I may be going to baltimore and washington d.c. this summer, what are some good, cheap things to do?

Question

i thought of six flags (the jonas brothers are supposed to be there)and going to inner harbour, but is there anything else? ohh, and i already went to all the monuments there and a coupla the museums, i don't really want to go to those again, so something else.....

Answer 1

While many of the suggestions here are good ones, not all of them are "on the cheap" so to speak. Six Flags ($40 pp) and the Spy Museum ($16 pp) are both great places. But both are also very popular and thus very crowded, not to mention that a day at Six Flags can put you out of some serious cash. And while you should visit the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, keep in mind that most of the shops and restaurants there are 1) upscale and overpriced and 2) national chains you can find anywhere. That said, here are some quick recommendations for doing Baltimore and DC on the cheap (and in many cases, FREE).

All relevant links are listed below!

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Baltimore
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As mentioned already, the National Aquarium ($22-25) is the best of the sights to see at the Inner Harbor. Plan on 2-3 hours there and a walk around harbor before heading over to Little Italy for a cheap but delectable carry-out lunch at Il Scalino Italian Market. Eat your salad and/or panini on any of the benches along High Street, then grab a gelato at Cafe di Roma before heading a few minutes east along Eastern Avenue to Historic Fells Point. There you can enjoy strolling and shopping along cobblestone streets, including a stop at The Sound Garden (Baltimore's #1 record store), retro T's and hipster gear at Trixie's Palace, beach wares at the Fells Point Surf Shop, and funky housewares at Eclectic Elements. The Daily Grind is the local coffeeshop of choice (and has since been franchised throughout the region). For dinner, head over to Federal Hill and check out the Sobo Cafe on West Cross Street near the market for southern style comfort food served with a "Bawlmer" twist. Cheap and tasty.

BTW, you can move between the Inner Harbor, Fells Point, and Federal Hill via water taxi ($8 all day pass).

Depending on your age, there are bars and nightclubs galore in both Fells Point and Federal Hill.

Other B'more ideas: FREE movies in Little Italy (Fridays in July & August); ARTscape concerts and exhibitions (July 20-22), and plenty of other free summer entertainment in and around the city.

Also FYI: Baltimore offers a single-fee ($49) Harbor Pass that includes admission for several Inner Harbor landmarks plus the water taxi for a single price, plus discounts at area hotels and $5 off tix to see the Orioles play at Camden Yards.

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Washington DC
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So what to do if you've already hit the monuments and the museums? Plenty! Here's a few off the beaten path places that will cost you little more than a donation fee, if anything at all.

Start things out northwest of the mall at Dupont Circle and a visit to the Heurich House, which is the most intact late-Victorian home in the country. Also known as the Brewer's mansion (since Heurich was a brewer), this turn-of-the-century time capsule is one of DC's best kept secrets. And if you're lucky you'll get a tour by the original owner's great grandson.

Any visit to Dupont Circle in the summertime requires a stop at Larry's Ice Cream, home of the "scoop nazis" (service with an attitude -- all meant in jest) and the BEST ice cream in DC. There are also a few art galleries scattered amongst the upscale shops and cafes along Connecticut Ave north of Dupont Circle. One of my favorite shopping stops is Melody Record Store, one of the last of the DC independents (can you tell I am a music junkie?). If you are a book lover, another must see is the wildly eclectic Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe -- part bookstore, part coffeeshop/cafe, and part bar. Cool joint.

From Dupont head NW towards the National Cathedral, which ranks #3 on the American Institute of Architects' Favorite Architecture landmarks. The 200 stained glass windows alone make this worth the trip (my favorite is the space window, which includes a moon rock from the original Apollo 11 mission), and the observation tower provides a sweeping view of the city, so definitely plan this for a sunny day.

For lunch (or anytime, for that matter), hit the the U Street corridor and have a chili dog at Ben's Chili Bowl, a DC landmark since 1958. To work off the calories, hit some of the clothing boutiques and art galleries along U, including my personal favorite, Meeps Vintage Fashionette. Two of DC better concert venues -- 9:30 Club and the Black Cat -- are both in the neighborhood.

For a low cost dinner, take your choice of two of DC's awesome gourmet pizza joints. Pizza Paradiso (on M Street near Dupont) and 2 Amy's Pizza (on Macomb near the Cathedral) both offer excellent hearth baked pizzas and other great fare.

Finally, here are two evening entertainment options that won't cost a whole lot of money. Every day at 6pm, the Kennedy Center offers a free performance in the Great Hall as part of the Millenium Stage. Or take in a flick on DC's largest movie screen (32 x 70 feet) at the Uptown Theater in Cleveland Park.

But whatever you do, ENJOY yourself!

Answer 2

Most of the museums in Washington DC and Baltimore are free. All the Smithsonian museums are free. I know the art museums in Baltimore are free. Go to the websites to check for more info.

Answer 3

Here's an unusual one: the National Arboretum in DC. Free admission. Big, beautiful place with a ton of trees and plants amazingly close to the center of the city.

Another unusual one: horseracing! Pimlico (in Baltimore, home of the Preakness) offers live horseracing in April, May and June. Lots of fun to watch. Cheap admission. And you can bet for just $2.

The Orioles and Nationals baseball games are another option, but tickets aren't "cheap".

Answer 4

There's a paper available in D.C. called "City Paper." It comes out every Thursday and most (if not all) of it is available online at washingtoncitypaper.com. It has copious lists of things to do in D.C. that are free or cheap, and it's keyed to the week immediately after publication. Check it out -- and check out Craig's List for the Baltimore area to find out what's happening there. Sometime bands will post on Craig's List to get people to come to their shows.

Good luck and enjoy your summer.

Answer 5

In Baltimore go to the Aquarium, about 20 a person. Go to the inner harbor. There is tons of stuff to do there. There are also a lot of seafood restaurants there if you like seafood.

Answer 6

Baltimore has an aquarium and that's about it.

In DC, you can walk around and look at things. Mt. Vernon, Fort Hunt, Smithsonian and the rest of downtown.

Answer 7

There is the National Zoo which houses our cute little baby Panda bear! And the Spy Museum.

Answer 8

you may want to check within a couple of weeks prior to coming here. you may have your heart set on one place and when you get here it be closed.

Answer 9

isn't the navy academy located in baltimore?or is it?