Do you ever feel like you just need to get away?  Then do you freak out that you can't go to far from home?  If you answered yes to both of these questions, then I am talking to you.  I love to travel and used to travel a ton before having my son.  Now, the thought of a long car ride with him (esp. since he is newly potty-trained) completely freaks me out.  So, I started looking into staycations.  I now have two favorites I highly recommend.  One is National Harbor when they are having awesome events (like ICE! at the Gaylord National - have you entered to win the 4 free tickets yet?!).  The other is Baltimore!

I grew up in Potomac until I left for college, and while we would take day trips to Baltimore as a family, I had never really considered staying over.  I must say, I have been missing out!  A few weeks ago, my family headed out for 36 hours away from the house.  We arrived in Baltimore on a Friday night.  I had done some research about the most family-friendly hotels in Baltimore and decided Pier 5 was the ideal choice.  I contacted the hotel and they invited my family and I to stay with them during our roadtrip. 

The Pier 5 Hotel is a small, fun, boutique-like hotel that is right near the Aquarium.  The fabulous location was a big part of why I thought this might be the best hotel for us, and I was totally right.  Pier 5 is not only family-friendly, but also pet-friendly and they offer several "extras" that I think really set them apart.  During the week, they have a free Crabby Hour from 5:30-6:30pm where you and your family can test your cooking skills as you whip up a savory batch of Pier 5 Maryland Crab Dip, your own Crabby Crepe or some other culinary crabby treat. Equipped with wacky crab hats and all! Also sample Maryland microbrews and wine.  On Saturdays from 3-4pm, the Chocolate Event is not to be missed!  Two chocolate fountains and all the dippers you could possibly imagine...and then some!  Also of note, the breakfast in the lobby is a pretty tasty choice (we really liked the omelets!) and, if you need some milk and cookies, or maybe a glass of wine, the front desk will be happy to bring them right up...and for less than $10!!  But, I think the highlight of the Pier 5 Hotel is the staff.  The level of customer service we received was truly outstanding!  The staff really could not have been more welcoming or accommodating and their wealth of knowledge about everything to do in Baltimore was fantastic.  We will definitely be staying at the Pier 5 Hotel on our future roadtrips to Baltimore.

I also want to point out that if you are heading to Baltimore, you should check out the Downtown Baltimore Macaroni Kid to get some other great ideas for things to do with your family.

* The Pier 5 Hotel offered us a complimentary room to facilitate this review, but all opinions expressed are my own and no other form of compensation was received.