Kirsten Neus Swift

Great place to buy a Washington Monument book or souvenir, ask tourist information questions and get your National Park passport stamped.

Mount Clare Museum House is a gem hidden in plain site! This is one of the few historic homes in the Baltimore area I had never been to, but it is definitely worth a visit. It’s especially beautiful around Christmas when it’s all decorated for the holidays with greenery everywhere. We enjoyed the educational film and the tour from our passionate docent. There’s a cute little gift shop and the views of downtown Baltimore are amazing.

This is a fun area to explore. The ferns are in a wooded area with trails and bridges winding through different types of ferns and other labeled plants.

This is one of the coolest parts of the National Arboretum. There are hundreds of different types of herbs arranged into categories such as medicinal, colonial, Native American and more. Each herb is labeled and many have a description of their uses with historical facts. It’s really cool to learn about and many of the herbs smell amazing!

Great family-run corner store! They have a good selection of grocery items, beer and wine. If you're a regular customer the owner will sometimes stock specific items you request.