Thank you, readers, for participating once again in our annual Readers’ Choice poll. We’ve counted all of your ballots, and the results are in. Discover the attractions, businesses, people and places that we’re honoring with our Readers’ Choice awards this year. Learn about and share the following organizations and professionals who have earned your votes. Congratulations to all of our winners and thank you to everyone who took time to nominate and vote for them this year!
▲=Readers’ Choice winner spotlight
HOMETOWN HEROES: COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE
Best Doctor
Dr. Wendy Bennett, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Runner-up: Dr. Theresa T. Nguyen, GBMC HealthCare ▲
GBMC Pediatric Group
Pavilion East
6565 N. Charles St., Suite 306
Towson, MD 21204
443-849-4000
gbmc.org/pediatric-group
Best Hospital
GBMC HealthCare ▲
6701 N. Charles St. Towson, MD 21204
443-849-2000; gbmc.org
The 342-bed medical center (acute and sub-acute care) is located on a suburban campus that handles more than 23,000 admissions and over 52,000 emergency room visits annually. At GBMC, we’re committed to providing the care we would want for our own loved ones.
Runner-up: University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center
Best Nonprofit
Helping Up Mission
Runner-up: Maryland Food Bank
Best Nurse
Jamie Helbing, Greenspring Pediatric Dentistry
Runner-up: Stacey Milburn, BSN, RN, Johns Hopkins Home Care Group, Nurse Case Manager
Education and Aftercare
Best Academic and Enrichment Program
Woodbrook Early Education Center (WEE Center), Baltimore
Runner-up: Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, Baltimore
Best After-school Program
Woodbrook Early Education Center (WEE Center), Baltimore
Runner-up: Charm City Ballet, Cockeysville
Best Boys Independent School
Calvert Hall College High School, Baltimore
Runner-up: Gilman School, Baltimore
Best Charter School
Hampstead Hill Academy, Baltimore
Runner-up: Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, Baltimore
Best Coed Independent School
Friends School of Baltimore, Baltimore
Runner-up: The Park School of Baltimore, Baltimore
Best Dance Program
Charm City Ballet, Cockeysville
Runner-up: Dance Conservatory of Maryland, Abingdon
Best Girls Independent School
Mercy High School, Baltimore
Runner-up: Maryvale Preparatory School, Lutherville
Best Performance Arts Program
Charm City Ballet, Cockeysville
Runner-up: Underground Dance Academy, Essex
Best Preschool
Chapelgate Christian Academy, Marriottsville
Runner-up: Woodbrook Early Education Center (WEE Center), Baltimore
Best Public Elementary School
Roland Park Elementary and Middle School, Baltimore
Runner-up: Stoneleigh Elementary School, Baltimore
Best Public High School
Baltimore City College High School, Baltimore
Runner-up: George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, Baltimore
Best School Break and Summer Program or Camp
Charm City Ballet, Cockeysville
Runner-up: Merritt Clubs ▲
1-800-New-Shape
merrittclubs.com
Best Sports Program
Coppermine Fieldhouse, Baltimore
Runner-up: Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Baltimore
Best Visual Arts Program
George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, Baltimore
Runner-up: Walters Art Museum, Baltimore
Family Favorites
Best Education
Chapelgate Christian Academy, Marriottsville
Runner-up: Woodbrook Early Education Center (WEE Center), Baltimore
Best Extracurricular, Enrichment Program and Camp
Y in Central Maryland
Runner-up: Beachmont Christian Camp, Kingsville
Best Family Outings
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Runner-up: Clark’s Elioak Farm, Ellicott City
Best Family Services
Baltimore County Public Library
Runner-up: Sidekick, partner of The Nanny Network, LLC (Towson)
Best Medical Matters
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore
Convenient Locations Across Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland
hopkinschildrens.org/baltimoreschild
Runner-up: GBMC HealthCare ▲
6701 N. Charles St.
Towson, MD 21204
443-849-2000
gbmc.org
Best Shopping
Hunt Valley Towne Centre, Cockeysville
Runner-up: THE AVENUE at White Marsh, Baltimore
Family-Fun Activities
Best Family Event
The Maryland State Fair ▲
marylandstatefair.com
2200 York Road,
Lutherville-Timonium, MD
The Maryland State Fair is back August 26th to September 6th for its 140th year, so Prepare for the Fair!
Runner-up: Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Festival of Trees
Best Family-Friendly Gym
Merritt Clubs ▲
1-800-New-Shape
merrittclubs.com
Runner-up: The Y in Towson (Orokawa), Baltimore
Best Farmers Market
Baltimore Farmers Market & Bazaar
Runner-up: Towson Farmers Market
Best Free Family Fun
Angel Park, Perry Hall
Runner-up: Fort McHenry, Baltimore
Best Indoor Activity
Port Discovery Children’s Museum, Baltimore
Runner-up: Monster Mini Golf Columbia, Jessup
Best Indoor Attraction
The National Aquarium, Baltimore
Runner-up: Maryland Science Center, Baltimore
Best Kid-Free Night Out
The Bluebird Cocktail Room, Baltimore
Runner-up: Bowleys On the Bay, Middle River
Best Movie Theater
Bengies Drive-In Theatre, Middle River
Runner-up: Cinemark Egyptian Arundel Mills, Hanover, Maryland
Best Museum
B&O Railroad Museum, Baltimore
Runner-up: Maryland Science Center, Baltimore
Best Outdoor Activity
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Runner-up: A Baltimore Orioles game
Best Outdoor Attraction
Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Runner-up: Clark’s Elioak Farm, Ellicott City
Best Park and Play Area
Centennial Park, Ellicott City
Runner-up: Tire Park in Patapsco State Park, Catonsville
Best Party Destination
Stratosphere Social, Sykesville
Runner-up: Irvine Nature Center, Owings Mills
Best Performance Theater for Young Audiences
Toby’s Dinner Theatre, Columbia
Runner-up: Children’s Playhouse of Maryland, Baltimore
Best Professional Sporting Event for Families
A Baltimore Orioles game
Runner-up: A Baltimore Blast game
Best Swimming Pool
The Y in Towson (Orokawa), Baltimore
Runner-up: Goldfish Swim School, Locations in Columbia, Gaithersburg, Owings Mills, Rockville and Silver Spring
Food
Best Bakery
Cake by Jason Hisley, Lutherville-Timonium
Runner-up: Herman’s Bakery, Baltimore
Best Burger
Hamilton Tavern, Baltimore
Runner-up: The Abbey Burger Bistro, Baltimore
Best Family-Friendly Restaurant
Miss Shirley’s Café, Annapolis, BWI Airport (Baltimore) and Inner Harbor (Baltimore)
Runner-up: Mission Barbecue
Best Ice Cream
The Charmery, Columbia, Federal Hill, Hampden and Towson
Runner-up: Hoffman’s Home Made Ice Cream & Deli, Westminster
Best Pizza
Pizza John’s, Essex
Runner-up: Trattoria Amore, Ellicott City
Best Restaurant with Entertainment or Diversions
Dave & Buster’s
Runner-up: Guinness Open Gate Brewery, Halethorpe
Health Care
Best Dentist
Greenspring Pediatric Dentistry, Baltimore
Runner-up: Growing Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, Bel Air, Havre de Grace and White Marsh
Best ER for Kids
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore
Convenient Locations Across Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland
hopkinschildrens.org/baltimoreschild
Runner-up: GBMC HealthCare ▲
6701 N. Charles St.
Towson, MD 21204
443-849-3900
gbmc.org/pediatric-emergency-inpatient
The Pediatric Combined Care Unit sees approximately 10,000 children a year in the ED setting and approximately 1,200 children are admitted to in-patient/and observation. We are open 24/7 and provide high-quality care to patients from birth to age 18. Our caregivers include nine board-certified pediatricians and 20 pediatric nurses certified both in Pediatric Advanced Life Saving (PALS) and Emergency Pediatric Nurse Core Curriculum (ENPC).
Best Orthodontist
Baltimore Orthodontic Group, Lutherville-Timonium
Runner-up: Vanguard Orthodontics, Clarksville
Best Pediatric Hospital
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore
Convenient Locations Across Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland
hopkinschildrens.org/baltimoreschild
Johns Hopkins board-certified pediatric specialists offer virtual or in-person visits throughout the greater Baltimore and Washington corridor. Our goal is to provide patients and families with the convenience of seeing a pediatric specialist close to home.
Runner-up: Herman & Walter Samuelson Children’s Hospital at Sinai Hospital, Baltimore
Best Pediatric Mental Health Hospital
Sheppard Pratt, Baltimore
Runner-up: Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore
Best Pediatric Mental Health Practitioners
Dr. Natalie Yzer-Newton, White Marsh Psychiatric Associates LLC, Baltimore
Runner-up: Dr. Arman Taghizadeh, Lutherville-Timonium
Best Pediatric Orthopedic Practice
MedStar Orthopaedic Institute at Timonium, Lutherville-Timonium
Runner-up: Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore
Best Pediatric Vision Care
Dr. Allison Jensen, Pediatric Ophthalmology at GBMC, Towson ▲
Eye Center at GBMC
Pavilion West
6569 N. Charles St.
Towson, MD 21204
443-849-8082
gbmc.org/ophthalmology
Allison Jensen, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist who serves as the Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at the Eye Center at GBMC. She completed a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus. She specializes in comprehensive ophthalmic care for pediatric and adolescent patients: amblyopia (“lazy eye”), strabismus (“eye misalignment”), lacrimal disorders, and retinopathy of prematurity.
Runner-up: Pediatric Eye Care of Maryland, Baltimore, Clarksville, Eldersburg and Westminster
Best Pediatrician
Dr. Mary Garza, The Maryland Pediatric Group, Lutherville
Runner-up: Dr. Peter Claybour, Main Street Pediatrics, Towson
Best Place to Deliver Your Baby
GBMC HealthCare ▲
6701 N. Charles St.
Towson, MD 21204
443-849-2597
gbmc.org/labor-and-delivery
GBMC ranks as one of the busiest labor and delivery units in Maryland and our state-of-the-art labor and delivery suite provides obstetrical care for adult and adolescent women 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Runner-up: Howard County General Hospital, Columbia
Best Urgent Care
Patient First, Multiple Locations ▲
patientfirst.com
Patient First offers convenient, cost-effective urgent care for routine illnesses and injuries, as well as primary care for patients who do not have a regular physician. No appointment is necessary – just walk in. Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays. Each center has on-site x-rays, lab tests, and prescription drugs, and most major insurance plans are accepted. Patient First—celebrating 40 years of friendly and convenient care.
Runner-up: Expresscare, Various locations
Services
Best Baby and Family Photography
Kristen Fiorvanti Photography, Baltimore
Runner-up: AKG Photography
Best Daycare
Woodbrook Early Education Center (WEE Center), Baltimore
Runner-up: Forest Hill Nature Preschool, Forest Hill
Best Nanny and Babysitting Services
The Nanny Network LLC, Towson
Runner-up: Brandon Dean’s Childcare
Best Place for Kids’ Haircuts
Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids, Baltimore and Lutherville
Runner-up: Cartoon Cuts, Columbia
Shopping
Best Consignment And Trade
Second Avenue Thrift Superstore, Columbia
Runner-up: TotSwap: A Children’s Consignment Sale, at the Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium
Best Kids’ Boutique
Pied Piper Kids, Baltimore
Runner-up: Wee Chic Boutique, Lutherville-Timonium
Best Mall to Shop at with Kids
The Mall in Columbia, Columbia
Runner-up: Towson Town Center, Towson
Best Maternity Clothing
Motherhood Maternity, Baltimore
Runner-up: Anticipations, Baltimore
Best Place for Kids’ Furniture
IKEA (White Marsh), Nottingham
Runner-up: Ashley HomeStore, Various locations
Best Toy Store
Shananigans Toy Shop, Baltimore
Runner-up: aMuse Toys, Baltimore
