Easily Explore: Baltimore
Trinity Reservations offers park stay and fly, and park stay and cruise packages at airport/cruise port hotels across the United States. Many of these airports are located in or near major cities that are worth exploring! The benefits of booking a park stay and fly package go beyond the free parking, it allows you to extend your vacation and go into the city to explore. In the next few articles we will explore what each city has to see and how to get in and out of different cities from the airport/ cruise port hotel of your choosing. Beginning with Baltimore!
In the Baltimore area Trinity Reservations offers packages at the Best Western Elkridge MD, Country Inn & Suites, Best Western Baltimore and Comfort Inn & Suites (which share a parking lot), and the Extended Stay America. All of these hotels run shuttle to and from the BWI airport! If you are going to the cruise port the only hotel that doesn't currently run shuttle to the cruise port is the Country Inn & Suites… but keep your eyes open this might be changing soon! Check back in the fall and all of the hotels could be running cruise port shuttle!
There is SO much to see in Baltimore! There is the National Aquarium (my favorite aquarium I have been to so far!) is located at the Inner Harbor. They have more than just fish here and is a great time for all ages! You can spend the whole day at the Inner Harbor with its shopping and restaurants. Do you like sports? Camden Yards is right at the Inner Harbor (the Orioles baseball field), and the Ravens (football) play in Baltimore! The Convention Center hosts many events throughout the year. And there is so much more! The Arundel Mills mall is also nearby for your shopping needs. The question becomes- how do I get there?
If you are driving to the hotel/ area, you can absolutely just take your car and explore. I have personally done this and it is a short easy ride to the Inner Harbor area, less than a half hour ride. There are numerous parking lots and garages around town with hourly and daily rates which allow you to spend the rest of the day walking about.
But how do you get to the Baltimore Inner Harbor if you are flying into town? Or if you don't want to take your vehicle into the city? How do you get to the Baseball field or the Football field? Taking a taxi would be my first guess, or using a service like Uber or Lyft which are becoming popular in some parts of the country. All of these options cost $$$. Is there a free or low cost option? YES! Every one of the hotels I listed above provides free shuttle to and from the airport. Baltimore has a light rail that has a stop at the airport. Just take the free shuttle to the airport, hop on the light rail towards Baltimore, and get off at the stop at the Convention Center, or Camden Yards. Now you are in prime location to get to all the attractions! A one-way ticket only cost $1.70 per person… or $4 per person for an all day pass. For a family of four that is only $16 for a day full of exploring all that Baltimore has to offer! Then just hop on the light rail back to the airport and take the free shuttle back to the hotel and enjoy!
Chelsea Piper 6/29/16