Winter Fun Guide | Macaroni KID Pasadena-Severna Park-Glen Burnie

I’m always looking for things to keep my little ones busy-especially when the weather is cold! There are lots of local events in our Calander here:

But here are some other area ideas too!! 

Visit Santa Claus at the following locations: 

Annapolis Mall: through December 24

Marley Station Mall: through December 24:

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor: Santa Photos & Santa's Place Light Shows Santa, shopping & holiday cheer! Enjoy special Holiday light shows choreographed to your favorite tunes every half hour, 6pm -8pm. through – December 24

Holiday Events & Winter Fun

Christmas Lights in Glen Burnie: Visit this local family and feel their love for the Christmas Season. They have an impressive display of lights, electronics and even Santa visits!

 528 Delmar Ave Glen Burnie Md. 21061

HOLIDAY FESTIVAL OF TRAINS & TOYS at the B&O Museum in Baltimore: through - Tuesday, December 31 Polar Express 4D Experience At The National Aquarium: During a 20-minute 4-D experience, Aquarium guests will join a doubting young boy as he takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. Through January 4 (times vary). For tickets and more information: Window Wonderland In Harbor East: See the city sidewalks come alive as Harbor East presents Window Wonderland – A Holiday Arts Exhibit through January 1st! Various shops and restaurants around the neighborhood will feature holiday windows decorated by some of the area’s most talented local artists, turning Harbor East into a merry masterpiece! For more information visit: Waterfront Partnership's Ice Rink At Baltimore's Inner Harbor: (McKeldin Plaza, 101 E. Pratt Street) Check out ice skating daily!  Hours vary by day:

5th Annual Pasadena Christmas Tree Lighting: December 2nd 7pm Lakeshore Plaza
 

National Aquarium's Holiday Celebration:  December 5th, 5-9pm The National Aquarium’s annual holiday celebration, presented by Macy’s, will feature festive music and dance performances from around the world. Our very own Knott Harbor View Room will transform into a holiday village, with live music, crafts and appearances from two very special visitors—Santa and the Polar Express Train Conductor! Enjoy special Kwanzaa and Hanukkah displays while you munch on seasonal treats and sip on hot chocolate, regular or spiked (for the 21+ crowd).

Dollar or Less Days will return on December 6 & 7, 2014. Participating Downtown museums and attractions offer admission for just $1 or less!

Babe Ruth Museum, 216 Emory St., Sat & Sun. - $1

Christmas Village in Baltimore, Inner Harbor/West Shore Park, Sat. & Sun., 11am-8pm - $1

Historic Ships in Baltimore, Pier 1, 301 E. Pratt St., Sat. & Sun. - $1 per ship

The Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd St., Sunday only - $1

Lexington Market, 400 W. Lexington St., Sat & Sun. - Free

Maryland Science Center, 601 Light St., Sat. & Sun. - $1 (*Imax not included) 

National Aquarium, 501 E. Pratt St., Sat. & Sun. - $1 (first come, first served, limited tkts)

Port Discovery Children's Museum, 35 Market Place, Sun. - $1 (first come, first served, limited tkts)

Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Sat. & Sun. - $1

Sports Legend Museum, 301 W. Camden St., Sat. & Sun. - $1

Top of the World Observation Level, 401 E. Pratt St., 27th Floor, Sat., 10am-2pm & Sun., 11am-3pm - $1

Carroll Museum, 800 E. Lombard St., Sat. & Sun., 12-4pm - $1

Family Friendly New Year’s Eve Celebrations: 

Midnight Noon At The Maryland Science Center: Join the Maryland Science Center for the 6th annual New Year’s Eve celebration on Wednesday, December 31st. Dance the day away to the sounds of the popular kids’ band, Milkshake, as they help count down to a Happy New Year from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. The day will include arts and craft activities and a ball drop. All activities are free with paid admission. For more information visit:

Noontime New Year! Port Discovery: FUN and EXCITING Noontime New Year with Eric Energy! Come dressed in your favorite costume and help us make giant numbers and shakers for the BIG countdown to the New Year at 12 noon with Eric Energy! Toast the New Year with milk and cookies and enjoy a fabulous day of programs and performances!

Annapolis New Year’s Celebration: Exciting events throughout town include musical and theater performances, crafts, face painting and more!  Events begin at 3pm and fireworks begin at 7:30 and midnight!

Train Displays & Events

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, 901 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD. Magical Holiday Express. Trains are magical during the holidays! There is no better place to be a child than at the B&O Railroad Museum! All aboard the B&O’s Magical Holiday Express "Community Giving Train", a holiday spectacular celebration in the B&O Roundhouse devoted to trains of all sizes and shapes, holiday festivities, a winter wonderland of family fun and activities and a way to help local charities who help those in need this season. There is something to see and do every day at this event with all new holiday decorations, hands-on crafts and contests, live entertainment, train rides, model train layouts, appearances by Santa, Mrs. Claus, Frosty, and LEGO Man and much more! Be sure to check out their website for all the details! November 22 - January 4, Monday through Saturday 10am - 4pm. Sunday, 11am - 4pm. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Day and New Year's Day. 410-752-2490,

Baltimore Streetcar Museum, 1911 Falls Road, Baltimore, MD. "Santa's Streetcar", Ride an authentic streetcar with Santa Claus, see the 16' decorated tree and train gardens, listen to a reading of "A Visit from Saint Nick", and enjoy holiday refreshments and music. Saturday and Sunday, December 6, 7, 13, and 14, Noon - 5pm. 410-547-0264, Christkindlmarkt (German Christmas Market), Zion Church of Baltimore, City Hall Plaza, 400 East Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD. For the 17th time this year, shoppers can feast on authentic German foods and stock their pantries with imported holiday goodies including Stollen, Lebkuchen, Marzipan, and Advent calendars. Local craftspeople display their handmade snowflakes, Santas, jewelry, and floral arrangements along with commercial importers of smokers and steins. A model train garden is also part of the event. People can begin their holiday shopping, relax with a glass of Glühwein, and converse with a friend in a festive setting. Guided tours of Zion Church are available. Saturday November 30 10am - 4pm, Sunday November 30, 11am - 4:30pm. 410-727-3939,

Christmas on 34th Street, Baltimore, MD. This is a Baltimore tradition almost as old as train gardens. For the 67th year, this street in the Hampden district of Baltimore is brilliantly lit up for Christmas, and the glow spills over into the surrounding neighborhood. And, since there are some trains in it, I get to include it in this list! November 29 through January 1, Dusk - 11pm.

Ellicott City B&O Railroad Museum, 2711 Maryland Avenue, Ellicott City, MD. "Holiday Festival of Trains" Enjoy the museum's annual holiday celebration of toy trains and model railroading. Santa will be on-hand to greet visitors opening weekend. See the custom built 360 degree LEGO model train layout created by The Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area LEGO Train Club. This masterpiece made completely of LEGO toy pieces is interactive for children of all ages. There are push buttons along the sides that will activate lights, motors, and sounds. Other model exhibits featured at the Station will include a popular Thomas the Tank Engine G-scale layout, a small N-scale layout in the museum's telegraph office and a push button children's layout in the main waiting room. Opening November 28 and running through January 25. The museum will be open Wednesdays through Sundays, 11am – 4pm, closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. 410-461-1945,

Fire Museum of Maryland, 1301 York Road, Lutherville, MD. See 42 antique fire engines and a 1950s “O” Scale Train Garden. The new Underground Subway, Light Rail system plus the Bromo Seltzer Tower, Gwynn Oaks Amusement Park, the Baltimore Zoo, the Viaduct, Baltimore neighborhoods, and a car dealership on fire are featured. Be sure to check out the historic photos of Baltimore area train gardens. Open November 29, December 6, 13, 20, 26-27, and 29-30, 10am - 4pm. 410-321-7500,

Highlandtown Holiday Train Garden, Engine Company 41, 520 South Conkling Street, Baltimore, MD. A new Highlandtown tradition enters its sixth year with new layout features! Grand Opening Day December 5, 6:30pm - 8pm. November 29, 30, December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20-24, 26-31, January 1, 2, 3, 11am - 5pm. John & June Sturgeon, 836 Turf Valley Drive, Pasadena, MD. 18th Annual Train garden with 11 trains consisting of an amusement park, football stadium, hot dog stand, and a winter wonderland that includes lighted houses, ice skaters, and skiers. Enjoy lots of lighted yard decorations. November 28, 29, December 5, 6, 12, 13, 15-23, 26, 27, 6pm - 9pm. Please park on Hunt Ridge Road and walk to the house. Look for flashing RR crossing sign in the back yard.Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Festival of Trees, Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Timonium, MD. Celebrating 25 years! An extravaganza of fairyland forests, gingerbread towns and toy train gardens, complimented by over 100 craft boutiques, holiday goodies and activities for kids of all ages, also nightly entertainment for the whole family! November 28-30, Friday & Saturday 10am - 9pm, Sunday 10am - 6pm. festivaloftrees.kennedykrieger.orgMarley Station Mall Train Garden, 7900 Governor Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD. Holiday Train Garden. A tradition in Glen Burnie for 19 years. Created by the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, this legendary display features a number of multi-level scenes featuring 16 trains and many landscapes - airport, beach, raceway, towns, oil fields, freight yards, the North Pole with the Polar Express, Gumdrop City and scenes from the movie "Cars" - with a number of interactive elements for the enjoyment of parents and children alike. And a passenger train circling it all from above. Opening November 22 and running through December 31. 410-766-2033, Morton's Model Railroads, 2000 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, MD. Open houses November 29 through January 3, Saturdays & Sundays, 2pm - 6pm.Severna Park Model Railroad Club, 3 Riggs Avenue, Severna Park, MD Home of the historic HO scale Chesapeake & Allegheny Railroad, spanning Maryland, “From the Mountains to the Bay,” circa 1950. Noted for their urban scenery, impressive steel works and robust coal operation, this club has been featured on the cover of Model Railroader four times. Located in the old Severna Park train station along the Baltimore & Annapolis rail trail. Open House December 6 & 7, Noon - 5pm. Toy Train Operating Society, Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire House, 161 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD. The National Capital Division presents their Family Train and Toy Show. Trains and accessories (old and new) in all scales for sale, repair and replacement parts, and test tracks. Operating layout display by the Baltimore Area American Flyer Club. Sunday December 14, 9am - 3pm.College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park, MD. "Holiday Trains and Planes" Exhibit. During the holiday season College Park Aviation Museum gets ready for the festivities as miniature trains, villages, tunnels, and depots spark the imagination and bring history to life. The National Capital Trackers bring a fascinating and constantly moving display of model railroads to the Museum. Saturday, December 13 through Saturday, December 19, 10am - 5pm. 30l-864-6029; TTY 30l-864-4765,

The National Christmas Tree, The Ellipse, Washington, DC. What's a Christmas tree without a train running around it? For the 21st consecutive year, enjoy the National Christmas Tree Railroad encircling "our" Christmas Tree (and all the other decorations). December 4 through January 1, 10 - 10 daily. 202-208-1631, and