A Overnight Getaway In Baltimore

Family selfie at Light City Baltimore

Spring break was pretty low key for us last week because I couldn’t take an entire week off from work responsibilities. The kids played video games while I worked and we even made it out to the park. Relaxed and low key.

Then Marriott Waterfront offered a night’s stay at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor so we could check out the Light City event. The event transformed the Inner Harbor with gorgeous installations that played with light. We had considered going up to Baltimore (we’re about 30-45 minutes away) to see the artwork. But the idea of fighting traffic, searching for parking, and dealing with the crowds left me mentally exhausted. It never occurred to me that we could have gotten a hotel room for the night. Thanks for a great idea Marriott!

Kids testing beds at Marriott Waterfront Baltimore

We drove up Saturday afternoon and easily found the hotel. Sophia and Jaxson love staying at hotels. The first thing they do is jump on the beds. I did manage to corral them long enough for photo or two. The room had plenty of space for them to jump and run around. They tested everything. I mean, everything. It’s like I never take them anywhere.

Baltimore Harbor view from Marriott Waterfront

We took a few minutes to settle into the room and take in the view. Our hotel room looked straight down at the harbor. Look at those gorgeous clouds!

Jaxson playing giant xylophone

It was nice to just park the car and walk around the harbor. We found an outdoor play area that included these giant xylophones. Because it wasn’t dark yet, we headed to Nando Peri Peri for dinner. I really wanted to eat at Dinosaur BBQ just because we loved their Syracuse location, but the wait was 45 minutes. Yikes! So if you want to go there, make reservations.

Kids inside Diamonds Light Baltimore

Once we fed our bellies, it was dark enough to really explore Light City. Even with the chilly weather, the harbor was packed with locals and tourists who wanted to capture Light City.  Scattered around the city were these giant diamonds, titled Diamonds Light Baltimore by Cheon Kroiz. I loved that the diamonds allowed for interaction. Sophia and Jaxson were not the only ones who went inside the brightly lit shapes.

Voyage Paper Boats Light City

My absolute favorite were Voyage, color changing LED “paper boats,” created by UK artists Aether & Hemera Newcastle. It had one of the biggest crowds. I instagrammed a short video of how the lights changed:

Color changing paper boats at #lightcitybaltimore #Baltimore #LightCity

A video posted by Thien-Kim Lam (@msthienkim) on

Isn’t it cool? We tried to take a family selfie in front of the paper boats but it was too dark and cold to get a good shot with my smartphone. But at least we got one!

We didn’t get to see everything at Light City, but it’s coming back next in 2017. The kids weren’t used to staying up so late and were happy to snuggle in the cozy beds. Marriott surprised us with milk and cookies in our room so that was the perfect way to end our day. I even took a super long hot shower after the kids fell asleep–the shower head was amazing! Next time we’ll have to check out their indoor pool.

Baltimore Inner Harbor in spring

I loved being able to spend time in Baltimore and not worry about rushing home to get the kids in bed. After seeing the line of cars that tried to find parking, I was also glad we were able to park in the hotel garage.

Thank you Marriott Waterfront in Baltimore for making our overnight in Baltimore stress-free and relaxing. It was the perfect way to end our spring break.

If you’re visiting Baltimore (or just want a getaway like we did), definitely consider Marriott Waterfront. The location is perfect to enjoy the Inner Harbor and the staff was courteous and helpful. The beds are pretty darn comfy too.

Marriott provided me with a one-night stay in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

3 Comments

  1. Phyllis April 7, 2016
  2. Bicultural Mama April 7, 2016
  3. Grace April 8, 2016