What: Baltimore Waterfront Invasion
When: Now Through September 6
Where: Baltimore, MD
Why: Late this spring, lo-fi ads started assaulting the Baltimore airwaves with B-movie graphics promising a “Waterfront Invasion” this summer. Luckily, it’s much less sinister than the British invasion that besieged the harbor in 1814: The Maryland Science Center and the National Aquarium have teamed up with two exhibitions, one focused on jellyfish, the other on dinosaur fossils unearthed in Asia.
At the aquarium, curators make the case that “brainless, bloodless, boneless” blobs deserve more than our scorn. Instead, the prehistoric creatures are key environmental indicators, able to telegraph the health of our oceans. As many as nine different species will be floating around the aquarium, along with multimedia presentations that further educate visitors about the critters.
Meanwhile at the Maryland Science Center, more than 20 dinosaurs from Asia will be on view, along with cultural artifacts and animatronic reptiles to complete the experience. While the connection to China seems a little weak—they’re calling the show “Chinasaurs” even though the fossils came from Mongolia—there’s no denying how cool prehistoric creatures can be, whether you’re taking a kid or just planning to act like one for the day.
How to get there: Both Amtrak and BoltBus stop at Baltimore’s Penn Station, at 1515 N. Charles St. Check schedules and fares at amtrak.com and boltbus.com. Baltimore’s MTA bus 11 or bus 64 can get you to the Inner Harbor, where you’ll find both exhibits. Before visiting the National Aquarium and MSC, start planning your trip at mtamaryland.com.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram