10 Stops to Explore in Baltimore for a Family-friendly Escape

We made our first stop at Bo Brooks, a much-buzzed-about waterfront restaurant that sits on the edge of a yacht marina and gives a breathtaking view of the sunset. Can you imagine a better start to a weekend getaway? It’s a go-to hotspot for family dining, where we cracked palm-sized steamed crabs and noshed on a variety of other succulent seafood dishes. This Baltimore favorite has something for everyone – a view, great local food and lots of fun.

Much-deserved self-care should be on the itinerary of any good family vacay, and The Ivy Hotel was a prime location for a little “me time.” Owned by the chairman, CEO, and founder of Brown Capital Management, Eddie Brown, and his wife Sylvia, this historic hotel consists of three manors built together, housing a stunning garden, 18 luxurious rooms, a restaurant, an unimaginable wine collection and a renowned spa. This cozy oasis was the perfect place for me to turn on my OOO email, slide my phone to DND and steal a few moments away from my favorite guys.

Baltimore is a hub of several African American-centric activities. Now back with the boys, we visited the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Museum in Fell’s Point. At this educational center, we engaged in facts about Douglass, Myers and the first black-owned shipyard in the United States. What’s great is that you can honor even more of our rich heritage with the city’s “Legends and Legacies Heritage” pass, which allows the whole fam to enjoy Baltimore’s three most celebrated Black attractions at a wallet-friendly price.

A daughter of Baltimore, jazz goddess Billie Holiday is one of the most revered ladies of the city. We drove over to the intersection of Pratt Street and Durham Street to find the infamous narrow alleyway called Lady Day Way, where several murals and glass installations honor the late singer. We weren’t too shy to snap an Instagram-worthy family shot with these artistic gems of the Upper Fell’s Point neighborhood. In particular, we posted up with this mural titled “Lady Day Rises Over Baltimore,” by Bridget Cimino.

Rahsaan and Orion were excited to hop aboard the Baltimore Historic Ships — the USCGC Taney, the USS Tourk, USS Constellation, and the Lightship Chesapeake. We didn’t have time to thoroughly explore each military vessel, but we’re keeping our tickets handy. The saved tickets will allow us to revisit the on-water attractions for up to one year.

You know how it is. There’s usually that one haircare product I forgot to pack for me and my family’s hair. Or, sometimes I just want to see what another city’s local hair supply store is workin’ with. And this time, I had to visit Oyin Handmade. The local one-stop beauty boutique, located in the Barclay neighborhood, was open for visitors (and me!) to sample yummy-smelling organic products and consult with staff on all my and Orion’s healthy, natural hair needs.

Even when we’re away, Orion always wants it to feel like home. The Kimpton Hotel Monaco makes sure of that by offering specialty suites with cozy, kid-friendly bunk beds. This comfortable set-up made our goodnight kisses that much sweeter.

Look, while on vacation, calories just don’t count, OK! We enjoyed every decadent Baltimore bite at Ida B’s Table. Owned by Chef David Thomas, the art-accented, go-to soul food spot is hard to pass up with its curated library full of historic and children’s books. It’s a foodie’s favorite find, and luckily I got to invite my entire family for a few hours of great fare and good laughs.

Orion loves to read, so we stole a few moments with one of the literary gems at the Lewis Museum.

We didn’t even think about leaving Baltimore without stopping by the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture. Named for Baltimore native, Reginald F. Lewis, a philanthropist and one of the richest Black businessmen in the ‘80s, this multi-million dollar museum was the second largest African American museum before the one in Washington, D.C. was built. It is overflowing with enjoyable kid-appropriate exhibits, accomplishments of Maryland’s African American community and, most notably, a number of digitized original letters from slaves owners. To capture the memory forever, Orion stood in front of Amy Sherald’s 2011 painting, High Yella Masterpiece: We Ain’t No Cotton Pickin’ Negroes. If this photo ain’t #WombFire, I don’t know what is!

To find out more about Baltimore’s family-friendly attractions, get all the 411 at Visit Baltimore.