I think I average a trip to the #NationalAquarium about every ten years or so, mostly because my local aquarium in #Camden has its own perks and #exhibits to satisfy my #aquatic needs. As I get older the Baltimore aquarium seems to get smaller… I remember going as a child feeling as though I was walking under #water for hours, filled with wonder by the various windows into water worlds. Now there are just a couple #favorite spots that bring back interest, with the visits being shorter, and the wonder being in if they would ever expand or change things up. Good thing for Baltimore they have other things to do in the #harbor and surrounding area, which we have been able to #experience more recently, and there are still things I would love to come back and visit, such as the #ScienceCenter or #historic #ships.

This #trip was to try out the #DollarDays Baltimore offers to anyone that would stand in #line for #hours on end to enter various #attractions for a dollar. We arrived at 9am, with the #opening time usually being 10am, and waited in a line that #wrapped all the way around the aquarium, for two and a half hours. Then we had an additional 45 minute wait after that before our timed entry was up. I think I did it more for the “waiting” experience than for anything else… I wanted my #son to see how #crazy it was to ever wait in a line like that for anything other than a #substantial amount of #money, or a #life #saving remedy. But hey, I also understand why those that would never be able to #afford the normally $40 tickets would think it’s #worth the wait…a trip to the aquarium for those that have never been is an amazing #experience too.

After we spent a couple hours with the fishies we went to grab #lunch at the awesome #ShakeShack, where we got possibly the #best #burgers of our lives. It’s a very #small place, and was packed to the gills (pun intended) but was so worth the cramped waiting with an obnoxiously large vibrating #beeper to signal our #food was ready. The #shakes were outrageously thick and delicious as well, and since we had nowhere to sit inside to eat, we found a #bench by the #harbor to enjoy our #bounty. After #stuffing our faces we walked over to the #ChristmasVillage that was made complete with a #boot #mug full of #mulledwine for me, and a #hotchocolate for the kiddo. It was much like the #Philly Christmas Village we have been to, and since it was a #sunny, mild #winter day, we were able to enjoy our stroll through the various vendor huts.