Maryland Zoo
To see live animals, make the 15 minute drive to the Maryland Zoo in Druid Hill Park. Just about every animal on the ‘wanna see one’ list is here with as much interaction and watchability as possible. There’s a scavenger hunt, free guided walks, and keeper talks. You can feed the giraffes (10:30 & 3. $2 per branch). The signage is well thought-out. There’s just a snippet of information on each one, so kids can read them quickly, but when they’ve finished with the colorful, illustrated panels, they’ve collected a lot of knowledge.
Kids giggle at the hippos wallowing in their mud baths, and the enclosures for the cheetahs and leopard are at eye-level. The pool for the polar bears is designed for underwater as well as ground-level watching. You can even peek into the den of an Arctic Fox. Warning: they are very cute and you will want to take one home.
The best feature may be the Maryland Wilderness exhibit. It’s a stroller-friendly walk through all of the habitats of the state, with plenty to do besides just look. There’s a swinging bridge and giant lily pads to cross and kid-sized turtle shells to crawl into. The reptile house is in the trunk of an oversized ‘tree.’ Squeeze past the enclosures of snakes and lizards to climb up to the top of the tree and the sliding board that takes you back to the ground. The trail ends at a farmyard with an area for petting goats and meeting donkeys, sheep, and hogs.
Admission is $18.00 (12-64); $13.00 (2-11); $15.00 (65+).Military discount tickets are available through Army & Navy ITR offices. Free attended parking. www.marylandzoo.org
One of the best deals for touring is the Baltimore Harbor Pass. It saves about 30% on admission to 6 attractions and is good for 4 days. The Science Center, National Aquarium, and Top of the World Observation Level are included, as is a one-day pass for the Water Taxi. You can then choose one from either the Visionary Art Museum or Port Discovery and one from the Sports Legends Museum and Reginald Lewis Museum. It’s $41.50 for adults; $31.50 kids 3-12. On-line: www.baltimore.org/harborpass; 1-877-baltimore; at the Baltimore Visitor Center on the Light Street Promenade.
Fran Severn explores the mid-Atlantic from her home base on the Eastern Shore. More of her work is at www.severnwriter.com and www.stripedpot.com
