Eat all you can in a big old boat
Maryland is world famous for its crabs - and there's no better place to eat them than at Captain James Landing (tel: +1 410 327 8600; www.captainjameslanding.com), a staple of Baltimore's culinary scene since 1978. Located inside an imitation merchant vessel, their all-you-can-eat crab deal will float every crab lovers' boat.
Get your skates on at Mount Pleasant
In the north east, cold weather is part of the landscape, so embrace it by slipping into some sweaty, 150th-hand ice skates. The place to head for a spin and stumble is the Mount Pleasant Ice Arena (tel: +1 443 984 4075; www.mtpleasanticearena.com), which offers free skate sessions and lessons for those unsteady on the ice.
Go grave spotting in Green Mount Cemetery
The historic Green Mount Cemetery (tel: +1 410 539 0641; www.greenmountcemetery.com) is notable for several long-term inhabitants. Not least Elijah Bond, the creator of the ouija board, who's at plot J20. You'll also find the final resting place of John Wilkes Booth, the actor who assassinated Abraham Lincoln as well as Napoleon's sister-in-law, Betsy Patterson.
Poke around Edgar Allan Poe’s old house
From 1833 until 1935, Edgar Allen Poe lived in a little house at 203 Baltimore North Amity Street (tel: +1 410 462 1763; www.poeinbaltimore.org) where he wrote some of his best-known short stories. This unassuming house is now a memorial to the great writer and has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
Stagger along the Maryland wine trails
It might not be the first thing you associate with the region, but Maryland has its own thriving wine industry. There are six wine trails for any aspiring bon vivant to follow as well as a host of events throughout the year that bring local wines into the spotlight. Maryland Wine (www.marylandwine.com) will give you a taste of what to expect.
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