Enjoy Baltimore without ever opening your wallet.
Welcome to Charm City, where the fun never ends, and Old Bay is life. With fancy restaurants, five-star hotels, and costly attractions like the National Aquarium, spending time in Baltimore could be really expensive. Never fear though because if your wallet needs a break, I got you covered with more than forty free things you can do in Baltimore.
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Stroll around the Inner Harbor
There’s usually an entertainer performing for free at the outdoor amphitheater during the summer months.
Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar
Browse through the Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar under the Jones Falls Expressway. You can enjoy free food samples while watching street artists perform.
Sherwood Gardens
Have a picnic in Sherwood Gardens. The tulips in spring are legendary.
Pierce Park
With whimsical sculptures and a musical fence, you can spend time at Pierce’s Park on Pier 5 in the Inner Harbor.
Canton Waterfront Park
Spend hours at the First Thursday’s concert series in Canton Waterfront Park, which runs from May to September.
Harbor East
Go window shopping in Harbor East’s many boutique stores, and grab more things to do in Harbor East.
Charm City Circulator
Drive around taking in the city and if you don’t have a car, take Baltimore’s fully-free Charm City Circulator.
Domino Sugar Sign
Take pictures with the iconic Domino Sugar sign lighting up the background.
Baltimore Museum of Art
See the paintings, sculptures, and artifacts at the Baltimore Museum of Art, where admission is always free.
Enoch Pratt Free Library
Check out the NY Times Best Seller list at one of the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s twenty-two branches. They also have scheduled performances, free classes, guest speakers, and more.
Broadway Pier
The Broadway Pier in Fells Point and Federal Hill are a few places that stream movies outdoors in the summertime.
Mural Walk
Take a walk around Baltimore and keep your eyes peeled for the many famed murals that can be found on the side of buildings.
The Walters Art Museum
Browse the rotating exhibitions at Walters Art Museum, where admission is free.
Federal Hill Views
Sit atop Federal Hill, people watch, and take in the stunning view of the Inner Harbor in front of you. It’s also a wonderful place to watch the 4th of July fireworks.
Architectural Tour of Churches
Baltimore has some stunning architecture, especially its churches. Some to take in are Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church, Basilica of the Assumption, Old St. Paul Church, and the St. Leo Roman Catholic Church.
American Visionary Art Museum
Check out the outdoor sculptures at the American Visionary Art Museum.
History on Federal Hill
Take in a bit of history at Federal Hill, which houses the cannons that were used during the Civil War.
Gwynns Falls Trai
Follow the Gwynns Falls Trail from the bustling city through the historic sites in Baltimore’s many neighborhoods.
Graffiti Alley
Head over to Graffiti Alley to check out the work of local artists. Spray paint cans can be found lying around for you to leave your own tag.
Creative Alliance
Prep for your next Instagram post by taking pictures on the huge typographic structure that spells out the word ‘bus’ near the Creative Alliance headquarters.
Power Plant Live
Power Plant Live hosts free live music you can enjoy throughout the year, especially during the summer.
Walter Sondheim Fountain
Take the kids to the Walter Sondheim Fountain at the Inner Harbor so they can cool down with the interactive water jets.
Canton Waterfront Park
Go for a jog at Canton Waterfront Park, and then read out full guide to more things to do in Canton.
Westminster Hall Cemetery
Read the works of Edgar Allen Poe while at his gravesite in Westminster Hall Cemetery.
Patterson Park
Take a walk at Patterson Park. Pause for a moment to take in the iconic pagoda, now known as The Observatory and find more things to do in Patterson Park.
More FREE things to do in Baltimore at night
National Aquarium
Visit the National Aquarium during the Downtown Discovery Days when they distribute over 10,000 free admission tickets.
Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens
Spend time exploring the gardens at Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens. While admission is free, you have to pre-register for timed entry.
Check out more gardens in Baltimore
Druid Hill Park
Walk the hidden trails of Druid Hill Park. There are lots of events hosted there during the summer months.
Free festivals in Baltimore you can attend
Fleet Week
Everyone is welcome to watch the boats sail into the harbor and look up as the airplanes fly overhead. There are various activities throughout the week, but one thing we can guarantee is that there will be a lot of sailors in uniform walking around.
Fells Point Fun Festival
With arts and crafts, games and activities, live music, it’s fun for the entire family.
Light City Festival
Featuring BGE’s Light Art Walk, the light art installations and performances are out of this world.
NOTE: check to make sure the event is happening this year before you start planning.
Vegan Soulfest
This festival promotes animal welfare and food sustainability through delicious vegan soul food. There are also live music performances, arts and crafts stalls you can browse, and cooking demos.
Baltimore’s Italian Festival
Hosted by the historic St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Baltimore’s Italian Festival is two days of bocce tournaments, sausage-eating contests, cannoli, and classic Italian vino.
Baltimore African American Festival
This massive celebration of the African-American culture brings together music, food, and talent unlike anything else.
Greek Food, Wine, and Cultural Festival
There’s a chance to go on a cathedral tour, silent auctions, Greek dance performances, live music, dance lessons, and delicious Greek cuisine.
Baltimore Book Festival
Meet and greet with authors, workshops, readings, activities, and stalls of books are just a few of the things at the Baltimore Book Festival.
Latinofest
Celebrate Latino culture with performances, music, food, arts and crafts, and more.
Federal Hill Jazz & Blues Festival
All of Federal Hill come together for their annual Jazz & Blues Festival with live performances, games and activities, and stalls you can browse.
HonFest
Celebrate a part of the city’s history and the women who helped shape it with stalls, parades, and performances.
Baltimore Pride
One of the largest pride festivals in the country, the festival comprises a parade, live performances, a late-night block party, and more.
Hampden’s Miracle on 34th Street
Every Christmas, Hampden’s 34th Street gets into the holiday spirit by putting up a stunning display of lights.
Artscape
The largest free arts festival in the nation, you’ll come across everything from experimental music and interactive exhibitions to comedy performances and outdoor installations.
Baltimore Caribbean Festival
Take in the parade, colorful costumes, and the sounds of Steelband, calypso, Latin, soca, and African music.
Sowebo Arts and Music Festival
Start summer right with live music, interactive art stalls, and fun activities for the whole family.
Christmas Village at Inner Harbor
Get into the holiday spirit by taking in the decor and wandering this German-style Christmas market.
