Owings Mills, MD Indoor Activities

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.

Inside the 1793-built Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, originally owned by the Young-Pickersgill family, figures donning period dress bring the household to life. Mary Pickersgill, maker of the Star-Spangled Banner Flag, is among the historical figures portrayed. Mary and her family—including her mother, Rebecca Young, and her apprentice, Grace Wisher—describe life in the 19th century and how Mary stitched the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key's poem and the national anthem.

After exploring the house on 30- to 40-minute self-guided or docent-led tours, guests can learn about America's defense of the Chesapeake Bay against the British navy, which culminated in the battle that inspired Key's verse. The first floor's permanent exhibition gallery focuses on that defense with artifacts such as a drum used by an American soldier during the bombardment of Ft. McHenry. Kid attendees, meanwhile, can head over to the Discovery Gallery to whip up a pretend meal at a replica of the Flag House kitchen or design their own flag to string up on the gallery's flagpole.

Every year on the first weekend of May, downtown Baltimore's streets bustle as tens of thousands of moviegoers visit local theaters to watch films shot, directed, and edited around the globe. The Maryland Film Festival, like a freakish hurdle sprinter, runs for four days and showcases about 50 feature films and 75 short pieces—ranging from documentaries to animations—many of which are presented by their respective filmmakers or celebrity guest hosts. Past hosts have included Ian MacKaye and Branford Marsalis, and legendary filmmaker John Waters regularly makes an appearance at the festival, hosting a feature film of his choice. Attendees may also stimulate and expand their sensory palates with international flicks, a three-dimensional movie, and a vintage silent film synced to live music.

Created by Steve Geppi, the founder of Diamond Comic Distributors, Geppi's Entertainment Museum traces the evolution of American popular culture from the late 1700s to today with nearly 6,000 artifacts such as comics, dolls, and games. Along with rotating special exhibitions, the museum's permanent galleries each dedicate themselves to a specific period or medium. Rekindle your flame with favorite cultural characters such as Batman, Mickey Mouse, and Barbie as you place them in historical context via the museum's massive memorabilia-based timeline. Geppi's Entertainment Museum further enriches students' cultural and historical savvy on educational tours that examine pop culture in wartime or suggest preservation and pickling methods for first-time collectors.