Sometimes, you only have one day to spend in a city, and you want to get the most out of it! Whether you are just driving through, staying overnight, or have a layover, here is the ultimate one day in Baltimore itinerary!
We ended up spending one day in Baltimore on accident. We were coming home from Florida to visit my family and had a layover in Baltimore on the way home. Seconds before we were about to take off, the captain gets on the loudspeaker and says:
“So… the tow bar is… broken. It’s stuck on the plane?”
Like, what? This kind of stuff only happens to us. Needless to say, we missed our connecting flight back home.
Our airline hooked us up with a nice hotel and food vouchers, and put us on a flight back home the next night, meaning, we had 24 hours in Baltimore!
Naturally, we wanted to make the most of our short time here in Baltimore. Here is exactly what we did, plus a few extra ideas!
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We started our morning early and stopped for breakfast at Miss. Shirley’s Cafe. It is located near the Inner Harbor, which is where we decided to spend our day, so it was a perfect beginning point. Plus, the reviews were amazing, and the food looked great!
We knew after seeing it was packed, and had a waiting list, that this place ought to be good.
The menu had tons of different options for breakfast and lunch. Many of the items were rated nationally, and they all looked so good it was difficult to decide!
I decided on the Southern Slammer Sandwich, which was seated the BEST breakfast sandwich in America.
This meal did not disappoint. It just might have been the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had! It had egg, avocado, bacon, fried green tomatoes, and cheese on pumpernickel bread.
As a side, I HIGHLY recommend getting the grits. I know grits are one of those foods that are hit or miss for some people, but these were amazing! They were unlike any other grits I have ever eaten. A must try!
This meal is a definite start the ultimate one day in Baltimore itinerary!
Top of the World Observation Tower
After breakfast, head to the Baltimore World Trade Center for a view of the city from above. It is only about a 5-minute walk from Shirley’s and is a great way to start the day, and you will get an amazing view of the skyline.
Admission is super cheap. We got 2 tickets on Groupon for about $6, so definitely check there! If not, tickets are only $6 for adults, so it is a cheap activity for your day!
You will ride the elevator to the 27th floor to a 360-degree panoramic view of Baltimore, and you can spend as much time as you want to take in the views and reading facts about the city!
It was a cloudy day when we visited, and the views were still amazing, so I can only imagine how pretty it looks when its a sunny, clear day!
While we did not do this during our visit (I had visited in the past), this would be a great time to visit the National Aquarium! It is right next to the tower, so only a short walk away!
The National Aquarium is considered one of the world’s best aquariums and has pretty much any sea life you can imagine: dolphin sanctuary, penguins, sharks, jellyfish, and tropical rainforest!
This is a great stop when traveling with kids, and you can spend hours in here if you have a lot of time to kill.
Pricing is about $40/adult, so plan to stay awhile to get your money’s worth!
Another idea for how to spend the day in Baltimore is to take a public bus or Uber up to the George Peabody Library. Busses are free to ride, so this was a great option for us to get around the city. This library is part of the Johns Hopkins University and specializes in 19th-century research. However, we found tons of books from the 1600s and earlier!
It is free to enter and resembles something straight out of Hogwarts, and consistently ranks in the most beautiful libraries in the world.
Spend some time perusing the bookshelves, flipping through old books, and taking pictures of the beautiful architecture here!
Next on how to spend one day in Baltimore, cross the street from the library, and head to the Walters Art Museum. Admission is free and is a good place to kill some extra time or get out of bad weather. There are about 4 floors full of items from all over the world.
Here you will find 36000 items ranging from paintings to sculptures, to mummies. There is something for everyone! Spend as much or as little time here, as it’s free!
Mt. Vernon Marketplace
At this point, you will most likely need a snack or a drink. Walk a couple of blocks to the Mt. Vernon Marketplace. Here, you will find a ton of restaurants and bars, where you can mix and match dishes and drinks.
This is a great place to recharge, have a beer, and relax before your next adventure! We had a drink at Taps Fill Station here, and the drinks were great!
You can find restaurants of all kinds here ranging from dumplings, ramen, greek, and freshly squeezed juices and smoothies.
Top Rated Activities in Baltimore
The following activities were were not able to do in Baltimore, as we had to head to the airport for our flight home. However, we wanted to list these ideas because we would have loved to see them if we had enough time!
If you are a poetry fan, writer, or reader, check out Edgar Allan Poe’s grave. You can also visit his house, and a museum dedicated to him! The museum is only open Thursday-Sunday, so make sure you plan accordingly.
Baltimore is the birthplace of Babe Ruth, and here, you can visit the museum dedicated to him, and learn all about his history. Museum admission is pretty cheap, only $10 for adults.
The Maryland Science Center is located along the inner harbor and has 3 floors including a planetarium and an observatory. This is a great place to take the kids! They can explore the dinosaur exhibit, do experiments in the science lab, play in the kid’s room, and much more!
Thank you for reading the ultimate one day in Baltimore itinerary! What have you done in Baltimore? Leave a comment below- we would love to hear from you! Don’t forget to follow our ultimate post-vacation checklist once you get home!
Julianne | Pints, Pounds, & Pate
Thursday 12th of March 2020
Ive actually never been to Baltimore, but am hoping to go there for a conference this summer! This will be super helpful! xx