Things to Do in Towson

As a part of the Maryland state-park system, Graham Equestrian Center allows riders to unravel the several miles of trails winding throughout Gunpowder Falls State Park. The center draws its name from Dr. Albert Graham, who deeded his farm and 22-stall barn to the park system in order to help fortify the bond between Maryland citizens and their natural surroundings.

Through horseback-riding lessons, the center's trainer, Jim McDonald, educates children and adults on all aspects of horsemanship and horse management, from basic riding techniques to advanced grooming methods that don't require kiddie pools full of marmalade. His lessons and events also help riders understand herd dynamics as they strengthen relationships with both horses and their landscape.

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.

Exotic Car Rental of Baltimore/DC’s sports cars upgrade clients’ wheels for special occasions or leisurely joyrides. The current fleet contains a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS convertible, which commands the roadways with a 426-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 engine. A rear vision camera with park assist helps drivers sidle into tight parallel parking spaces, and an antenna integrated into the spoiler makes ladybugs self-conscious about their inferior bodies. The staff plans to add a Plymouth Prowler, Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, and Lamborghini Gallardo to its growing armada.

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.

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).