Historic downtown Ellicott City is not far from the Resort and offers some great restaurants and local shops. Since you will be in town during the fall, we would recommend checking out the local trails and exploring the outdoor sites Ellicott City has to offer.
Patrick and I lived in Canton in Baltimore City for a few years, so we know a few good spots to visit. In fact, our first date was at World of Beer (I know, romantic) in Federal Hill. We would recommend the local breweries that are scattered throughout the city, the local restaurants from Fells Point through Canton, or even the local shops in Hampden. If you do head towards Canton, our favorite bar/restaurant is called Hudson Street Stackhouse, so if you go drink a pilsner for Patrick and a sour beer for Kristina. We could go on and on about our recommendations for Baltimore City, so if you want to make the trip please let us know and we'd be happy to talk your ear off.
The famous (and only one in the US) Guinness Brewery is very close to the Resort. The place is huge and is really cool to visit. If the weather is nice out, they have an amazing outdoor seating area. They also offer tours of their factory and you get to see where the beer is brewed. The food is yummy and the beer is good, what more could you ask more?