2 adults, 2 kids (9 &7). Arriving in Baltimore before lunch. We elected to not rent a car and take public transportation. Our plan is to go the Aquarium that Thursday afternoon. Sleep one night in Baltimore. We picked a hotel walking distance to the Aquarium. Any food recommendation?
Next day, we are going to Washington DC. We are going mainly for the zoo because my daughter is a huge fan of pandas. We are hoping to go to the zoo on that Friday. Leaving on Sunday late afternoon. Any thing we should be going to? Is the Spy museum really worth it?
I heard that the Air & Space Museum is closed but that the one at Dulles is opened. Is it worth a trek (we won't have a car...) Any food recommendation? I wanted to get some pastries ( I am sad that Maison Kayser closed... so any place I should go to?)
I wanted to go to the Kusama exhibit at the Hirshhorn but it's hard to get entrance tickets right now because of reservations... and zoo is more important.
Thanks for the recommendations!
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I thought the spy museum was very cool and totally worth it. I think your kids would hopefully be old enough to appreciate and enjoy it.
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We did the Baltimore Aquarium this summer and grabbed lunch afterward at the Cheesecake Factory in the Inner Harbor. There are plenty of more exciting options (and more seafood restaurants around there, if that's more of what you're looking for). My kids are incredibly picky eaters, and this let them get fries + dessert easily and made my life simpler with tired kiddos.
If you end up with more time in Baltimore, the Maryland Science Center is also great. I think the Spy Museum is totally worth at your kids' ages. I'd do that over the Air and Space Museum out near Dulles. I love the Air and Space Museum there, but after my kids get over the initial "wow, there are so many planes!" shock, they're kind of over it within an hour or two. I took my cousin's kids (ages 8 and 10) to the spy museum this summer, and they had a blast.
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If you want something more local in Baltimore, Little Italy is very close to the Aquarium. We like Chiapprrellis.
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I haven't been, but my husband absolutely loved the spy museum when he went. I've heard nothing but good things about it from several people.
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If you’re looking for lunch in Baltimore, Blue Moon in Fell’s Point is a long-ish walk from the aquarium but was THE spot for brunch when I was in college (~10 years ago, but according to google it’s still there and even opened a second location). Your kids will be in heaven. Federal Hill is also a quick water taxi ride from the harbor and has more local options on a main drag ~6 blocks from the dock if your kids would enjoy a water taxi ride.
The pandas get crowded so the earlier you can get to the panda house the better. My only memory of going to the zoo in college was how crowded the panda house was, but obviously pre-Covid. My memory of the hirschhorn is that it is fantastic, but unless your kids are art museum kids it might be an uphill battle. I loved the air and space museum as a kid but do not bother with hiking out to Dulles, it’s like going to Newark if you’re in NYC. I’ve also heard good things about the spy museum but never been.
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@Chuckles: @caitcat: @Lahela017: thanks for the feedback. @hitchhiker: that sounds really good.
Anybody has a recommendation for crab cakes? that's my husband MUST EAT... -
@bakingdoodle: We used to get crabs at a place called steamers down near Fort McHenry. It didn’t look like much but it was definitely delicious and on the cheaper side for Baltimore seafood 10+ years ago.
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We just got back from a trip to DC and we made the trek to Dulles for the air and space museum. The kids loved it but admittedly we are space and aviation nerds
Seeing the space shuttle was really cool.The museum of natural history was the another one they really enjoyed. Lastly, they really enjoyed exploring the national mall and earning junior ranger badges.
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@karenbme @bakingdoodle: LP steamers is still great for seafood!
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@bakingdoodle: I live in MD and visit DC every other weekend with hubby & our babies! You will have a great time!
Nicks Fish House has great seafood and crab cakes! There are plenty of restaurants and bakeries etc throughout DC/Baltimore-
Miss Shirley’s Cafe is a hit!
Zoo
Bible Museum
African American Museum
National Mall
Georgetown
Mt Vernon Washington Home
Old Town AlexandriaEnjoy!!!!!
Public transportation is fine as it is big in that area.
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@cake2017: @karenbme: @julie31: @hitchhiker: thanks for the suggestions!!! I am looking at the map at where they are with respect to our hotel (Hampton inn) and I don't think we are going to make it
unless we take an uber??? I don't think my kids can walk that far...
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@bakingdoodle: I agree, too far to walk. But it would be a very quick Uber ride. You could also check out Rusty Scupper, which is a more manageable walk, and right on the water. I’ve never been, but there are a lot of seafood options. Another place I’ve never been is Phillips, which is a chain right near the aquarium.
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We came home yesterday. Flights were Ok. We got to the aquarium on Thursday at 2pm (after our flight and a quick stop to our hotel). I highly recommend the Hampton Inn. inner harbor. Clean, modern and breakfast was included (as well as the wifi). I loved the aquarium. When we left at 4:30, we were all so hungry, we went to Phillips... because it's right next to it. Good, not great, made me think about the cheesecake factory. Not cheap but it fit the bill Ok. I had a drink... and I can say I am a cheap date because it was strong.... Note: when a man says he is going to check that the bus stop is right in front of the hotel... do not assume that he is talking to a worker in a lobby.... I assume he did so, as he left for so long..We waited at least half an hour on that stop. just to realize that the bus was probably not going to go through that stop. Yes, that bus stop was not in service. He had checked by making sure the bus stop was still visible from the hotel. We got finally on the bus. We then took the mark to DC (mechanical problems and all) and we got to the hotel (Hyatt regency on capitol hill) around 11? We got to the woodley park area, thinking we would eat at District Kitchen. Not open for lunch. oops. So we went to Hans Palace (soft opening weekend). Was very good and fit the bill with dim sum, scallion pancakes and pan-fried noodles. My kids' favorite. We got to the zoo... Saw the pandas. Looked for the zebras for a while (finally saw them when we left the zoo). They don't have giraffes (!).Hot day and my son complained and complained and complained.
We ate at the hotel bar at night after they swam in the pool...
Next day, we went to the Lincoln memorial and Washington monument. My son was unimpressed by the reflecting pool and the huge obelisk. He complained the whole trip about sharing a bed with his sister (no sofa bed in the DC room). We walked to the Natural History museum from there. My daughter loved the gems. She complained the 'elephant' was fake. We ate at the museum. From there we went to the Hirsshon but all the daily passes to the Kusama exhibit were gone (as expected). It was past 1pm...
So I told my husband... let's go back to Union Station and we can go to the Postal Museum next door (my husband's dream as he was never able to go as a kid) and there's a scavenger hunt for the kids. This was the highlight/ best thing EVER for my kids. They had so much fun. The prize at the end is very meh... a sponge bob postcard prepaid so you could send it to yourself if you want ... At night, we walk, 10 min to Luke's Lobster (we have one in Boston... but never had time to try). Sunday morning, we went back to hirsshon... and couldn't get passes to Kusama. Walked in the sculpture garden (scavenger hunt is not fun compared to the postal museum one) and then it was time to take the train back to Baltimore. Quick trip.
Things we didn't do: Spy museum (really wanted to go. but my husband said our son is too whiny). Planet word ( they have a lexicon lane puzzle ... but it's for recommended 10+ so my daughter was definitely too young for it) and the African American Museum...The pandas are leaving next year. Not sure we will be able to come back so soon.
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@bakingdoodle: That sounds like a fun trip all around! I'd kind of forgotten about the Postal Museum, I'll have to add that one to our museum list.
Also, skipping things because the kids are whining is so relatable - I can't tell you how many "fun" things we've opted not to do because one (or both) of the kids is complaining too much!
If you end up with more time in Baltimore, the Maryland Science Center is also great. 
unless we take an uber??? I don't think my kids can walk that far...
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