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Planning to arrive in Baltimore early for General Assembly 2025? Treat yourself to a “GA-cation” with activities that celebrate the culture, history, and vibrant life of this remarkable city. Whether you’re looking for immersive tours, time on the water, or enriching museum visits, there’s something for everyone on Wednesday, June 18 and plenty more to explore all week long.

Pre-GA Experiences on Wednesday, June 18

Lexington Market & Civil Rights Tour

9–10 a.m. | $15 | Activity Level: Moderate

Take a journey through history with a guided tour of the newly renovated Lexington Market and its surrounding neighborhood. Learn how immigration, slavery, and the Civil Rights movement shaped Baltimore’s role in U.S. history, then shop local vendors in the revitalized market space.

Advance registration required

Baltimore Inner Harbor Lunch Cruise

Boarding at 11:15 a.m. | Ends at 2 p.m. | $75 | Wheelchair & scooter accessible

Step aboard a climate-controlled yacht for a scenic, family-friendly lunch cruise through Baltimore’s iconic Inner Harbor.

Tickets available now

Visit the National Aquarium

1–5 p.m. | $32–$42 | Wheelchair & scooter accessible

Enjoy an inspiring visit to one of the nation’s top aquariums and explore exhibits that highlight marine conservation and our shared responsibility for the Earth, deeply aligned with UU values.

Purchase discounted tickets for 1 p.m. entry

Edgar Allan Poe’s Gravesite Tour

2:30–3:30 p.m. | $15 | Activity Level: Moderate

Discover the final resting place of Edgar Allan Poe, along with the stories of Baltimore’s historic figures buried nearby. A private tour led by Baltimore Heritage shares Poe’s life and the city he once called home.

Advance registration required

Anytime Activities in Baltimore

Even beyond these scheduled offerings, Baltimore is packed with unique and meaningful places to explore on your own schedule:

• African American History in Baltimore
• Baltimore: A Book Lover’s Dream
• Baltimore Record Stores for Every Music Enthusiast
• B&O Railroad Museum
• Baltimore American Indian Center Heritage Museum
• Baltimore Museum of Industry
• Baltimore Water Taxi that connects neighborhoods like the Inner Harbor, Federal Hill, Fell’s Point and Harbor East
• First Unitarian Church of Baltimore – Visit the sit of Rev. William Ellery Channing’s 1819 “Baltimore Sermon.” Channing’s ninety-minute declaration laid out the tenets of a “Unitarian” faith that remains influential now. More about the sermon from UU World
• George Peabody Library
• The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum
• John Waters’ Baltimore
• Things to Do in Baltimore for $25 or Less

Start planning your GA-cation now!

Visit uua.org/ga/travel/gacation for tickets, full details, and more ideas to shape your Baltimore adventure.

General Assembly 2025 will be a multi-platform event, and with that comes a fresh approach to a beloved tradition. The Banner Parade is becoming the Congregational Recognition and Banner Parade, offering new ways to celebrate our congregations both online and in person.

Congregations are invited to submit up to two high-resolution photos: one of your banner and one group or representative image. These images will be featured during GA 2025 and may also appear in future exhibits and videos. Please submit JPG or PNG files using the GA 2025 Congregational Recognition and Banner Form. Submit your virtual banner no later than Thursday, May 15, 2025 .

If you’re attending GA in Baltimore, we encourage you to bring your banner. Banners will be displayed throughout the Convention Center, helping to create a welcoming and vibrant space that reflects the diversity of our UU community.

We look forward to showcasing the spirit and diversity of our congregations at GA 2025!

Our GA 2025 Sunday plate recipient is South Baltimore Community Land Trust, a grassroots organization fighting environmental racism and building affordable passive housing in Baltimore based on the radical idea that people know what’s best for their own neighborhoods. We’re thrilled to announce that the GA Local Area Task Force is teaming up with South Baltimore Community Land Trust for a day of service during GA, and everyone is invited invited to participate!

On Friday, June 20 from 2:30-7:00PM, join us at Curtis Bay Park in South Baltimore to help with projects for all ages and abilities, from trash pickup to painting, from installing a fence to sorting glassware for donation. It’s a drop-in event – stop by when you’re able and stay as long as you want and still catch all the GA programming you don’t want to miss. Curtis Bay Park is directly accessible via public bus, with pickup at the convention center and no transfer necessary.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for registration info for this day of service. An orientation will be held for participants on Thursday, June 19 to learn more about the organization and the work we’ll be doing. This is an opportunity for all GA attendees to learn from and support a Baltimore organization that is a model those who strive to build collective power, center neighborhood voices, and create equity for those most impacted by climate injustice.

Watch this video to learn more about the Curtis Bay neighborhood where our service projects will take place.

“Wanting Memories” by Dr. Ysaye Barnwell, performed by Zanaida Robles, Jyvonne Haskin, and Francisco Ruiz, was part of the 2022 Service of the Living Tradition at GA.