Information aggregated automatically. Verify all dates, locations, and pricing on the official conference website before making arrangements.
The USENIX Security Symposium is a leading academic and practitioner conference on computer security and privacy research, presenting peer-reviewed papers on the latest advances in systems, network, and applied cryptography security. The 35th edition gathers researchers, practitioners, and students for technical sessions and discussion. It is held August 12-14, 2026, in Baltimore, Maryland.
USENIX Security convenes in Baltimore in mid-August, and the smart move is staying near the Inner Harbor — the city's walkable waterfront core, ringed by the convention district, seafood houses and the National Aquarium. August is hot-humid Chesapeake summer: crab season at its peak, afternoon thunderstorms likely, and harbourside evenings that make up for both.
BWI Thurgood Marshall airport sits 15 km south: the Light RailLink runs directly to the convention center and Camden Yards for a few dollars, or a rideshare takes 20–25 minutes. Amtrak's Penn Station puts Baltimore 40 minutes from Washington DC and three hours from New York, so many East Coast attendees skip flying entirely. Around the Inner Harbor, everything relevant is on foot or the free Charm City Circulator bus.
Skip the taxi queue — pre-book a fixed-price airport transfer with Kiwitaxi. Exploring beyond the city? compare rental cars on EconomyBookings.
Nothing exotic needed domestically; international researchers should note US eSIM rates beat airport SIM kiosks comfortably. Set up an eSIM with Airalo before you board and you're online the moment you land.
National Aquarium. Baltimore's flagship attraction earns its reputation — the multi-storey Atlantic coral reef and the rooftop Australian river gorge are the standouts. It anchors the Inner Harbor two blocks from the convention hotels; evening tickets after 17:00 dodge the family crowds. Tickets on Tiqets →
Fort McHenry. The star-shaped fort whose 1814 bombardment produced the US national anthem is a 10-minute water-taxi hop across the harbor — take the boat over, walk the ramparts, and you have covered American history and harbour views in ninety minutes.
Fell's Point. Cobblestoned streets, 18th-century rowhouses and the city's best concentration of pubs and crab houses, fifteen minutes' walk east of the harbor. This is where to take the crab-hammer-and-Old-Bay plunge — Thames Street around sunset is the picture.
What is the best way in from BWI airport?
The Light RailLink train goes straight to the convention center area for a few dollars in about 30 minutes; rideshares do it in 20–25.
Is Baltimore walkable for conference attendees?
The Inner Harbor, convention district, Fell's Point and Federal Hill form a compact, walkable waterfront zone. Like any US city, stick to the busy corridors at night and use rideshares for longer hops.
Travel notes written for USENIX Security '26 attendees. Links marked above are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Verify schedules and opening hours on official websites before you travel.
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