College life is jam-packed for everyone. It’s four years of parties, friends, studying, internships, clubs, events, and figuring out who you want to be. In the midst of it all, you are also expected to master the the art of “adulting:” learning how to cook and budget money, and figuring out the best detergent to use on your sweaters. Oftentimes, we get stuck in the same routine day in and day out. We miss out on escaping the “Loyola Bubble,” and forget to actually explore the city we call home for four years.

Baltimore and its surrounding areas have so much to offer. Every neighborhood has its own personality, one-of-a-kind events, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, art exhibitions, community talks, and weekend festivals. Yet, despite their unique quirks, these places are all inherently Baltimore: welcoming to all, Maryland-native or not.

It took four years for me to compile my list of all the interesting and unusual things I could find here in Charm City, and I’m sure in another four I will have plenty more. But since this is my last year at Loyola, my friends and I have created a “Bucket List” of all the things we’ve always wanted to do in the city, as well as some things we have done, loved, and plan to do again.

In this column, I’ll be sharing my experiences as we cross something new off the Bucket List each week. My hope is that some of these festivals, restaurants, shows, or niche discoveries will intrigue you and that you won’t wait till the last minute to experience it all like we did.

The first thing we did after we moved in this fall was go see the Sunflower Fields. For years, my friends and I have seen other Loyola kids post pictures in a sea of tall, elegant, bright yellow blooms. However, it was always a mystery to us as to where to find them.

This year, we finally solved the mystery and made it over to the Sunflower Fields, which are a little ways north in Monkton on Jarretsville Pike. Because the flowers’ peak bloom is between July and September, some were already starting to fade away by the time we visited, but it was definitely still worth the trip. Most people go for the photo shoot, but for me, the visit also fulfilled a shameless childhood dream of running free through a field of sunflowers.

The field exists purely due to the goodness of a local family. The Rose family, owners of Clear Meadow Farm, plant the sunflowers every year for the pleasure of visitors. They don’t fence it in or charge a fee: they simply enjoy sharing their corner of the world with others who appreciate the beauty of nature. What are you waiting for? Plan an afternoon and go check them out before they’re gone!

Follow the Baltimore Bucket List Adventures on Instagram: @BMoreExplorers

Upcoming Events for you to check out this week:

Tuesday, September 20: $10 All you can eat pizza and roller skating, Hot Skates

Friday, September 23 – Sunday, Septmber 25: Baltimore Book Festival

Saturday, September 24: Main Street Music Festival, Merriweather Post Pavillion