Recreation and Leisure in Baltimore

If you love open spaces and quiet retreats, Baltimore is a dream come true. It’s home to more than 7,000 acres of parkland in 400 different properties, 45 recreation centers and 32 special facilities, occupying nearly 10 percent of the city land area.

Fish, picnic and soak in the sea breeze at the Canton Waterside Park. Run your dog through the 450 acres of Robert E. Lee Memorial Park. Hike, bike, climb, canoe and camp under the stars at the Patapsco Valley State Park, just outside of Baltimore — 14,000 acres alongside 32 miles of the Patapsco River. Just beyond Baltimore are the treasures of the Eastern Shore, the Chesapeake Bay and the ocean beaches of Maryland.

If you’re nautically inclined, you’ll have no shortage of action, whether you’re a world-class sailor or just learning the ropes. The Downtown Sailing Center provides sailing opportunities for all ages and skill sets, and the Baltimore Rowing Club, too, has programs for all experience levels.

If spectator sports are your passion, Baltimore has it all, starting with baseball. The world-famous Baltimore Orioles have been delighting fans since 1955. You can catch a Birds game at the festive Camden Yards Park, best known for its delicious food.

Football fans can grab a seat in the purple stands of the M&T Bank Stadium and cheer on the NFL champions of 2001, the Baltimore Ravens. Or for a different kind of gridiron experience, check out the Baltimore Burn, the city’s proud contribution to the National Women’s Football Association.

Baltimore is also a big lacrosse town and home to the 2002 Major League Lacrosse champion Baltimore Bayhawks. Soccer, too, is in full force with the Baltimore Blast, the 2003 Major Indoor Soccer League champion.

Horseracing fans will revel in the call to post at Baltimore’s historic Pimlico Racetrack, home to the Maryland Preakness Stakes, the second leg of racing's storied Triple Crown.

For those who want to watch sports and play them, too, you can have it all at ESPN Zone, Baltimore’s ultimate sports dining and entertainment complex. See your favorite team on the screening room’s 16-foot screen, or get in the center of it all in the sports arena, featuring 10,000 square feet of games and attractions.

Winter has its own special offerings, with ice skating at the Baltimore Ice Rink at Harbor Point. Or enjoy sledding in one of the city’s many neighborhood parks.

For a really unusual experience, try the Irish sport of Gaelic football, a fast-paced combination of soccer and rugby sponsored by the Baltimore Gaelic Athletic Association.

How about a round of Ultrazone? Played regularly in the Eastpoint Mall, this tag match pits teams of laser gunners against each other in a 21st-century game of Capture the Flag.

You’re not a true Baltimorean until you have a few games of duckpin bowling to your credit. The game was invented by a couple of Baltimore Orioles during the 1900 off-season.

If bingo’s your thing, you won’t want to miss Bingo World, just minutes from downtown Baltimore. More than $20,000 is in play, seven nights a week.