We track 1 display in Baltimore — the 4th-densest city for lights in Maryland. Every one of them is free to visit.
Displays here switch on around sunset. In Baltimore that means about 4:44 PM in early December and 4:44 PM by mid-month — the earliest sunsets of the year fall right in the middle of lights season. It is properly dark by about 5:14 PM, which is when the displays look their best. December nights in Baltimore typically drop to around 33°F.
| Date | Sunset | Fully dark |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 1 | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM |
| Dec 15 | 4:44 PM | 5:14 PM |
| Dec 25 | 4:49 PM | 5:19 PM |
Residential displays have no facilities of their own — no parking, no toilets, nowhere to warm up — so it is worth knowing what is around. Within about three miles of the Baltimore cluster, OpenStreetMap maps 14 public car parks and 12 public toilets. There is no shortage of cafés and takeaways for a hot drink on the way round.
Freeneighborhoodwhole-block participation since 1947musical trainsinflatable snow globesDisney displaysSanta photos
Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood has kept this tradition going since 1947, with the entire 700 block of West 34th Street joining in on exuberant lights and decorations. Highlights include musical trains, inflatable snow globes, and Disney-themed displays, plus Santa photo opportunities and food and drinks nearby.
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Know a display we're missing in Baltimore?Add it to the guide.