Organized Tours

Land & Sea Tours

Amphibious sightseeing vehicles take visitors on a cruise of the harbor after touring the city's neighborhoods. Ride the Ducks (tel. 410/727-DUCK; www.baltimoreducks.com) conducts 50-minute tours in converted 1945 DUKWs that accommodate 38 passengers. Tours are offered daily from April to September, and Saturday and Sunday only in October and November. Tickets are $24 for adults, $23 for seniors, $22 for active military, and $14 for children 3 to 12. The ticket kiosk is outside the Light Street Pavilion at Harborplace.

Special-Interest Tours

Modeled after Boston's Freedom Trail, the Heritage Walk was unveiled in 2004. Interpretive signs and bronze sidewalk markers highlight 20 historic spots along a 3.2-mile trail. Some are obvious, such as City Hall and the USS Constellation. Other sites benefit from explanation, such as the 1771 Friends Meeting House, one of Baltimore's oldest structures. You can take the walk on your own -- maps are available for $2 at the Constellation gift shop and at www.baltimore.org -- but it's better with a guide. The 90-minute guided tours depart from the Inner Harbor visitor center six times a day. They're $7.50 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free for children under 5. Though visitors don't go inside any of the buildings (admission to open sites costs extra), they do get an insider's look at some fascinating streets and learn a few stories about Baltimore in its earliest days. For details, call tel. 877/BALTIMORE or visit www.heritagewalk.org.

The Baltimore Mural Tour -- a trip to see the 150 murals painted around town -- is one of a number of tours offered by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts (tel. 410/752-8622; www.bop.org). Tickets range from $10 to $20. Bike tours are also offered.

The Fell's Point Visitor Center, 1732 Thames St. (tel. 410/675-6750; www.preservationsociety.com), offers several historical tours of some of Baltimore's oldest streets. Walking tours, including the Immigration Tour and Secrets of the Seaport, depart from here on Saturday at noon. Ghostwalks are offered Friday and Saturday at 7pm. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for children 11 and under; reservations are a must.

The Mount Vernon Cultural District (tel. 410/605-0462; www.mvcd.org) offers 90-minute walking tours of the area around the Washington Monument, on Saturday at 10am from April to November, weather permitting. On Sunday, there's a 12:30pm tour of area churches, known for their architectural and historical impact. Or visit the website for a self-guided tour.

African American Cultural Tours focus on contributions of local African Americans, such as Harriet Tubman and Thurgood Marshall, as well as important landmarks. Call tel. 410/727-0755; reservations for these bus tours are essential.

Baseball fans should not miss the 75-minute tour of Oriole Park at Camden Yards (tel. 410/547-6234; www.oriolepark.com). Well-informed guides fill you in on where Hall of Famer Eddie Murray hit his 500th home run, why there are no bat racks in the dugout, and how many miles of beer lines run under the seats. The tour visits places the average fan can't see: the dugouts, the umpires' tunnel, and the press box. Buy tickets at least 30 minutes beforehand. They can be purchased at the box office at the north end of the warehouse building at the ballpark; prices are $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and children. Call ahead to confirm the tour schedule.