Parking at Fort McHenry

What I can tell you is where the park is and when it opens; what I cannot tell you is what parking costs or how many spaces there are. Neither figure is verified here and I would rather leave a gap than print a number you would plan around. What is certain: the entrance fee is a fee to enter the star fort and outer battery, not a parking charge, and the grounds open at 7:00 a.m., two hours before the registers. Check the Park Service for parking before you set off, and see what is free at the fort for the rest.

Address2400 East Fort Avenue

Grounds open7:00 a.m.

Registers open9:00 a.m.

Entrance fee$15 adult 16+

Under 16Free

Parking costCheck the Park Service

Why there is no number on this page

Because I have not verified one. Parking cost and capacity at Fort McHenry are exactly the sort of detail that gets copied between travel pages until nobody knows where it came from, and then a family drives across Maryland on the strength of it. The current position is published by the Park Service: see the National Park Service page for Fort McHenry.

What the $15 is, and is not

It is an entrance fee, per adult aged 16 and over, valid seven days on the receipt, and it admits you to the star fort and the outer battery inside a wooden fence. It is not a vehicle charge and it is not a parking charge. Under-16s pay nothing. Everything outside that fence, the visitor center and the film included, is free. The full breakdown is on tickets and prices.

Insider tip

The one timing fact worth planning round is the 7:00 a.m. opening of the grounds. If you want the quietest arrival of the day, that is it — the registers do not open until 9:00.

Getting there in the first place

The park is at 2400 East Fort Avenue in Locust Point, about three miles from the Inner Harbor. Directions, and the standing warning about satnavs offering the I-95 tunnel of the same name, are on how to get there.

An option that does not need a car

The Inner Harbor sightseeing cruise leaves from the harbour and passes Fort McHenry from the water on a 45-minute loop. None of it includes entry to the star fort. That is a National Park Service ticket, sold at the gate and nowhere else.

Check dates for the harbor cruise

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure on most tours — book now, decide later.

Frequently asked questions

Is parking free at Fort McHenry?

We have not verified parking cost or capacity and will not state a figure. The $15 entrance fee is per adult aged 16 and over for the star fort and outer battery; it is not a parking charge. Check the National Park Service page.

Does the entrance fee include parking?

The fee is an entrance fee for the star fort and outer battery, valid seven days on the receipt. Parking arrangements are published by the National Park Service.

What time can I arrive?

The grounds open at 7:00 a.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The registers that sell star fort entry open at 9:00 a.m.