Season guide · Baltimore · United States
Baltimore in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Matthew Binebrink, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cold with occasional snow, holiday lights in Hampden and Mount Vernon, quiet museums and low prices. Expect highs up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F), with about 29 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -3°C (27°F) to 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 29
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6°C (43°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 10 | 9.7 h | 1/5 |
| February | 8°C (46°F) | -2°C (28°F) | 9 | 10.7 h | 1/5 |
| December | 8°C (46°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 10 | 9.4 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 7°C (45°F) against a yearly 19°C (66°F), and 29 of the year's roughly 117 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 1/5 and hotel prices 1/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- December: Miracle on 34th Street lights in Hampden (usually late November to early January)
- December: Monument Lighting in Mount Vernon Place (usually early December)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Inner Harbor
Port Discovery Children's Museum
Bring a change of clothes for the water area, and visit on a weekday morning when it is calmer.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Inner Harbor
Maryland Science Center
On the southwest corner of the Inner Harbor, the science centre has a dinosaur hall, hands-on physics and body exhibits, a planetarium and an observatory.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Jonestown
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture
Combine it with the nearby Jewish Museum of Maryland and Little Italy for a walk through Jonestown's history.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Aquarium · Inner Harbor
National Aquarium
Spread over two piers on the Inner Harbor, the aquarium's exhibits include Blacktip Reef with sharks and a green sea turtle, a rooftop Upland Tropical Rain Forest under a glass pyramid, the Australia gallery with a waterfall and a large jellyfish gallery.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Gallery · Federal Hill
American Visionary Art Museum
Visit in early May if you can, when the museum's Kinetic Sculpture Race sends human-powered art vehicles through the city and into the harbour.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in winter
- Gettysburg (About 1 hour 20 minutes) — The site of the pivotal 1863 Civil War battle and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
- St. Michaels (About 1 hour 45 minutes) — 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.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Baltimore?
It is a trade-off: Cold with occasional snow, holiday lights in Hampden and Mount Vernon, quiet museums and low prices. The best months overall are April–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Baltimore in winter?
Highs of up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F), with about 29 rainy days over the season.