DD's birthday trip to Baltimore MD About This Page:

[krisk11]

Destination: Baltimore MD
Date: June 17 - 19
Cast: Me (mom Kris) 38, dd's dad Courtney 42 and dd
who turned 10 on 6/16
Celebration: DD's 10th birthday
Well we are back from our trip to Baltimore and boy did we have fun!!!! Baltimore's Inner Harbor is a great place to visit and only 2 short hours from my home in the suburbs of Philadelphia. We left on Friday after I got off from work at noon. We couldn't leave right away because despite the fact that Courtney was home all morning we still had to go to the car wash and Wawa. Once on the road it only took a little over 2 hours until we arrived at our hotel. We decided to stay outside of the Inner Harbor due to $$ contrainst (check my countdown clock to my WDW trip and you will understand). We picked the Days Inn 8 miles outside of the Inner Harbor and while we have stayed in many hotels because Kelsey plays travel hockey and we are always going somewhere for a game or tournament I must say I was very disappointed in this hotel. I knew we weren't staying in the Ritz but this place wasn't great. It had an outdoor pool which was important to Kelsey, but the room was dirty. I knew it was an older hotel but if they would just clean the rooms better it would go a long way. We had time to kill before the Orioles game so we watched some tv (the pool wasn't open until Sat.) and Kelsey & her dad had a softball catch. Then we left for the game. Camden Yards is a great ball park. Unfortunately the Orioles lost in a low scoring game so it wasn't the most thrilling game I ever saw. Saturday morning we got up and went to get some free continental breakfast which was good. The pool was scheduled to open at 10 which is what time we went down. The pool guy (we named him Pokey the Pool Person) stated he wasn't ready. At 10:30 he stated he still wasn't ready but I informed him we were going to sit in the sun until he was. The water was cold but the pool was nice. We got cleaned up after our swim and went into the Inner Harbor. We parked by the Cirque du Soleil tent and walked to the ESPN Zone (quite a haul). We had a drink but there wasn't enough time to eat before the show so we had ckicken fingers at a stand next door. Now that wasn't my plan but I made the mistake of explaining my plan to Courtney while the tv was on so he didn't hear me. We then walked back to the Cirque du Soleil tents to see the show. Let me tell you it was fabulous. SIDE NOTE: Marnie if you can get tickets when it comes to Hartford definately do it. The show was unbelievable!!!! Words can not describe it. After the show we went to a restaurant right on the water called Victors Cafe. The prices were a little higher than I would have liked but I guess it wasn't bad for a waterfront restaurant. Courtney had the chopped salad with blackened shrimp which he said was very good. He also had the Cream of Crab soup which we all tasted and loved. Kelsey wanted crab cakes but they didn't have them on the appetizer menu and instead of ordering the regular order she picked the Grouper in a lemon butter sauce which she loved. I had the surf & turf which included a small steak cooked to perfection and a Maryland crab cake which I had been dying for all weekend and it was fabulous. Mine & Kelsey's came with mashed potatoes both regular and sweet and broccoli. Kelsey picked a piece of chocolate cake for dessert and I had brought the "10" candle that she had requested. We had a hard time finding matches since you can't smoke in the restaurant but Courtney got a lighter from the bartender. We didn't sing but she wanted to blow out her candles. The guy at the table next to us wished Kelsey a happy birthday and noticed she was wearing the shirt she had just gotten at the Cirque du Soleil show and since he had just been there too and had his lanyard from his Tapis Rouge pass he gave it to her to have. After dinner we went back to the room. Sunday was cloudy so after the continental breakfast we headed home.
I highly recommend both the Inner Harbor and Cirque du Soleil. I thought after seeing Varikai I wouldn't have a strong desire to see LaNouba but it is the exact opposite. Kelsey & I definately want to see that show too.

[GoofyMom]

That sounds like a wonderful birthday trip for Kelsey!!! Too bad about the hotel, but the rest of it sounded wonderful!

[lauren-roxy]

Sounds like a really fun trip to celebrate Kelsey's birthday!!

[Colexis Mom]

Glad you had a great weekend (other than the dirty room)! Glad you enjoyed Varekai, I think we might have to try for that one

[Wondcat]

I'm so happy that you enjoyed your trip to our fair city.

[JoanW]

I'm sorry I didn't know you were here! I think that's when I had the nasty cold, so we wouldn't have driven into the city. I am wondering where that hotel is. Is it near the airport???