Jump to: Boat Talk

Sea legs, contrary to popular belief, won’t allow humans to walk on water, though they are a delicious byproduct of mutating tuna. To actually traverse the waves, you’ll need a boat. Find one with today’s Groupon, which gets you $5 admission for one day to the Baltimore Boat Show (a $10 value). Choose any day during the show’s run, from January 21–24 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Simply present your Groupon upon admission on your chosen date.

A fascinating display of briny technology, the Baltimore Boat Show offers attractions for experienced skippers and curious landlubbers alike, as well as any mer-folk transitioning to land life and looking for an intermediate. Those shopping for a new boat or looking to finally experience how the other 70% of the planet’s surface lives can browse a wide selection of power boats, sailboats, inflatables, cruisers, antiques, giant clamshells supporting naked goddesses, and more. You'll also find enough accessories to outfit a navy fleet, including engines and motors, fishing tackles, marina equipment, trailers for your collection of boat-related snow globes, and travel resources. Boat-centric services include finance, repair, chartering, sailing clubs, and more.

Cavorting in the wake of that mighty display of boattitude is a shimmering school of special features. Fill your brain with sea smarts at any of the fishing, boating and sailing seminars. On Saturday, catch an appearance by Baltimore Orioles great Larry Sheets and partake in a Wing-a-thon wing-eating contest (out of respect for Sheets’s brethren, very few oriole wings will be consumed). For the minnows in your crew, the Kids' Zone offers paddle boats and appearances by talking sea creatures SpongeBob SquarePants and Blackbear, the storytelling pirate. Since adults like a little responsibility mixed into their fun, the Boat Show also features an Affordability Pavilion, the most practical semi-enclosure there is. Here, potential boaters, or spouses who need convincing, will learn how to make the sea affordable with a display of boats to be had for less than $250 per month.

Note: Children under 15 get in free and won't need Groupons.