Day Trips from Baltimore
The best excursions and trips you can do in a day
Full-Day Trips
Worth dedicating a whole day to explore.
Annapolis & U.S. Naval Academy
$30–$50 (transport $10–$20, Academy tour free, sail $25–$35)Maryland’s sailing-mad capital pairs 300-year-old brick streets with the pageantry of the U.S. Naval Academy. Tour the Academy’s crypt of John Paul Jones, stroll the waterfront Ego Alley, and feast on dockside Maryland crab cakes before catching a Chesapeake sunset.
Gettysburg National Military Park
$60–$80 (guide $35 split 4 ways, park free, fuel $20)Walk the battlefield where Lincoln gave his famous address. A licensed guide hops in your car for a two-hour narrative drive, followed by a climb to the Pennsylvania Monument for sweeping views of Civil War history.
St. Michaels & Tilghman Island
$70–$90 (fuel $25, museum $15, kayak $35)Cross the 4-mile stretch of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to a storybook Eastern Shore harbor. Rent a kayak to paddle among skipjacks, visit the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, and cap the day with a steamed-bushel sunset cruise.
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
$40–$60 (park entry free if hiking, train $18 round-trip, tube rental $25)Where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers collide, this 19th-century town delivers cliff-clinging streets, Civil War ghost tours, and the epic Maryland Heights overlook—an easy 4-mile hike with postcard views of three states.
Assateague Island National Seashore
$55–$75 (fuel $40, park pass $25/car, snacks $10)Wild ponies gallop along dunes just 3 hours from downtown Baltimore. Bring a kite, bike the 8-mile loop, and finish with a beachside cookout before the sun sinks over Chincoteague Bay.
Washington, D.C. Monuments & Museums
$20–$30 (MARC $16 off-peak, Circulator free, paddle boat $20/hr)Hop the Penn Line for a traffic-free capital day. Start at Union Station, walk the National Mall loop, and finish with sunset at the Lincoln Memorial—lit up and crowd-free after 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Historic District
$80–$110 (Acela $90 off-peak, attractions mostly free, lunch $15)Amtrak’s Acela whisking you to the Liberty Bell in 65 minutes flat. Walk Independence Hall, grab a cheesesteak at Reading Terminal, then cap the day with the neon jungle of Spruce Street Harbor Park.
Half-Day Options
Shorter excursions when time is limited.
Patapsco Valley State Park Avalon Area
$10 (park entry $3/car, bike rental $7/hr)Ten minutes south of the city limits, this leafy gorge offers waterfall hikes, recycled-rail bike rentals, and easy tubing on the Patapsco River—perfect when you’ve only got a free morning.
Ellicott City Historic Main Street
$15–$20 (coffee & pastry $12, museum $7)A 20-minute drive lands you in a steep 18th-century mill town now packed with quirky boutiques, ghost tours, and the best cinnamon rolls outside Baltimore at the Little Market Café.
Fort McHenry Sunset & Flag Change
$10–$15 (Water Taxi $10, park entry $10 after 5 p.m. with receipt)Stay in town but feel worlds away as the sun drops behind Baltimore’s harbor and a ranger lowers the 30’x42’ Star-Spangled Banner to fife & drum.
Sagamore Spirit Distillery Tour
$0–$15 (tour free, premium tasting $15)Five minutes from downtown, this waterfront rye-whiskey campus offers free 45-minute tours, barrel tastings, and sweeping harbor views from the rooftop deck.
Day Trip Tips
Make the most of your excursions.
- Check Baltimore weather the night before—mountain or shore forecasts can differ dramatically from the city.
- MARC Penn & Brunswick lines offer $8 weekend passes; buy at kiosks early because trains sell out.
- Many Chesapeake beaches require a timed entry pass in summer—book online by 7 a.m. the day you go.
- Bring cash for tolls (I-95 & Bay Bridge) and small-town crab shacks that don’t take cards.
- If you’re island-bound (Assateague/Tangier), fill the tank on the mainland—coastal stations close early.
- Pack layers: harbor breezes and mountain trails can feel 10 °F cooler than downtown Baltimore.
- Download the NPS & Maryland State Park apps for offline maps—cell service fades in parks.
- Avoid Friday afternoon and Sunday evening Bay Bridge traffic; cross before 2 p.m. or after 8 p.m.