Things to Do in Middle River

Chesapeake Bay is home to legendary beautiful waters, diverse flora and fauna, and Paddlefest, an annual paddle-sports event organized by the team at Ultimate Watersports. Held on the Gunpowder River, which flows into the bay, the festival shows off the industry's latest toys, allowing attendees to try out brand-new kayaks and paddleboards on the sparkling fresh water. For the rest of the season, Ultimate Watersports brings its know-how to the shores with kayak tours, paddleboard lessons, and sailing trips that have remained a bay fixture for more than 26 years. Waterfront enthusiasts seek out the company's reliably well-maintained and up-to-date watercraft to do everything from gain a windsurfing certification to practice heckling standup paddleboard comics. Additionally, seasonal kids' camps help youngsters to stay active while gaining an appreciation for watersports and the splendor of the outdoors.:m]]

The 90-minute narrated tour, led by expert guides who share insider info about the city and the Inner Harbor, shows off the city's prime sights. From the Annapolitan II, a luxury water van, you can spot Federal Hill, Fells Point, and the USS Constellation, and get a glimpse of Fort McHenry. While the open upper deck is ideal for making eye contact with attractions, a climate-controlled lower level, featuring a full-service bar with drinks and snacks available for purchase, provides some respite from potential awkward encounters with socially inept seabirds.

As the treasured sites of the first commercial long-distance track and passenger station in America, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum and Ellicott City Station harbor some of the oldest and most comprehensive collections of train relics in the world. At B&O, museum goers weave through the 40-acre campus to discover more than 200 pieces of finely preserved locomotive and rolling-stock materials, which are flanked by hundreds of thousands of artifacts such as tools, art, uniforms, and memorabilia. For more train-laden tutelage, visitors can peruse the Ellicott City Station––the oldest surviving railroad station in America––which hosts myriad seasonal exhibits and education programs that trumpet the history of transportation and travel. Both sites' trainy displays expertly lay out a timeline of America's railroad industry, its impact on culture, and the foolhardiness of starry-eyed tycoons.

At Salsa Obsesión, dance students step into an environment that is as diverse as it is energetic. Sprightly instructors lead four different tiers of classes, starting with Beginner 1 sessions, which focus on such skills as counting the beats, basic footwork, and working with a partner. Subsequent class levels ramp up the difficulty, enabling students to advance their technique without having to abandon Salsa Obsesión's welcoming climate.

Eastpoint 10 Cinemas showcases the latest Hollywood blockbusters on screens that face sloped or stadium-style seating. Digital and 3-D projectors entertain audiences with high-resolution images that virtually pop out of the screen, making viewers feel like a part of the film without having to actually fight off bloodthirsty aliens, wicked witches, or Gerard Depardieu. The theater occasionally pairs screenings with special tie-in events, such as karate demonstrations to go along with martial-arts flicks.

Baltimore Helicopter Services whisks their clientele away from the workaday hubbub of gridlocked traffic with the help of their fleet of luxurious charter helicopters. With a service area ranging from Norfolk to New York, the choppers can transport passengers to Pittsburgh in just 90 minutes. Taking off from their helipad located near Inner Harbor, the first-class helicraft also zip through city tours promising unobstructed sky-high sightlines, helping passengers snap shots of skyline residents including the Legg Mason Building, the Baltimore World Trade Center, and the 70-story statue of Cal Ripken, Jr.