I'm dropping one son off at the Naval Academy in late June for a camp and will have a week in the area to sightsee with my 12 year old. I've gotten sticker shock at the hotel prices, particularly since I wanted to be within walking distance of the sights in both locations. While I don't mind driving in a city, I'd rather leave the car and either walk or take public transportation. We're not fussy and don't plan to spend much time in the room. Can anyone make any suggestions for hotels?

Also, will we run out of things to do if we spend the week in the area? We plan on the historic stuff, aquarium, zoo, shopping.

Thanks for any help.

Your thread title is Baltimore/Annapolis, but while you are there I would strongly recommend to visit the DC sites since it is only a 30-45 minute drive. I personally would not find enough to do in the Baltimore/Annapolis area alone for an entire week and I would think a 12 year old would love to see all the national monuments, Smithsonian, etc. You will definitely not run out of things to do in the DC area. I believe you can take a subway into DC from Baltimore.

Baltimore has a really nice area to walk around, browse, etc. A word of caution, though -- if you leave the immediate borders of the "touristy area," the neighborhoods get a bit rougher. Hotel rates are a bit higher during the summer, but I would imagine there are some deals out there.

Congrats on your son going to the Naval Academy!

Hi-

Well, you have recieved some great advice from Houseblend, and I definitely second the recommendation to include DC in your weeks' plans.

The Inner Harbor area of Baltimore is great, but really only worth a day or two, depending on how much time you spend at the aquarium etc. Camden Yards is a world class baseball stadium that is still very affordable (at least by Fenway Park standards )And do pay attention to the neighborhoods - they change rapidly and unfortunately,Baltimore remains a fairly dangerous city.The same is true of DC, avoid the area known as "southeast", but the major attractions are in a safe and beautiful part of the city.

Annapolis is adorable, and well worth a day of walking and window shopping,but it is a typically pricey historical waterfront tourist place.

In terms of hotels, have you tried some of the chain places near BWI airport? It is a convenient spot for transportation, as there is a train station, light rail stop, lots of parking and right off major highways. We have often found rooms in the 85-100 dollar range at the basic chain places, I can specifically recommend the Hampton Inn as being a bit nicer for that price range.

Here are some public transport links to help you with planning:

MD transport
Washington metro

And congratulations on your son's appointment!

I grew up in the Baltimore/Washington area-- in Laurel, which is right in the middle of the two cities. Although I moved away when I went to college, my sister and her family still live in the area and we visit every year or so. My husband, daughter (age 12) and I always enjoy our trips because there is so much to see and do in the general area.

Like the others, I strongly encourage you to include Washington DC in your plans. You could DEFINITELY spend several days there, and there is so much a 12 year old would love. Public transportation is a great way to get to DC and around once you are there. On our visit this past December, we spent several hours at the Holocaust Museum.

We have enjoyed the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore and also Annapolis. Fort McHenry might be worth a visit-- the Star Spangled Banner was written there. Another interesting place is the 200+ year old town of Ellicott City, especially if you enjoy antique shopping!

I agree with Kate that you can find a very reasonable hotel rate if you stay somewhere in the suburbs at a chain-type hotel. Another possibility might be a B&B, given the historic nature of this area. Here's a list for Annapolis. The prices are all over the place, but you might also be able to get a reduced rate for a multi-day/midweek stay. A B&B would offer a different type of experience than a chain hotel.

Kathy

Well, I live between DC and Annapolis and work at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore so let me chime in. I do agree that if you are here for a week you should "expand your reach" a bit. I am afraid I can't be a big help with budget hotels in walking distance of the sites. A general an internet search will turn up the hotels in the area, but in either DC or Baltimore I don't think you are really going to find a budget hotel in walking distance of the sites that you want to stay in. The BWI airport hotels could be a great option if the price is right. There is light rail at BWI which can take you into Baltimore and you can catch the MARC (commuter) train into DC. The subway does not actually connect the two, unfortunately. Other locations that are in between Annapolis/Baltimore/DC are Laurel and Bowie, Glen Burnie. You could avoid driving into either DC or Baltimore by using the light rail (Baltimore) or Metro Subway (DC). Just park at a station and ride mass transit into the city. Parking at Light Rail is free and parking at Metro is minimal, although for Metro parking you will need to invest in a "Smartcard" at the metro station. Just ask one of the attendants. If you use Metro in DC you can buy a day pass for about $5.00. You can only use it after rush hour, but it is a bargin and most of the sites don't open until 10:00 anyway.

As to sites in each place:

Annapolis
Naval Academy (obviously)(there is a nice free walking tour)
State House (oldest State House in constant use in US)
Boat tours of the harbor or Chesapeak Bay
Shops and such in historic area

Baltimore
Oriole Park for a game...you aren't nasty Yankees fans are you??
Science Center
Aquarium (If you are intersted in the aquarium let me know I might be able to help you with some passes)
Visionary Arts Museum
General Inner Harbor area
Fort McHenry
A fun way to get around to the sites in Baltimore is by riding the water taxi

DC

Wow, the list is too long to make. Depends on your interst. You could spend a month in DC and not see it all. Museums, zoo, Arlington Cemetary, monuments, White House, etc. Let me know you and your son's interest and I could help with some specific suggestions.

Stan

Thank you so much for your detailed responses. My husband was trying to steer me away from DC because he won't be with us. I'm going to rethink the trip to include DC and cut down the time in the other two places. I want to see them but thought it might be too much time. I will be back with more questions. Maybe b/c of my desire for (somewhat) slow travel, I'd like to stay in one or at most two places. I'll explore the places Stan suggested so we can depend on public transportation. Can you catch the light rail and metro from any of the suburban spots or would we be better by BWI?

Thank you about the kind (but undeserved) comments about my older son. He's only 15 and attending a dive camp at the Naval Academy.

Mary

BWI is (I think) unique if having both Light Rail and MARC Service. Another option would be Greenbelt or College Park, Maryland. While they are not as close together as BWI you could still fairly easily access both Metro and MARC from both of these locations. In this care, you would take Metro into DC and MARC into Baltimore. In a way, this might be better since you would probably spend more time in DC and Metro is cheaper than MARC (although neither is all that expensive).

If your husband is concerned about crime in DC, I don't think you should be. As long as you ride the Metro and stick to the touristy areas I honestly don't think you will have any problems. Is it possible? Of course, there is some crime every where, but let me put it this way, I have a 21 year old daughter who loves the National Gallery of Art. I have no concern with her riding Metro down to the mall and going to the gallery on her own. We frequently use Metro to go down to the museums and theater. Crime can happen anywhere, but I don't think you are significantly more at risk on the subway and the touristy areas of DC than you would be at home.

Let me know how I can help.

Stan

Thank you Stan. The information you provided was just what I needed. I'm going to try to find a hotel in one of those three places for Sunday through Thursday and then maybe we'll spend the last night in (pricey) Annapolis since we have to pick my other son up on Sat. Finding a hotel is my first priority. I'm certain I'll be back with more questions later. I would love passes to the aquarium if that's possible. That is one of the sites I've heard so much about and really want to see.


My husband is less concerned about crime and more concerned that I can't find my way around without him!! Also, he's a bit jealous since he had hoped to be with us.

Well, I am going to throw in another two cents. Stan, I know you live there, but I visit very often (my daughter attended UMD College Park) and now lives there with her husband and daughter. My sister and family are also in the area.We visit very often and have stayed at many hotels in the area.

I say that as a prelude to my warning about College Park/ Greenbelt hotels. Some are just fine (the Days Inn, the Marriott); others, that you would think are acceptable because they are part of a chain, are downright scary. We stayed at a Comfort Inn that featured bullet proof glass and pit bulls in the reception area on Route 1. A Quality Inn with hookers and drug dealers working openly in the "lobby". Mold and dirt in both. Not trying to be upsetting here, just a heads up that it is an up and down area that I think requires some specific information. My daughter lived there for four wonderful years and settled nearby, but it is an urban area and IMHO, one needs to be aware of the specifics of the place where you are staying.

Well Kate's post worried me but I needed to hear it. I'd love to stay in or closer to DC but can't see spending over $200 a night when half of our family won't be with us to enjoy it. I've done some searching and wonder whether anyone has anything positive or negative to say about Columbia, MD. There seem to be several hotels with pools which is a plus for my son after a day of sightseeing. Could we stay in that area for 5 nights and use public transportation to get to DC and Baltimore?

Thank you for your patience and responses.

My sister lives not far from Columbia. We did several things in Columbia when we visited her the week after Christmas. It's a planned city-- very nice-- that was started when I was growing up nearby in Laurel, between Baltimore and Washington, well-situated for interstate/highway access. Great mall and a big movie theater-- lots of restaurants! I loved the LL Bean store.

But I can't answer much about the public transportation. (Hopefully Stan can help.) We went into DC one day when we were just there and drove quite a way to a Metro station.

Here's a link to the Columbia website. Maybe there is some info here about public transportation.

Kathy

Millie-
Columbia is a possibility for a base to stay, as you can take the MARC train from Savage, MD north to Baltimore or south to DC. Be aware that the commuter trains run only Monday-Friday (cost is probably $10 or less each way). If you stay in Columbia, it would be easier to park at a DC metro station and take the metro into Washington. You could get to Baltimore by taking the Light Rail stop near BWI airport. Kaydee's links above will show that information. If you decide to stay in Baltimore overnight, I would recommend the Quality Inn at the Carlyle on West University Parkway. I have seen their suites (which are well under $150/night)and they're modern with kitchenettes or kitchens. I'm told they have a pool and also valet parking. (Some family and friends will stay here for an upcoming wedding.) This is in a nice neighborhood within walking distance of Johns Hopkins University (they have a lacrosse museum if your kids are interested) and the Baltimore Museum of Art is less than a half-mile walk. The #11 bus runs on Charles Street (four blocks away) and will take you downtown near the Inner Harbor for about $1.60 each way or you can get a day pass.
There is also the MD Science Center in the Inner Harbor, with an IMAX theater and planetarium.
Yes, there is crime in our city, but staying in pedestrian and tourist friendly areas around the harbor you should be fine, as well as in areas I described above.
Have a wonderful week exploring the Baltimore,Annapolis and DC area!
Joana

I appreciate everyone's help. I'm trying not to get overwhelmed. If I want to leave the car, depend entirely on public transportation and feel safe, would my best bet be at BWI? It looks like I can get a decent if not better hotel, with a pool and free shuttle service to BWI, than I am finding in some of the outlying areas.

I think the BWI plan may be your best- it is convenient, safe, gives you lots of transportation options and is relatively cheap. The only downsides are that it a boring spot, but of course if you are just sleeping there, that isn't a big deal, and there seems to be a lack of restaurants nearby (at least we could not find any). The hotels offer a free breakfast, but you would probably want to have dinner before returning at the end of the day.

I think you will have a great time- it is a wonderful part of the country!

I would have to agree that almost anywhere there are better and worse places to stay. I am surprised there were pit bulls in any hotel lobby, but since I dont' tend to stay in the hotels in the area, I can't say much about most of them.

Columbia is a nice area but certainly not overly accesable to public transport. BWI is certainly probably the most accesable to public transport although as was mentioned, it is an airport, not a lot of fun at the hotel unless you are into watching planes That said, if you are seeing it just as a bedroom, it doesn't matter much.

I know there is a Marriot Courtyard in Greenbelt that is nice, but I have no idea of price.

As to aquarium passes, email me at staninmd@hotmail.com and I will give you some info. I imagine I can hook you up with passes.

Let us know of any other questions you have.

Stan

Sometimes it is just worth the price to stay where you want to stay. Often the parking fees and transportation costs will add up, and you are still a hassle distance from where you want to be, especially when you have an hour trip back to your comfy hotel room where you really just want to lay down for just a minute and maybe doze off....................

Touring is hard business, be kind to yourself.

In Balt. do not forget the world class B&O railroad museum, the street markets, the weekend festivals at the Inner Harbor, Little Italy and Fells Point restaurants. etc etc etc

Have you thought about B&B accomodations? While they aren't cheap like a Motel 6, they certainly existed when I lived in the DC area and Annapolis before I moved to Italy.
I honestly hardly recognized the city I knew from the descriptions here. Surely it isn't that bad? For example, much of SE in DC is poor and rough, but parts are quite chic and gentrified. Staying downtown costs something, sure, but saves on transport and time. There are places used heavily by tour groups and it certainly is tourist season. It's hard top believe that tour group hotels cost 200 a day... but I haven't lived there for over 5 years.
Places I know include the Tabard Inn, which many of my European friends liked and the BBC uses. I expect it is pricey. Not far away is the Marriott at the National Press building which was often convention housing. In SW there are several places on the Potomac that serve tourists and they all have parking, too. As I recall, the online Washington Post had a section devoted to special offers and packages for visiting DC. They also have a dining guide that points out food places that are cheap. Washingtonian Magazine publishes an annual "50 best cheap restaurants" you should look at.
The Smithsonian takes a lifetime to see, as I can testify, and doesn't cost a dime.
In Annapolis there certainly are B&Bs, rooms people let, as well as the Maryland Inn, both in the walking center. At graduation time everyone who lived there was urged to rent out a spare room, and many do it all the time.
I may be nuts, but I would not even think about staying in an exurban place and using trains etc. to go in and out of these cities. Just like here in Italy, you spend your time doing exactly what the residents hate, commuting, plus the costs add up and you have no place to go during the day if you get tired, rained on or whatever. The unfortunate truth is that tourist areas can be expensive for lodging.

Thanks for your thoughts Judith. I have to say I've had serious reservations about staying outside of the area we want to see and needed a nudge to rethink my plans. As much as DC is a big magnet drawing us to take in all it has to offer, I am a bit overwhelmed and don't feel I can give it the planning time I need. Though I made reservations near BWI, it didn't feel right. Heck, if I want to see Rome, NYC or Chicago, would I stay by FCO, JKF or O'Hare? I am now leaning toward a short trip to one of the DE beaches after we drop off one son, followed by sightseeing for two or three days in Baltimore and Annapolis. Maybe just take it easy and save DC for another trip.

I really appreciate the time everyone took to respond to my questions.

P.S. Judith, I wish I had some great ideas for Rome (NY). I live upstate but am not familiar with that City. If she's there over a weekend, she can head northeast to the Adirondacks, west to the Finger Lakes - home of some great NY wineries or southwest to Ithaca, a neat college town.