Can’t Miss Things To Do When Visiting Maryland

Planning a trip to Maryland this summer? You’re smart if you are. Maryland is a lovely vacation destination with beautiful beaches, several bustling spots for downtown fun, nature to explore, thrills to chase, and a scenic bay containing it all.

Despite being such an ideal vacation spot, Maryland is much less expensive than other popular tourist spots like Los Angeles or Florida. Most of its best attractions are the land and sea itself, and others are historical locations that are free or cost a small fee to tour. Hotel accommodations also range in price from luxurious uptown to cute, small, and by the sea. If Maryland is going to be your summer vacation spot, here are 10 things you can’t miss.

Six Flags America

A theme park during vacation is a must, especially if you love thrill rides. The Maryland Six Flags has several speedy coasters, all the fried food you could want, and even a 1776-style downtown area with souvenir shops.

Baltimore Inner Harbor

Baltimore is a great starting point for your Maryland adventure. Being a major city, it has a lot of connections to various means of travel. You can enjoy boat rides and seaside dining along the bay, or head deeper into town for shopping and nightlife.

Casinos And Sports Betting

If the thrills you seek are the gambling kind, Maryland has several casinos. Sports betting was recently legalized and is in the process of being operational in time for summer. When it is live, you will be able to use your phone to play along with Maryland sports betting and maybe take some money home with you rather than spending it all.

While you might think it takes a lot to get into sports betting, the sportsbook apps make the process easy. You just create an account, verify with ID, and deposit however much you want to start betting with. Some platforms even reward you with free starter bets or bonus money for your first deposit.

When it comes to which sports you can bet on, most platforms offer major leagues, some college sports, and other big events like NASCAR. You can bet ahead of time or on live games that are happening as you watch. This pairs well with a trip downtown or to the International Raceway.

Maryland International Raceway

This huge racetrack is all excitement during the warm seasons, with over 100 races going on between cars and motorcycles. From pro racers to more rowdy indie events, you’ll find a lot to yell about here.

Chesapeake Loop

The Chesapeake Bay has all kinds of towns, ports, and natural sites of interest along its shores. This collection of seaside communities and attractions is called the “Loop” by locals. You could spend your whole vacation traveling the Loop.

Chesapeake Bay 

The bay itself is known for refreshing sailing and relaxing beaches. You can take daily ferry tours out on the sea or just get some sun as you walk the many piers and eat seafood.

Storyteller Tour

One unique attraction on the Loop is a series of guided tours by highly-trained guides called Storytellers. These guides learn local lore about legends, seafood secrets, and old lighthouses. They’ll take you to places of interest as they teach you about Maryland as only a local can.

Smith Island

Take a ferry from the Chesapeake Bay to get to Smith Island, where the state’s official dessert is made. Many of Smith’s residents can trace their lineage back to the settlers who crossed the sea to make their home along the bay. Among their traditions is the famous “Smith Cake”, a specialty layer cake.

Ft. McHenry

During the War of 1812, US soldiers manning this fort held off a British invasion for a full night. This heroic defense inspired Francis Scott Key, who later wrote the Star-Spangled Banner. You can tour the fort and see our flag flying above it today, just as it triumphantly did all those years ago.

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway

Here you can see sections of the Underground Railroad where Harriet Tubman took escaped slaves to freedom. You can walk the same path they took as they made their way north. There’s also a museum that details Tubman’s life and celebrates her work.