100 Things Every Marylander Needs to Do at Least Once - Part 2

A continuation of Wednesday's list.  The original list appeared in the Baltimore Sun.  You can see the original article here:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-100-things-every-marylander-must-do-at-least-once-20160111-story.html.

I've got to say, I haven't done as many of the things on this half of the list as I have on the other half of the list.  I see more road trips in my future!  Many of these things are considered to be staples

51) See the Iron Birds at Ripken Stadium

Apples from the Orchards!

52) Tour the Havre de Grace Historic District

53) Bike or Jog the NCR Trail

54) Pick fruit at Baugher's Orchard and Farms
This is a perennial favorite, and we go here every year. Not only to pick fruit, but to eat at the restaurant and pick up veggies, pies, and plants.

55) Hike the C & O Canal Towpath in Cumberland
I haven't hiked the towpath, but I have explored the endpoint of the towpath.  It is beyond beautiful.

56) Take a flight out of BWI
I love BWI!  Very nice airport, easy to navigate, and friendly staff!

57) Hit the trails around Loch Raven Reservoir

58) Join the Crowd at Pimlico for Preakness

59) Go to HonFest
I've been to the Hon Cafe in Hampden, but I've never been to HonFest. 

60) Run (or cheer) for the Baltimore Running Festival

61) See the Fourth of July Fireworks at the Inner Harbor

62) See the Fall Foliage in Western Maryland

63) Visit Calvert Cliffs State Park
What is the big deal about Calvert Cliffs?  You can walk the shore and find fossils.  Way cool way to spend a day!  I've never actually found any fossils, because the last time I went I was too busy making certain that my kids didn't fall into the water or drown.

64) Explore the Great Allegheny Passage

Fall Color in Western Maryland.  The picture doesn't do this justice.

65) Explore historic St. Mary's City

66) Visit the Piney Point Lighthouse

67) Visit the Calvert Marine Museum

68) Hang out with the wild ponies at Assateague
This is a must see and do!

69) See a movie at Bengie's Drive In

70) Visit Crystal Grottoes Caverns in Boonsboro

71) Tour the Green Mountain Cemetery

72) Visit Geppi's Entertainment Museum

73) Play the vintage pinball machines at Crabtowne in Glen Burnie

74) Ride the antique carousel at Glen Echo Park

75) Eat raw oysters in Lexington Market

76) Ride the miniature trains at Leakin Park

77) Ride the streetcars at the Baltimore Street Car Museum

78) Tour the Hampton Mansion in Towson

79) Visit the Poe Grave and Westminster Catacombs

80) Watch a movie at the Maryland Film Festival

81) Visit the Bucktown Village Store, the site of Harriett Tubman's First Act of Defiance

82) Visit the Reginald F. Lewis Museum

83) Explore the shops at Harbor East

84) See the view from Sideling Hill
If you head West on Interstate 70, it separates out in the Western part of the state.  You can either go north into PA on 70, or continue West on 68 through Western Maryland and West Virginia.  Sideling Hill is a huge mountain that had a cut made through in order to facilitate road travel.  Not only is the view gorgeous, but when you are standing on the observation platform above the road, you can look out over the hill and see the layers of stone, and how they are pushed up.  It's a unique look into the geological history of the mountain!

85) Ride the Tred Avon Ferry in Oxford, followed by dinner at the Robert Morris Inn

86) Go Duckpin Bowling

87) Walk across the Conowingo Dam
I've never walked across, but I have driven across.  Does that count?
I'm not sure my fear of heights would allow me to walk across - although I did manage the Brooklyn Bridge a couple of years ago.

88) Attend a University of Maryland Basketball Game

89) Attend a Johns Hopkins Lacrosse Game

90) Eat a Gino's Giant

91) Watch My Lady's Manor Steeplechase

92) Visit the old city pier in Fell's Point where "Homicide, Life on the Street" was shot.

93) See the country's first monument to George Washington in Boonsboro

94) Attend a performance by the Arena Players

95) Go to Market (Lexington Market, Cross Street Market, etc.)

96) Eat a snowball

97) Get a Burger and Beer at Mother's in Federal Hill

98) Drive Charles Street from Downtown Baltimore to the County Line

99) Visit the Antietam/Sharpsburg battlefield

100) See Babe Ruth's Birthplace

100 Things Every Marylander Must Do at Least Once - Part One

I found this awesome list of all things Maryland in the Baltimore Sun yesterday.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-100-things-every-marylander-must-do-at-least-once-20160111-story.html

I'm not a born and raised Maryland girl, but I have lived here for half of my life.  25 years now.  I have embraced Maryland as my home, and there are some things that just scream Maryland when you think of them.  This is a great list of things to do.  If you're visiting Maryland for a day or two, pick one or two items off of the list.  If you're here for years, you really should try to hit up as many of these items as you can!  They are fun way to spend a day!

Take note: This list concentrates heavily on the areas farther away from Washington DC.  With the exception of the DC Suburbs, this list very nicely balances Western, Eastern, and Central Maryland sites.

So, how many of these have I done?  I've done a lot of these, but not all.  I have to knock several more of these off my list this year!  I'm already planning several weekend day trips for the spring!

1) Watch the Orioles Play at Camden Yards
Every year, we go to a game. Sometimes a day game, sometimes a night game, sometimes a give away day, but we always go.  Nothing compares to eating Boog Powell's BBQ and soaking in the view from the inner harbor.

Photo: Bettina W., @Camden Yards

2) See the view from the Bay Bridge

3) Eat Thrasher's Fries on the Boardwalk at Ocean City
I need to take this trip this summer.  I love the Boardwalk!

4) Have a Picnic at Ladew Topiary Gardens

5) Tour the Great Blacks in Wax Museum

6) Tailgate and See a Game at Raven's Stadium
There's this very big problem called "Football tickets are ridiculously expensive."

7) See the Visionary Art Museum's Annual Kinetic Sculpture Race
Love the Visionary Art Museum.  It's worth the trip just to see the museum!  Words fail me when it comes to describing the Kinetic Sculpture Race.

8) Have Dinner in Little Italy
Does lunch count?  I'll have to go with husband when the weather warms up a little bit more.

9) Ice Skate at the Ice Rink in the Inner Harbor
I'm not sure I'm up for ice skating anymore.  I've been at the ice rink when there's skating going on.  I've been at the ice rink when it's summer, and people are running around.  Can you imagine?  I've already torn ligaments in my ankle and tore up my knee.  What kind of damage can I do on a pair of ice skates?  I shudder to think of it.

10) Go to the Baltimore Farmer's Market under the JFX
We tried to go once, but we couldn't find parking.  I need to try again, maybe try going earlier?

image: Bettina W. Cylburn Arboretum  Not on the list, but should be.

11) Climb Federal Hill
Gorgeous view from the top of Federal Hill.  It seems like you can see forever from the top!

12) Explore Fort McHenry
Three kids, field trips and scout trips.  I've been here a lot, and I still love the place.  Just can't get enough of it!

13) See a concert at Pier 6 Pavillion

14) Go to Artscape

15) Take the Water Taxi to Fell's Point
I've been to Fell's Point, and I've been to the Inner Harbor, but I've never taken the water taxi between the two spots!

16) See a show at the Lyric

17) Go to Mass at the Baltimore Bassilica
I've been to the Bassilica, but I've never been to mass here.

18) Visit the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

19) Visit Smith Island

20) See the tulips in bloom at Sherwood Gardens.

21) Visit the Walter's Art Museum

22) Pound Crabs at James Landing

23) Visit the Capital in Annapolis

A view in Annapolis.  Image: Bettina W.

I love Annapolis!  Love to roam around, love to explore, love to eat in the little restaurants.  I've lobbied in the State House, and I've visited the Governor's Mansion, and toured the capital with scout groups.  Just can't get enough of Annapolis!

24) Go to an Army - Navy football game

25) Join the Polar Bear Plunge

26) Catch crabs at Sandy Point

27) Dive into Deep Creek Lake

28) Walk a trail at Catoctin Mountain

29) Go to FlowerMart
I've been intending to go for the last five years.  I might just take the day off work this year and head over to Flower Mart instead of going in to work!



30) Shopping on Historic Main Street in Ellicott City

31) See the holiday lights on Hampden's "Miracle of 34th Steet"
Words fail.  One entire city block of row homes decked out for Christmas - with decorations streaming from house to house.  I remember flying into BWI at Christmas time years ago, and looking down as we were approaching BWI.  You could see the lights on 34th street from the plane!

Photo by Bettina W., 34th St. Baltimore.

32) Go inside the Pagoda at Patterson Park

33) Order a Sandwich at Attman's Deli

34) Sip wine at Boordy Vineyards

35) Visit Downtown Frederick

36) Walk over the Patapsco River (Grist Mill Trail)

37) Go to a festival at Centennial Park

38) Ride the rides at the Maryland State Fair
And I've eaten more fried crap than I should while I was there.  Fried Oreos and Fried Butter being the only two things I am willing to admit to eating.

39) Go to a BSO concert at the Meyerhoff

40) See a concert at Merriweather Post Pavillion
I saw Sting in concert.  Ahhh.. that was before children and before husband. What a long time ago!

41) Tour Columbia's Symphony of Lights
No Symphony of Lights this year due to construction, but we've been annual participants since the beginning.  We walk the lights the weekend before Thanksgiving.  Why?  All proceeds from Symphony of Lights go to the NICU at the hospital, and our oldest son was a recipient of their top of the line care when he was born.


42) Visit the National Aquarium

Image: Bettina W.  The view from the top of Federal Hill  looking at the Aquarium.

When the kids were little, I used to alternate museum memberships.  We rotated between the Aquarium and the Zoo, and we would visit each once a month.  Whenever we traveled to visit family, we would use our memberships to visit the museums in whatever city we were in using the reciprocity agreements. 

43) See the USS Constellation

44) Visit the B&O railroad museum

45) See the view from the Top of the World viewing platform

46) Visit Port Discovery Children's Museum
Scouts & Field Trips from school.  It's a great hands on museum!


47) Visit the Maryland Science Center
Not only visited, but I worked there!  Great museum!  It's a must see if you have kids!

48) See Babe Ruth's birthplace

49) Eat a box of chicken from Royal Farms

50) Visit Susquehanna State Park