6 ms·

> The basic, economical attractions are still there if you look. Yeah, I live in Baltimore, and my wife and I go with our toddler to a beach at a state park. I

> The basic, economical attractions are still there if you look. Yeah, I live in Baltimore, and my wife and I go with our toddler to a beach at a state park. It's a 30 minute drive away, little patch of sand on the banks of the Back River, no waves, not more than 4 feet deep at the deepest part of the swimming area. Lots of shaded picnic tables and we bring food from home. More than one playground if the little guy wants a change of pace from the water. Honestly perfect for us, since shallow, placid river water is a lot more fun for a toddler than straight-up ocean breakers, and big shade trees within a hundred feet saves us schlepping a shade structure. It's 18 bucks plus gas for a full- to half-day outing. We bring friends and they're always amazed that it was right under their noses - people in Maryland are just stuck on sitting in traffic for hours and paying for lodging to go to one of the big ocean beach destinations (e.g. Ocean City).

bombcar 4y ago
These things exist everywhere - the cheap/free options have no marketing budgets. I fondly remember something similar at Gasworks Park in Seattle.
- grumpitron 4y ago
  Yes! Lots of good memories grabbing Paseo and then eating it on the Gasworks hill overlooking Lake Union. It gets pretty crowded on nice days, but so do most city parks.
  - bombcar 4y ago
    Our spot was the Northlake Tavern; grab a pizza to go and head over.
RSHEPP 4y ago
I lived 15 min from Ocean City for 3 months last summer, that place was miserable. Assateague State Park was just south and much better, with wild horses too. But no lodging besides camping.
memcg 4y ago
Maryland\DC is great for kid-friendly activities. Annual passes to the aquarium and Baltimore zoo were reasonable 20 years ago, not sure about now. Inner harbor was great too.
- neutronicus 4y ago
  Ha, we have annual passes to both. I didn't want to bring them up because going for a day to the Aquarium is actually pretty expensive: 40 bucks per adult, 30 bucks for 3-11, and you're dropping another 15-25 bucks on parking too, probably. But it works out great for us since we can get to either by bike or bus in 10 minutes, so we can go enough to make the memberships worth it (150-200 bucks if I recall correctly, it was my wife that made this purchase). Also if you live in the city there are a lot of ways to score free Aquarium tickets (main one I can think of is the public library).
  - memcg 4y ago
    My wife would use our passes to take our two kids plus a neighbor with kids on weekdays while I was at work.
- silicon2401 4y ago
  Inner Harbor is pretty dangerous nowadays. Do some research before heading there
  - neutronicus 4y ago
    Eh, I mean, not in any way that'll impact going to the Aquarium at 10 AM. I'm aware of the incidents that are (probably) making you say this, but during the day it's fine as long as you don't get out of your car and bum-rush groups of young men on the street with a baseball bat. It's just generally not the nicest place to be at night, though. Too big and empty and the night life is elsewhere in the city for the most part.
    - lupire 4y ago
FerociousTimes 4y ago
As they say, the best things in life are free.
- geoffeg 4y ago
  Yea, but they've been getting more expensive with inflation.
  - acchow 4y ago
    Going to the beach is still free. Biking in the hills is still free.
bazzert 4y ago
I love this, with research and forward planning you can create magical experiences. One of my favorites when my son was very young is there is an island on cape cod we could paddle our canoe to and camp fronting a sandy beach under the shade of pine trees with warm protected waters for $8 a night (MA residents); the catch is that you had to book one of the dozen or so sites months ahead.
- onlyrealcuzzo 4y ago
  Unfortunately, in most cases, the reason you have to do this is because >50% of reservations no-show.
  - bazzert 4y ago
    right, for this particular place the cancellation fee is more than the night camping rate!
- avasylev 4y ago
  That's sound awesome. What's the name of the island/camp? Writing from the Nickerson state park at Cape Cod which is also one of great parks with prestine lakes (and cheap for MA residents $20). Though cheapness makes it really hard to book, July-August you have to book at the opening date 6 month in advance.
bsagdiyev 4y ago
I discovered something like this nearby to me recently. Not salt water since we're about two hours from the ocean, but a lake with playgrounds, beaches and forested walking areas. The lake is man made to cool the nearby nuclear plant and I suspect these were built as a concession to the state, but they're very well maintained and nice. I take my three year old fishing and to the playground and he loves it.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- yellowapple 4y ago
  > Not salt water since we're about two hours from the ocean [...] The lake is man made to cool the nearby nuclear plant Rancho Seco? I grew up near there and have fond memories of it. The nuclear plant was shut down a couple years before I was born, but the structures are still standing; IIRC it's (slowly) being turned into a solar power station.
  - bsagdiyev 4y ago
    Nah, I moved out to NC from SoCal last year. Harris Lake is the place I'm talking about, cools down Shearon Harris nuclear plant. Looks like thats up around Sacramento? My cousin recently moved to Modesto from PA so I'll recommend it to him.
GauntletWizard 4y ago
I think the real problem is not that things are nicer, but that everyone demands "The Best". Disneyland is "The Best" attraction - In the world. When I was a kid, plenty of people were happy to go to local theme parks. Now, everyone has constant access to "Best of" lists. Being #2 is good enough, but being #10 probably only nets you a fraction of the mindshare it used to.
- thayne 4y ago
  Most places don't have a "theme" park like Disneyland. And Amusement parks are often very expensive too. In some cases the park ticket and parking is almost as expensive as Disneyland (as is the case for me). Although, it is cheaper because of travel expenses (unless you live close to Disneyland).
- neutronicus 4y ago
  I've learned never to claim online that a restaurant here in Baltimore "is good." Has to be "we like [restaurant]" followed by disclaimers about having a toddler and not getting out much. Otherwise someone is guaranteed to scoff.
chasd00 4y ago
During the worst of the pandemic i think my family hit 10-12 different state parks here in Texas multiple times on weekend trips. We have an annual pass to all Texas state parks and with pay-at-the-pump the only human interaction we had was handing our pass to the gate attendant and getting it back. It kept us sane and we saw a lot of the state we had never seen before.
throwaway6734 4y ago
If you haven't yet, check out Ft. McHenry. It's beautiful!
dkn775 4y ago
You should be VERY careful about swimming in the back river. The wastewater treatment plant that discharges into it has basically been running at 20% capacity for past year or more. https://www.wbaltv.com/amp/article/back-river-public-health-advisory-avoid-the-water/39799594 https://www.wbaltv.com/amp/article/back-river-public-health-...
- neutronicus 4y ago
  Ok, you raise a good point, the park is actually on Hawk Cove. One just drives along the Back River to get there
1123581321 4y ago
That's nice, and healthy. We do similar small trips. Many people who like big beaches are looking for different things. Big breakers, doing more with boards and watercraft, and of course the social element of seeing and being seen at the beach.
sfmike 4y ago
Love it, even in SF or NYC there are tranquil free little "zen zones"

bombcar 4y ago

These things exist everywhere - the cheap/free options have no marketing budgets. I fondly remember something similar at Gasworks Park in Seattle.

grumpitron 4y ago
Yes! Lots of good memories grabbing Paseo and then eating it on the Gasworks hill overlooking Lake Union. It gets pretty crowded on nice days, but so do most city parks.
- bombcar 4y ago
  Our spot was the Northlake Tavern; grab a pizza to go and head over.

RSHEPP 4y ago

I lived 15 min from Ocean City for 3 months last summer, that place was miserable. Assateague State Park was just south and much better, with wild horses too. But no lodging besides camping.

memcg 4y ago

Maryland\DC is great for kid-friendly activities. Annual passes to the aquarium and Baltimore zoo were reasonable 20 years ago, not sure about now. Inner harbor was great too.

neutronicus 4y ago
Ha, we have annual passes to both. I didn't want to bring them up because going for a day to the Aquarium is actually pretty expensive: 40 bucks per adult, 30 bucks for 3-11, and you're dropping another 15-25 bucks on parking too, probably. But it works out great for us since we can get to either by bike or bus in 10 minutes, so we can go enough to make the memberships worth it (150-200 bucks if I recall correctly, it was my wife that made this purchase). Also if you live in the city there are a lot of ways to score free Aquarium tickets (main one I can think of is the public library).
- memcg 4y ago
  My wife would use our passes to take our two kids plus a neighbor with kids on weekdays while I was at work.
silicon2401 4y ago
Inner Harbor is pretty dangerous nowadays. Do some research before heading there
- neutronicus 4y ago
  Eh, I mean, not in any way that'll impact going to the Aquarium at 10 AM. I'm aware of the incidents that are (probably) making you say this, but during the day it's fine as long as you don't get out of your car and bum-rush groups of young men on the street with a baseball bat. It's just generally not the nicest place to be at night, though. Too big and empty and the night life is elsewhere in the city for the most part.
  - lupire 4y ago

FerociousTimes 4y ago

As they say, the best things in life are free.

geoffeg 4y ago
Yea, but they've been getting more expensive with inflation.
- acchow 4y ago
  Going to the beach is still free. Biking in the hills is still free.

bazzert 4y ago

I love this, with research and forward planning you can create magical experiences. One of my favorites when my son was very young is there is an island on cape cod we could paddle our canoe to and camp fronting a sandy beach under the shade of pine trees with warm protected waters for $8 a night (MA residents); the catch is that you had to book one of the dozen or so sites months ahead.

onlyrealcuzzo 4y ago
Unfortunately, in most cases, the reason you have to do this is because >50% of reservations no-show.
- bazzert 4y ago
  right, for this particular place the cancellation fee is more than the night camping rate!
avasylev 4y ago
That's sound awesome. What's the name of the island/camp? Writing from the Nickerson state park at Cape Cod which is also one of great parks with prestine lakes (and cheap for MA residents $20). Though cheapness makes it really hard to book, July-August you have to book at the opening date 6 month in advance.

bsagdiyev 4y ago

I discovered something like this nearby to me recently. Not salt water since we're about two hours from the ocean, but a lake with playgrounds, beaches and forested walking areas. The lake is man made to cool the nearby nuclear plant and I suspect these were built as a concession to the state, but they're very well maintained and nice. I take my three year old fishing and to the playground and he loves it.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
yellowapple 4y ago
> Not salt water since we're about two hours from the ocean [...] The lake is man made to cool the nearby nuclear plant Rancho Seco? I grew up near there and have fond memories of it. The nuclear plant was shut down a couple years before I was born, but the structures are still standing; IIRC it's (slowly) being turned into a solar power station.
- bsagdiyev 4y ago
  Nah, I moved out to NC from SoCal last year. Harris Lake is the place I'm talking about, cools down Shearon Harris nuclear plant. Looks like thats up around Sacramento? My cousin recently moved to Modesto from PA so I'll recommend it to him.

GauntletWizard 4y ago

I think the real problem is not that things are nicer, but that everyone demands "The Best". Disneyland is "The Best" attraction - In the world. When I was a kid, plenty of people were happy to go to local theme parks. Now, everyone has constant access to "Best of" lists. Being #2 is good enough, but being #10 probably only nets you a fraction of the mindshare it used to.

thayne 4y ago
Most places don't have a "theme" park like Disneyland. And Amusement parks are often very expensive too. In some cases the park ticket and parking is almost as expensive as Disneyland (as is the case for me). Although, it is cheaper because of travel expenses (unless you live close to Disneyland).
neutronicus 4y ago
I've learned never to claim online that a restaurant here in Baltimore "is good." Has to be "we like [restaurant]" followed by disclaimers about having a toddler and not getting out much. Otherwise someone is guaranteed to scoff.

chasd00 4y ago

During the worst of the pandemic i think my family hit 10-12 different state parks here in Texas multiple times on weekend trips. We have an annual pass to all Texas state parks and with pay-at-the-pump the only human interaction we had was handing our pass to the gate attendant and getting it back. It kept us sane and we saw a lot of the state we had never seen before.

throwaway6734 4y ago

If you haven't yet, check out Ft. McHenry. It's beautiful!

dkn775 4y ago

You should be VERY careful about swimming in the back river. The wastewater treatment plant that discharges into it has basically been running at 20% capacity for past year or more. https://www.wbaltv.com/amp/article/back-river-public-health-advisory-avoid-the-water/39799594 https://www.wbaltv.com/amp/article/back-river-public-health-...

neutronicus 4y ago
Ok, you raise a good point, the park is actually on Hawk Cove. One just drives along the Back River to get there

1123581321 4y ago

That's nice, and healthy. We do similar small trips. Many people who like big beaches are looking for different things. Big breakers, doing more with boards and watercraft, and of course the social element of seeing and being seen at the beach.

sfmike 4y ago

Love it, even in SF or NYC there are tranquil free little "zen zones"