Travel

The Birthplace of the Star-Spangled Banner: Top Unique Things to Do in Baltimore

posted by Chris Valentine

Top Unique Things to Do in Baltimore

Baltimore is a city filled with history and wonder. How should you spend your time there? Read on to learn about unique things to do in Baltimore.

Baltimore, Maryland, is more than a historic seaport, the home to a beloved baseball team, and a place to eat blue crabs. Baltimore is actually creative and goofy, offbeat and unusual. Besides the famous- and fun!- tourist attractions like the aquarium, there are lots of wacky ways to spend your time here.

Here are five unusual things to do in Baltimore, which will keep you coming back again and again.

1. John Waters Tour 

Baltimore has a distinctly artistic streak. Home town sensation John Waters was once considered a rebel with his shocking movies like “Pink Flamingos”. Now he is a local favorite who has attained popular acclaim with such mainstream hits as the musical movie and play ‘Hairspray.”

You can visit many locations made famous in Waters’ movies. Check out the bar Rocket to Venus or the Atomic Bookstore.

You don’t need to go as far away as Los Angeles to see a wide array of distinctly weird and wonderful sites.

2. Edgar Allan Poe’s Grave 

Although America’s favorite author of the macabre died penniless, years after his death his home town Baltimore erected a monument in his honor.

Every year on Poe’s birthday, January 19, a mysterious, black-clad figure known as the “Poe Toaster” leaves a partial bottle of cognac and three roses on the poet’s grave.

There are also the official Baltimore Ravens who live at the Baltimore Zoo: Rise and Conquor.

3.The American Visionary Arts Museum

Washington, DC is only 30 minutes from Baltimore and has lots of incredible museums. However, none compare to the American Visionary Art Museum. It features the work of artists with no formal training,  so the collection is eclectic and untraditional.

The “Giant Whirligig” outside weighs three tons and is 55 feet tall. There is also  the 8-foot tall, mirrored “Cosmic Galaxy Egg.” There’s even a ten-foot-tall statue of John Waters’ muse, Divine!

4. Escape Room Adventures 

Baltimore is a fantastic place for a group outing. Get together with your pals and enjoy some local brews and a feast of famous Maryland steamed crabs or crabcakes.

Then take the group out for some fun at an escape room like the Hostage Escape Room. You will laugh, scream and bond over one of several spooky challenges that are sure to challenge your minds and make memories that will last for years to come.

5. Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park

This Living Classroom celebrates the contributions of African Americans to Baltimore’s maritime industry. It includes a museum which chronicles the lives of  Frederick Douglass, as an enslaved child and young man, and Isaac Myers, a free-born African American who became a national leader.

A  visit here is a great way to learn about African-American history and culture,  and how African American churches helped pioneer the education of children and adults.

Amazing Things to Do in Baltimore: Off the Beaten Path

While a visit to see the Orioles play or a harbor cruise is a lovely way to spend a few hours in Baltimore, don’t limit yourself to the traditional sites. There are plenty of cultural, historic and unusual places to check out that will give you a true sense of the wide range of things to do in Baltimore.

For more ways to get a different perspective on travel, romance, and life, check out our blog.

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