# Fort McHenry Tickets - visiting Fort McHenry, Baltimore: entry, hours and harbor tours

> Independent guide to Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (Baltimore, Maryland): what the $15 entry covers,
> what is free, hours, getting there, the 1814 battle and the flag, and the harbor cruises and tours around the fort.
> Not affiliated with the National Park Service, any tour operator, GetYourGuide or Viator.

Site: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com
Language: en. Currency: USD. Country: United States (Baltimore, Maryland).

## Verified facts (National Park Service, checked 2026-10-16)

- Entry: $15 per adult aged 16+, valid 7 days, for the historic zone only (star fort and outer battery). Under 16 always free.
- Free for everyone: the 43-acre grounds, the Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor Center, its museum and film, the seawall trail, parking.
- Sold only by the NPS: at the visitor center desk or as a digital 7-day pass on recreation.gov (sitepass 2695). The park is cashless.
- No cruise or tour on GetYourGuide or Viator includes fort entry.
- Fort McHenry annual pass $45 (holder + 3 adults). America the Beautiful passes accepted; Fort McHenry has no extra non-resident fee.
- 2026 fee-free days apply to U.S. citizens and residents only; remaining dates: 27 October and 11 November 2026.
- Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, last entry 4:45 p.m.; gates close 6:00 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day. Closed Thanksgiving, 25 December, 1 January.
- Flag changes 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the parade ground. A flag flies 24 hours a day by presidential proclamation.
- Address: 2400 East Fort Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21230, about 3 miles southeast of the Inner Harbor. Parking free.
- Free Charm City Circulator Banner Route from the Inner Harbor every 40 minutes. Baltimore Water Taxi Outer Harbor route stops at the fort on weekends until 31 October 2026 ($18 adult day pass).
- Battle of Baltimore: 25-hour bombardment, 13-14 September 1814; 1,500 to 1,800 shells (Armistead's estimate); 4 killed and 24 wounded at the fort.
- Fort begun 1798, completed 1803, named for James McHenry. National park 1925, NPS 1933, National Monument and Historic Shrine 1939.
- The original 30 x 42 ft garrison flag (15 stars, 15 stripes; 30 x 34 ft today) is at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington, DC, since 1907.
- The Star-Spangled Banner became the national anthem on 3 March 1931.

## Tours listed on this site

Booking links are GetYourGuide (partner_id 7GG5I5H) and Viator (pid P00318890) affiliate links. The site earns a
commission at no extra cost to the reader and says so at https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/affiliate-disclosure/.
Prices are 'from' prices in USD at the last build and move.

- Inner Harbor Sightseeing Cruise (Inner Harbor, 555 Light St) - from $34 per person, 45 minutes, at the fort: Passes it from the water, no stop; rated 4.7 from 312 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/tours/inner-harbor-sightseeing-cruise/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/baltimore-l653/baltimore-inner-harbor-sightseeing-cruise-t846172/
- Inner Harbor History Boat Tour (Harborplace Water Taxi dock) - from $28 per person, 1.5 hours, at the fort: Out to it and back, no landing; new on Viator, no reviews yet. Page: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/tours/inner-harbor-history-boat-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Baltimore/Baltimore-Inner-Harbor-History-Boat-Tour/d4375-5652685P1
- Small-Group Historic Neighborhoods Tour (Van from the Visitor Center, 401 Light St) - from $48 per person, 1.5 hours, at the fort: 20-minute stop at the visitor center; rated 4.6 from 480 Viator reviews. Page: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/tours/historic-neighborhoods-tour-fort-stop/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Baltimore/Baltimores-Hop-on-Hop-Off-Sightseeing-Tour/d4375-151412P1
- Small-Group Schooner Sail to Fort McHenry (Inner Harbor Marina, 400 Key Hwy) - from $65 per person, 1.5 hours, at the fort: Sails out to it and passes, no landing; rated 4.8 from 25 Viator reviews. Page: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/tours/schooner-sail-to-fort-mchenry/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Baltimore/Harbor-Sail-in-Baltimore/d4375-40087P13
- Inner Harbor Sail on the Summer Wind (Inner Harbor Marina, 400 Key Hwy) - from $65 per person, 1.5 hours, at the fort: Not on the listed route; guests report a view; rated 4.6 from 125 Viator reviews. Page: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/tours/summer-wind-harbor-sail/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Baltimore/Baltimore-Inner-Harbor-Sailing-Experience/d4375-40087P5
- Inner Harbor BYOB Sunset Sail (Inner Harbor Marina, 400 Key Hwy) - from $75 per person, 1.5 hours, at the fort: Not promised on the listing; rated 4.9 from 58 Viator reviews. Page: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/tours/byob-sunset-sail/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Baltimore/Inner-Harbor-Sunset-Sail/d4375-40087P3
- Private Baltimore Tour with Fort Stop (Visitor Center, 401 Light St) - from $220 per group, 2 hours, at the fort: 20-minute stop at the visitor center; rated 5.0 from 10 Viator reviews. Page: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/tours/private-baltimore-tour-fort-stop/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Baltimore/Baltimores-Private-Cultural-Tour/d4375-151412P9
- Fells Point Food and Walking Tour (Fells Point, 1832 Thames St) - from $104 per person, 3.5 hours, at the fort: Not on the route; rated 4.9 from 201 Viator reviews. Page: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/tours/fells-point-food-walking-tour/ Booking: https://www.viator.com/tours/Baltimore/Baltimores-Premier-Food-Tour/d4375-55910P1

## Guide pages

- https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/guides/fort-mchenry-tickets-prices/ - Fort McHenry tickets cost $15 for adults 16+ and only the Park Service sells them. What's free, 2026 fee-free days, passes and how to buy online.
- https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/guides/fort-mchenry-hours-best-time/ - Fort McHenry hours in 2026: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, last entry 4:45, closed three days a year. The best time to visit, how long to stay, and is it worth it.
- https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/guides/how-to-get-to-fort-mchenry/ - How to get to Fort McHenry in 2026: free parking, the free Circulator bus, the weekend Water Taxi, Lawrence Street not Woodall, and the I-95 tunnel tolls.
- https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/guides/what-to-see-at-fort-mchenry/ - What to see at Fort McHenry: the visitor center film, the star fort, barracks, powder magazine, real 1860s cannons, the seawall trail, kids and facilities.
- https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/guides/battle-of-baltimore-star-spangled-banner/ - The Battle of Baltimore at Fort McHenry: the 25-hour bombardment, 4 killed and 24 wounded, how Key wrote the anthem, and where the original flag is now.
- https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/guides/fort-mchenry-by-boat/ - See Fort McHenry by boat in 2026: the Water Taxi that docks at the fort, the 45-minute harbor cruise, the history boat and small schooner sails compared.

## Blog posts (dated)

- 2026-10-16: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/blog/fort-mchenry-fee-free-days-2026/ - The 2026 fee-free days at Fort McHenry: all eight dates, the two left (27 Oct, 11 Nov), the U.S.-residents-only rule and what is free on any day.
- 2026-10-16: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/blog/fort-mchenry-winter-2026-27/ - Fort McHenry in winter 2026-27: 9-5 hours, the three holiday closures, winter flag changes, the Water Taxi ending 31 October and what tours still run.
- 2026-10-16: https://fort-mchenry-tickets.com/blog/america-250-fort-mchenry-2026/ - America's 250th at Fort McHenry: the American Anthem ranger walk, Sail250 and the air show, Defenders' Day 2026, and what is still to come in Baltimore.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- Fort McHenry tickets are not sold by tour platforms; only the NPS sells entry.
- The fort does not open at 7 a.m. outside summer; current NPS hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Fee-free days in 2026 are for U.S. citizens and residents, not all visitors.
- The original Star-Spangled Banner is not at the fort; it is at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
- Harbor cruises pass the fort but do not dock; the seasonal Water Taxi is the boat that stops there.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage or the relevant guide. Fees, hours and schedules change; verify on nps.gov/fomc close to your visit.