National Aquarium, a public Aquarium, is located at E Pratt Street in the inner harbor area of Baltimore, Maryland. The Aquarium has a collection of 660 species of 16,500 specimens. The National Aquarium in Baltimore is generally recognized as one of the best aquariums in the USA. Must-see attractions in the Aquarium include rooftop forest, central ray pool, and dolphin display and multiple-story shark tank.
Comprehensive Introduction to the National Aquarium in Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Aquarium_in_Baltimore
Careful visitors can find that the Aquarium is divided into three buildings now. The Glass Pavilion contains the Wild Extremes that is known as the new exhibit Animal Planet Australia. Pier 3 Pavilion houses major exhibits. Pier 4 Pavilion contains the dolphinarium.
Map of National Aquarium in Baltimore
http://www.aqua.org/downloads/pdf/Map_2009June.pdf
No matter whether you're travelling to the Aquarium by car, by plane or by train, the National Aquarium is within walking distance from numerous downtown attractions, like Harborplace, Hard Rock Cafe, Camden Yards, Raven Stadium and the World Trade Center and more. For travelers by car, parking can be the premier thing you need to consider.
Car Directions to the Aquarium
http://www.aqua.org/directions_car.html
Parking is available at various downtown garages within walking distance though the National Aquarium DOES NOT have their own parking facility.
1) The Inner Harbor Garage - This parking garage is the official parking partner for the Aquarium. It's located at 100 South Gay Street, Baltimore, MD 21202-4020. The phone number is 410-827-5600. The Inner Harbor Center Garage is open 24 hours from Monday to Sunday. Both cars and vans can be parked here.
One-hour parking will cost $8. You need to pay $13 for two-hour parking. Parking for three hours will be charged $16. If you prefer day-long parking, all you need is $19 that is quite cheap.
You can get parking discounts for the Inner Harbor Garage. Some easy steps can help you save $3 off your maximum daily rate. First you need to download and print the parking coupon/certificate on http://www.aqua.org/downloads/pdf/parking-coupon-2009.pdf. Then you can bring your certificate to the Aquarium's Information Desk to exchange with a $3 off voucher. The voucher needs to be presented to the garage upon exit.
2) Lockwood Garage - This parking lot is close to the National Aquarium that is located at 124 Market Place Baltimore, MD 21202. Its nearest intersection is Market Place and Pratt Street. It has a capacity of 960 parking spaces to assure that you can find somewhere to park your car.
Lockwood Garage is open 24 hours everyday. Parking rate for first one-hour is $7. Parking between one hour and two hours will be charged $14. You need to pay $20 for parking between two hours and three hours. The maximum rate for parking more than three hours in a day is $22.
Several ways can help you reduce your parking fees to the National Aquarium for Lockwood Garage. Early bird catches the worms. You can park your car in the garage before 9 a.m. and leave before 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The parking rate is only $10. If you come in the evening, you can get a flat rate. If you get in the garage between 9 p.m. and 12 p.m., $15 will be charged. You can also pay $20 if you park in between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. If you visit the Aquarium frequently, consider monthly parking. Regular unreserved parking price is $200. Reserved parking rate is $525.
More Parking Garages in Downtown Baltimore
http://en.parkopedia.com/parking/garage/the_inner_harbor_center_garage/baltimore
Many nearby hotels also provide parking services. If you're tired of searching for parking garages near the Aquarium or no available parking lot can be found, many hotels near the Aquarium offer both self-parking and valet parking services. Great hotels include Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel, Hyatt Regency Baltimore, Hampton Inn Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor and Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel and more.
Maps for Aquarium nearby Hotels
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&newwindow=1&q=national+aquarium+Baltimore+nearby+hotels&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
Consider street parking for short visits. A visit to Baltimore National Aquarium usually needs 2 to 4 hours. Compared with parking garages and hotel parking, street parking is much cheaper comparatively. You can find lots of meter parking near the Aquarium between Pratt Street and Lombard Street. Most parking spots on the streets are available for several hours' periods. But you need to check the meter, especially on weekends and festivals and holidays.
Note: Before driving to the Aquarium for a visit, you need to be clear about its visiting hours. Usually, you can park your car before the opening hour to make the best use of the precious hours. To make sure you can find available parking space and avoid the crowds, you need to make wise options to choose the best time to visit. You can visit before 11 a.m. or after 3 p.m. to avoid the big crowds.
Current Hours for National Aquarium
http://www.aqua.org/hours.html
Best Times to Visit the Aquarium
http://www.aqua.org/besttimes.html