Day trips · Baltimore · United States
6 best day trips from Baltimore
Where to go when you want a day away from Baltimore, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 350z33 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Baltimore is Annapolis (About 45 minutes). The closest option is Ellicott City, about 20 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 6
- Closest
- Ellicott City (20 km)
- Most popular
- Annapolis
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annapolis | 50 km | About 45 minutes | Car or commuter bus | Couples, Culture, First-timers |
| Washington, D.C. | 65 km | About 40–60 minutes by train | MARC Penn Line or Amtrak from Penn Station | First-timers, Families, Culture |
| Ellicott City | 20 km | About 25 minutes | Car | Couples, Quiet stays, Shopping |
| Gettysburg | 90 km | About 1 hour 20 minutes | Car | Culture, Families, First-timers |
| St. Michaels | 115 km | About 1 hour 45 minutes | Car via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge | Couples, Quiet stays, Food lovers |
| Harpers Ferry | 100 km | About 1 hour 15 minutes | Car | Families, Couples, Culture |
The day trips
50 km · About 45 minutes
1.Annapolis
Maryland's capital is a sailing town on the Severn River with brick colonial streets, the Maryland State House — where the Continental Congress once met — and the US Naval Academy, whose grounds and chapel can be seen on guided walking tours from its visitor centre. Harbour cruises leave from Ego Alley.
- Getting there
- Car or commuter bus
- Best for
- Couples, Culture, First-timers
65 km · About 40–60 minutes by train
2.Washington, D.C.
The capital's free Smithsonian museums, the National Mall and its monuments, and the Capitol are an easy train ride away. Trains arrive at Union Station, a short walk from the Capitol.
- Getting there
- MARC Penn Line or Amtrak from Penn Station
- Best for
- First-timers, Families, Culture
20 km · About 25 minutes
3.Ellicott City
A historic mill town on the Patapsco River with a steep Main Street of granite buildings housing antique shops, cafés and boutiques. The B&O Ellicott City Station Museum occupies one of the oldest surviving railroad stations in the country.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Couples, Quiet stays, Shopping
90 km · About 1 hour 20 minutes
4.Gettysburg
The site of the pivotal 1863 Civil War battle and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The National Military Park's museum, cyclorama painting and auto tour of the battlefield fill a day.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Culture, Families, First-timers
115 km · About 1 hour 45 minutes
5.St. Michaels
A small Eastern Shore harbour town known for the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, with its screwpile lighthouse and working boatyard, plus seafood restaurants, inns and sailing.
- Getting there
- Car via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
- Best for
- Couples, Quiet stays, Food lovers
100 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes
6.Harpers Ferry
Where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet, this preserved 19th-century town in West Virginia is a national historical park, known for John Brown's 1859 raid and views from Jefferson Rock. The Appalachian Trail passes through.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Families, Couples, Culture
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- MTA buses cover the whole city, including frequent routes up Charles Street to Mount Vernon, Charles Village and the BMA.
- MARC commuter trains and Amtrak run from Penn Station to Washington, D.C., in about 40–60 minutes; Amtrak also serves Philadelphia and New York.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Baltimore?
Annapolis. Maryland's capital is a sailing town on the Severn River with brick colonial streets, the Maryland State House — where the Continental Congress once met — and the US Naval Academy, whose grounds and chapel can be seen on guided walking tours from its visitor centre.
+How long does it take to get from Baltimore to Annapolis?
About 45 minutes — Car or commuter bus, about 50 km.
+How long does it take to get from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.?
About 40–60 minutes by train — MARC Penn Line or Amtrak from Penn Station, about 65 km.