The Baltimore region is a lush paradise during the summer months, filled with greenery, waterfront activities, and refreshing places to swim. To get you through this heat wave, here is a list of the best outdoor activities Baltimore has to offer:
Go for a swim at a state park
Families play in the water at Patapsco State Park. Photo by Maggie Jones.
Stop by Patapsco State Park (pictured above), Hammerman Beach, North Point State Park, Kilgore Falls, or Greenbrier State Park (about 10 minutes away from Crystal Grottoes Caverns) for a refreshing swim, averaging $2-5 per person.
Tube along Gunpowder Falls State Park
Families float down the river at Gunpowder Falls State Park. Photo via Monkton Bike Rental.
Spend the day floating on Gunpowder’s lazy river. If you don’t have a tube, stop by Monkton Bike Rentals and rent one for $15/day for small children and $30/for everyone over 100 pounds. You can even rent a smaller tube for your cooler so you can stay refreshed on the river.
Take a trip to Ladew Topiary Gardens
Talk about shipshape shrubbery; at Ladew Topiary Gardens, visitors will find verdant spaces to enjoy the outdoors. Photo by Maggie Jones.
Pack a picnic and spend the day amongst 22-acres of gardens, a seasonal butterfly house, and trails at Ladew Topiary Gardens. The Monkton property also features a café open daily. Ticket prices range from $5-$20 depending on age; children under two are admitted for free.
Pick your own fruit at Peachberry Farms
Fruit trees await picking at Peachberry Farms. Photo by Maggie Jones.
Pick fresh blueberries and blackberries for the remainder of July. Then, come August, peaches will be ready. You can also pick your own sunflowers, snapdragons, zinnias, celosia, marigolds, ageratum, and black eyed Susans until October!
Visit Star Bright Farms
Visitors can pick their own lavender at Star Bright Farms in Monkton. Photo by Maggie Jones.
Pick your own lavender and blueberries at this scenic Monkton farm. You can also shop at The Barn Market, enjoy an outdoor concert and cocktail, or grab a bite to eat at The Shooting Star Café.
See an outdoor movie
Visitors watch an outdoor movie at the H.P. Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens. Photo by Maggie Jones.
Spend the evening outside at one of the following outdoor movie screenings:
Flicks from the Hill at the American Visionary Art Museum:
- Princess and the Frog, July 18
- Young Frankenstein, July 25
- Raiders of the Lost Ark, Aug. 1
Rhythm and Reels at various parks:
- Dog Gone, Eager Park, July 19
- Barbie, Leakin Park, Aug. 8
- Wish, Eager Park, Aug. 9
- Friday the 13th (Silent Movie), Canton Waterfront Park, Sept. 13
- Across the Spider Verse, Herring Run Park, Sept. 20
Summer Saturday Family Flicks at The Rotunda:
- The Super Mario Brothers Movie, July 20
- Trolls World Tour, Aug. 17
Go to a vineyard
Sun shines through rows of grape vines at Boordy Vineyards. Photo by Maggie Jones.
Sip on local wine at Boordy Vineyards, which spans 240 acres and features beautifully manicured vineyards and a historic 19th-century Bank Barn that houses the tasting room, retail store, and event spaces. Just up the road is DeJon Vineyard, a family-owned and operated winery set on a former cattle farm.