Happy Hour

With an ocean and bay as a backyard playground, being an adventure seeker in Ocean City just makes sense. Get up and go. Pack breakfast and head out early for a half-day charter boat trip and come home with fresh catch for dinner. Lots of charter boats to choose from, one to try is Fin Chaser Sportfishing Charters, Fisherman's Marina, 12806 Sunset Ave., Ocean City, 866-623-4746, finchasersportfishing.com. Get higher. Billing this as the "ultimate ride in Ocean City," O.C. Parasail includes bay side or ocean side rides that go 400, 600 or 800 feet up. (Two locations, 54th St. and at the Talbot Street Pier, 410-723-1464, ocparasailing.com)

Nothing says old fashioned and simple quite like the Hot Toddy. Whether you're using it to treat your flu or cold symptoms (not doctor recommended, but probably by your grandmother) or preparing to hit the hay, it's the perfect evening drink. Thames Street Oyster House makes theirs with a light flavor and a local twist. Manager Candace Beattie explains: "We try to keep all of our drinks light and locally sourced whenever possible, even our happy hour is local. " To wit, the Thames Street Toddy is composed of Maryland's crown jewel of rye whiskey Pikesville Rye, mint, lemon and sweet orange tea - and it's the pinnacle of relaxing.

Mark Yost was sick and tired of going to the same old gay bars. Grand Central and the Hippo were old hat. Yost wanted to try out some new places he'd never been before, but worried that as a gay man, he and his friends might not feel comfortable in some neighborhood pubs. So Yost and his friend Byron Macfarlane decided to start the Baltimore branch of Guerrilla Gay Bar, a monthly happy hour designed to bring together gay people in bars they normally don't frequent. The first Baltimore Guerrilla Gay Bar was last month at Claddagh Irish Pub in Canton, and the next one is tomorrow.

The Corner Bar is not your average corner bar. For one thing, the corner it occupies at Fayette and Hanover streets makes it part of the Omni Inner Harbor Hotel. For another thing, its swank decor owes nothing to the Formstone and Formica corner bar tradition.This spanking new bar wants to be a corner bar in the sense that the local business and legal community can casually gather here to discuss hanging files and hanging judges."I hate the word 'lounge' because I picture Tony Las Vegas in a place like that," says Omni food and beverage director Steve Henderson, explaining the nomenclature.

Classy happy hour Martinis, munchies and music will be served on Saturday as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra holds a happy hour for young professionals at 6:30 p.m. The BSO event at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall is the last "Symphony With a Twist" concert of the season. Jazz, light fare and complimentary drinks will welcome guests to a reception that takes place before the 8 p.m. performance of Fire and Water, a program of works by Japanese and Chinese composers. Tickets for the happy hour and concert package cost from $25 to $40. The Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall is at 1212 Cathedral St. Call Mary Beth Johnson at 410-783-8170 for more information or to order tickets.

If you're going to go to a bar on New Year's Day, it might as well be a special place. To watch the Ravens this Sunday, consider Red House Tavern in Canton. A mainstay on the corner of Essex and Leakin streets for years, Red House didn't make its mark until April, when new owner Ron Singer, who also runs Leon's in Mount Vernon, reopened it as a mature alternative for the neighborhood. Under the new management, everything from the decor to the menu was overhauled. Red House is now handsome and classy, with lots of new beers and a terrific menu that includes french fries that taste like they came from Thrasher's in Ocean City . In many ways, it is the ideal neighborhood bar: friendly and familiar without being boring.

NOW OR NEVER Go visit the Constellation in its temporary berth in Annapolis. As part of the Constellation's 150th Anniversary Celebration, the ship will be pier-side at the U.S. Naval Academy through Sunday, coinciding with the academy's annual homecoming festivities. A series of hands-on activities and demonstrations will be offered daily, as well as self-guided audio tours. Celebrate the ship's return to the Inner Harbor Monday with a Homecoming Happy Hour. The ship is slated to return around 4 p.m., and the happy hour -- at Capitol City Brewing Company, 301 S. Light St. -- is scheduled to run 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free for the public to visit the Constellation through Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Back story: The Creative Alliance remodeled the historic Patterson Theater in 2003 to include two art galleries, a 180-seat theater, a classroom, a media lab and living-and-work studios for eight resident artists. The Marquee, open since May, is the latest addition. Parking: Better than in Canton; parking is usually available near the theater. Patterson Park is also within distance and has more parking options. Signature drink: The bar doesn't have a cocktail menu, but it lists 10 spirits, including Ciroc, a French liquor made from grapes, for $8. Where: 3134 Eastern Ave., inside the Patterson.

It's only 2 years old, but Tatu just got its first face-lift. The pan-Asian restaurant in Power Plant Live, which opened in September 2010, reopened in October after a renovation and menu revamp. The new space is dimly lit, with a mix of high and low tables taking the place of traditional dining tables and chairs. Loud music and glamorous decor send the not-so-subtle message that Tatu aspires to be a nightclub - you won't see a giant sculpture of a topless mermaid or mirrored tables at your neighborhood sushi joint.

Start your weekend with happy hour at Little Havana's Restaurante y Cantina. Relax with a beer on the open-air, waterfront deck or grab some Cuban fare for dinner -- the location is perfect for both. And with plenty of parking around the place, you can bring a bunch of your friends along, too. Gather a group tonight for their after-work deck party and enjoy margarita pitchers for $8. Or wait until tomorrow for "All-Day Happy Hour," LH's afternoon of half-price drafts, rail drinks and house wine from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Little Havana's Restaurante y Cantina is at 1325 Key Highway.