Spotlight: Hidden Gems of Maryland
(Written by Emily Thomas)
Good ‘ole hidden gems - we all know these. The coveted coffeehouse tucked in a corner of the neighborhood or the off trail swimming hole that only you know how to venture to. When you find them, these places become close to our heart and sharing them feels sacred. While main attractions of the Baltimore area are wonderful in their own right, these less known spots will be sure to capture the attention and adoration of you and your little ones for years to come.
Family Friendly Outings
Head out to BMX Chesapeake in Anne Arundel County or SOMD BMX Racing in St. Mary’s County to watch some BMX racing on the track. If you or your little one find yourselves inclined to join, both accept racers of all ages and experience levels.
If you happen to find yourselves in the Baltimore Harbor area, check out the Historic Ships where you can experience 19th century life at sea with one of the most impressive collections of military vessels in the world. The exhibit celebrates over 200 years of Maryland's naval and maritime history with 5 sites to explore.
Rawlings Conservatory at Druid Hill Park, located by the Baltimore Zoo, is home to five distinct greenhouse rooms and a one 1/2-acre garden along with outdoor gardens. The greenhouses are in distinct climates that allow for the display of plants from all over the world.
Gather up your little pilots and head to the College Park Aviation Museum to explore the 10 unique aircraft and objects relating to the history of early aviation at the College Park Airport. The museum also features traveling exhibits and other displays throughout the year. The College Park Airport has been home to a century of aviation history, and still operates today, making it the oldest continually operated airport in the world.
For those who are all things sea and surf obsessed, Bruce "Snake" Gabrielson's Surfing Museum and Surf Art Gallery in Chesapeake Beach is home to the only surfboard and surfing museum in Maryland. This museum has featured local artists' work on display along with surfboards, sculptures and other surf memorabilia. A “Surf Culture” class is also available at different times of the year.
Founded by David Burroughs, Roads and Rails Museum celebrates miniature railroads. The museum houses one of the largest miniature model train displays in the country and is designed to be a fun display of three dimensional art, combined with sound and movement. It is a miniature world complete with a zoo, circus, working volcano, walk-through mountains, subway, coal mine, castle and towns with moving trains, trolleys, cars and trucks.
MUSIC
After a three-year hiatus, the Children’s Summer Concert Series in Gaithersburg returns on a new day of the week. Join in on Wednesdays in June & July at 10:30 a.m. at the Concert Pavilion for 45 minutes of pure fun. From magic to music, parents & children alike will enjoy the variety of free performances.
From clowns and magicians, to Emmy-awarding winning musicians and puppeteers, the Summerfest Family Theatre has brought high-quality entertainment to Frederick youngsters for over sixteen years! Be sure to catch it on Thursdays in July & August at 10 AM at the Baker Park Bandshell
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is gearing up for a grand adventure in the coming years. This lineup includes the launch of the Music for Maryland Tour, in which the BSO performs in all Maryland jurisdictions over the next three summers, and a series of Star-Spangled Celebrations beginning with a return to Oregon Ridge Park. In this first year of the “Music for Maryland Tour”, the BSO will travel to six counties: Carroll, Calvert, Kent, Howard, Garrett, and Prince George’s counties. Showcasing the Orchestra as one owned by the entire State of Maryland, performances are curated to celebrate each county’s hometown pride. The BSO will also be sharing a free program featuring BSO musicians and narrators curated explicitly for young listeners and families in each tour jurisdiction.
Belvedere Square Summer Sounds Concerts are held live at the Square on Fridays from 6-8pm. These concerts are smaller events with a great family feel. They have bands playing a variety of music ranging from pop/rock, blues and jazz, cover bands and more. Grab some delicious treats at the market and dance with your little ones at these fun filled summer shows.
The goal driving WTMD Saturday Morning Tunes is to present concerts parents can enjoy with their kids — not just for the kids. They produce a mix of indoor and outdoor shows, with limited capacity to give everyone plenty of room to spread out and dance. In the past they have had members of They Might Be Giants, Barry Louis Polisar (who wrote the theme song to “Juno”), Latin Grammy winner 1,2,3, Andres, world music star Falu, Baltimore kids rock stars Milkshake and Baby Beats, and many more.
EXPLORING NATURE
A 200-acre urban oasis in Baltimore City, Cylburn Arboretum in Baltimore is a place of natural beauty and learning with hundreds of specimen trees and plantings, gorgeous gardens, wooded trails, and an historic mansion. They are open to the public year-round, and invite you to join the thousands of visitors who enjoy this remarkable place each year. They are currently in the process of a Nature Education Center Campaign to create a new state-of-the-art exhibit and training center that will allow Cylburn the opportunity to become a premier regional arboretum, and to amplify their role as a public garden dedicated to community wellness and education. Monthly events such as family walks, yoga on the lawn and a garden club are available as well as events throughout the year including Market Day and a Summer Nature Camp.
Robinson Nature Center in Columbia is situated on 18 acres of land adjacent to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area. Along with trails and a nature center they also have a full dome digital planetarium to explore! The center provides an exceptional selection of educational resources and classes for young ones including camps, homeschool programs and special events.
If you are looking to experience some family farm adventures look no further than Mary’s Land Farm in Ellicott City or The Farmyard in Parkton. Mary’s Land Farm is a sustainable farm with a goal to raise and produce a variety of different animals and plants all working together in a regenerative ecosystem. They currently offer Farm Tours, field trips, summer camp, workshops and classes along with providing apprenticeship and internship opportunities to the community. While The Farmyard has become a destination for families to experience hands-on activities with local agriculture and the farmers growing their food. With ongoing events all through the year along with field trips, hosting birthday parties and classes in animal care and farm life for children and adults.
Don your boots and grab your sifter to go fossil hunting at Calvert Cliffs State Park. The massive cliffs, from which park was named, dominate the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay for roughly 24 miles in Calvert County.Today these cliffs reveal the remains of prehistoric species, including sharks, whales, rays and seabirds that were the size of small airplanes.
GOOD EATS AND SWEET TREATS
An eclectic and quirky environment donned with “living art”, Papermoon Diner has a gorgeous outdoor garden surrounding the restaurant and a Pez display to boot. Serving a delicious menu ranging from diner favorites (hello, all-day breakfast!) to more creative selections you’ll be sure to find something yummy to chow down on and take in the decor.
R. House in Remington started with ten chefs who believed that uniting to launch their restaurants was better than going at it alone. This cafeteria style food hall is built on community and local eateries. Bonus Tip: You can enjoy a little bit of everything by ordering from the different food stalls. There’s tons of seating and food options - including the incredible Baltimore based Taharka Brothers Ice Cream - for kids and adults alike.
Sunset Cove and Bowleys on the Bay are both waterfront restaurants located on the Maryland Marina in Middle River. Both boast a family friendly environment, a “beach” and beautiful views to gaze upon. Sunset Bay even has boat slips that you can use to travel there by boat if you choose.
BMore Licks has two locations, located in Federal Hill and Patterson Park. It is the only shop in Maryland with more than 100 flavors of handmade soft serve ice cream available every single day! They also feature 30 rotating flavors of homemade hard ice cream made onsite, 100+ flavors of milkshakes, sundaes, and snowballs. They are vegan and non-dairy ice cream friendly, with at least two vegan ice cream flavors always available. There is ice cream for every member of the family, even the dogs!
Baltimore is infamous for snowballs, so no surprise here that we must feature a stand! Opie’s Softserve and Snowballs in Catonsville opened almost 40 years ago, starting out as a small neighborhood snowball “shack”. With the love and support of friends and family it has expanded into the cozy family friendly spot that it is today!
The Prigel family has been farming in the Long Green Valley for over 100 years and five generations. Located in Glen Arm, Prigel Family Creamery is home to Bellevale Organic Farm providing dairy products and meat to the community. Stop by for a milkshake and enjoy watching the cows graze in the open pastures.
BONUS OUTINGS
Itching to spend your quarters and show your kids what the real deal is when it comes to arcades and video games? Crabtown USA in Glen Burnie is a blast from the past with over 95 Vintage Games for all ages to play for as little as 25 cents!
Glen Echo Park in Montgomery County is home to to 13 resident artists & organizations, including two award-winning children's theaters; a nature & aquatic life program for kids; a thriving social dance program; a restored 1921 Dentzel Carousel; numerous art studios and galleries; and hundreds of classes in visual & performing arts, including ceramics, painting, photography, glass, music, dance, and more. These activities, as well as free summer concerts, festivals, and special events bring thousands of visitors to the Park each year.
A Roland Park staple, Shenanigan’s Toy Shop is a locally owned toy store full of goodies in every corner. Along with the traditional toy store requirements of Playmobile, Barbies, games and dress up costumes, Shenanigan’s also carries a wide variety of “vintage” type toys.
While Badlands Playspace in Rockville is currently hibernating due to COVID, once back and functioning in full force this amazing playscape provides family fun with a nature inspired, interactive environment for learning through risk and play. Complete with a creativity workshop, exhibit space, studio for yoga and dance classes and an amphitheater for puppet shows and performances.
A brand new independent bookshop has popped up on the Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street in Northeast Baltimore. Snug Books hosts an extensive children’s section, a large selection for teen and adult readers, and features a special selection of Spanish-language books for children and adults as a nod to the owners Puerto Rican heritage. The store also carries gifts, puzzles, games, cards, stationary, treats, educational items, stuffed animals, and more.
With two locations in Maryland, one in Easton and the other in Columbia, The Playseum is an interactive Children’s Book and Toy store. Kiddos get to discover and explore in their own child-size “CityShop” and have the opportunity to get creative! Both locations feature Baking and Creation Stations as well as a Pet Shop featuring live animals to pet and learn about.