When we had a chance to spend a weekend in Baltimore, MD, it was about a return. It was about seeing this “Comeback City” through the eyes of my adult, motherhood-laden self.
We used to come to Baltimore a lot when I was kid growing up in a suburb near the Chesapeake Bay, about 20 minutes away. I remember when the Power Plant was a really lame ride. I remember the Inner Harbor smelling. I remember walking up to the National Aquarium and seeing penguins outside.
What would it be like to go back?
And how the heck did we even pick Baltimore?
Baltimore is a dynamic city and, while it has a lot of people and a lot going on, it really isn’t that big. It is the 30th most populous city in the United States, but it is home to a lot of history – and not just my own.
Yet Baltimore, unfortunately, gathered a reputation that didn’t exactly endear it to family trips. The Wire and Homicide seeped into our consciousness, and they were founded in truth. Websites have labeled Baltimore the sixth most dangerous city in the U.S. News reports say that crime in Baltimore is climbing even today.
Its reputation as a violent city goes back to the late 1860’s, when Confederate sympathizers attacked a militia. It didn’t help that Ravens football legend Ray Lewis later was a witness in a murder trial.
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So does Baltimore deserve it’s reputation? Has it truly made a “comeback?” Is it safe for families?
Yes and no. Like any major city, there are areas of Baltimore that felt really unsafe, and others that felt really safe. But unlike other cities. these two areas are very close to one another and are extreme in their contrast. There didn’t seem to be a lot of in-between.
All said we had a blast during our weekend in Baltimore. The Inner Harbor was fun to explore, the food we ate delicious, Fells Point a beautiful stroll, and the history interesting to take in. It was a return in some ways for me, but also a brand new take. And isn’t that the best way to travel?
How to Spend a Weekend in Baltimore, MD
Table of Contents
Where We Stayed
We took advantage of some points and stayed at the Canopy by Hilton. This location was a 15-minute walk along a paved path to the Inner Harbor but also very close to Fells Point.
I thought this hotel was just lovely and recommend it. It lacked a pool, unfortunately, but the location and comfort were great.
Eat Crabcakes and Seafood
I had some in my family most excited about the aquarium, some most excited about the baseball game, but I was most excited to eat! Oysters from the Chesapeake Bay are pure ocean salt and I love them. I remember crab feasts in our backyards in Maryland, cracking crabs steamed in Old Bay. I was ready to get back to some of these Maryland delights. (Would the oysters be as delicious as the PEI ones we tried? As good as the ones that Luke’s put before me? Spoiler alert: they were way better than both.)
Our hotel was home to Cindy Lou’s Fish House, which the adults ate at one night while the kids had a pizza in another room. The views were beautiful and the food delicious (the cocktails even better). One of the founders of Cindy Lou’s is a nine-time James Beard award finalist, so we knew we were in for a treat. As you might expect, reservations are encouraged and this is not budget-friendly fare. Yet the perlau, rockfish bites, stacked fried green tomatoes, oysters and the fish of the day were all well done.
We ate Faidley’s famous crabcakes. Currently located in Lexington Market, an Uber ride from the Inner Harbor, this spot had the best crabcakes we’ve eaten. A family-owned and operated business since 1886, we ordered crabcake platters for everyone.
This was not cheap, either. The lump crabcake platter was about $30. But I thought it was worth it. This was our kids’ first foray into a proper crabcake and they embraced it.
We also ate at Phillips Seafood on the Inner Harbor, part of the Power Plant. We were all surprised by how good it was – I mean, it was really good.
Usually, these mega-chain restaurants, nestled next to Hard Rock Cafes, are not our vibe. But Phillips’ food was delicious.
Be sure to make reservations! It’s a popular spot.
Visit Graffiti Alley (pack your own spray paint)
I kept this excursion a surprise to everyone, even Mr. Family Trip. I wasn’t sure if it would work out or be worth it. I hid spray paint cans in my backpack and nervously hugged it to me.
But after our lunch at Lexington Market, while we still had our car and traffic was light, I brought it up and my team was ready to try it.
The kids were funny to watch. They loved the idea but were gobsmacked and in disbelief that it was actually okay. They had no idea what to paint but wanted to leave a mark. They talked about this excursion a lot afterwards, too.
Look, this is an alley. It had some trash and dirty standing water. It isn’t in the greatest part of Baltimore but we didn’t feel like it was unsafe either. We found parking on the street very close by and this entire event took us about 20 minutes.
But this is so uniquely Baltimore in so many ways, it had to be done.
- Graffiti Alley location on Google Maps: maps.app.goo.gl/BjMUGE6xgjUzguKA9Â
Walk the Inner Harbor
Baltimore now has a 7-mile paved path that skirts the water. It is really popular with runners (lots of people run in Baltimore, like, a LOT – just slow down Baltimoreans). This path is right through the heart of the Inner Harbor. We loved taking in all the sites, people and sounds.
Also in the Inner Harbor there are opportunities to get on old ships (usually for a small admissions fee) or rent paddleboats.
The word is you can now swim in the Inner Harbor but I still wouldn’t do it even if I were paid. There is still a lot of trash in there, despite the City’s remarkable efforts to clean it up.
Visit the National Aquarium
The people in my tribe were so excited for this. Some of us have been to the Atlanta aquarium, and some of us remember the National Aquarium from our childhood days. We were all eager to see how this spot measured up.
We bought tickets in advance for one of the first timed entries of the day and were glad we did. The aquarium got crowded fast. Yet we still loved this. We felt as though we had plenty of time to loiter over the exhibits and see what we wanted to. We never felt as though we couldn’t get close to the tanks.
The National Aquarium is far more than fish, although that is what they do best. Habitats mimic Australia and the tropical rainforests. We all agreed we liked the large-scale exhibits that tried to replicate an entire environment better than the small tanks dedicated to one or two animals.
But the National Aquarium isn’t perfect. They don’t have much room for growth given their location. It is old (older than the Atlanta Aquarium) and for the love of God someone please take care of the dolphins because that was a very depressing way to end (those creatures need to be released or given a better environment at the aquarium).
That being said, this was a wonderful day for us. It was right-sized, educational and beautiful. Being transported away to coral reefs, to see the amount of diversity, to contemplate how many different versions there are of a fish was mind-blowing. We enjoyed this experience.
- For more on the National Aquarium, visit aqua.org.
Visit Fort McHenry
We’re National Parks people – heck, we’re even National Sites people. If it’s historic, we’re in.
Fort McHenry was an obvious stop for us. Baltimore is steeped in history. A port city founded in 1729, it quickly became an important piece of war and commerce.
But rather than being home to a famous specific battle (such as we experienced at Gettysburg), Fort McHenry is famous for being the place where the Star Spangled Banner was written. During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key was a hostage of battle on an enemy ship, looking back at Fort McHenry. He survived and was safely returned home. But his experience affects you regularly. It was quite an experience to see this outpost that changed…not everything…but a lot.
- The official website for Fort McHenry is www.nps.gov/fomc.
- For battle information, visit www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/fort-mchenry.
Take the Water Taxi
Getting out on the water in Baltimore is a great way to see the city. And while you could pay for a special boating excursion, complete with a meal (see below), the water taxis are far cheaper, run regularly, don’t require a commitment and still allow you to see what the city looks like waterside.
We took the water taxi from Fells Point out to Fort McHenry – a direct line complete with narration on the way.
- For information on the Water Taxi system, visit www.baltimorewatertaxi.com.
Go to the Top of the World
Our youngest and his grandfather went up the observation deck on the Inner Harbor (I promise I only skipped it due to time and budget, not because of my last high-tower experience!).
This observation deck has been reimagined as a memorial to those Maryland citizens fallen on 9/11. You can see this tribute outside on a piece of art at the entrance to the building as well as in the observations deck itself.
But our youngest was taken with the views and enjoyed looking down on all the pieces of the Inner Harbor particularly.
- For more information, including rates and hours, visit www.viewbaltimore.org.
Enjoy Fells Point
Hysterically, I kept thinking to myself “I don’t think Fells Point was here when I was growing up.” Joke’s on me as there is a heap of history here.
The Horse You Rode in On is America’s oldest operating saloon (since 1775, even serving Edgar Allen Poe); the first bloodshed in the Civil War occurred a mile from here; this is where Frederick Douglass escaped. So it’s not exactly new.
But the cobblestone streets, the water, and the old buildings were fun to meander around. We found a few geocaches and enjoyed getting to know the area a bit.
- For things to do in Fells Point, visit this article: fellspoint.com/things-to-do.
See a Professional Sports Game
Seeing a professional baseball game was the inspiration for our trip to Baltimore. Camden Yards was designed to be a throwback to the golden age of baseball and I love the stadium. Our kids are old enough to appreciate professional sporting events and I was excited to take them to this piece of Americana. We had an absolute blast.
Of course, the Ravens football team is located next door.Â
In fact, both stadiums are in the heart of Baltimore city. Traffic can be a bit of a nightmare and if you want official stadium parking purchase in advance. However, we had no problems finding a reasonably priced parking garage just a few blocks away.
- For the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yard, visit www.mlb.com/orioles.
- For the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, visit www.baltimoreravens.com.
Do a Scavenger Hunt
This was something my dad signed us up for – an online guide that takes you through a scavenger hunt around the Inner Harbor and over into Little Italy. While it required a lot of walking, our oldest was particularly interested in it. It introduced him to facts, history and some sites we would likely have overlooked without this.
We never finished it, unfortunately, but we were close! It was a great activity.
- To get access to the scavenger hunt, visit www.urbanadventurequest.com/tours/things-to-do/baltimore.
If you have more time...
- Maryland Science Center
- Ride the Pirate Ship
- Watch the sunset from Federal Hill
- Take an Inner Harbor Dinner Cruise (run by the same company we used in Alcatraz and Niagara Falls)
In summary, our weekend in Baltimore, MD was a lovely surprise. There were parts of Baltimore we fell in love with and other parts that felt sad and scary. But that is how life is. That is how humanity is. That isn’t because Baltimore is different. It’s because Baltimore lives hard and loud and doesn’t hide.
And, finally, because you know I couldn’t leave it…
Baltimore has been here for a long time. So…
Don’t call it a comeback.
It’s been here for years.