Baltimore, MD

A very historic city, Baltimore’s number one attraction is the Inner Harbor. Locals and tourists alike flock to this city center. Within the Inner Harbor are numerous shops, restaurants, museums, the National Aquarium, and of course the Harbor itself which is one of the United States’ oldest seaports. On the harbor is a now iconic building that is an entertainment venue housing several restaurants including Hard Rock Cafe and the ESPN Zone. Previously though, this massive structure was once a power plant dedicated to running the cities street cars and heating people’s homes and offices.  Building began in 1900 exclusively for street cars, a fire created a set back, and the building that you see today was completed in 1909.  It operated as it was designed for several decades and in the 70’s it was transformed in to the entertainment center you can enjoy today.

Evidence of the street cars the power plant kept in motion can be found in an area within walking distance called Fells Point, where you can also still walk and drive across the original cobble stone streets (be careful if you wear heels ladies!).  Most of the buildings you will see lining these streets were built in the 17 and 1800’s.  Tin Man and Homicide Life on the Street both used Fells Point as the back drops for their drama.  If you’re in to ghost stories you can take a haunted tour of Admiral Fell Inn.  You can also make this historic inn your place of rest during your stay and is a delicious place to dine.  If you’re looking for a place to lay your head that may be a little less exciting, try Celie’s Waterfront Inn or one of the many other Inns in the area.  This is a great area of Baltimore in which to take a stroll.  Quaint and eclectic shops line the streets interspersed with bars, pubs, restaurants, and art galleries.

I think I’ve held off long enough with a few hints at the yummy fare you can find for your stomach.  All I can say is crabs, crabs, crabs!  ….ok so there happens to be quite a lot of other delicious seafood available at your fingertips as well, but if you are going to be anywhere near the Chesapeake you must try the Maryland blue crab.  I’m sure you can find a lot of other great food that isn’t seafood, but when you’re from the mostly land locked Midwest, there is nothing better than fresh seafood.  When not in season, let me recommend the Maryland crab soup that is served just about everywhere.  It’s almost like a hearty vegetable soup with lumps of crab thrown in, and you shouldn’t consider it a really good soup unless they toss a claw in for you!  When in season (roughly April-October) find a place like Captain James Seafood, but don’t eat in the restaurant, instead walk across the street to the Captain James Crab House. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and order a couple dozen crab.  I recommend you order them steamed with Old Bay Seasoning. You’ll sit at a brown paper covered picnic table on the pier. In fact, you can take a water taxi directly to their “front door.”  When ready, they’ll arrive in a bucket that will promptly be dumped on the table in front of you (hence the brown paper) and you’ll be outfitted with a mallet, claw cracker, and seafood fork. Get a lesson from an expert and make sure you don’t eat the lungs, eating the ‘mustard’ is up to you.

If you need to walk off some of the scrumptious food you’ve been consuming, visit some of the historical sites like Fort McHenry.  This is where Francis Scott Key wrote The Star Spangled Banner.  You could also opt to take a Heritage Walking Tour, either guided or self-guided.  There are many other museums and parks in the area to take in the history and the beauty of the area.  If you’ve had enough history and culture, you can take in some of America’s favorite past-times by picking up tickets for either an Orioles or Ravens game.  Speaking of ravens, Edgar Allan Poe spent part of his life living in Baltimore and the Fells Point area.  His home is open as a museum seasonally and his grave site is in Westminster Burying Ground.

Should you find yourself in Baltimore, MD on New Year’s Eve, be sure to head to the Inner Harbor to catch the fireworks that ring in the New Year.  And although currently on shaky ground, you can head just outside the city limits to Pimlico Race Course where the Preakness is run each year as the second leg of the triple crown.