amazon. The exit spirals down the back of the main gallery surrounded by an enormous fish tank filled with a variety of fish and sharks. Zagat Survey rates the Aquarium as “one of the best travel destinations in the country for families”, making it a great cultural, educational and recreational experience for everyone.

The Maryland Science Center is located in Baltimore, Maryland’s Inner Harbor and was opened to the public in 1976. The center has 3 levels of exhibits including the Dinosaur Mysteries exhibit with over a dozen full size dinosaurs including a T-Rex and Astrodon along with Fossil Quests and Newton’s Alley. Some of the shows available at the Maryland Science Center include the IMAX with the Deep Sea in 3-D, the Planetarium and the Observatory. The Maryland Science Center focuses on physical sciences, space, the human body, and blue crabs that live in the Chesapeake Bay.

The Baltimore Zoo, now known as the Maryland Zoo (the name changed in 2004), is located in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland. Home to over 2,000 animals, the zoo was created in 1876 and is the 3rd oldest zoo in the country. The 160- acre zoo has over 200 species of reptiles, birds and mammals. Some of the exhibits that the Maryland Zoo include the Polar Bear watch which showcases the lives of polar bears in the Artic along with the Children’s Zoo and the African Journey.