Maryland lost its only big theme park when Six Flags America in Bowie closed for good after November 2, 2025, and a lot of family bucket lists still haven’t caught up. The good news is that the best things to do in Maryland with kids were never on a roller coaster anyway: a shark tank you spiral down through in Baltimore, a 105-year-old carousel outside Washington, wild horses on an ocean beach, a fossil beach where kids find real shark teeth, and a mountain railroad from the steam era. Most sit within a three-hour drive of each other, and a surprising number are free.

Short answer: For a first family trip, spend two days in Baltimore (the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center, Port Discovery and the Maryland Zoo), add a day at National Harbor or Annapolis, and finish at the beach in Ocean City or at a state park lake. Book summer weekend state park visits ahead, since nine parks now take day-use reservations, and look for the free options: Salisbury’s zoo, Fort McHenry for kids under 16, and Dinosaur Park’s open houses.

Prices, hours, closures and 2026 event dates here were checked September 23, 2026 against the operators’ and agencies’ own websites.

On this page: Best picks by age · By region · Baltimore with kids · National Harbor and the DC suburbs · Amusement and water parks · Beaches and lifeguards · Zoos, farms and animals · Easy nature days · Trains, boats and history · Rainy days · Free things to do · Pumpkins and holidays · Family getaways · Money savers · Itineraries · Safety · Planning logistics · What to skip · FAQ

At a glance	Details (checked September 2026)
Top indoor pick	National Aquarium, Baltimore: adults $49.95, ages 5 to 20 $39.95, 4 and under free; half price Friday nights ($24.95, 5 to 9 p.m.)
Top outdoor pick	Assateague Island’s beach and wild horses; lifeguarded beaches in summer
Best free picks	Salisbury Zoo, Fort McHenry for under-16s, Dinosaur Park open houses, NASA Goddard Visitor Center, Oxon Hill Farm
Amusement parks	Six Flags America is closed for good; Ocean City’s Jolly Roger and Trimper’s Rides, and Adventure Park USA near Frederick, carry on
Indoor water park	Great Wolf Lodge Maryland, Perryville, about an hour from Baltimore
State park beaches	Sandy Point, Greenbrier, Rocky Gap and six others need a day-use reservation on summer weekends and holidays
Rainy-day base	Baltimore’s Inner Harbor: Aquarium, Science Center, Port Discovery and free art museums
Best seasons	June and September for the beach; October for pumpkin farms; November to January for holiday lights
Drive from DC	Baltimore about 1 hour; National Harbor under 20 minutes; Ocean City about 2½ to 3 hours

The best things to do in Maryland with kids, by age

The same trip doesn’t work for a 3-year-old and a 13-year-old. Here’s where each age group gets the most for the money and the energy, with 2026 prices.

Age	Top picks	Why it works	Cost (2026)
Toddlers and preschoolers (under 5)	Port Discovery, the Maryland Zoo, Glen Echo’s carousel, Clark’s Elioak Farm, Salisbury Zoo	Short attention spans, lots of climbing and animals, easy exits	Port Discovery $25.95; Zoo $33 ages 2 and up; carousel $2 a ride; Salisbury Zoo free
Early grade school (5 to 8)	National Aquarium, Maryland Science Center, Dinosaur Park, Assateague’s horses, Cunningham Falls’ lake beach	Big “wow” moments and hands-on fossils and science	Aquarium $39.95; Science Center $26.95 (ages 3 to 12); Dinosaur Park free
Tweens (9 to 12)	Fort McHenry, Calvert Cliffs’ fossil beach, the railroad museum, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, the Naval Academy tour	Real history and real finds, and they can handle a 1.8-mile beach walk	Fort McHenry free under 16; railroad museum $12 (ages 2 to 12); Naval Academy tour $14 (K to 12)
Teens	Ocean City’s Boardwalk and Jolly Roger, Wisp’s zip lines at Deep Creek, Adventure Park USA, kayaking at Janes Island	Speed, independence and water	Varies by ride and rental; the Boardwalk itself is free

If you only have one day, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor gives every age group something within a few blocks. If you have a week, add the beach and the mountains and you’ve seen three very different Marylands. For the adult-focused version of the state, see our guide to things to do in Maryland.

Maryland with kids, region by region

Maryland is small enough to cross in about five hours but varied enough that each region plays to a different age. Pick a base and do day trips rather than moving every night.

Region	For little kids	For older kids and teens	Free pick	Base
Baltimore	Port Discovery, the Maryland Zoo, harbor paddle boats	National Aquarium, Science Center, Fort McHenry, the railroad museum	Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters	Inner Harbor hotels
National Harbor and the DC suburbs	Glen Echo carousel, Oxon Hill Farm, Spirit Park Carousel	Capital Wheel, Dinosaur Park, NASA Goddard	Oxon Hill Farm, Goddard, Brookside Gardens	National Harbor
Annapolis and Southern Maryland	Sandy Point’s beach (reserve on summer weekends)	Naval Academy tour, Calvert Cliffs fossils, Calvert Marine Museum	Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum in Annapolis	Annapolis or Solomons
Frederick and the Catoctins	Catoctin Wildlife Preserve, Cunningham Falls’ lake beach, fall farms	Adventure Park USA, Catoctin Mountain Park trails	Catoctin Mountain Park, Monocacy battlefield	Frederick
Western Maryland	Deep Creek Lake State Park’s beach and Discovery Center	Wisp’s zip lines, the scenic railroad, Swallow Falls	The Discovery Center	Deep Creek Lake
Havre de Grace and Cecil County	Plumpton Park Zoo	Great Wolf Lodge’s indoor water park	Concord Point Lighthouse (weekends, April to October)	Havre de Grace or Perryville
Eastern Shore	Salisbury Zoo, the Maritime Museum’s lighthouse	Blackwater’s eagles, the Smith Island boat, kayaking at Janes Island	Salisbury Zoo, the Tubman visitor center	St. Michaels, Cambridge or Salisbury
Ocean City and Assateague	Lifeguarded beaches, Boardwalk kiddie rides	Jolly Roger’s water park, Trimper’s rides, Assateague’s horses	The beach and the Boardwalk	An Ocean City condo

Baltimore with kids: the Inner Harbor and beyond

No place in Maryland packs more family attractions into a walkable area than the Baltimore Inner Harbor. You can park once and walk to three of the state’s biggest kids’ draws, then take the water trolley or the free Harbor Connector boats to the rest.

National Aquarium

The National Aquarium is the one everybody asks for: a rain forest under a glass pyramid on the roof, a ramp that spirals down through a huge ring-shaped shark tank, a walk-through Atlantic coral reef and an Australian river gorge exhibit. In 2026, tickets were $49.95 for adults 21 to 69, $39.95 for ages 5 to 20 and seniors 70 and over, and free for kids 4 and under. The best deal in Baltimore is Half-Price Friday Night, $24.95 from 5 to 9 p.m. Book timed tickets online for summer weekends and school holidays, and plan on about three hours.

Maryland Science Center

Across the harbor, the Maryland Science Center has a dinosaur hall with full skeleton casts, a hands-on area for younger kids, a planetarium and an IMAX theater. Admission in 2026 was $34.95 for adults, $26.95 for kids 3 to 12 and $33.95 for seniors. It’s closed on Mondays, which trips up plenty of families on a long-weekend trip.

Port Discovery Children’s Museum

For kids from toddler to about 10, Port Discovery is a three-story indoor playground of climbing structures, water play and pretend-play rooms in an old fish market building a short walk from the Aquarium. Tickets were $25.95 in 2026. Arrive at opening on rainy days; it fills fast when the weather turns.

The Maryland Zoo

In Druid Hill Park, about 10 minutes from the harbor by car, the Maryland Zoo is best known for its African penguin colony and its chimpanzees, elephants and giraffes. Tickets were $33 for ages 2 to 64 and $28 for 65 and up in 2026, and that price includes the zoo train and the carousel, plus free parking. It opens daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from March through December.

More Baltimore picks for families

• Fort McHenry: where the flag flew that inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Kids under 16 get in free; everyone 16 and older pays $15 for the historic area, good for seven days. The grounds, visitor center and film are free for all.
• National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation: the old B&O Railroad Museum took this name on July 14, 2026. Its 1884 roundhouse full of locomotives is catnip for train-obsessed kids. Adults $20, ages 2 to 12 $12, daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Getting around on the water: the seasonal Water Trolley hops between harbor stops for $20 per adult and $10 for kids 3 to 12, and the Harbor Connector commuter boats are free on weekdays.
• Free art: the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum both have free general admission (both are closed Monday and Tuesday), and the Walters’ armor and mummies play well with older kids.

Plan it: A family of four with kids 8 and 11 would have paid $179.80 at the Aquarium and $123.80 at the Science Center in 2026, so two big museums in one day runs about $300 before lunch and parking. Spread them over two days, use the Friday night Aquarium deal, and pad the schedule with free Fort McHenry. Baltimore is about 45 minutes to an hour from DC and about 2 hours from Philadelphia.

National Harbor and the DC suburbs

The Maryland suburbs of Washington have some of the state’s best small family outings, most of them cheap or free.

• National Harbor: the 180-foot Capital Wheel costs $18 for adults and $14.50 for kids plus tax (under 2 free), with 12-to-15-minute rides in heated and air-conditioned gondolas. Nearby, the Spirit Park Carousel runs Friday to Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. in fall 2026, with a fenced playground beside it. Summer brings free Movies on the Potomac and Kids Day on the Plaza on Thursdays.
• Oxon Hill Farm: a free National Park Service farm with animals and a visitor barn a few minutes from National Harbor. No pets except service animals.
• Glen Echo Park: an old amusement park turned arts park in Montgomery County. Its 105-year-old Dentzel carousel opened for the 2026 season on May 2; rides cost $2, or $5 for the whole day.
• Dinosaur Park, Laurel: a real Early Cretaceous fossil site run by Prince George’s Parks. Free open houses on the first and third Saturdays of each month (and the second Sunday in summer), noon to 4 p.m., let kids see fossils and, weather permitting, search a designated area with staff. No reservations needed; group programs are booked up for 2026.
• NASA Goddard Visitor Center, Greenbelt: free admission and parking, rockets and space exhibits, and a 50th anniversary in 2026. Check its open days before you go.
• Brookside Gardens, Wheaton: free gardens with a conservatory open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., good for toddlers who need a walk.

Plan it: Pair National Harbor’s wheel and carousel with Oxon Hill Farm on one day, and Glen Echo with Brookside Gardens on another. National Harbor is under 20 minutes from downtown DC and about an hour from Baltimore.

Amusement parks and water parks after Six Flags

Six Flags America closed permanently after November 2, 2025, and its Hurricane Harbor water park ran its last day on September 6, 2025. In April 2026 a Six Flags filing showed a deal to sell the 515-acre Bowie site to a venture backed by Kevin Durant’s 35V and TPA Group, and the talk since has been of mixed-use redevelopment, not rides. There is no replacement theme park, so don’t let an old list send you to Bowie. Here’s what’s left:

• Ocean City’s Boardwalk parks: Jolly Roger runs two locations, the rides at the Pier on the Boardwalk and a 30th Street park with the Splash Mountain water park (16 slides and attractions). Rides run April through October, and the water park opens Memorial Day weekend. Downtown, Trimper’s Rides has more than 100 rides and games and a carousel billed as the oldest in the nation.
• Adventure Park USA, in Frederick County near New Market, calls itself Maryland’s largest family entertainment center, with a steel roller coaster, go-karts, a ropes course and mini golf.
• Great Wolf Lodge Maryland, in Perryville at the top of the Bay, opened on June 14, 2023, with more than 700 suites around an indoor water park. It’s built around overnight stays, so check whether day passes are offered for your dates. It’s about an hour from Baltimore.
• Wisp Resort at Deep Creek Lake turns summer into an adventure park: canopy-tour zip lines, the Flying Squirrel, mountain biking, archery and kayak and paddleboard rentals.

For a full-size theme park with big coasters, families now drive out of state: Hersheypark in Pennsylvania and Kings Dominion in Virginia are the usual choices from Maryland.

Beaches, lakes and lifeguards

With kids, a lifeguard matters more than the view. Here’s where you’ll find one, and the rules that changed recently.

• Ocean City: the Ocean City Beach Patrol staffs the stands daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in season; swim only when the guards are up. Summer surf averages about 70 to 75 degrees, peaking near 77 in August, and September still averages about 73, with far fewer crowds. The Boardwalk tram is gone for good, and bikes are allowed on the Boardwalk only from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. in summer.
• Assateague Island: the national seashore and the state park both have lifeguarded beaches in summer. The wild horses roam the beach and campgrounds; keep at least 40 feet away and never feed them, since they bite and kick. The national seashore charged $25 per vehicle for seven days in 2026.
• Sandy Point State Park, by the Bay Bridge: lifeguards from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day, $5 per person on summer weekends and $4 on weekdays, and a required day-use reservation on summer weekends and holidays.
• State park lake beaches: Cunningham Falls near Thurmont, Greenbrier near Boonsboro, Rocky Gap near Cumberland and Deep Creek Lake all have designated swimming beaches. Greenbrier and Rocky Gap are among the nine parks that need a summer weekend reservation, booked up to seven days ahead at parkdayuse.maryland.gov for about $1.50.

Two state park money tips for families: the federal Every Kid Outdoors pass gets US fourth graders and their families into Maryland state parks free, and the $75 annual Passport ($100 for non-residents) covers everyone in one car for a year, which pays off after about four summer weekend trips for a family of four.

Zoos, farms and animals

Place	Where	Good to know (2026)
Maryland Zoo	Baltimore	$33 ages 2 to 64; train and carousel included; free parking
National Aquarium	Baltimore	$39.95 ages 5 to 20; half price Friday nights
Salisbury Zoo	Salisbury	Free, with free parking; daily 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Thanksgiving and Christmas
Catoctin Wildlife Preserve	Thurmont	$20.50 ages 3 to 12, $29.50 ages 13 and up; daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed for the season from December 24, 2026 into March
Plumpton Park Zoo	Rising Sun, Cecil County	A small family-run zoo, open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; check prices
Oxon Hill Farm	Oxon Hill, near National Harbor	Free National Park Service farm
Assateague’s wild horses	Assateague Island	Free to watch from a distance; national seashore entry $25 per vehicle
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge	Near Cambridge	Bald eagles year-round; Wildlife Drive $3 per car

Salisbury’s free zoo is the best value in the state for small kids, and it pairs well with a beach day in Ocean City, about 40 minutes east. The Catoctin preserve, near Cunningham Falls, is a private wildlife park with close-up animal encounters; combine it with the lake beach for a full day in the mountains north of Frederick.

Easy nature days kids can handle

Maryland’s parks are full of short walks with a big payoff at the end. Our hiking guides go trail by trail; these are the family classics:

• Cunningham Falls State Park: a short trail to a 78-foot cascade, then a swim at the Hunting Creek Lake beach. Summer weekend entry was $5 per person ($7 out of state) in 2026. Next door, Catoctin Mountain Park is free, with a visitor center open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Calvert Cliffs State Park: a walk of about 1.8 miles each way to a beach where kids sift the sand for fossil shark teeth. Entry is $5 per car ($7 out of state), cash only. Good for 7 and up; bring a carrier for toddlers.
• Deep Creek Lake State Park: a lake beach plus the free Discovery Center with exhibits on the lake and its wildlife.
• Patapsco Valley State Park: the Swinging Bridge and the short walk to Cascade Falls near Ellicott City, about 20 minutes from Baltimore.
• Swallow Falls State Park: Maryland’s highest free-falling waterfall, Muddy Creek Falls, on a short loop. Its entrance road has been closed since March 9, 2026, for a bridge replacement, so check the park’s status before the long drive.
• Janes Island State Park: calm marked water trails near Crisfield for a first family kayak trip.

Trains, boats and history kids actually like

History lands with kids when there’s something to climb, ride or touch. These deliver:

• Western Maryland Scenic Railroad: the Frostburg Flyer runs from May through October on a round trip of about 4½ hours through the mountains from Cumberland; coach seats were $45 for adults in 2026.
• Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels: a lighthouse to climb, boats to board and a working boatyard. Ages 6 to 17 paid $8 online ($10 at the door) in 2026, adults $20 ($22). Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April through October.
• Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons: a reconstructed megalodon skeleton, river otters and the Drum Point screwpile lighthouse outside. Adults paid $11 in 2026; open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• US Naval Academy, Annapolis: 90-minute walking tours cost $14 for kids in kindergarten through 12th grade and $16 for adults. Adults 18 and older need a REAL ID or a US passport, and non-US citizens can’t join general visits.
• Annapolis harbor cruise: Watermark’s 40-minute narrated cruises on the Harbor Queen pass the Naval Academy, hourly from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends in season.
• Historic St. Mary’s City: a rebuilt 1600s capital with a replica ship and costumed interpreters; adults paid $15 in 2026, open Tuesday to Saturday.
• Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad visitor center, Church Creek: free, open Wednesday to Sunday, and powerful for kids 9 and up.

What to do in Maryland with kids when it rains

Rain in Maryland usually means Baltimore. The Inner Harbor’s big three, the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center and Port Discovery, are all indoors and within walking distance, and the railroad museum’s roundhouse keeps the trains under a roof. Other good wet-weather options:

• The Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum, both free (closed Monday and Tuesday).
• NASA Goddard Visitor Center in Greenbelt, free.
• Great Wolf Lodge’s indoor water park in Perryville, if you’re staying the night.
• The Calvert Marine Museum’s indoor galleries in Solomons.
• From mid-November to early January, ICE! at the Gaylord National Resort at National Harbor, an indoor ice-sculpture show kept at 9 degrees.

Beat the rainy-day crowds by arriving at opening; by 11 a.m. on a wet Saturday, every indoor attraction in Baltimore is at its busiest.

Free things to do in Maryland with kids

You can fill a week in Maryland without buying a single ticket. The best free family options, as of 2026:

• Salisbury Zoo, free admission and parking.
• Fort McHenry for anyone under 16, with free grounds and film for everyone.
• Dinosaur Park open houses in Laurel, first and third Saturdays.
• NASA Goddard Visitor Center in Greenbelt.
• Oxon Hill Farm near National Harbor, and Brookside Gardens in Wheaton.
• Catoctin Mountain Park near Thurmont, and Monocacy National Battlefield near Frederick.
• The Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters, plus the free Harbor Connector boats and Charm City Circulator buses.
• The Harriet Tubman visitor center near Cambridge and Deep Creek Lake’s Discovery Center.
• Concord Point Lighthouse in Havre de Grace, open free on weekends from April through October.
• Every Kid Outdoors: fourth graders and their families get into Maryland state parks and federal parks free.

Pumpkin patches, Halloween and holiday lights

Fall is farm season around Frederick, Howard and Montgomery counties. Seasons and prices change from year to year, so confirm with the farm before you go. These are the 2026 seasons for four family favorites:

Farm	Where	2026 season	Cost
Clark’s Elioak Farm	Ellicott City	Daily, September 19 to November 8	$8 admission (petting farm and the old Enchanted Forest storybook pieces); extras $1 to $15
Butler’s Orchard	Germantown	September 19 to November 1; Wednesday to Friday afternoons, weekends 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.	Farm admission $5; Pumpkin Festival tickets typically $12 to $20
Summers Farm	Frederick/Middletown	September 26 to November 1	More than 45 activities, from giant slides to wagon rides
Gaver Farm	Mount Airy	September 4 to November 1	About $20 on September weekends, $23 on October weekends, $14.50 weekdays; under 2 free

Weekday visits are cheaper and far calmer than October Saturdays, when the farm lots fill up. For Halloween, National Harbor’s Harbor Halloween on Sunday, October 25, 2026, lets kids in costume ride the Capital Wheel free and trick-or-treat at the carousel from noon to 2 p.m.

For the holidays, National Harbor lights its tree on Saturday, November 7, 2026, with Santa from noon to 4 p.m. and fireworks after the 5:30 p.m. ceremony, followed by Saturday fireworks through December 26. ICE! at Gaylord National runs November 14, 2026, to January 3, 2027, with a “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” theme; kids 3 and under go free, and early-bird tickets started at $41. Our holiday lights guide covers the rest of the state.

Family weekend getaways and resorts

• Ocean City: the classic. Boardwalk rides, a water park, lifeguarded beaches and mini golf on every block; June and September are calmer and cheaper than July.
• Baltimore’s Inner Harbor: two days of museums with hotels in walking distance, and the best rainy-weekend backup in the state.
• National Harbor: the Gaylord’s atrium and ICE! in winter, the wheel and carousel year-round, and easy trips into DC.
• Deep Creek Lake: rental houses with docks, Wisp’s summer adventure park, and snow tubing and skiing in winter, about 3 to 3½ hours from DC or Baltimore.
• Great Wolf Lodge Maryland: an indoor water park weekend in Perryville, about an hour from Baltimore and about 1¼ hours from Philadelphia.
• Frederick and the Catoctins: Cunningham Falls, the wildlife preserve, fall farms and a walkable downtown.

Money savers for Maryland family trips

• Go Friday night at the Aquarium: $24.95 from 5 to 9 p.m., half the adult price.
• Stack free days: Fort McHenry for under-16s, the Salisbury Zoo, the free art museums and Dinosaur Park.
• Buy online: the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum was $2 cheaper per ticket online than at the door in 2026.
• Use the state park Passport: $75 ($100 non-resident) covers a carload for a year.
• Claim the fourth-grade pass: Every Kid Outdoors covers state and federal parks.
• Read what’s included: the Maryland Zoo’s ticket covers the train, the carousel and parking, which many zoos charge extra for.
• Consider a membership: if you’ll visit the Aquarium or Zoo twice in a year, price a family membership before you buy day tickets.
• Pack lunch: most state parks and the Inner Harbor’s waterfront have picnic spots.

Sample family itineraries

A three-day long weekend

1. Day 1, Baltimore: the National Aquarium (on a Friday, go after 5 p.m. for half price), then dragon paddle boats on the harbor and dinner in walking distance.
2. Day 2, Baltimore: the Science Center or Port Discovery in the morning, then Fort McHenry (free for under-16s) or the Maryland Zoo in the afternoon. Remember the Science Center is closed Mondays.
3. Day 3, on the way home: Annapolis for a Naval Academy walking tour and a 40-minute harbor cruise, or National Harbor for the Capital Wheel and Oxon Hill Farm.

A five-day summer week with the beach

1. Days 1 and 2: Baltimore, as above.
2. Day 3: Annapolis in the morning, then cross the Bay Bridge after 7 p.m. to skip the Saturday line, or cross early the next morning.
3. Day 4: Ocean City: a morning on a guarded beach, the Boardwalk rides after dinner.
4. Day 5: Assateague for the horses and a last swim, then home. Heading west on a Sunday, cross the Bay Bridge before 11 a.m. or after 10 p.m.

A fall weekend in the Catoctins

1. Day 1: a pumpkin farm near Frederick (Summers Farm or Gaver Farm), then downtown Frederick for dinner.
2. Day 2: the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve in the morning and the short trail to Cunningham Falls in the afternoon, with fall color on the mountain in October.

Staying safe: heat, nettles, ticks and rip currents

• Heat: Maryland summers are hot and humid. Do outdoor sights in the morning and save the Aquarium or Science Center for the afternoon.
• Sea nettles: stinging jellyfish are common in the saltier parts of the Chesapeake in July and August. Ask the lifeguards at Bay beaches, and consider rash guards for young swimmers.
• Rip currents: on the ocean, swim only in front of a lifeguard stand; in Ocean City the guards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in season.
• Ticks: after woods and tall grass, check everyone, including the dog. Lyme disease is common in Maryland.
• Wild horses: at Assateague, keep at least 40 feet away, and lock food in the car; the horses raid coolers.
• Bridge days: summer Bay Bridge backups can run long, so pack snacks and water and plan a bathroom stop at Kent Narrows or before Annapolis.

Planning logistics: drive times, where to stay and when to go

Family base	From Washington, DC	From Baltimore	From Philadelphia
Baltimore Inner Harbor	About 45 minutes to 1 hour	(you’re there)	About 2 hours
National Harbor	Under 20 minutes	About 1 hour	About 2½ to 3 hours
Annapolis	About 40 minutes	About 40 minutes	About 2¼ to 2¾ hours
Thurmont (Cunningham Falls, Catoctin)	About 1¼ to 1½ hours	About 1¼ hours	About 2¾ to 3 hours
Havre de Grace and Perryville	About 1½ hours	About 45 minutes to 1 hour	About 1¼ to 1½ hours
Ocean City	About 2½ to 3¼ hours	About 2½ to 3 hours	About 2¾ to 3¼ hours
Deep Creek Lake	About 3 to 3½ hours	About 3 to 3½ hours	About 4¾ to 5½ hours

Times are free-flow; add traffic. Ocean City from DC or Baltimore means the Bay Bridge: tolls are cashless and eastbound only ($2.50 with a Maryland E-ZPass), and the Maryland Transportation Authority’s best Saturday windows are before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. heading east. Philadelphia families reach Ocean City through Delaware without touching the bridge.

Where to stay: for a first trip, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor hotels put you within walking distance of the big three museums; National Harbor’s resorts have pools and easy parking; and in Ocean City, a condo with a kitchen beats a hotel room for families staying more than two nights. At Deep Creek, rent a house with a dock. Prices peak on summer weekends and holiday weeks and drop sharply after Labor Day.

When to go: June and September are the sweet spots for the beach, with warm water and fewer crowds after Labor Day. Spring break and summer are busiest at the Baltimore museums, so book timed tickets. October is pumpkin and fall-color month, and late November through early January brings the holiday shows.

What to skip

Frequently asked questions

What is Maryland best known for?

Blue crabs, above all; the blue crab is the official state crustacean. Maryland is also known for the Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and National Aquarium, Fort McHenry and “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Ocean City’s Boardwalk, Assateague’s wild horses, Old Bay seasoning, Smith Island cake (the state dessert) and jousting, the official state sport.

How many days do you need in Maryland?

Two or three days covers Baltimore with a side trip to Annapolis or National Harbor. Give it five to seven days to add the beach at Ocean City and Assateague or the mountains at Deep Creek Lake. Maryland is small, but the Bay Bridge and summer traffic stretch drive times, so base yourself in two or three places rather than moving every night.

What is free to do in Maryland with kids?

Plenty. The Salisbury Zoo, NASA Goddard Visitor Center, Oxon Hill Farm, Brookside Gardens, Catoctin Mountain Park and Dinosaur Park’s open houses are free, as are the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters. Fort McHenry is free for anyone under 16, and fourth graders with the Every Kid Outdoors pass get their families into state parks free.

What can you do in Maryland when it rains?

Head to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, where the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center and Port Discovery are all indoors and within walking distance. The railroad museum, the free Baltimore Museum of Art and Walters Art Museum, the NASA Goddard Visitor Center and the Calvert Marine Museum also work in the rain, and Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville has an indoor water park.

Is there still an amusement park in Maryland?

Not a big theme park. Six Flags America in Bowie closed permanently after November 2, 2025. Ocean City still has Jolly Roger, with rides and the Splash Mountain water park, and Trimper’s Rides on the Boardwalk, both seasonal. Adventure Park USA near Frederick has a roller coaster and go-karts, and the closest large theme parks are now in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Where is the best place in Maryland for a family vacation?

Ocean City is the classic summer choice, with lifeguarded beaches, Boardwalk rides and a water park, and Assateague’s horses nearby. Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is the best year-round pick, with the Aquarium, Science Center and Port Discovery a short walk apart. For a lake-and-mountains week, Deep Creek Lake has rental houses, Wisp’s summer adventure park and winter skiing.

What can you do with toddlers in Maryland?

Port Discovery in Baltimore is built for them, with climbing, water play and pretend-play rooms ($25.95 in 2026). The Maryland Zoo’s ticket includes a train and carousel, the Salisbury Zoo is free, and Glen Echo’s carousel costs $2 a ride. In fall, Clark’s Elioak Farm has a petting farm and storybook play areas for $8. Lifeguarded beaches and lake beaches work in summer.

Do Maryland state parks need reservations in summer?

Nine do, on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day: Sandy Point, Greenbrier, Point Lookout, North Point, Newtowne Neck, Gunpowder Falls’ Hammerman Area, Rocky Gap, Swallow Falls and Kilgore Falls. Book up to seven days ahead at parkdayuse.maryland.gov for about $1.50 plus entry. Other parks and weekdays need no booking; arrive early on hot weekends.

Related Maryland guides

• Baltimore’s Inner Harbor: attractions, tickets and parking
• National Harbor: the Capital Wheel, Gaylord and more
• The best things to do in Maryland

Sources and verification

Everything on this page was checked on September 23, 2026 against the organizations listed below, and the guide is compiled from their published information rather than from first-hand visits.

• National Aquarium
• Maryland Science Center
• Port Discovery Children’s Museum
• The Maryland Zoo
• National Park Service: Fort McHenry fees
• Prince George’s Parks: Dinosaur Park

Also consulted: the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation, National Harbor, Glen Echo Park, Montgomery Parks (Brookside Gardens), NASA Goddard, the Salisbury Zoo, Catoctin Wildlife Preserve, Jolly Roger, Trimper’s Rides, the Ocean City Beach Patrol, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service (Assateague, Catoctin, Oxon Hill Farm), the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, the Calvert Marine Museum, the US Naval Academy and each farm named above, plus news reports on Six Flags America and Great Wolf Lodge. Drive times are free-flow estimates from OSRM and Valhalla routing.

Maryland Tourism Guide is an independent publication. It is not affiliated with Visit Maryland or any agency or business named here, and no one paid to be included.

Photo credits

• Dentzel carousel, Glen Echo Park (featured image): photo by Sdkb, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Dinosaur hall, Maryland Science Center: photo by Christopher Amrich, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
• Port Discovery Children's Museum: photo by Port Discovery, Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
• Dragon paddle boats at the Inner Harbor: photo by AndrewHorne, Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
• Dinosaur Park, Laurel: photo by Paul, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
• Trimper's Haunted House, Ocean City: photo by Mttbme, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
• Western Maryland Scenic Railroad: photo by Fan Railer, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Megalodon reconstruction, Calvert Marine Museum: photo by crudmucosa, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
• Gingerbread house, Clark's Elioak Farm: photo by Don Woods, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)