Things to Do in Rosedale

Under the steady hand of Coast Guard-licensed captain Larry Vazzano, the Wharf Rat slices through the blue waters of Chesapeake Bay. The intimate vessel's sails harness the breeze, turning this way and that above the heads of passengers to find the best angle to the wind. Its decks bustle with activity of guests helping prepare sails or taking the helm as well as relaxed onlookers enjoying the unique view. Meanwhile, viewed from the cockpit dining table, the sun reaches its zenith and glitters off the peaks of waves, or dips slowly behind the forested shoreline, dyeing the whole world in orange, red, and purple.

Captain Larry loves this experience––the Atlantic Sailing Experience, as he calls it––so much that he's shared it with over 600 guests. In addition to his nautical know-how, he shows off his prowess at the grill for brunch and dinner, churning out tasty barbecue and vegetable sides from his own garden. Of course, he doesn't just sail and eat. He also charters his ship for exciting sailboat races and the occasional voyage to the end of the Earth.

Drivers rev their engines across three separate raceways at The Go-Kart Track, where thrill seekers can split their time between high-speed chases and rounds of mini golf. The family-oriented entertainment center’s three distinct go-kart tracks cater to drivers young and old. The junior track safeguards youngsters with an automatic braking system every time they release the gas pedal, and the family track lets people ride shotgun in double-seater cars. Finally, the drift track—coated in a special powder—allows drivers 54 inches and taller to slip and slide around turns, drifting like their favorite racecar driver or continent. Aside from its automotive pursuits, The Go-Kart track features a mini-golf course with nine professionally designed holes peppered with obstacles such as cacti and tires.

Director Ann Wiker leads a creative crew of teachers who curate exhibits, lead accessible art classes, and help local artists to market their work. In the Creative Messes classes, 2- to 4-year-olds, accompanied by parents, dabble in drawing stick figures, painting stick fruit bowls, and forming pottery, as teachers emphasize key shapes and colors. In beginning oil-painting courses ($95), mature beginners prep canvases, mix paints to create unearthly colors, and learn rules of composition as they experiment with brush techniques. Intermediate painters can continue to develop color mixology skills and use of light and shadow in intermediate oil courses or paint without an explicit subject in abstracting courses, using acrylics and oils to create stark images that represent either waves crashing on a beach or the inside of a baboon's heart. Consult the schedule to find other courses, including advanced-level painting ($95), introduction to digital photography ($90), and watercolor painting ($90).

Kim Yates's passion for the macabre spawned from a 1973 ride through the Haunted Mansion at Disney World, after which the child collected props and crafted monsters for her parents' front porch. Over the next several decades, Kim channeled her energy into drumming for a Baltimore metal band and building a sprawling Halloween attraction in her front yard and then watching it blossom into a full-scale haunted house in 1994. Despite various relocations, her indoor haunt has been growing ever since.

Featured in the Baltimore Sun, Kim’s Krypt sets Charm City teeth chattering with 25- to 30-minute adventures teeming with unexpected spooks and surprises in a show that adds new scenes annually. A terror-ridden tradition for more than 19 years, the indoor haunt invites brave patrons to test their nerve against killer clowns soliciting screams, zombies seeking fresh flesh, and blood-spattered apparitions recklessly searching for change for a $20 bill. Staffers fortify patrons for their harrowing journey with a range of concession fare as they converse at the covered waiting area after receiving their first shock of the night in the form of free parking. A force of uniformed and plainclothes police officers patrol the building to ensure visitors scare in safety.

Since 1947, Baltimore Ski Club has loaded up its bus with ski poles, parkas, and club members, setting off for trips to some of the world's oldest mountain ranges. A nonprofit group, the ski club functions thanks to the annual contributions of its members, who in turn get access to ski trips and monthly get-togethers. From December through April, the club sponsors trips across the East Coast, the Western states, and European mountain ranges. Trips include the price of transportation, lodging, and lift tickets, allowing skiers to ride local slopes or legendary Alps without having to stuff their boots with dollar bills.

When Superior Tours looks for new drivers, it wants polite, reliable, and personable people, and it doesn't even consider those with fewer than five years of experience. Its drivers all work only for Superior Tours so that they can be on time and well rested for each trip. Luxury, 54-passenger motorcoaches pick up groups from the airport, ferry people to New York City for a day of urban exploration, or steer toward Atlantic City where passengers can hit the slots. The company also programs charter trips for corporate outings, church trips, and charter-bus-of-the-month clubs.