Travel - Baltimore
Published:
Summary: A walkthrough of my experience in Baltimore.
Baltimore, MD
General Suggestions
Sights
1. Peabody Library:
This is the main library of the peabody institute (music school and concert hall). It’s very beautiful and free to go in.
2. Inner Harbor:
This is the harbor of Baltimore and where a lot of ships are docked. Around here you can check out various ships for a small entrance fee of ~$10-20. It also has a lot of shops around the area, a Shake Shack, a huge Barnes & Noble (which was built inside a battery factory) and a lot of tourists.
3. National Aquarium:
This is the NATIONAL aquarium and costs about $40 normally to get into. However, if you come at night time starting at around 4PM, you can get in for half price. It’s worth checking out because it’s very big and national for a reason.
4. Fort Mchenry:
This is the fort where the Star Spangled Banner was born. It has a lot of American history and costs about $10 to go through. You can reach this location by car, or you can even take a water ferry from the Inner Harbor for a nice ride in the water.
Food
1. Miss Shirley’s Cafe:
This is a very famous and exquisite breakfast/brunch cafe in the general Virginia/Maryland area. They have amazing drinks (I highly suggest going for a boozy brunch) and also amazing fried chicken & waffles. Also, you should try the french toast, fried green tomatoes and monkey bread. A must if you visit Baltimore!
2. Woodberry Kitchen:
This is probably one of the best restaurants in Baltimore. It is slightly on the more expensive side, but it is still affordable for a one time meal. Everything is incredibly rustic and feels like it came out of a cabin home kitchen. The atmosphere is very homey and can be a good meal for a couple, or even a medium sized group.
3. Chocolate Over Water:
This is a small restaurant great for brunch, lunch or even dinner! It is BYOB, so you can even bring your own wine bottle. The menu is great and I would follow Yelp. You can’t really go wrong with portion size and dollars spent here.
4. Abbey’s Burger House:
If you’re into crazy exotic burgers, this is the place to be. They have meat ranging from deer, to ox, to regular beef. Burgers are pretty good and it’s nice to have a beer while watching sports. Go Lakers/Warriors!
5. LP Steamers:
Maryland is known for their crab and this is definitely the place to get it! This is a multiple story restaurant, where you will definitely need to wait an hour or two to get in (if you have a large group). You can order crabs and crack them open with your own wooden hammer. It is definitely a must-try experience for all Maryland first-timers.
Nightlife/Drinking
1. Fell’s Point:
Bars ranging from the Horse You Came In On, to Bond Street. Honestly, if you’re into dive bars, come check it out. If you’re into partying/clubbing, not the business.
2. Federal Hill (Fed Hill):
Many bars, so you can easily bar hop! Beware, there are a lot of college (wannabe frat stars) kids here.
3. Mt. Vernon / Charles Village:
More classy and upscale bars. I would recommend checking out WC Harlan, which is a speakeasy located in south part of Charles Village.
Getting Around
Uber/Lyft are incredibly cheap within this city. I would use this solely because the subway system is not that great and the bus system isn’t ideal.
However, the circulators are generally free if you are just looking to get a free ride from Hopkins -> Inner Harbor.
FAQ
Q: Where should I stay? A: I would try to stay at Inner Harbor, Fed Hill, or Canton.
Q: I only have a day in Baltimore, where should I go? A: Miss Shirley’s, Woodberry Kitchen, and Chocolate Over Water to eat. Inner Harbor and the National Aquarium to see.
Images in Baltimore
Here are some of my favorite photos in Baltimore, taken with my favorite camera: