Fun Places to Take Kids in Maryland

The state of Maryland offers a smorgasbord of fun activities and exciting attractions for parents to take their children to throughout the year. Beautiful beaches, breathtaking mountains, diverse recreational activities and lively entertainment decorate this great state from east to west and north to south. With so much to do, Maryland is sure to deliver a wild adventure for the youngster in your family.

  1. National Aquarium in Baltimore

    • Not to be confused with the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C., Baltimore's National Aquarium boasts several popular attractions like its rooftop rain forest and multiple-story shark tank. This world-class aquarium houses more than 16,000 creatures and exhibits a variety of species in their naturalistic habitats. Youngsters will see and learn about everything from stingrays to phytoplankton to monkeys. There is also a live-action dolphin show featuring Atlantic bottle-nose dolphins.

      National Aquarium in Baltimore

      501 East Pratt Street

      Baltimore, Maryland 21202

      410-576-3822

      aqua.org

    Maryland Science Center

    • With three levels of exhibits, an observatory and planetarium, the Maryland Science Center offers many activities for kids of all ages. Hands-on exhibits include more than two dozen dinosaur skeletons and an exploration of the human body with many traveling exhibits added throughout the year. The Davis Planetarium allows children to participate in programs about space exploration, the night sky, the sun and astronomy. There is also an IMAX Theater that features a variety of amazing shows that include the Land of Dinosaurs, the Nile and the Bayou.

      Maryland Science Center

      601 Light Street

      Baltimore, Maryland 21230

      410-685-5225

      marylandsciencecenter.org

    Six Flags America

    • Six Flags America is a theme and water park that features more than 100 attractions. For the little ones, the theme park offers Thomas Town, based on "Thomas the Tank Engine." There are kid-friendly rides and a Cranky the Crane Tower Ride, which is a family ride with a 30-foot-drop tower. Looney Tunes MovieTown is a park where kids and parents can ride and play together on many different rides and attractions. For older kids, there are roller coasters, live Hollywood-style shows and a massive water park that contains Hurricane Bay -- one of the world's largest wave pools -- and Crocodile Cal's Caribbean Beach House, a five-story water tree house with interactive activities.

      Six Flags America

      13710 Central Avenue

      Mitchelleville, Maryland 20721

      301-249-1500

      sixflags.com/america

    All Earth Eco Tours

    • Maryland is commonly known as "America in Miniature" because of its many similarities to the natural features located around the country. Parents can teach their children about this geographical gold mine by going on a tour hosted by All Earth Eco Tours, an outdoor tour company providing recreational activities surrounding the Deep Creek Lake area of Maryland. Age-appropriate tours for children include kayaking, skiing, snowshoeing, guided hikes and team building adventures. Families with young children can take advantage of "Toddler Tuesdays" where kids under the age of 5 years old can participate in nature-themed arts & crafts and go on nature walks.

      All Earth Eco Tours

      720 Morris Avenue

      Friendsville, MD 21531

      800-446-7554

      allearthecotours.com

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