Rows of flowering trees along Guilford Avenue in Charles Village, Baltimore
Ah, springtime in Baltimore. Such a great time of year. Come springtime, Baltimore erupts into bloom, with block after block of flowering trees, beds of daffodils, and sidewalks sprinkled with thousands of pink and white petals. Tourists around the world flock to Washington D.C. around this time for the famous Cherry Blossom Festival, but did you know that Baltimore has its own plethora of beautiful blossoms? It is the perfect springtime destination for travelers looking to see cherry blossoms, while experiencing a unique city with a ton of life and culture. To aid you, whether a traveler or a Baltimore native, here’s my local guide of everything to see, do, and experience during spring in Baltimore, Maryland. Enjoy!
Check out the cherry blossoms in Charles Village
There are plenty of places around Baltimore to see the famous springtime cherry blossoms, but my favorite spot is in the residential neighborhood of Charles Village. There are so many beautiful trees in the neighborhood, especially along Guilford Avenue. A springtime stroll for blossom seekers in this neighborhood will not disappoint! Plus, you can admire the lovely painted ladies (aka colorful rowhomes), and enjoy a coffee outside of Carma’s Cafe, to top off a great spring day.
Cherry blossoms in Charles Village!
Go to a farmers market
Spring in Baltimore means that the 83 farmers market opens up! Also known as the JFX farmers market, or the Baltimore Farmers Market and Bazaar. Regardless of what you call it, this is the largest farmers market in the city, and it’s a perfect springtime activity in Baltimore. It’s located downtown, just a few blocks north of the Inner Harbor and a few blocks south of Mount Vernon, underneath the I-83 overpass, and runs from April until December. The 83 market is huge, and is open every Sunday morning, selling all sorts of produce, cooked food, crafts, furniture, souvenirs, and more. It’s definitely worth a visit. You can get your fruits and veggies for the week, and also pay a visit to the Mushroom Stand at the southern end of the market for hot fried mushrooms served with cheese, greens, and hot sauce. Yum!
For those who don’t live in proximity to the 83 market, there are a bunch of other farmers markets around the city. The Waverly Market runs year-round and is open on Saturday mornings. The Druid Hill Farmers Market is open on Wednesday evenings in the spring and summer. All that and more here.
Attend some Bmore street festivals
Personally, I love street festivals no matter what time of year it is, but they are especially lovely on spring days in Baltimore when it is 70 degrees and sunny. There are a ton of festivals in Baltimore in the spring, so definitely take advantage of the chance to stroll around outside, taste some yummy food and drinks, peruse artwork, indulge in some shopping, and more! Some spring festivals in Baltimore include: Brew at the Zoo (Memorial Day weekend), the Baltimore Herb Festival (Memorial Day weekend), the Charles Village Festival (early June), and the Saint Nickolas Greek Folk Festival (mid June), to name a few.
Plants, trinkets, and more at the Mount Vernon FlowerMart, a festival that is sadly no longer occurring – luckily there are plenty of other great springtime festivals in Baltimore to attend!
Exercise out around Baltimore City
All-weather, completely human powered ellipticals in Druid Hill Park
We’re not all blessed with gyms in our apartment buildings or are able to fork up for a gym membership every month. But come springtime, Baltimore comes out of hibernation, and one of my favorite things to do is go on long, sunny, and warm outdoor runs. I really enjoy running along the Canton waterfront. The Charles Village/Remington/Hampden/Canterbury area is also a great place to run. There are fewer traffic lights in this area than in the bustling downtown but still plenty to see, such as quirky and colorful rowhomes, interesting gardens, and lots of green space.
Baltimore’s parks are also great places for your outdoor workout. I’m a big fan of Druid Hill Park. Druid Lake, located in the southern portion of the park, is surrounded by a 1.5-mile-long trail, perfect for running, walking, or biking. Druid Hill Park also has stations with exercise equipment, for those of you who prefer to pump iron during your workout (and prefer to do so for free!) Otherwise, there are tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts, soccer fields, baseball fields, and more.
Lake Montebello is another good spot in Baltimore for running and training outside. The path around the lake is 1.3 miles long, and along the path are also exercise stations. For runners who prefer longer runs than what the loop around Lake Montebello has to offer, you can continue along the Herring Run Trail immediately east of the lake. The full loop along Lake Montebello and the Herring Run Trail is about 6 miles in total. Another great park in Baltimore is the famous Patterson Park. It’s big and beautiful, equipped with volleyball, basketball, and tennis courts, soccer, football, and baseball fields, and the figure-eight path through the park makes up a 2-mile loop. Plus, I’ve heard that Patterson Park is the spot in Baltimore to play soccer on the weekends.
The lake at Druid Hill Park
Go to an O’s game
Come springtime in Baltimore, the city is a sea of orange and black as Baltimore’s faithful Orioles fans flock to Camden Yards in droves. Baseball games are super fun and a great springtime thing to do in Charm City. You get to rally with the other fans in support of your team, sing and cheer, eat a lot of junk food, do the wave, and sit on the edge of your seat as a play begins with the bases loaded. O’s games are also pretty cheap, making them a great Baltimore activity on a sunny day. Tickets start as low as 15 dollars, and are even lower if you are a student. With a student ID, you can get tickets for 7 dollars for Friday night games at Camden Yards. It’s a great activity for baseball aficionados and casual fans alike. Let’s go O’s!
Play in the dirt
Me attempting to garden!
I.e., garden! Spring is the season to start planting. Or, if you’re a lazy gardener like myself, tidy up your garden from the mess of fall and winter, and vaguely consider the idea of planting stuff. For Baltimore gardeners, consider getting your plants at the Herring Run Nursery, a nursery operated by Blue Water Baltimore that sells plants that are native to Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Local plants are better adapted to the soil, climate, and ecosystem of a region, and thus are more likely to flourish during their growing season.
Don’t have a garden? No worries – tend to your houseplants. Spring is the time when most plants come out of dormancy (the period during the cold season in which a plant’s growth naturally slows). Because spring is the season in which most plants reenter their growing season, they can typically take more water and/or plant food during this time. Spring is the season to show your plants some extra love after their winter hibernation.
Still got garden envy? Go for a walk on a sunny spring day through Charles Village, Remington, or Hampden and check out some of the beautiful and unique gardens growing in this area. Baltimoreans are creative people when it comes to homes and gardens. A walk around Baltimore should yield a plethora of unique gardens with lots of personality, and it makes for a perfect springtime activity.
Spring foliage out around Baltimore
Attend the Baltimore Salsa Congress
Springtime in Baltimore means that it’s time for the annual salsa bachata congress! And what is a salsa congress, you might be wondering? Basically, it’s a weekend long dance extravaganza, complete with workshops, performances, and hours of social dancing during the night. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned dancer, attending the congress is a great way to learn from the pros and improve your Latin dance game. I definitely recommend the Baltimore congress. If you’re looking for detailed information about what it’s like to attend, don’t miss my in-depth review here!
Find a grill and cook-out
What better way to embrace the warm, spring weather than to cook outside? And you don’t even have to have your own grill! Plenty of parks around Baltimore are equipped with picnic areas, including pavilions, grills, and picnic tables. I’ve had warm-weather barbecues with friends at Lake Roland (formerly Robert E. Lee Park) in Baltimore, and also at Patapsco Valley State Park in Howard County, about twenty minutes from Baltimore. Just bring what you need to cook out, including ingredients, utensils, and supplies to get the fire going. And then enjoy the feast and the fresh air!
Watch the sunset over Baltimore from a view
Okay, this one might be good year-round. But it is an especially nice thing to do in the spring, when the nights first start to get balmy and its not too buggy. Grab a Boh, your bae, your best friend. Find a rooftop, relax, and enjoy.
Beautiful sunset over Baltimore
If you like this post, don’t miss my guide on free things to do in Baltimore, Maryland – year round!
What are some of your favorite things to do in springtime in Baltimore, Maryland? Where is your favorite city in the world to enjoy spring? What’s your favorite season? Do you prefer to travel during certain seasons over others? Let me know in the comments below!
2 comments
What about dancing…? I heard that was a thing in Baltimore too… 😉
Haha dancing is always encouraged in Baltimore, regardless of the season!