Baltimore Archives - Mom's Guide To Travel

Oct 14 2016

Things To Do At Maryland Fleet Week

USS Leyte Gulf bow — Bow of the USS Leyte Gulf as we head in towards Baltimore.

Maryland Fleet Week promises to be one of Baltimore’s most attended events of the year. This is the city’s first time hosting fleet week, coinciding with the Chesapeake Bay’s Great Schooner race.

What is Fleet Week?

Fleet Week is a tradition of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Marines where recently deployed ships dock for a week in major cities. The visit gives active duty servicemen and servicewomen an opportunity to visit the cities while residents have a chance to tour ships and enjoy air shows.

Check out the full schedule on the Maryland State website here.

Fleet Week For Families

Rear Admiral Kent Whalen talks about a few of the benefits for kids at Fleet Week.

Highlights of the Weekend

There are dozens of events happening but here are a few highlights to look forward to this weekend:

Blue Angels Air Show: Saturday, October 15th from 10am-5pm – Martin State Airport

Blue Angles Air Show: Sunday, Sunday October 16th 1pm-4pm – Seen throughout the area

USS Zumwalt Commissioning Ceremony: Saturday, October 15th from 5pm – (by invitation only)

Ship Open Tours: Friday/Sunday from 1pm-6pm

Can’t make it to Maryland Fleet Week? Take a video tour around the USS Leyte Gulf Naval warship below:

LIVE on #Periscope: On the USS Leyte Gulf Naval Warship #MDFleetWeek https://t.co/kus66KVVha

— Tawanna B Smith, MPP (@TawannaBSmith) October 12, 2016

Aside from the ships, there are tons of other things to do in Baltimore. You’ll probably bump into a sailor at one of them. If you do, be sure to take a #selfiewithasailor.

Jun 07 2015

How To Ride The Megabus From Baltimore To New York

I rode the Megabus from Baltimore to New York and survived!

Okay okay I’m totally being dramatic. Of course I was fine riding the Megabus. Before Thursday (or rather before Thursday morning when I saw a fat $280 round trip Amtrak ticket staring me in the face) I would’ve said you can lock me up in the trunk of a car before I travel by bus.

Know what type of traveler you are.

I’m just not a bus kinda girl.

Why? Well, we’re all different kinds of travelers and I’m one who happens to prefer cars and planes, ships and trains. Buses rarely come in to play unless I’m in a foreign country.

I don’t particularly care for buses because they tend to be slower; are usually filled with “interesting” characters; and the journey can be a different kind of uncomfortable. After riding the Megabus last week, I’ll say that this particular journey wasn’t that bad.

Here’s why:

1. The price was nice! I can’t say anything about the price. At all. I made a super last minute travel decision to go to New York for an event. It would’ve cost me over $250. The Megabus from Baltimore to New York cost me $56 and according to my girl Tonia who loves taking the bus from DC to NY, even that’s on the “high” side. For a quick turnaround trip that you book less than 2 hours from your departure time, that price is AWESOME!

2. I was able to book a reserved seat. I like guarantees so I’m all for paying an extra few bucks to know exactly where I’m sitting. If you’re rolling with the kids you’ll want to consider this unless you’re down for lining up early. I’m not. I’m an impatient soul. I wanna roll up and roll out.

Megabus from Baltimore to NY — Short line (reserved seats) vs. long line ( unreserved seats)

If you have a reserved seat, you usually board first. Even if you don’t board first, you won’t be scrambling trying to find an optimal seat because you would’ve already secured one. You’ll get exactly what you paid for.

Let me forewarn you, the seats are pleather and kinda slippery which you’ll have to deal with on those bumpy bouncy roadways like parts of the NJ turnpike. Avoid wearing rayon pants or the like – you’ll be sliding all over the place.

The bus tries it’s best to leave on time. It was fairly prompt when I traveled. I’ve heard that it can be painstakingly late at times. This is one of the biggest trade offs between its price and convenience.

Even with Megabus’ suspect punctuality, I’d say play it safe and be there 15 minutes before departure as the website recommends. If you have a reserved seat, you can probably cut it closer but don’t be late.

Bare essentials

Don’t expect pretzels or nuts when you get on the bus. Don’t expect help with your luggage either. I had a day bag with me so I was fine. You’ll see plenty of people traveling with luggage. An older woman carrying a suitcase received no assistance. She was simply directed to the storage bay.

Hey, you can’t complain when you’re not paying much for a service.

3. Wifi service on the bus. WiFi is great when it works for you. With so many people on the network and the bus moving along spotty reception areas of the turnpike, it’s hard to get consistent service. I just switched back to my 3G when I really needed it.

Best seats in the house

What I liked a lot was having outlets to plug my devices!! That’s super important for me as much as I’m online. Several seats have outlets under the seat but not all of them.

The front row top deck seats have four outlets, one for each passenger sitting in that row. Seat 9, where I sat on the journey going up from Baltimore to New York did not.

I’ll say, although I liked having the bus-driver style view in seat 3, as well as the outlets, seat 9 was more comfortable. Sitting in the aisle seat I had more space to stretch my legs forward. In the front row, there’s nowhere to stretch your legs out.

It’s those little nuances that make you wiser for the next time. And that’s why I chose different reserved seats for the round trip ticket – so that I can compare and share.

Did she just say “next time?”

Why yes, yes I did. I won’t be taking the kids on the bus – it’s much easier and more comfortable for me to take them by car. However, IF I have a last-minute trip to Manhattan again, I won’t count this bus out as an option for myself.

Thankfully the ride wasn’t that bad and there are no additional stops on the Megabus from Baltimore to New York.

Travel hack

Another passenger told me how he’s ridden the bus for $5.00 without even having a ticket!

Essentially he said that he rides standby, using one of his old reservation numbers which he writes down on a piece of paper, He tells the bus attendant that he missed his earlier bus. If they have room, he just has to pay the $5.

It’s risky if you have somewhere to be but some people don’t mind chancing it to save a few bucks.

Final tip for riding the Megabus from Baltimore to New York

If you plan on parking, be sure to print out your parking pass which will be a link in your confirmation email. The skimmer that I am, I didn’t notice this until I was in route to catch the bus. So, I ripped a white sheet of paper from my son’s story book and made it look like the pass I saw in another car. I also wrote my reservation number – just in case.

Thankfully I didn’t get ticketed or towed from the White Marsh stop. It was a long shot (and a risk) but thought I’d better give it a try. Do as I say, not as I do: Be sure to print out your parking pass before you park and ride.

What do you think about buses? Like ’em, hate ’em? Would rather do a death march before you step on one? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

Jun 02 2014

Baltimore African American Festival: Things For Kids To Do

Do you remember the first time you attended a festival as a child? Can you recall the excitement and anticipation that you felt? Memories of food, music, vendors, games and treats are enough to make any child look forward to attending the next event. The Baltimore African American Festival has been shaping childhood memories for almost three decades and continues to create new ones for kids with various kid-centric activities.

A Baltimore tradition, the 2014 African American Festival is a free 2-day event, a celebration of African American life, music, and culture. This family-friendly event offers a host of free activities for kids to enjoy aside from the music and food. Dynamic Healthcare is sponsoring Kids Zone, a designated area to entertain children physically and mentally.

Baltimore African American Festival — Photo Credit: Mark L. Dennis

The Activities

Youth performances: Kids are motivated by other young people. What better way to get them more engaged with what’s happening on stage than to see other young people performing.

Arts & Crafts: For the younger children in the brood, arts and crafts stations will keep them busy drawing and coloring. They may be inspired to create their own masterpieces after seeing various art work on display.

An Obstacle course: What better way to challenge your older child than to get them going on an obstacle course. They can race against their siblings, their friends, other kids, or just themselves. The area is a great resource to get kids moving, keep them entertained and involve them in the festivities around them.

Check out the African American Festival website at http://www.africanamericanfestival.net/ for more information about other events and activities taking place this year.

WHEN:

Saturday – June 21, 2014 (noon-10pm)

Sunday – June 22, 2014 (noon-8pm)

WHERE:

Camden Yards Sports Complex

on Lots B and C between Oriole Park at Camden Yards

and M&T Bank Stadium

1101 Russell Street, Baltimore MD 21230

COST:

FREE

May 14 2014

Baltimore Family Travel: A Staycation And The Monaco Baltimore

The Hotel Monaco in Baltimore hosted my family for a one-night stay in order to review their product. Visit Baltimore supplied me with passes to local area attractions. This is not a compensated post. All opinions expressed are my own.

When the school year is in full swing and the kids aren’t due for a holiday, we tend to shake things up around the house when it comes to travel. Keeping my mind on my money and my money on my mind, I stay on the lookout for things that the family can do locally as well as day trip options. When your wallet is tight or you’re short on vacation time, staycations are the way to go.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: If you need to save on travel expenses, explore your backyard.

More: Saving on Travel – Three Tips For the Family

Staycations Rock

People underestimate the value of the staycation. Travel is whatever you make of it and you can’t always make it half-way around the world with your kids. Most of the times, children aren’t even concerned with the “where”, they’re more concerned with the “what.” They want to know “What are we doing today?” “What are we eating today?” “What does the hotel have for us to do?” The destination is just an added bonus.

Last week, ahead of what I’m guessing will be a busy summer filled with travel, and in honor of the break in the weather, we decided to explore our backyard in Baltimore. I’ve written about things to do, see, and eat in Baltimore for the past several years for two separate online publications and I still haven’t done it all!

Our first stop was the Check-In desk at the Monaco. I visited the hotel earlier in the year and when I saw that they had family suites with a separate kids’ room complete with bunk beds and an Xbox, I knew that we had to stay here.

I was also sold on staying at the Monaco Baltimore after my February stay at the Monaco Independence Park in Philadelphia. I enjoyed an adult wine hour in the hotel’s cozy living room an hour after the kids’ “happy hour”, complete with candy, snacks, and games.

More: Philadelphia Hotel Monaco Family Fun Night Package

The Monaco Baltimore doesn’t offer a separate kids’ hour, however, they have the games set out, Goldfish snack packs (a nod to the borrowed pet you can place in your suite), and GoGo Squeeze applesauce pouches. I carried snacks up to my kids and opted to spend my hour alone, enjoying a glass of wine.

They were content with hanging out in the room, playing on the Xbox after a fun afternoon in the Inner Harbor.

Baltimore Family Activities

There are several attractions that you can visit with your kids within a 1-mile radius in Baltimore. A few blocks away from the hour, you have Port Discovery. Next to Power Plant Live, this children’s museum is all about the kids. It is interactive and engaging from toddlers up to school-aged children. It is definitely one of my favorite attractions in the city, specifically because they set aside special Autism days for kids like my youngest to enjoy.

In addition to Port Discovery, other attractions include: the Baltimore aquarium – the most popular attraction in Maryland; Historic Ships in Baltimore; Ripley’s Believe it or Not!; the Maryland Science Center; the Star-Spangled Banner Flag house; the Walters Art museum; Urban Pirates; Federal Hill Park and more ideas available on Visit Baltimore’s site.

More: Sneak Peek At Baltimore Family Travel

This time around we decided to go to Ripley’s Believe it or Not! The oddities in that museum are very entertaining and kids have opportunities to engage in interactive exhibits. Our favorite areas were the Mirror Maze and what I’d like to call the disco dance room, complete with a strobe light and dozens of mirrors.

Pricing: See everything (maze, odditorium, 4D theater) for $25.99/pp or pick 2 attractions and pay $22.99.

On Sunday we checked out the Maryland Science Center, a top-5 for me as far as Baltimore family travel attractions go. The Science Center is another totally interactive place for kids to explore. It’s diverse enough that adults can learn something and be engaged as well. This is a stark difference from Port Discovery. Three floors of science fun kept our whole family engaged for hours. We left with a new piece of knowledge and a need to feed our hungry stomachs.

Pricing: See everything at the Science Center (exhibit halls, planetarium, demo stage, IMAX) for $22.95 (13-61) and for $19.95 (3-12).

I Heart Kimpton Monaco Hotels

One of the many perks of the Hotel Monaco Baltimore is the building’s rich history. The story behind the building is mapped out in the hallway just before you check in. It’s worth a stop and a read.

The hotel houses 202 rooms in the historic B&O Railroad headquarters. As soon as you walk in you get a sense of the grandeur of the building. A grand marble staircase, ornate oversized crystal chandelier, and early 19th century craftsmanship at every turn are an elegant contrast to the luxury modern decor that you’ll find in the hotel’s suites, living room, check-in and common areas.

Here is my complete list of “thumbs-up” for the Baltimore Monaco:

Proximity to attractions
Adult wine hour, kids treats, and board games
Family suites with separate kids’ bunk beds, Xbox system and games
Borrow a goldfish for the night
On-site restaurant

The next time that you’re visiting Baltimore for a solid few days of family travel fun, whether for vacation or staycation, consider the Hotel Monaco Baltimore for history, comfort, and a well-rounded family experience.

Mar 19 2014

Pigs Face, Punches, Jerusalem Artichokes at the Tavern Room, Baltimore

Pig face, bone marrow, parsnip soup, tuna belly, glazed Jerusalem artichokes….these are just a few of the small plates and tastes that you’ll find at the Tavern Room, the front-of-the-house casual dining side to Fleet Street Kitchen in Harbor East, Baltimore.

The neighborhood has no shortage of fine dining establishments so the creative minds at the Bagby Group decided to split the Fleet Street Kitchen space (that’s the sign you’ll see on the outside) into two separate dining experiences. If you’ve been in the bar area and adjacent dining room before the March 1st switch, the only change you’ll see is the absence of white linens from the tables.

The only white linen you’ll see at the Tavern Room now.

The rustic decor is the same. No walls have been knocked down. The servers are just as helpful but you will find a different menu. But don’t look for typical pub grub here. The Tavern Room reaches beyond wings, fried comfort food and beer. The only fried dish you’ll find on the menu is the Pan Seared Fluke, and calling it fried may be stretching the definition slightly.

The casual menu is dotted with five “small plates”, six “tastes”, and six “large plates” in addition to a half dozen desserts. There’s an equal share of vegetarian and meat-fish small plates.

Besides the fresh baked artisanal bread, the Glazed Sunchokes (a Jerusalem artichoke), is one of the stars on the small plates menu. Forget what you think about artichokes – these taste nothing like the standard veggies you get from your local supermarket. Well paired with herb goat cheese, hazelnut butter, and fine herbs, the artichokes are hearty and worth being a meal on their own.

If you praise the pig and can appreciate all that it has to offer, you’ll enjoy the Pig Face and Pickles taste. This porkly plate offers the chef’s choice of jowl, snout chin, cheek, tongue, ears, and pork rind. For the less adventurous, the Ocean Trout Crudo is a colorful taste of trout belly, crème fraîche, blood orange, black radish, and puffed quinoa on a crostini.

The Tavern Room even takes a slight departure on how you’d normally wet your tongue at a pub. According to Marketing & Public Relations Director, Dave Seel, in beverage history punches were traditionally the tavern drink, before liquor and cocktails were introduced. Beer? Yes, of course. I think it’s against the law to be a Baltimore eating establishment and not serve beer. But you don’t come to the Tavern Room for beer.

You come to the Tavern Room for liquids like the artisanal Punches. These unisex mixed-drink delights served in large mason jars are the types of libations that can make enemies friends. The Kentucky Navy is a fun and tasty blend of bourbon, rye, spearmint tea, black walnut bitters, citrus and local cider. You may just have to order two jars to fight off the natives. Enjoyed on the rocks – and believe me, the ice cube is the largest perfectly squared cube I’ve ever seen in a glass – this punch goes down smooth.

Want to give the Tavern Room a try? Check them out on weeknights during happy hour when small plates and tastes are half-off or on Tuesdays during their half-off wine bottle nights.