Search Results for: blog marylands top family friendly attractions

Family Travel: Cheap Thrills in Washington, D.C.

Who says you have to mortgage your home to pay for a family vacation? With the skyrocketing price of gas and the exorbitant cost of airfare most families would agree that taking a trip these days requires some major financial wrangling. However, there are ways you can make the most of a family getaway—-no matter how cash strapped you may be–if you look in the right places. For example, Washington, D.C. is loaded with free and cheap attractions that will appeal to everyone in your clan. Many of the area’s museums, monuments and other star attractions are run by the … Continue reading →

D.C.’s Newest Family-Friendly Educational Destination

There is no question Washington, D.C. is one of the foremost educational vacation destinations in the world. And now families have yet another attraction to add to their list of must-see sites in the area. D.C.’s Newseum is a massive, multi-million dollar complex that celebrates newsgathering and teaches visitors “news is necessary to a functioning democracy.” The $450 million, 643,000-square-foot translucent structure held its grand opening ceremony today. The Newseum sits on Pennsylvania Avenue a few blocks from the Capitol near the National Mall and is preparing to host more than a million visitors in its first year. For $20 … Continue reading →

Kid-Friendly Travel Destinations—Baltimore

If you are a parent like me, trips to new cities typically include obligatory tours of the local zoo, the children’s museum, parks, or the aquarium. If you are lucky your destination city offers even more in the way of hands on learning via lesser-known attractions. In Maryland one such place is The Baltimore Museum of Industry. The building was designed to give visitors insight to the history of machinery in the city. But since its opening the museum has become a magnet for school groups and a place where parents can participate in hands on history lessons with their … Continue reading →

New Addition to One of D.C.’s Most Popular Attractions

More than 4 million visit Washington, D.C.’s Vietnam War Memorial each year. Over the years the black granite wall, which features the names of nearly 60,000 soldiers who died or remain missing has welcomed some notable additions, including statues of soldiers on patrol, a tribute to female veterans, and a plaque honoring those who died after the war as a result of injuries suffered in it. However, none of those additions compare to a new proposed visitors center. The 35,000-square-foot space could cost up to $100 million. Compare that with the memorial, which cost $8.4 million, or just under $18 … Continue reading →

More Can’t Miss D.C. Attractions

Happy Veteran’s Day! To all the men and women who defend our freedoms on a daily basis know how much you are appreciated. And to all of the family members of our service men and women, my sincere thanks for the sacrifice you make each time your loved one is sent far away from home to protect our country. In honor of Veteran’s Day I am devoting a series of blogs to Washington, D.C.’s most popular attractions. We’ve already discussed the some of the foremost symbols of American democracy, now we’re moving on to some other can’t miss attractions. The … Continue reading →

Family Friendly Attractions in Baltimore

If you are a history buff you don’t want to miss the opportunity to visit Baltimore, Maryland. The area is filled with educational attractions for families with children of all ages. What’s more, fall is the ideal time to visit. The massive summer crowds have dispersed and the weather is a lot more pleasant, which means your overall experience at the following attractions is almost guaranteed to be a positive one. GETTYSBURG Even if you dozed off during 7th grade American History you likely know the significance of Gettysburg. The site of the Civil War’s most famous battle and the … Continue reading →

Cheap Presidents’ Day Travel Destinations

Presidents’ Day is just a few hours away.  Where will you be spending the holiday? If you are lucky, you won’t be working on the Congress-concocted celebration marking the birth of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and the other former leaders of the free world.  Consequently, you have the opportunity to explore the home base of our current president. Washington, D.C. is a frugal traveler’s dream destination.  Our nation’s capital is filled with free and cheap attractions that will keep family members of all ages entertained. Many of the area’s museums, monuments and other noteworthy attractions are run by the federal … Continue reading →

Maryland Genealogy Resources

The state of Maryland has more than one nickname. One of the nicknames is “The Free State”. Are you searching for information about your ancestors who lived in Maryland? If so, then there are several online genealogy resources that can help you to do that. Many of them are free to use! Ancestry.com has a page with links to all of its Maryland genealogy resources. To access the majority of these collections of records, you must have an Ancestry.com membership. Some collections are being offered for free right now. Return to this resource often. Ancestry.com makes it clear when a … Continue reading →

Visiting a Dirty Museum

Bring along extra Wet-Ones if you are planning a trip to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. this summer. Forget about what your mom said about not playing in dirt, the Smithsonian Institution is taking soil to new depths. In its new exhibit–“Dig It”—-the museum is giving guests the chance to explore the mysterious and complex world of dirt. Curators say their goal with the new exhibit is to get people to see how soil is the foundation of all the Earth’s ecosystems, and that it is “as important as air and water.” Some of the exhibit’s … Continue reading →

The Newseum’s Newest Exhibit

It’s just 10-feet by 12-feet but the Newseum’s newest exhibit is considered by many as larger than life. The tiny structure that sits within the massive Washington museum once housed one of the nation’s most notorious criminals—-Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. The cabin is on public display for the first time in the new exhibit “G-Men and Journalists: Top News Stories of the FBI’s First Century,” which opens Friday at the Newseum, a museum about the news. For more than a decade the cabin, which once stood in a wooded area in Montana, has been sitting in an FBI evidence facility collecting … Continue reading →