| |
Kids Love Downtown Baltimore Mom Ambassadors are real moms who are regular visitors to Downtown Baltimore. They are sharing their tips on great visits Downtown. For information on becoming a Kids Love Downtown Baltimore Mom Ambassador, please email promotions@dpob.org.
Beata from Patterson Park
Reviews Include:
B&O Railroad Museum:
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to live in Baltimore. Every time I go to one of the many attractions the person working the ticket counter always asks some variation of the "where do you live" question and I love saying "here - in Baltimore city" because I always seem to get that conspiratorial nod of approval. Our most recent adventure was a solo trip with just my little guy (2.5 now) to the B&O Railroad Museum. We have been a few times before, but always during really crowded times (Day Out with Thomas, the winter holiday train display, etc) and it was really great to explore the museum on little man`s timing. He LOVES the roundhouse and all of the enormous, by his standards and mine, engines parked there. There is so much history there (for me) and so much to see and touch (for us both). The most exciting part about this trip was that I found 3 different exhibits that I never knew existed! There is a gallery - I found out about this when I was looking for the rest room - with model trains behind glass. There is one very large model in the middle. You push a button and a part of the train lit up based on the corresponding label that explained the feature. I learned even more about train engineering, and my 2 year old gleefully pushed buttons and made the lights come on. I also didn`t realize there was a train car with a model train exhibit in it. That was a very cool surprise, though it`s not like it was hidden or new, I just never stumbled across it before. There is also an activity area for small children. It has 3 train tables the kids can play with and an assortment of train themed activities - blocks, books, coloring pages, dress up clothes, puzzles, and games. My little guy especially liked that the tracks were glued in place and regardless on how rough Gordon took his turns, the tracks stayed in place. We took the 20 minute train ride. It was a relaxing ride for me and my son was very excited to ride a train that goes "chugga chugga choo choo" as he repeated for a large portion of the ride. Luckily, it seemed the train was filled with the under 3 crowd that day, so he was in good company. We spent the last hour of our adventure exploring the outdoor play area. There is a small train you can ride around a miniature village, a small merry go round, playground equipment, and of course another model train exhibit. There is something for everyone at the B&O. I can`t say that I really had ANY interest in trains prior to 3 years ago when my eldest officially became a Thomas fanatic, but I really enjoy learning, touching and seeing at the B&O. My husband has often complained that he needs to come alone so that he could actually spend some time reading about what he sees in greater detail. My boys can come time and time again and love every minute of our adventure. The B&O is a place you could pop in for an hour or 2 to see and enjoy a few activities, or you could easily spend the entire day really diving deeper into the fascinating world of trains. Make sure to go before the holiday rush and enjoy it for all of its raw fun. |
Tinker Toys at Port Discovery:
After 5 years of attending kid-centric activities I've learned that sometimes mom and kids don't necessarily like the same things. Case in point: the new Tinker Toys exhibit at Port Discovery. At first glance I was pretty underwhelmed. I'm a big fan of Port Discovery and was really excited to see what the Tinker Toys exhibit was all about. I looked around and thought - well, I guess we won't be here very long. Hmm - I was wrong. My boys now 5 & 2.5 had a blast. There were buttons to push, and wheels to spin, and levers to move, and discs to drop. That was worth at least an hour's worth of entertainment. In fact, I'm the one that said "it's time to go" before they were really ready to move on. There are at least a half dozen stations where kids could interact with a tinker toy within a tinker toy. In addition, of course, there are bins and bins of tinker toys where you can create whatever your imagination dreams up. My boys weren't very interested in that, but there were many other kids that were. I was most amazed that I saw kids between 2-12 enjoying the exhibit, which in my opinion says alot.
Despite my initial lackluster response, the Tinker Toy exhibit at Port Discovery was a big hit with my boys and that's all that really matters!
|
American Visionary Art Museum:
Two years in Baltimore and we never got around to going to the American Visionary Arts Museum and I decided a visit from an out of town friend was a great reason to finally go. I am so glad we made the trip! We had 4 boys with us - aged 2 - 7. Frankly, I`m always leery of going to art museums with small kids. There are too many things that say "Do Not Touch" and since we mostly go to places like Port Discovery and the Science Center where you`re supposed to touch everything I was worried.
The first building we went to was the "3rd building" it was a HUGE hit. It had a mechanical robot display, and though you couldn`t touch them, all the boys were fascinated, expecially my 2 year old who kept asking me to fix the one robot that didn`t seem to be moving. That building is also home to the Caberet Mechanical Theatre, basically many mechanical wooden puppets that activate with the push of a button. I think all four of them would have been happy to stay there for the whole trip. The first floor was full of colors and interesting things to look at.
We then moved on to the 2nd building, which was part outdoor garden with some really cool water spouts, and an indoor metal chessboard. The boys had fun playing with the water and were fascinated with the HUGE birds nest attached the side of the 3rd building - a very cleverly disguised balcony.
The 1st building was home to the main building. Every room had something of interest for the kids, but the highlight of the building was the whoopee cushion bench. We spent 15 minutes "burping" as my almost 5 year old called it. It was pretty much the only thing they could touch, or at least I hope they were allowed to touch it!!!!
Overall, it was a great experience. We did not see any other children on a Wednesday afternoon and did get some annoyed looks from serious art viewers, but the boys were well behaved and didn`t break any thing so I considered a successful journey. We did spend an awful lot of time saying "no, we can`t touch that" so I don`t think it`s something we`re going to do frequently, but we`ll go back for sure! It was a really neat place. I think it would be really great for school aged kids that understood about just looking at art.
|
Roy's:
My first experience at Roy`s was last week. My husband was traveling so I decided to take my 2 little guys there to celebrate Dylan`s 2nd birthday. I was a little nervous because neither one of my children had ever been to a "fine dining" restaurant and especially since I was outnumbered. The restaurant staff didn`t blink when they saw me with the 2 of them. First great step. My 4.5 year old announced that it was his little brother`s birthday, and all the lovely hostesses made a big fuss and both boys basked in the attention. I experienced a little sticker shock when I saw the $13 kids menu, but realized it was a 3 course meal, so I decided my 2 could easily share. Within a minute they both had a plate of the appetizer - cheese quesadillas. My waitress hurried over to assure me she only rang in one kids meal even though the other server saw 2 kids and brought 2 quesadillas. I have never before been to any restaurant where both children were eating something cooked before I even opened my menu. I was in heaven. They were happily eating away and I could calmly decide what I was going to eat. I decided on the pri fixe menu and had a beet salad, a steak dish and the most amazing chocolate lava cake I have ever eaten. Every course was more scrumptious then the last. The boys were well behaved (as well as you can expect two boys under 5 to behave) and every one treated us pleasantly and we had a wonderful experience. They even took a souvenir photo of us for Dylan`s birthday. Roy`s was not a place I would think to bring my kids before, but for our next special occasion, that is where we will be. We loved every minute of it. Leo, my 4.5 year old apparently told his teacher all about it because she stopped the class today to ask where we went since Leo painted such a wonderful picture in her mind. Roy`s - I can`t wait to go back - maybe for Mother`s Day! |
Baltimore Orioles Dugout Club:
This year my family and I decided to purchase the Junior Orioles Dugout Club membership for our 4 year old son. It was a bargain at $22.75! He received a metal lunch box filled with stickers and his own Orioles cap. He was so excited about his hat! With his membership, additional tickets were only $6 so though we didn`t go to all of the games we had tickets for, we still thought the membership more than paid for itself. We also appreciated the inexpensive ticket prices because our son never wanted to stay more than 90 minutes and we never felt like we were "wasting money" if we left early. We never did get to see a whole game, but that`s another story! :-)
Our experience at the stadium was a great one. The best part of being part of the dugout club was that all the families sat together so there were plenty of other kids to play with. This was especially great because our son only seems to have about 15 minutes of game-watching time in him at any one time! We thoroughly enjoyed the bouncy castle as well. There were lots of other activities, though, but our little man is a bouncy-castle man so we did not partake. The picnic area was very welcome to grab something to eat and afforded yet another way to interact with other families.
The staff were always very kind and helpful. We even lost our coupon booklet once, and they looked it up for us and didn`t even view it as an inconvenience.
We live in Patterson Park and took the bus down and back so as to avoid dealing with parking so we can`t comment on that, but highly encourage every one to consider public transit. We`d love to try the Circulator, but it`s just not convenient to our home.
Overall we were very pleased with this very inexpensive way to experience the historic Camden Yards. We will definitely be joining again for 2011.
|
Disney on Ice – Toy Story 3:
My friend and I took our 4 year olds to see Disney on Ice presents Toy Story 3 at the Arena. I had personally never been to a Disney on Ice show, so I was really excited to go. My son loves Toy Story, so he was excited as well. Getting there was easy, and we easily found a parking spot at one of the nearby lots. The Arena staff is friendly and helpful and makes getting to your seats with kids in tow very easy. However, be prepared for vendors hawking pricey souvenirs to your children. This happened on the way to our seats, during intermission, and on the way out. That was my least favorite part of our evening, which was very enjoyable.
The production itself was fantastic. The costumes, music, singing, and ice skating were entertaining and fun to watch. In our group, some of the favorite performances were the green soldiers, the cowboy jamboree, the Barbie dance, and the alien claw. Unfortunately the performance started after my son is normally asleep, so he was likely a little tired going in, but several of acts really scared him - the evil villain and Lotso bear turning Buzz into "a bad guy" left my son scared and crying. My friend's 4 year old was startled a few times, but overall enjoyed the performance.
I walked away from the show thoroughly enjoying it, but would probably only go to a day time show until my son is a little older. To all the parents out there - this is a great family friendly performance, but take into consideration the time of the show, as well as your child's tolerance for loud noises and a little darkness when deciding to take your child.
|
Port Discovery:
I have two boys - a 4 year old and a 16 month old - and they both LOVE Port Discovery. We go there at least 3 times a month and have some insider tips for you. First, the best place to park is on Baltimore Street, just east of President Street. I've always found metered parking. There is a 2 hour limit, but my boys and I never stay more than 2 hours. It costs us $0.50 to park and I avoid driving past President Street where the traffic is always thick. It is about a 5 minute walk - really not any further than any other place you could park.
Once there, my 4 year old loves to start with the huge climbing center in the middle of the museum. My little one will just run in circles. Then we move onto the toddler room where both boys have a ball. It looks like they will be expanding and upgrading that within the year, so we're really looking forward to seeing what they do with it. Of course, the Bob the Builder exhibit is AWESOME! It is so realistic. All of the pictures we've gotten make it look like we're really hanging out with Bob, Scoop and the rest of the gang. My little one loves 'kitty cat"!
We've also had a great time in the Water Works exhibit. There's something for everyone there. The diner is more geared toward my older son and even older than that. The rest of the exhibits are for the older children, but I'm sure they're all fun! Our recommendation is to go in the late afternoon - 3-5pm. Our experience is that the morning is very crowded with the camp kids in the summer.
We like to end our experience with a meal at the brand new Two Boots across the way. It is superb pizza AND they have a 'kids only' area where kids can talk to the pizza man and are able to play with their own pizza dough. Who can beat a place that entertains your kids for you while you wait for your food. Can't say enough good things about this place!
|
National Aquarium:
Going to the Baltimore Aquarium is always a special treat for my boys (4.5 and 2). We almost always park in Little Italy and walk over. If you`re going with little ones, remember, no strollers in the Aquarium (there is a stroller check) so if your little one is not a good walker yet, make sure to bring a carrier. Getting tickets is pretty easy. Non-members pick up their tickets in the kiosk just outside the museum; members pick them inside the doors. The first thing you encounter is the commemorative photo photographers. We always skip those. There are lockers for your convenience if you have alot with you. The first "exhibit" we go to is the bubble tubes. I know it`s not an exhibit, but it might as well be as my 2 year old stands there until we pull him away. Luckily the sting rays are very close by so I can usually let my older son go there and still keep an eye on both of them. They both love the huge 3 legged sea turtle - I can`t remember her name. She is a sight though! With 2 small boys, part of the fun of the aquarium is just getting from exhibit to exhibit. There are escalators and ramps and both are very fun! Next we typically enjoy the small fish in the tanks. Of course "nemo" is always a hit. Poor clown fish will never be known by its proper name again. My older son really dislikes the rain forest for some reason, so we always have to run through it. Unfortunately, I can not tell you anything about it. One day I`ll have to go alone so that I can actually enjoy the Aquarium my way. :-) The enormous shark tanks are a favorite. You have ramps, sharks, other really cool big fish - what more can you ask for?! After we enjoy the sharks for a long while, we move on to the Dolphins. The dolphin show is just so impressive. I`ve seen dolphin shows in other places before, and I never tire of these amazing animals. Their talent and charisma is just mesmerizing. A day at the aquarium would not be complete without looking at the jelly fish. It always amazes me that creatures can look so beautiful behind glass would be very scary when seen face to face. It`s a nice "zen" way to end a hectic morning for us. Again, if alone, I could see myself spending hours in this room just watching these creatures move so elegantly through the water. We`ve never eaten at the Aquarium since there are so many options in the Harbor. Some of our favorite, quick, easy and relatively inexpensive options are: Chipotle, Noodles & Company and Panera. If you have a little more time, we like Uno - if you ask for a booth by the windows you have the added bonus of keeping the kids entertained by looking at the harbor and all of the activity there. |
Shrek at the Hippodrome:
My friend and I and her 2 school aged daughters went to the Hippodrome to see Shrek. I had intended on bringing my 4 year old, but at the last minute decided against it. He`s normally in bed by 7:30 and I thought an 8pm show was likely not going to end well. The theatre is easy to get to, located at Eutaw & Baltimore with either garage or street parking close by. The Hippodrome is beautiful & the people very warm & helpful. It felt like they were welcoming us into their homes. I don’t think there is a bad seat in the house. My only complaint is that the knee room is a little sparse. Be prepared for the cost of snacks & drinks, drinks started at $4, even the water. The only snacks near our seats were chips & candy. We only purchased water since we had just finished dinner. Unlike other kids’ shows that I have attended, souvenirs weren`t actively hawked, so I really appreciated that. We didn`t even notice a souvenir stand until after the show.
I wasn`t positive how the story was going to translate to theatre. It was wonderful! The kids loved it. Not just my friend`s girls, kids of all ages were entranced by the costumes, songs & dancing. There were plenty of jokes for every age. It began with Shrek as a 7 year old; his parents singing as they sent him off into the world on his own. Next Princess Fiona at 7 was taken to her tower, where all good little Princesses spend some time until their Princes come for them. That was all they needed to completely capture the kids attention. The costumes were wonderful - very bright and sparkly. Princess Fiona & Shrek`s were what you`d expect from the movie. Lord Farquaad`s was especially well thought out. Figuring out how they managed to make a full grown man play the role was part of the fun for the adults. This performance enthralled the children from the start. Many of the fairy tale characters made an appearance. The 3 Blind Mice danced with their white canes, the 3 pigs made jokes about being evicted, the Gingerbread Man showed up on a cookie sheet. Jokes of all types entertained everyone. Some only the adults understood, others had all of us laughing. The songs & dance numbers were so much fun no one wanted to pick favorites. I must not forget the scenery. It was well done. Everything was represented, but some was left to our imagination. They even had the stage move during one of the dances.
The 8pm show ended around 10:30pm. The children had no trouble staying awake during the performance. As soon as my friend`s youngest hit the car it was lights out. I heard this morning & the entire day was difficult because of it. Probably better to go to the daytime shows. I saw a few couples without children, but most of the audience had children, the average age seemed to be middle school & above. My overall assessment, this was a fantastic show to take the children to, but if you have children under 10, it might be best to stick to a day time performance. In the end, I`m glad I left my 4 year old at home sleeping soundly in his bed.
We had a wonderful time and will return to the Hippodrome again. Either for a day or weekend show.
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Beth from South Baltimore
Reviews Include:
Port Discovery:
My friend and I took our children to
Port Discovery this past month. We each have a two year old and I also had my 4 week old with me. We both took advantage of the free street parking in Little Italy and made the five minute walk to Port Discovery. Port Discovery is great for all ages. It is one of the few places that is easy to navigate with a toddler and newborn. When entering the museum, each member of the party gets a wristband with the same number and wristbands are checked upon exiting to make sure they all match. I think this is a great safety feature and wish more places would offer it. My son loves to explore all of the different exhibits. It’s great seeing his little mind work all while he is laughing and having a blast. They are age appropriate and a lot of fun! They always feature new exhibits and the latest one is Tinker Toys. It’s a phenomenal hands-on exhibit that challenges kids to use their imagination. My son, being on the younger side, had fun moving the pieces around and checking out the different shapes and colors. While there, I observed the older children reading the educational pieces associated with each station. Port Discovery always offers something new as well as the favorites. I love the new toddler room. It’s an area where my son can run from place to place and I can relax with the new baby knowing that he is safe since the area is enclosed. Make sure you check the calendar at the entrance – they offer all types of activities throughout the day. Overall, you won’t be disappointed. It is one of our favorite attractions and we always leave happy! |
Shrek at the Hippodrome:
My family attended Shrek the Musical at the Hippodrome Theatre on opening night. The Theatre is located on the West side of the city and we were lucky enough to find a ‘pay to park’ spot that was free after 6pm. There are also several lots surrounding the theatre that are reasonably priced at $8 for the event. The show was at 8pm, so we had already eaten dinner. We did however stop for a pre-theatre drink at Ale Wife. This restaurant bar is located on the same block as the Hippodrome. They have a fun menu with a great beer and wine list. There were half a dozen kids in the dining area and I would consider it to be family friendly. After leaving Ale Wife, it only took a few minutes to get our tickets from will call and be seated. We were located in the middle of the theatre and had a great view of the stage. Although, there’s truly not a bad eat in the house! For this particular show, there were many families and we did not feel uncomfortable being with our toddler (22 months old). The show is spectacular! The combination of the cast, music, dancing, costumes, and lights really bring the stage to life. Shrek the Musical is entertaining for both children and adults. My son was mesmerized by all of the music and dancing and my husband and I were able to enjoy all of the humor targeted towards the adult audience. The show itself is long – 2.5 hours including intermission. If you are bringing a younger child, I may recommend attending an earlier show. There was never a dull moment and my son was entertained from start to finish. I would definitely bring my son back to the Hippodrome for another show. We had a very positive experience and the show exceeded our expectations. I highly recommend checking it out!
|
National Aquarium:
This past month, my family visited the National Aquarium. It was a warmer day, so we parked in one of the free parking spots (valid for 3 hours) in Little Italy and made the five minute walk to the Aquarium. My son, 21 months, loves to check out all of the people and boats at the Inner Harbor, so it makes for a nice walk. Once we entered the Aquarium, we checked our stroller as they do not allow strollers. If your child does not walk yet, there are backpacks that you can check out free of charge. The Aquarium is very spread out and there’s so much to see. We started at the giant tank with the sting rays and then worked our way to each display. If you’re traveling with a toddler, you can get through the Aquarium in roughly an hour as their attention span isn’t too great. My son’s favorite is the Australia exhibit with all of the snakes and lizards. He also likes to stop at each fish tank to see all of the brightly colored fish. There are small steps at most tanks, which makes viewing the fish easy for younger kids. Make sure you get tickets to the dolphin show as it is a definite highlight. It’s entertaining for all ages. My son was able to sit still for the entire show and enjoyed all of the action. If you arrive early to the dolphin show there’s an area to the left of the dolphin show entrance, which is great for active toddlers with a puppet show display and exploratory stations. Highly recommend for blowing off steam before the show. Overall, the National Aquarium is great for all ages. It combines fun and learning, which is always a plus. If you live in the area, I highly recommend a family membership. It’s nice to be able to go for an hour or two a few times each month. There are also many great activities in and around the Inner Harbor to check out when visiting the National Aquarium. Before visiting, I recommend checking out their website www.aqua.org since they always have great programs throughout the year. |
Toy Story:
My family recently attended Disney on Ice – Toy Story 3 at the 1st Mariner Arena. The 1st Mariner Arena is located in the heart of downtown Baltimore. There are many parking garages surrounding the arena. You can expect to pay a $10 to $15 flat fee. If you live downtown, I would recommend taking the Charm City Circulator to avoid paying for parking. I felt very comfortable making the three block walk to the arena as the area is well lit with plenty of security. I arrived a half hour prior to the show and had ample time to get to my seat. The arena is well laid out the ushers were extremely helpful. I would recommend feeding your children prior to show. The concession lines were long and there were not many healthy options available. The show itself was phenomenal! I was a little nervous bringing my 17 month old since he’s your typical active toddler. I was amazed as he sat through the entire show. The music, lights, costumes and talented cast brought the arena to life. My son was clapping, singing and dancing to the music. The show was cleverly put together and it held both the children’s and adult’s attention from start to finish. I will definitely bring my son next year! It was a great family outing that we all enjoyed. If you are not familiar with downtown Baltimore I highly recommend visiting the 1st Mariner’s website. There was a lot of great information from directions to parking to restaurants and hotels in the area. Overall, it was a great night! |
Cirque Dreams at the Hippodrome:
This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to attend Cirque Dreams illumination at the Hippodrome theatre located in West Baltimore. We decided to grab a bite to eat in Mt. Vernon before the show. North Charles Street has many great restaurants and the majority of them are kid friendly. We chose to dine at one of our new favorite restaurants, Maisy’s. There’s something on the menu for everyone, including my favorites the brick oven margherita pizza and the bison cheese steak. The staff is friendly and very accommodating, especially with children.
After, we drove to the theatre which was a quick 5 minute drive. The Hippodrome theatre is close to many parking garages, which makes it easy with kids. We were able to find a spot one block from the theatre in the "Pay to Park" zone. This is a great option at night since it is free parking after 6 PM at most of the "Pay to Park" spots. The area surrounding the theatres is well lit and I felt very safe walking from my car to the entrance.
The Hippodrome is a great theatre for kids. It took us less than 5 minutes to get from the car into our seats. The theatre is laid out well and there’s honestly not a bad seat in the house. The stage is close, which makes it easier for children to view all of the action.
Cirque Dream illumination itself was fabulous! The music, dancing, acrobatics, lights, and colors were enjoyed by both parents and children. The plot was easy to follow and I believe that the recommended age of 4 was appropriate for this particular show. There was an intermission, which is nice for children to get up and stretch. I highly recommend both the Hippodrome and Cirque Dreams illumination!
|
B&O Railroad Museum:
My son and I visited the B&O Railroad museum on a weekday afternoon. This museum offers complimentary parking, which is always a plus! I took the stroller with me and my son enjoyed looking at all the trains. This museum is truly great for all ages. The children love looking at all of the great trains and parents can read all about the history surrounding the museum. The outside space is also great for little ones as there’s plenty of space to run around. If you’re planning on spending the day, there are many picnic tables and a wooden train for little ones to play on.
While I was there, I read about Kids Fest which will take place September 18th and 19th from 10am to 4pm and will feature the children’s entertainer Milkshake. We will definitely head back for this event. If you have little ones, they have Toddler Time the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month where they feature story time, crafts, and a train ride.
If you are looking for a place for lunch – head to Zella’s Pizza, which happens to be my favorite restaurant in Baltimore. They have delicious pizza, gourmet salads, and outstanding sandwiches. They are located a few miles from the museum in an area known to the locals as Sowebo. It is also very kid friendly! www.zellaspizzeria.com |
Roy's:
My family visited Roy’s Restaurant in Harbor East this past month. One great thing about Harbor East is that there are several parking options. Several of the restaurants offer $5 parking with restaurant validation and Roy’s is included. There are also many pay to park spots throughout Harbor East. We made reservations in advance, which I recommend since they were packed at 5:30pm on a Sunday evening. The hostess greeted us warmly and we were given a portable DVD player with Disney’s Finding Nemo and a coloring sheet with crayons. We were seated next to a couple celebrating a first anniversary, which made me nervous considering my son isn’t always quiet when dining out. However, the servers made us feel very welcome and within a few minutes we had our drinks. The kids menu is phenomenal. Kids can choose from a California roll, penne with cheese, crispy chicken, fork tender braised short ribs, and grilled salmon! Kids also receive complimentary grilled cheese quesadillas, assorted vegetable crudités and a sundae after dinner. We ordered a lobster California roll, Crispy Kung Pao Style Calamari, Parmesan crusted local rockfish, and tender braised beef short ribs. Everything was delicious! It was so nice to be able to enjoy a nice dinner with our son. The service definitely makes Roy’s top notch. They were efficient, friendly and stopped by our table several times to play with my son. Normally, I feel rushed when we are out with him, but this was not the case. I would highly recommend Roy’s for a family night out or a date night! |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
.jpg "http://www.kidslovedowntownbaltimore.com/CMS/upload/brunetteingreen(1).jpg")
Claudia from Fells Point
Reviews Include:
Shrek at the Hippodrome:
Shrek at the Hippodrome was a blast. I had doubts that the kids (age 10 and 12) would be entertained as much as the toddler crowd but to my surprise not only did they thoroughly enjoy it, so did we! There is something magical about seeing a musical. The show started at 8pm, we arrived at the Hippodrome at 6:30 to pick our tickets up at will call and managed to get rock star parking right outside the theater. It’s $2 an hour to park and in effect from 10am to 8pm so we only spent $3.00 on parking. There are also several parking garages around the theater, but we have always lucked out with spots on the street. Once we picked our tickets up at will call both kids reminded me of the booster seats they had enjoyed at our last visit (available past stage right on the lower level for a $1 fee). This was my mother’s first visit to the Hippodrome and she was enchanted. I’ve said it before, there is not one bad seat in the whole theater. We were on the second level (first time in that area) and the kids had great views of the stage. I asked the kids this morning what they favorite part of the show was. They both agreed that seeing the gingerbread man live was awesome. The costumes and creativity in presenting the characters (and scenes) from the movie were spectacular. The song were catchy and the pop culture references plentiful. We had a great time and very many laughs. We are looking forward to the next show!
|
Hippodrome with the Kids: Cirque Dreams Illumination:
Living downtown we have been to the Hippodrome countless times. We always plan to be in the area about an hour before the show is slated to start. Finding parking is pretty easy as there are plenty of street spaces available as well as a handful of garages around the perimeter of the theater .
The venue is beautiful and carefully laid out. The ushers are incredibly helpful and cheerful. We found our seats quickly and can honestly say there isn't such a thing as a bad seat at the Hippodrome. Having petite kids can sometimes be a challenge (not tall enough to see over the back of people's heads) so we opted for locating booster seats. Even though I had been to shows there before I had never noticed that they offered this service. We quickly found out where booster seats are rented (near the concession stand in the back on the second floor) and happily paid the $1.00 rental fee (they only take cash). I have to say the boosters made all the difference. The kids (9 and 11) laid back and enjoyed the show and could see EVERYTHING without playing the traditional "find the gap" game.
During the intermission the kids loaded up on snacks from the concession stand - Twizzlers and Peanut M&M’s for $5 bucks each.
Cirque was a wonderful show and the Hippodrome a perfect venue -not too big or too small, but just right. We are already making plans to see Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker in December!
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Heidi from Federal Hill
Reviews Include:
Port Discovery - Tinker Toys and Tot Trails:
This past weekend, we took my son and daughter to Port Discovery—the first trip in many months. The first stop on our drip was the Tinker Toys exhibit. This exhibit, geared toward ages 3-7, was a little beyond my two and a half year old, but he still found some fun! He enjoyed the conveyor belt, the pulley machine, and of course, playing with the Tinker Toys.
We also had a great time in the new infant & toddler room on the third floor, Tot Trails. My six-month old enjoyed the various textures on the walks, the padded play area with brightly colored balls, fish, and other toys, and watching her brother catch “butterflies” in the wind tunnel.
The museum is so big we didn’t get to explore even half of it—something we’ll definitely have to come back for!
|
American Visionary Art Museum:
Yesterday, I took my son and daughter (2. 5 years and 5 months) to the American Visionary Art Museum. They both really liked the "What Makes Us Smile" exhibit and the London`s Cabaret Mechanical Theatre in the Jim Rouse Visionary Center. The "WMUS" exhibit included many quotes for adults to read and lots of children friendly things, such as mirrors, Sesame Street, and was exploding with color. The Cabaret Mechanical Theatre was the best because it was interactive. You push the button and the art moves. Pretty cool. Also in the the Jim Rouse Visionary Center were some of the floats from the Kinetic Sculpture Race. As the kids are big fans of that event, they were excited to see them up close! (Recognized them too, surprisingly...)
It would have been too difficult with the wee ones by myself, as there are many sculptures that fall into the "DON`T touch" category. I think older kids might like it quite a bit more. The whole place could probably be done in 4 hours, if you read everything. We did it in 1.5.
|
Roy’s Restaurant, Harbor East:
The first attempt we made to eat at Roy’s, we were shocked that it was booked for the entire night—from 5:30 on. When we went back the next night, we quickly learned why. From the moment we walked in the door, the staff took care of us and accommodated our 2 year-old and our 2 week-old. They immediately brought hot water to warm up a bottle for the baby and gave us the complimentary cheese quesadilla with carrot sticks. He was thrilled to not have to wait for any food and even more excited with the coloring book they provided. Our dinner was delicious and even our 2 year-old enjoyed the sushi we ordered. All of the wait staff bent over backwards to accommodate our needs. It was lovely to eat in a nice, “fancy” (but not pretentious!) establishment with our whole family along—and welcome. |
National Aquarium in Baltimore:
The Aquarium is one of the best, educational, kid-friendly places in the harbor. On a cold day, a rainy day, a hot day, or really any day our kids can get their exercise, see some fish, and be entertained and educated. My son gets off the escalator and sprints toward the bubble columns. We love to play hide-and-go-seek here before heading over to the sting rays. We love to see all the different kinds and spot the turtle as he moseys through the tank. We stop and count shark teeth, look for Nemo, and spot monkeys in the rain forest. My son loves the “kids’” area. He digs in the sand looking for sea shells and climbs on the artificial log to find each of the critters hidden inside. We end each visit by going to the dolphin show—it is great to be able to sit down after walking (or sprinting!) through the aquarium.
|
Walter Wick:
Where can you find two parents, one toddler, and a good time? Walter Wick’s exhibit at the Walters Art Museum was a great adventure in finding things. Our two-year-old son loved looking for objects in the paintings in the last room and seeing if he could beat mom and dad. The dioramas throughout the exhibit were a great addition to the artwork, adding a 3-D visual puzzle to the mix. Overall the exhibit is geared for children slightly older—probably upwards of 5 years old. There is so much to see and to explore that a toddler doesn’t have patience for, but an older child would thoroughly enjoy! Don’t forget to practice at home with a Walter Wick book or two before seeing the exhibit!
|
Orioles Game & Fan Club Kit:
When the Fan Club Kit arrived at our door, my two-year-old couldn’t keep his hands off of his new "lunch box". We still tote it almost everywhere—to carry food, markers and other "important" items. The inclusion of a special badge (lanyard) and hat are just right for Orioles fans of any age. Our son was proud to wear his badge and hat to the game and really felt like a fan! We sat in the family section of Camden Yards, and had a blast. It was sheltered from the sun (or if there had been rain—rain), and provided a great view of the field and jumbotron screens around the stadium. We will definitely be signing up for the Junior Orioles Fan Club next year!
|
Cirque Dreams at the Hippodrome:
Cirque Dreams is absolutely awe-inspiring. The performers are incredibly talented in a number of areas: acrobatics, juggling, music, acting and many more. This show is perfect for children age 6 and older. On stage the performers are captivating and the colors enticing enough to keep the attention of the very young. In the first act, the most impressive part for adults were the cubists--women who do amazing acrobatics in a spinning cube suspended high in the air. For children, the costumes and talent of the "Foot Manipulators" is a sight to see. Children just learning to "airplane" at home will be captivated by the advanced foot manipulation.
The intermission comes a just the right time for little ones--about 45 minutes into the show. It gives time to take a trip to the bathroom, reload on snacks, and burn off a little energy in the lobby. In the second act, many future jugglers will be inspired by the Percussion Juggler, who plays the drums with his MANY juggling balls. The show ends with a great display of color and music, and leaves the audience wanting more!
|
B&O Railroad Museum:
At first glance, the B&O Railroad museum in Pigtown doesn’t appear to be a place to bring your active toddler. The first few rooms of the museum are antique models of locomotives and train cars—not too much for active hands. But, as you walk into the main room of the museum and beyond, there is more to do than can be fit in before naptime. In the recently re-done circular showroom, there are various actual train cars to look at, locomotives to climb in and on, and even some toy trains to play with. Past the main room is an outdoor model train set, complete with noises and buttons to push, more train cars to explore and even a real train to ride on! Our toddler was completely fascinated by the “choo-choos” and entirely tuckered out after the 2 hours we spent at the museum. I would highly recommend a trip for any child interested in trains!
|
Port Discovery:
Port Discovery is every child’s dream! With more rooms than can be discovered in one visit, this is one location that requires a membership to get the full value. We started at the top and worked our way down. Our toddler loved the water room—complete with not only a water table, but sprinklers, water guns to shoot at symbols and a wall of hand dryers to dry off at the end. Next we explored the “infant & toddler” room. It has tunnels to crawl through, a ball pit and an indoor playground of sorts—all without the big kids romping around. The Lego area was also a big hit. With trucks and Legos of all sizes and shapes the imagination could run wild. As we walked throughout the rest of the museum, we “patted” the large Koren drum, went up the mesh tunnel in the center, and colored at the “art station”. Port Discovery is certainly a place for kids of all ages—and parents, too!
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Sarah Caldwell from Baltimore County & WBAL-TV
Reviews Include:
Port Discovery:
It`s been a few years since I`ve taken my boys, now ages 10 and 7, to Port Discovery. I remembered them LOVING it when they were much younger but wasn`t sure what to expect this time around. Well, it was even better!! They remembered the "Wonders of Water" exhibit and that`s the first place they wanted to go! We liked the fact that this time they provided crocks for the kids. Great idea!! No wet sneakers on the way out! They went back and forth between building dams and tending to the leaky pipes. It is one of those exhibits they could literally take part in all day. I cut their time at "Wonders of Water" short by reminding them that there was so much more to explore. We decided "Kidworks" was the next stop. This is always a fun place to stop and just let the kids loose! They really enjoyed running and climbing. The only downside is it happens to be a favorite spot for close to every kid there so it does get a little busy. We had to agree on a meeting place so I wasn`t panicking trying to find them. New this visit were Tiny`s Diner and the Royal Farms Convenience Store. Like most children their age, my boys just love doing things that are normally reserved for the grown ups. I sat in a booth at the diner and let my younger son take my order while the older one worked feverishly in the kitchen preparing it. The diner came complete with place settings and plastic food! More plastic food to be had at Royal Farms where I got to do some grocery shopping and both boys scanned and tallied up my items at the register. They filled up my gas tank too in the VW Bug we all got to climb inside. This was a magical day of fun, creativity and imagination! I would highly recommend Port Discovery for just about any age. We can`t wait to go back!! |
National Aquarium in Baltimore:
The moment we walked in the door, we were captivated by the ceiling high tubes of bubbles. My 9 and 7 year old boys went toward them right away and wanted to know how the bubbles were made and what makes them continue to form? After a few minutes there, I let my kids guide me through each exhibit.
Their favorite, by far, was the "Shark Exhibit". They loved the Hammer Head Shark and Saw Fish!! The Stingrays were "so big" and I was particularly impressed by the knowledge of the quide that took time to explain each species we were seeing to us. My boys were really intrigued by the size of the whale skeleton too.
The Rainforest was great because we really felt like we were in the heart of the Amazon. The sound of the birds and the sight of the turtles, along with the humidity in the air created a very authentic feel.
As a Mom, I was both impressed and relieved that even on a busy Saturday, the Aquarium was easy to navigate and completely "kid friendly". We stopped at the main gift shop on the way out and were pleasantly surprised by the variety of items there. It`s hard to avoid a stop at the gift shop when you have young children, so I was happy to find there was also variety in price.
|
Roy's:
I have to admit, I was a little unsure about how "kid friendly" Roy`s would be when we walked in because it looked like a place that was geared toward adults. Dim lights, beautiful Hawaiian decor and a wait staff that places your cloth napkin on your lap when you sit down. I realized it would be different when our waiter knew my boys by name. I had given their names along with our reservation over the phone but didn`t think much of it. The boys were told about their kids club at Roy`s and an upcoming event they could attend which was a nice touch. Our drink orders were taken and the only suggestion I would have is more options for children`s drinks. I`m not big on giving my kids soda and the typical orange, pineapple or cranberry juice didn`t really appeal to them for dinner. We enjoyed the Edimame already on the table. It came with either "Old Bay" or another type of seasoned salt that had a bit of a kick. A little spicy for kids but they enjoyed them anyway. That happened to be the first time they had been adventurous enough to even try them! We ordered our dinner next and while we waited, we were pleasantly surprised by the cheese quesadillas our waiter brought for each child. They came with Ranch dressing and carrots and they were gone in minutes! My older son went with the good old chicken tenders and fries! Shrimp sushi rolls was the perfect thing for my little guy. He LOVES shrimp and just recently started liking sushi. I ordered the Awahu sushi rolls which came with a variety of fresh fish and avocado. Everything was delicious!! The best part came at the very end. Both boys were brought vanilla ice cream sundays with berries and a personalized cookie shaped like a palm tree. We could barely walk after eating all of that but really enjoyed the entire experience! |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Emily from Towson
Reviews Include:
Shrek at the Hippodrome:
I’m not quite sure when the billboard went up on I-83 for Shrek The Musical but I can’t drive by it without the kids shouting, “look, there’s Shrek!” So last night, with much anticipation and excitement, my five year old daughter and I spent the evening at the marvelous Hippodrome. Shrek The Musical is a fun, high energy production that embraces the unique identities of all its’ fairy tale inspired characters in a humorous, light way. The production keeps the attention of kids through lively personalities and songs, one fabulous dragon, plenty of “potty humor,” and a finale that really pops! The storyline is based mainly on the first Shrek movie but even if your kids have never seen Shrek The Movie, Shrek The Musical is easy follow. The musical also offers humor for the adults complete with a Charlie Sheen joke and all! While planning your visit, make sure to try to arrive a few minutes early to find a cheap parking alternative, (I paid $11 because I was afraid we were going to miss curtain call). Check out The Hipp Café located near the box office of the Hippodrome. It looks like a fun place to dine before a show. Most importantly, in case you do not get a chance to purchase a Gingy Puppet or an ogre inspired headband, don’t panic, these souvenirs are available at the Shrek The Musical online store. For a fun outing with the kids, sport your ogre inspired attire and head to the Hippodrome for an entertaining show!
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Maurissa from Canton
Reviews Include:
Cirque Du Soleil under the Grand Chapiteau tent at the Westport Waterfront:
At the moment of realizing that I had missed the window for purchasing tickets for the World class Cirque Du Soleil I received an email offering me 4 tickets to the show. I invited my 9 year old daughter’s class mate and her Mom to attend this once in a life time opportunity. We arrived to the Grand Chapiteau Tent located at WestPort Waterfront in minutes. I was amused with the idea that some day within the next millennium we would be sitting having Chai at a trendy café but for now I knew that this was clearly not a 4 Square check in spot, I was just happy to pay the $15 cash parking fee. It was our first “Premiere” so I must admit that I was a tad disappointed when there wasn’t a Step Up and Repeat with photographers at our disposal. Once inside the cozy, colorful blue and yellow striped tent, I realized every seat was perfect. I quickly summed up the audience and was happy to know that our party including the 4 month old baby tipped the children’s demographic that were in attendance to over 5%. This was clearly the Circus for the “Older Children”. As I wondered about the show’s name of Totem, I took the time to google the term. Wikipedia describes a totem as a stipulated ancestor of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem. Got it! The stage was sparse with a large saucer like element that continuously transformed to water, lava, seaweed, and earth as the scenes changed during evening. There was also a forest of large bamboo strategically placed to obstruct our view of the fabulously Yani sounding orchestra production. This human art production was amazingly detailed with Olympic quality performers. As a matter of fact, I had been wondering if I should send Taj back to the gymnastic summer camp when the most amazingly buffed performer executed a nail biting highflying, tightrope and acrobatic routine. I was sitting on the edge of my seat when my daughter reached over and said “he’s got a safety wire on Mom but I hope there aren’t any accidents”. During intermission I ventured out to find the bubbly champagne flowing and free with iced caked to compliment. I LOVE Premiers! You could feel the excitement and appreciation of the production in the air. The entire performance juxtaposed primitive monkeys and cavemen with futuristic characters with vibrant and brilliant costumes. I enjoyed and appreciated the highly detailed multi-cultural themes of Native American, African and Asian esthetics and music. Each scene was highly interpretive and beautifully coiffed. Our favorite was the Orient styled unicyclists who balance, juggled, tossed and exchanged silver like bowls with their feet and heads while riding in unison. I was also enamored by the execution of the comfortably erotic love stories and the acrobatic ballet. I’m sure my blood pressure rose during a drum beating romantic scene with two Native American lovers roller skating on what appeared to be a 6 x 6 round platform demonstrating the climax of their ecstasy with a heroine spin that seemed to last for 10 minutes. We also laughed at the comedic antics of the circus master, clowns, surfer and bee bop dudes. Artistic representation of how we have evolved could not have been charaded better than when the cave men and monkeys tore the clothes off of the business man with cell phone and brief case in tote and who later climbed and swung on a 50 foot poles like Peter Parker. Totem was whimsical, magical, and full of death defining acrobats coupled with amazing costumes, music and chemistry. If you haven’t purchased your tickets you may need to wait for its return next year. This will give you time to put some change aside if you’re considering taking the family. It’s more than worth it. It was truly a fascinating journey into the evolution of mankind.
|
Shrek at the Hippodrome:
Taj (pronounced TawJa) and I were so very excited about seeing Shrek the Musical. Our evening started out magical when we found a parking space right in the front of the Hippodrome Theater. Once we entered the building, finding our seat was a wonderful guided treasure hunt. The theater ushers were friendly and directed us to the balcony level where we were shown to our seats. When we got ourselves settled, I noticed that kids weren’t the only patrons into Shrek. The “adult-couples” we will call them “Shrekies “enjoyed the musical just as much if not more than the children of all ages who were in attendance. As everyone should know by now, Shrek is a BIG, cute, green Ogre who falls for a fairytale Princess Fiona who we learn has a big secret or should we say a duality. As I sat with anticipation of seeing the lovable character, I thought about how I was helping to shape my daughters expectations about being rescued by an Ogre when she becomes a young woman. It was great to see all of the iconic characters such as Pinocchio, the 3 blind mice, and even folks from the Wizard of Oz to name a few. Shrek and the Donkey the trusty steed took a journey to the castle to meet Lord Forqua to negotiate Shrek having his rural digs returned absent the fairytale squatters (caused by the cowardly Farquaad), they actually had to pass the Ace of Cakes to get there. My favorite character was the Donkey who was amazingly hilarious with razor sharp delivery of the “adult humor.” Taj’s favorite character was the evil Lord Farquaad who has somehow used Shrek’s property or estate or should we just say swampland into a camp for fairytale creatures. She was clearly delighted with eye-spying that the short guy was really someone walking around on their knees. His on-stage antics were both funny and memorable. I on the other had eye-spied an opportunity to make the link for Taj about practicing her violin and getting a job as a concert musician. It was great that we could see the conductor directing the musicians. The orchestra and the singing were undoubtedly amazing. Half way through the first half, I check in with Taj to see what she thought. Her reply “it’s good except, just a little too much singing.” My reply “It’s a musical.” When intermission arrived I surprised that Taj wasn’t falling asleep, although it is now officially past her bed time. I was also delighted that I was out of the house on a week night after 9pm. We use this time to check my purse for a goody or two and take pictures to upload to Facebook. Don’t try to take real time pictures while in the theater. After intermission, I was thankful the play seemed to get more exciting an upbeat because I was afraid that I might start seeing the counting sheep characters come out on stage. The Shrek musical was a delightful time spent enjoying Broadway quality theater minutes away from home. It was also an opportunity for me to rediscover the joy of down time while exposing my daughter to quality entertainment. You never know when opportunities to help to explain values and life lessons will appear. I give Shrek the musical a big star of approval and encourage families and single Shrekies to check it out.
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|