East Coast Peeps - please help out a California Girl! :)

[kittensaver]

DH and I are traveling to Baltimore next weekend for a graduation. When we made our hotel reservations a while back, we discovered that it's also Preakness weekend  - but oh well. We have Thursday and Friday completely booked with family stuff, but are on our own for Saturday. We love art and history and old buildings and the water .

Can you help us out with suggestions for what to see and do when you only have one day? Plus tips for navigating around the Preakness madness would be welcomed.

Thanks in advance!

[NancysSummerSip]

I have family in Baltimore. I like Fells Point. It's been renovated and there are lots of shops, restaurants, and old buildings to see.

baltimore.org/neighborhoods-maps-transportation/fells-point

Across the harbor is Federal Hill; the park is a great place for a picnic and panoramic photos. The neighborhood around the park is fun and funky, too

baltimore.org/neighborhoods-maps-transportation/federal-hill

Personally, I'd skip the Inner Harbor. I think it's way too touristy, but that's me.

If you are a baseball fan, you should go and visit Camden Yards, just to say you've been there. Good restaurants all around it, too.

[myrrh]

Not an east coast girl, but Charm City Cakes is there! That's all I know.

[Bonny]

May 8, 2015 13:44:28 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

I have family in Baltimore. I like Fells Point. It's been renovated and there are lots of shops, restaurants, and old buildings to see.

baltimore.org/neighborhoods-maps-transportation/fells-point

Across the harbor is Federal Hill; the park is a great place for a picnic and panoramic photos. The neighborhood around the park is fun and funky, too

baltimore.org/neighborhoods-maps-transportation/federal-hill

Personally, I'd skip the Inner Harbor. I think it's way too touristy, but that's me.

If you are a baseball fan, you should go and visit Camden Yards, just to say you've been there. Good restaurants all around it, too.

LOL, my advice was going to be to take a harbor cruise!

I also like taking self guided walking tours

But here's some suggestions from TA: www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60811-Activities-Baltimore_Maryland.html

It's been a looooong time but I remember enjoying Ft. McHenry and the Peabody Museum.

Enjoy!

[NancysSummerSip]

I forgot about the aquarium; pricey admission, but excellent. You can buy tickets online and skip the very long admission lines. Note that aquarium admission is limited to a certain number of people each hour, so buying on line means you don't have to wait until there's an opening:

www.aqua.org/

And yes, the harbor cruise is cool. I did go to Fort McHenry, and enjoyed the tour given by the guides dressed in period costume.

[Opti]

East Coast girl but only been on the outside of Baltimore. I really want to see the aquarium so I'd recommend that. Report back.

[dannylion]

Walters Art Museum (Mount Vernon area) and Baltimore Museum of Art (Charles Village area), in that order.

National Aquarium and Maryland Science Center, both in the general Inner Harbor area.

Actually, the race might work in your favor as it might reduce the number of visitors to the city and competition for parking (lots of public parking garages, not too expensive, in these areas).

Lots of good restaurants in the general vicinity of the Walters and in and near the Inner Harbor.  I don't remember what's available in Charles Village as it's been some time since I was there. 

The traffic in the city will likely not be affected by the race. The worst of it should be on 695 and I-83, so stay away from those. 

[kittensaver]

May 8, 2015 15:10:51 GMT -5 Opti said:

East Coast girl but only been on the outside of Baltimore. I really want to see the aquarium so I'd recommend that. Report back.

I will try hard to get there, Opti. We've been multiple times to Pacific Ocean aquariums (La Jolla, Long Beach, Monterey Bay, Seattle, Maui) but I know sea life in the Atlantic can be quite different. Should be interesting.

[kittensaver]

What about places to eat? Any recommendations?

[kittensaver]

May 8, 2015 16:05:23 GMT -5 dannylion said:

Walters Art Museum (Mount Vernon area) and Baltimore Museum of Art (Charles Village area), in that order.

Isn't Mount Vernon much closer to DC than to Baltimore? We are actually taking the train from Baltimore to DC to spend a week's vacation after this family graduation (DH has never been to DC - I was there with my father as a grade school kid). Mt. Vernon and tons of other stuff is on our DC list. ?

[CarolinaKat]

May 8, 2015 16:22:57 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

May 8, 2015 16:05:23 GMT -5 dannylion said:

Walters Art Museum (Mount Vernon area) and Baltimore Museum of Art (Charles Village area), in that order.

Isn't Mount Vernon much closer to DC than to Baltimore? We are actually taking the train from Baltimore to DC to spend a week's vacation after this family graduation (DH has never been to DC - I was there with my father as a grade school kid). Mt. Vernon and tons of other stuff is on our DC list. ?

That would be correct. I haven't been in years though. It also takes a while to get though everything. But if it's something you REALLY want to see, a day trip is probably feasable.

All of the times I've been to Baltimore as an adult was when a friend of mine lived there. We mostly hung out at her place, but did plenty of window shopping.

[dannylion]

Depends on what you like.  Mount Vernon is sort of the arts district, kind of a hipster area.  There's Helmand (Afghan cuisine, owned by Hamid Karzai's brother).  City Café is good, too (familiar stuff, general America food), Sascha's (eclectic).  That's all I can think of there.

There are a lot of restaurants in the Inner Harbor complex, many of which are chains (Hard Rock, Cheesecake Factory, like that).  A lot of people go to Phillips Seafood, which is sort of a Maryland icon.  It's fine but not great, and kind of expensive for what is basically a tourist place, though the crab soup is good.  Mango Grove is good if you like vegetarian Indian food.  The Inner Harbor restaurants that are not chains tend to change over time, so I'm not really sure what's there now.  I think there's a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and an Argentine steakhouse, but those are really expensive. 

There is no shortage of restaurants in the Inner Harbor area, so finding something spontaneously won't be hard.  It's been a while since I've been there, so I'm not entirely sure what's available and what's good these days. 

[dannylion]

May 8, 2015 16:22:57 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

May 8, 2015 16:05:23 GMT -5 dannylion said:

Walters Art Museum (Mount Vernon area) and Baltimore Museum of Art (Charles Village area), in that order.

Isn't Mount Vernon much closer to DC than to Baltimore? We are actually taking the train from Baltimore to DC to spend a week's vacation after this family graduation (DH has never been to DC - I was there with my father as a grade school kid). Mt. Vernon and tons of other stuff is on our DC list. ?

No, not that Mount Vernon. There is a neighborhood in Baltimore called Mount Vernon. That's where the Walter's Art Museum is.  I wasn't recommending that you attempt to visit Baltimore and George Washington's Mount Vernon in the same day.  I live here. I know that's not possible. 

[dannylion]

May 8, 2015 16:25:21 GMT -5 CarolinaKat said:

May 8, 2015 16:22:57 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

Isn't Mount Vernon much closer to DC than to Baltimore? We are actually taking the train from Baltimore to DC to spend a week's vacation after this family graduation (DH has never been to DC - I was there with my father as a grade school kid). Mt. Vernon and tons of other stuff is on our DC list. ?

That would be correct. I haven't been in years though. It also takes a while to get though everything. But if it's something you REALLY want to see, a day trip is probably feasable.

All of the times I've been to Baltimore as an adult was when a friend of mine lived there. We mostly hung out at her place, but did plenty of window shopping.

No, that would not be correct. The Mount Vernon neighborhood that contains the Walters Art Museum is in Baltimore and is nowhere near DC and is not the same as Mount Vernon, Virginia, where George Washington's house is.  Two. different. places.  

[kittensaver]

May 8, 2015 16:43:33 GMT -5 dannylion said:

May 8, 2015 16:25:21 GMT -5 CarolinaKat said:

That would be correct. I haven't been in years though. It also takes a while to get though everything. But if it's something you REALLY want to see, a day trip is probably feasable.

All of the times I've been to Baltimore as an adult was when a friend of mine lived there. We mostly hung out at her place, but did plenty of window shopping.

No, that would not be correct. The Mount Vernon neighborhood that contains the Walters Art Museum is in Baltimore and is nowhere near DC and is not the same as Mount Vernon, Virginia, where George Washington's house is.  Two. different. places.  

Good to know - thanks! I will check it out .

[kittensaver]

May 8, 2015 16:38:11 GMT -5 dannylion said:

Depends on what you like.  Mount Vernon is sort of the arts district, kind of a hipster area.  There's Helmand (Afghan cuisine, owned by Hamid Karzai's brother).  City Café is good, too (familiar stuff, general America food), Sascha's (eclectic).  That's all I can think of there.

There are a lot of restaurants in the Inner Harbor complex, many of which are chains (Hard Rock, Cheesecake Factory, like that).  A lot of people go to Phillips Seafood, which is sort of a Maryland icon.  It's fine but not great, and kind of expensive for what is basically a tourist place, though the crab soup is good.  Mango Grove is good if you like vegetarian Indian food.  The Inner Harbor restaurants that are not chains tend to change over time, so I'm not really sure what's there now.  I think there's a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and an Argentine steakhouse, but those are really expensive. 

There is no shortage of restaurants in the Inner Harbor area, so finding something spontaneously won't be hard.  It's been a while since I've been there, so I'm not entirely sure what's available and what's good these days. 

Thanks for these recommendations! I'm not a fan of chain restaurants (if I have one at home, why would I want to go there on vacation? is the thinking).

When we travel we like to find the "famous-with-the-locals" kinds of places. We'll be eating with family for two days at locations already planned out for us, so it might be fun to strike out and find something indigenous to the area .

[Peace77]

Are you planning to drive or rent a car?

If your hotel is downtown or near the Inner Harbor, you should be ok.  However, parking in the Inner Harbor area is quite expensive.

How much are you looking to spend?
Fort McHenry - reasonable $
Ripley's Believe it or Not. $$
aquarium - $$$

[Tennesseer]

If you are in Baltimore, then you are not far from Washington D.C.

[dannylion]

May 8, 2015 17:12:48 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

May 8, 2015 16:38:11 GMT -5 dannylion said:

Depends on what you like.  Mount Vernon is sort of the arts district, kind of a hipster area.  There's Helmand (Afghan cuisine, owned by Hamid Karzai's brother).  City Café is good, too (familiar stuff, general America food), Sascha's (eclectic).  That's all I can think of there.

There are a lot of restaurants in the Inner Harbor complex, many of which are chains (Hard Rock, Cheesecake Factory, like that).  A lot of people go to Phillips Seafood, which is sort of a Maryland icon.  It's fine but not great, and kind of expensive for what is basically a tourist place, though the crab soup is good.  Mango Grove is good if you like vegetarian Indian food.  The Inner Harbor restaurants that are not chains tend to change over time, so I'm not really sure what's there now.  I think there's a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and an Argentine steakhouse, but those are really expensive. 

There is no shortage of restaurants in the Inner Harbor area, so finding something spontaneously won't be hard.  It's been a while since I've been there, so I'm not entirely sure what's available and what's good these days. 

Thanks for these recommendations! I'm not a fan of chain restaurants (if I have one at home, why would I want to go there on vacation? is the thinking).

When we travel we like to find the "famous-with-the-locals" kinds of places. We'll be eating with family for two days at locations already planned out for us, so it might be fun to strike out and find something indigenous to the area .

Twenty years ago it would have been easy:  Haussner's, where you could have had really good food and an art museum experience all rolled into one.  Unfortunately, Haussner's closed in 1999. 

Phillips is a local tradition, but I think the one in Ocean City is better, so that's out.  There's Little Italy with plenty of good places to eat, but there's nothing else there for visitors, so if you want to see something interesting besides food, that's not a good choice. 

I'd do the Walter's Art Museum/Helmand combination, but that might not appeal to your family.  The Aquarium is worth a visit as it is really well designed to provide a unique marine experience without the danger of being eaten by sharks plus a lot of smaller environments you can get really close to, and a rain forest on the top level. 

Hope you enjoy your visit!

[kittensaver]

May 8, 2015 17:14:28 GMT -5 Peace77 said:

Are you planning to drive or rent a car?

If your hotel is downtown or near the Inner Harbor, you should be ok.  However, parking in the Inner Harbor area is quite expensive.

How much are you looking to spend?
Fort McHenry - reasonable $
Ripley's Believe it or Not. $$
aquarium - $$$

Our hotel is between the Inner Harbor and the University of Maryland Medical Center. We are planning on walking or calling a cab if we are not in a relative's car. Spending? We're actually only paying for our hotel plus one day on our own (transportation and meals for the two days surrounding the graduation are being covered by family), so we can spend pretty much what we'd like in order to go "do stuff." But within reason of a good YM'er, of course .

[Peace77]

You can use the Charm City Circulator.  It's a free bus that operates several routes.  The Orange line runs a circular route between University of Maryland Medical Center, Inner Harbor and Fells Point.

There is an Irish restaurant, Tir Na Nog on the 2nd floor of the Harborplace at the Inner Harbor that has good crab cakes.

What kind if food do you like?  There are Italian places in Little Italy neighborhood just east of the Hard Rock Cafe.  There are some Greek places near there too.

ETA:  You  could take the Orange line circulator to President street and walk across the street to several Italian places.

other attractions at the Inner Harbor include viewing the  USS Constellation and going to the top of the Baltimore World Trade Center.

[NancysSummerSip]

bluemoonbaltimore.com/

The Blue Moon Cafe for breakfast.
four words: Captain Crunch French Toast.