Budget Md.: How to Save in 5 Locales

ANNAPOLIS

Visit History Quest (99 Main St., 410-267-6656, http://www.annapolis.org/index.asp?pageid=44), the headquarters of the Historic Annapolis Foundation, for its free multimedia presentations and gift shop. . . . Stroll around the U.S. Naval Academy for free (visitors age 16 and older need photo ID to enter). Pick up info at the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center (410-293-8687, http://www.navyonline.com). . . . The Banneker-Douglass Museum (84 Franklin St., 410-216-6180, http://www.bdmuseum.com), which spotlights African American history and Maryland culture, is gratis. . . . Stake out a spot at City Dock for a good view of the Wednesday night sailing races at the Annapolis Yacht Club. . . . Print coupons for pirate-theme and lighthouse boat rides with Watermark Cruises at http://www.watermarkcruises.com. . . . Find lodging deals at http://www.visitannapolis.org; type in "getaways" and "cool specials."

BALTIMORE

Download coupon books at http://baltimore.org/deals-and-discounts. . . . Buy a Harbor Pass online and save on admission to the science center, aquarium, Top of the World and Port Discovery or the American Visionary Art Museum; four-day adult passes are $42.75. Info: 877-BALTIMORE, http://www.baltimore.org. For five days and three additional museums, purchase the Harbor Pass Plus in advance for $59. . . . Starting June 15, area hotels will be offering buy two nights, get one free. See hotel packages at http://www.baltimore.org. . . . Baltimore Restaurant Week (July 26-Aug. 3) offers three-course prix-fixe lunches ($20.08) and dinners ($30.08). Info: http://www.baltimorerestaurantweek.com. Go to http://baltimore.org/taste-baltimore/dining-deals for other dining bargains.

The American Visionary Art Museum is free from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, June 19 to Aug. 7. Once it closes for the evening, watch a free movie outdoors at 9 (900 Key Hwy., 410-244-1900, http://www.avam.org). . . . More free culture: Every Friday in July and August, Little Italy hosts live music at 7 p.m. and films at 9 p.m. at High and Stiles streets ( http://www.littleitalymd.com). . . . Uniformed guides lead free 90-minute heritage walks daily at 10 a.m. from the Inner Harbor Visitor Center (443-514-5900, http://www.heritagewalk.org http://). . . . Catch free musical performances at the Inner Harbor Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons through Aug. 31. . . . The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum (410-752-2490, http://www.borail.org) halves admission the first Thursday of every month, and Geppi's Entertainment Museum (410-625-7060, http://www.geppismuseum.com) offers half-price admission every Tuesday.

ST. MICHAELS/EASTERN SHORE

Find lodging deals through the St. Michaels Maryland Business Association's Web site ( http://www.stmichaelsmd.org). For example, couples pay $295 for one night at the Old Brick Inn (410-745-3323, http://www.oldbrickinn.com), which includes gourmet breakfast, tickets for a cruise on a skipjack or steamboat, a wine and cheese tray and tickets to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Lodging deals at spas include Five Gables Inn & Spa's "Last Minute Special," which takes 20 percent off stays booked within 48 hours of arrival (410-745-0100, http://www.fivegables.com). . . . On the first Friday of every month, Easton's First Fridays Gallery Walk features new exhibits, free drinks and hors d'oeuvres at galleries.

OCEAN CITY

For $15, save up to $2,400 with 100 coupons from the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce's 2008 Family Discount Coupon Book ( http://www.ocean-city.com/coupons), or save on golf outings with the $125 Ocean City Golf Getaway's 2008 OC Golf Green Card ( http://www.d3stores.com/oceancitystore/product.asp?pID=2&cID=1&c=274618). . . . Buy multi-park passes or individual tickets in advance and save on visits to Speedworld, Jolly Roger Amusement Park & Pier and Splash Mountain Waterpark; go to http://www.d3stores.com/jollyroger/categories.asp?cID=2. . . . For lodging deals, check out the Weekly Hot Specials at http://www.ocean-city.com, or sign up for e-mail alerts.

GARRETT COUNTY/DEEP CREEK LAKE

Packages at Wisp Resort start at $85 per person per night, including the Adventure Package, with two nights' lodging, two breakfasts, paintball, chairlift ride, Mountain Coaster, kayaking, mountain biking and 18 holes of disc golf. Info: 800-462-9477, http://www.wispresort.com/wisp/info/lodging-specials.aspx. . . . Also at Wisp, Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. from June 25 through Aug. 13, the resort hosts free outdoor concerts. . . . Deals at Suites at Silver Tree (800-711-1719, http://www.suitesatsilvertree.com/packages.htm) include a one-night stay, two-hour guided white-water rafting trip and dinner at Silver Tree Inn, starting at $216 per couple.

Lodging discounts include Lake Star Lodge's (301-387-5596, http://www.lakestarlodge.com) stay-one-night, get-the-second-night-half-off deal. . . . Deep Creek Lake State Park's Discovery Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the summer and offers near-daily activities, most of them free. For a schedule, go to http://www.deepcreektimes.com/stateparks.asp or call 301-387-7067.

-- Christina Talcott