Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in baltimore, MD

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Baltimore Free-Wheelin': Five Great Spots to Take a Bike Ride

May 19, 2009

I learned to ride a bike in the weedy, glassy, busted-up parking lot behind the closed-down Pantry Pride. It wasn't scenic, but grocery cart ramps and concrete barriers added interest, and I loved to ride in figure-eights around the bases of the mercury vapor lights. The point of this story? That kids are highly industrious creatures who, in a pinch and on their bicycles, can find bliss just about anywhere. But the point of this post? That some bike-riding spots are better than others, and the best of these lack abandoned plastic milk crates and giant hunks of broken glass.

Following are some of our favorite bike-riding destinations, none of which, in spite of fond memories of my childhood, happen to be vacant parking lots. So fill up those tires, test out those brakes, and enjoy a nice, relaxing bike ride with the family.

N.C.R. Trail

Long, flat, beautiful and gravelly, the N.C.R. has many points of entry, including a convenient (though often crowded) spot on Sweet Air Road in Cockeysville. The trail, particularly on sunny, warm weekends, can become overwhelmingly crowded, and may be too much for your novice rider. To avoid the crowds, head as far north as you are able, and avoid setting out on weekend afternoons and holidays. Also, prepare your child for the gravelly surface; if he's expecting concrete, he might be in for a shock.

Fort McHenry

Best visited during the week, when your child is less likely to run over tourists' ankles, Fort McHenry is a fantastically flat place for a sunny trike or bike ride. Plus, while you're there, you can admire the Harbor and take in a little history, too.

Meadowood Regional Park

Head on out to the county, baby, for a nice, level track that runs past meadows and a playground. You'll also find toilet facilities here, which--like I need to tell you this--can be very welcome when riding bicycles with children.

Baltimore-Annapolis Bike Trail

This trail, like the N.C.R. Trail, has many points of entry, including one in Arnold and one in Glen Burnie. Every bit of the trail is paved, which makes it ideal for the youngest riders. Actually, it's pretty ideal for riders of all ages and abilities, so take care to avoid the busiest times (particularly weekends and holidays).

Loch Raven Reservoir (weekends only)

Every weekend, for as long as I can remember, a 3-mile long section of Loch Raven Drive has been closed to vehicular traffic. What this has meant for generations of children is a chance to bike-ride in the street. Enjoy the ripple of the waves, the rustle of the pines, and all of the sights and smells of the reservoir that you never get to experience from your car.

Got a favorite bike-riding destination? Tell us where you like to pedal!

Classes They'll Flip For: Five Great Places to Take Gymnastics

March 24, 2009

Got a little gymnast in the family? Are you Mom or Dad to the next Paul Hamm or Shawn Johnson? Then perhaps it's time to enroll your limber lad or lassie in one of Baltimore's excellent gymnastics classes, where he or she can bounce and twist and jump and roll . . . without destroying your sofa.