Explore Baltimore: America’s Charm City

Check out a city whose history is woven into the very fabric of the American flag and the story of the United States. When you visit Baltimore, Maryland you’ll experience a hip, diverse port city that offers everything upscale at an affordable price. Baltimore’s unique attractions, dining venues and historic tours speak to the city’s diversity, arts and culture scene and sustainability efforts.

 Day 1: Immerse Yourself in History, Culture and Waterfront Dining

Start your Baltimore adventure with breakfast at Miss Shirley’s, a Baltimore staple eatery. Then, journey to Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, where visitors can experience the fight, the fort and the flag that inspired America’s National Anthem.

Baltimore’s Charm City Circulator is fast, friendly and free and can get you to Fort McHenry and many attractions along the way such as The American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM). This one-of-a-kind national museum and education centre is dedicated to outstanding original works of art created by intuitive, self-taught artists.

Stop for lunch at the Cross Street Market, where you can enjoy local seafood, pizza, drinks and more in one of the oldest public markets in America. After lunch, head back to the waterfront and cruise the Patapsco river aboard Baltimore Spirit Cruises or Watermark Cruises. See the wonder, industrial history and examples of adaptive reuse like the Sagamore Pendry Hotel, which was originally the historic Recreation Pier, from the water.

Later on, work up an appetite by walking along the seven-mile waterfront promenade and pick a restaurant on your way. Some favourites include Loch Bar, Ouzo Bay, Barcoccina and Little Havana.

Day 2: Explore Charm City’s 250+ Neighbourhoods

Start your morning in Hampden, once a 19th-century blue-collar mill town that has evolved into a hub for unique shopping and dining. Hampden centres on 36th Street, known to locals as The Avenue. For breakfast, stop by Café Hon, a diner serving American classics with a gift shop attached.

A quick drive will take you to the Baltimore Museum of Art, which is home to the world’s largest collection of Henri Matisse. For lunch, walk over to the nearby R. House, a chef-driven food hall in the Remington neighbourhood.

Hop over to Mount Vernon, a community with a lively cultural arts centre filled with some of the most beautiful, well-preserved 19th century architecture in the United States. Palatial homes face small parks and Belgian Block streets that surround the area’s centrepiece, the original Washington Monument. Mount Vernon is even designated a National Landmark Historic District and a City Cultural District.

While in Mount Vernon, grab a cocktail at Topside, a panoramic rooftop restaurant and garden bar celebrating the Chesapeake Bay and all its bounty. For a luxurious dinner, head to The Bygone in Harbor East. This restaurant sits atop the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences and serves a menu of upscale, classic American cuisine in a swanky space reminiscent of the 1920s with sweeping views of the city.

Day 3: Fun in Fell’s Point and on the Water

Start your day in Fell’s Point, a neighbourhood older than the City of Baltimore itself and the first neighbourhood in Maryland to be listed on the National Register of Historic Districts. Situated along the picturesque waterfront and home to a plethora of locally owned boutiques, bars, restaurants and night clubs, Fell’s Point manages to maintain a small town feel no matter how much development occurs around it. Fell’s Point is unique and easy to navigate by foot, consistently drawing visitors and residents alike.

For lunch in Fell’s Point, pop into the Broadway Market for a quick bite at one of its many food stalls in the North Shed. If you have a larger appetite, head to the Sound Shed to experience The Choptank, a new fish and crab house where you can enjoy fresh seafood from the nearby Chesapeake Bay. The Choptank honours the market’s 200-plus-year legacy with authentic local seafood and an energy and hustle true to the area.

Take to the water on the Baltimore Water Taxi and head to the Inner Harbor to immerse yourself in Baltimore’s maritime history. The Historic Ships in Baltimore include five national historic landmarks: the 1854 Sloop-of-War USS Constellation; the World War II submarine USS Torsk; USCGC Taney, the last surviving warship afloat today from the attack on Pearl Harbor; the Lightship Chesapeake, once one of the most modern and capable ships used by the U.S. Lighthouse Service; and the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, built in 1856 to mark the mouth of the Patapsco River.

Wrap up the day with a Baltimore tradition and enjoy an authentic crab feast on the Phillips Crab Deck. Perched out into the Baltimore harbour on an overwater dock, the Phillips Crab Deck delivers a menu of Eastern Shore favourites. Visitors love watching the action at the steaming station, where live crabs are sorted for size and prepared fresh to order. Given that crab feasts are a unique Baltimore tradition, local experts are on-hand to teach visitors the art of picking meat from the crab.

Day 4: Make the Most of Your Last Day in Baltimore

A visit to Baltimore is not complete without getting a taste of Baltimore’s literary history. Check out the Edgar Allan Poe House, where the famous author lived for a period of his life and wrote some of his earliest stories.

When it’s time to hit the road for your next adventure in the Capital Region, stop by Arundel Mills Mall, the largest mall in Maryland, for a shopping extravaganza. If you’re feeling lucky, test yourself at the Maryland Live! Casino or dine at any of its amazing food venues.