Top Camping Tips - Maryland Written by Administrator    Camping Gems - Maryland Tips Baltimore Driving You may find driving around Baltimore to be a bit of a challenge since most of its main streets are one way. If you'd rather explore downtown using the service provided by Baltimore Trolley Tours, call 410-653-2998 for information. You can also explore Baltimore from the water by hitching a ride on the Water Taxi, summer hours 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. weekdays or 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on weekends, 800-658-8947. They sell a reasonable all day pass and stop at 15 landings in the Inner Harbor. Baltimore Safety Since Baltimore is a big city, you'll need to have your personal safety radar on high at all times. Before heading out, make sure you study a map and know where you are going. Always lock your car and keep your windows up when driving. You'll need to take extra precautions with your purses and wallet too. Only carry a pocket book that has a secure closure. Keep your hands on this closure and the purse close to your body at all times. Keep wallets in an inside coat or trouser pocket. NEVER put it in your rear pocket. In crowds, be alert for pickpockets. The Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association folks also advise you to never use a large bill for a small purchase. It is much safer to use credit cards or travelers checks for any major expenses. Weather Maryland generally experiences mild weather.  The annual average temperature is 55 degrees Fahrenheit. July is the warmest month with average temperatures in the mid to upper 80s.  In January, the average lows are in the mid 20s. Last Updated on Thursday, 11 September 2008 00:39

Top 10 Camping Hidden Gems in Maryland Written by Administrator    Camping Gems - Maryland Crampton Gap, Appalachian Trail:   At Gathland State Park, you'll have access to the Crampton Gap, a scenic stretch of the Appalachian Trail.  The best day hike is a 6-mile trek to the Weverton Cliffs, in the direction of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.  The views are spectacular! Catoctin Mountain Park    With 25 miles of trails winding through Catoctin Mountain Park, a variety of experiences are available, many leading to outstanding scenic vistas. The roads of Catoctin Mountain Park offer scenic driving all year, but portions of Park Central Road and Manahan Road are closed in winter. Enjoy picnicking, wildlife viewing, fly-fishing, and cross country skiing. Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore As you wander through this 176-acre estate, you'll find a variety of gardens, trails, a hands-on nature museum, a bird museum with dioramas, and a horticultural reference library. The museums and library are only open on Thursday afternoons. (4915 Greenspring Ave) Wye Island This Natural Resources Management Area is located in the tidal recesses of the Chesapeake Bay between the Wye River and the Wye East River.  Wildlife viewing and hiking are the most popular activities on Wye Island's six miles of trails. Hunting is also permitted in Fall and Winter. Millington Wildlife Management Area The mixture of habitats supports a variety of wildlife species, such as whitetail deer, turkeys, gray squirrels, rabbits, quail, woodcock, and waterfowl, as well as furbearers and songbirds. Ducks abound on the many ponds and streams, which also offer excellent fishing for bass and bluegills. Maryland Zoo, Baltimore Here you'll find more than 1,200 beasties waiting to entertain and educate you. They feature an innovative Children's Zoo, America's largest colony of African black-footed penguins, and the African Watering Hole where you can spot rhinos, zebras, and gazelles. (Druid Hill Park, 410-547-8333) Susquehanna State Park Dramatic rock outcroppings, deep forests, and winding trails make this a popular park for Marylanders.  Head here for the first-rate mountain biking, the hiking, and for fishing and boating on the Susquehanna River.  Don't miss the resorted Rock Run Historical Area with its working grist mill and Jersey Toll House. Loch Raven Reservoir Fishing, canoeing, boating, hiking -- Loch Raven has it all!  Visitors can angle for large and small mouth bass, yellow perch, and northern pike or spend their time paddling on the lake.  Hikers won't want to miss the oustanding Merryman Point trail, one of the prettiest in the region. Cunningham Falls State Park Set in the picturesque Catoctin Mountains, this park is known for its history and scenic beauty, as well as its 78-foot cascading waterfall. The Falls are located one half mile from the lake in the Houck Area via the Falls Trail. Anglers can fish for bass, bluegills, sunfish, crappie, and catfish, and there is also catch-and-release trout fishing in Big Hunting Creek. Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, Baltimore If you're a fan of Edgar Allan Poe's, visit his final resting place, along with many other famous Marylander's, in the Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, Westminster Churchyard. The dramatic church building, the graveyard, and catacombs were founded in 1786. (519 W Fayette St, 410-706-2072) Last Updated on Thursday, 11 September 2008 00:35   Top 10 Camping Places to Eat in Maryland Written by Administrator    Camping Gems - Places to Eat in Maryland Frederick Acacia Zest Bethesda Black's Bar & Kitchen Jaleo Baltimore Brightons Orangerie Sonoma's Bar and Grille San Marco's Tug's Bar & Grille Frostburg Au Petit Paris Rockville Addie's Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 September 2008 19:22   Top 10 Camping Places to Go in Maryland Written by Administrator    Camping Gems - Places to Go in Maryland Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine This is the site of a very important victory over the British in the War of 1812. You'll also find a replica of the flag that Francis Scott Key saw during the battle which inspired him to write, "The Star Spangled Banner." (24000 E Fort Ave, 410-962-4290) Ocean City Experience Maryland's eastern shore while you play at the two amusement parks, stroll the board walk, run along ten miles of public beach, dine at great seafood buffets, and try to catch one of the marlins or sharks just waiting to challenge your skills. Gunpowder Falls State Park    Explore the more than 100 miles of trails on foot, by bike, or on horseback.  This stunning park includes freshwater fishing streams, flatwater lakes for canoeing and kayaking, hunting areas, and playgrounds.  Canoe down the whitewater of the Gunpowder River or cool off with a river swim. Baltimore Head to the big sites of Baltimore -- the Inner Harbor with its sail boats, the National Aquarium, and Fort McHenry. You can also take in an Orioles game for as little as $8. Little Italy is a vibrant area full of great, cheap dining places, and if you're lucky enough to schmooze your way into a crab boil, your life will never be the same again. Backbone Mountain Get the satisfaction of having climbed Maryland's highest point without too much effort.  Climbing Backbone Mountain is fairly easy, and the view from the top is rewarding.  Sugarloaf Mountain    This Registered Natural Landmark has lush oak forests and over 500 species of plants and wildflowers.  With miles of hiking trails, this is a terrific place to watch for flying squirrels, red foxes, eastern cottontails, great horned owls, and raccoons. National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Frederick As you tour this 3-story pre-Civil War brick building you'll see some of Gordon Dammann's 3,000 object medical artifact collection, the unforgettable photos that make up the Wall of Wounded, and four galleries divided into "Recruiting-the Army Camp," "The Army Battle," "Caring for the Sick and Wounded," and "The Role of the Home Front." (48 E Patrick St., 301-695-1864) Eastern Neck Island National Wildlife Refuge Set on a 2,286-acre island in the span where the Chester River flows into Chesapeake Bay, this refuge is a sanctuary for migratory birds.  Every year, more than 240 bird species visit or live here, including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and tundra swans. Western Maryland Railroad Ride through areas of scenic beauty and historical drama on the Western Maryland Railroad. You'll pass through the Narrows, see the historic Frostburg Depot, and cruise through the Brush Tunnel.  Regular excursions leave from the Cumberland station at 11:30 a.m. US Frigate Constellation A visit to the Constellation will give you a chance to see the oldest American warship continuously afloat. When it was launched in 1797 from Baltimore, it became the first commissioned ship in the US Navy. (Baltimore, 301 E Pratt St, 410-539-1797) Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 September 2008 19:17   Top 10 Camping Activities in Maryland Written by Administrator    Camping Gems - Things to Do in Maryland Take a fishing trip or sailing cruise on the Chesapeake Bay. Eat fresh-caught Maryland crab with all the trimmings. Relive pivotal moments from the Revolutionary War at Fort McHenry. Hike to the stunning Cunningham Falls at Cunningham Falls State Park. Explore Baltimore's Inner Harbor and National Aquarium. Climb Backbone Mountain, Maryland's tallest peak. Build sandcastles and run on the beach at Ocean City. See the tundra swans and bald eagles at the Eastern Neck Island National Wildlife Refuge. Learn about army field hospitals at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Take a scenic ride aboard the Western Maryland Railroad. Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 September 2008 19:23