Planning a trip to Baltimore
Arriving
By Plane -- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI; tel. 800/I-FLY-BWI [435-9294] or 410/859-7111; www.bwiairport.com) is 10 miles south of downtown Baltimore, off I-295 (the Baltimore-Washington Pkwy.). Domestic airlines serving Baltimore include AirTran (tel. 800/247-8726), American (tel. 800/433-7300), Continental (tel. 800/525-0280), Delta (tel. 800/221-1212), Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525), Southwest (tel. 800/435-9792), United (tel. 800/241-6522), and US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322).
To get to Baltimore from the airport, take I-195 west to Route 295 north, which will take you into downtown. SuperShuttle (tel. 800/258-3826; www.supershuttle.com) operates vans between the airport and all major downtown hotels. The cost is $22 per person one-way. The Light Rail also connects the airport and Amtrak station at BWI, with downtown Baltimore stops at Camden Station and Penn Station.
By Car -- I-95 provides the easiest routes to Baltimore from the north and south. From the north, follow I-95 south through the Fort McHenry Tunnel ($2 toll) to exit 53, I-395 north to downtown. Bear left off the exit, and follow signs to the Inner Harbor. From the south, follow I-95 north to exit 53, I-395 north to downtown. Bear left off the exit, and follow signs to the Inner Harbor.
From the west, take I-70 east to exit 91, I-695 south (the Baltimore Beltway) heading toward Glen Burnie. Take exit 11A, I-95, to I-395 north to downtown.
From I-83 (Pennsylvania to the north), follow I-83 south to where it merges with I-695 (the Baltimore Beltway). Continue on I-83 south for 1 mile to exit 23A (I-83 south, downtown). The Jones Falls Expressway ends at President Street downtown.
Once you arrive, you'll find parking garages and metered on-street parking downtown. Garages charge about $20 a day, or $8 to $12 for special events or evening visits. Parking meters must be fed $1.25 an hour (in quarters only), though most streets now have meters that take both credit cards and cash to pay parking fees.
By Train -- Baltimore is served by Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com). Trains on the Northeast Corridor route arrive at and depart from Pennsylvania Station, 1500 N. Charles St. (tel. 410/291-4165), north of the Inner Harbor, and BWI Airport Rail Station (tel. 410/672-6169), off Route 170 about 1 1/2 miles from the airport.
In addition, MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) trains provide rail service on two routes from Washington, D.C., stopping at BWI en route. One route ends at Camden Station, closest to the Inner Harbor, and the other ends at Penn Station, about 20 blocks north. From here, you can take a taxi or the Light Rail, which runs Monday through Saturday from 6am to 11pm and Sunday and holidays from 11am to 7pm. The MARC fare to the airport is $4 one-way. For more information, call tel. 800/325-RAIL (7245) or go to www.mtamaryland.com.
By Bus -- Regular bus service is provided to and from Baltimore via Greyhound (tel. 800/231-2222; www.greyhound.com) and Peter Pan Bus Lines (tel. 800/343-9999; www.peterpanbus.com). Buses serve two stations in the area: in South Baltimore at 2110 Haines St. (tel. 410/752-7682), and in East Baltimore at the Baltimore Travel Plaza, 5625 O'Donnell St. (tel. 410/633-6389).
Visitor Information
Contact Visit Baltimore, 100 Light St., Baltimore, MD 21202 (tel. 877/BALTIMORE [225-8466]; http://baltimore.org). It has all sorts of information to help you plan your trip, including maps, brochures, and water taxi schedules. The visitor center is open daily at the Inner Harbor, adjacent to Harborplace, at 401 Light St. Stop by for brochures or advice from one of the knowledgeable staffers. A short film shown several times an hour will introduce you to Baltimore. You can even get tickets for attractions, tours, and boat trips. The Downtown Partnership Baltimore, 217 N. Charles St. (www.godowntownbaltimore.com), also has directions, maps, and other information. Downtown Baltimore Guides in the yellow shirts can give directions or provide an escort (tel. 410/244-8778 daytime, 802-9631 nighttime).
Neighborhoods in Brief
Baltimore has always been a hardworking town, home to fiercely loyal Orioles fans, with close-knit neighborhoods and families. Below are some neighborhoods you may wish to visit, along with a few of the characteristics that make them unique.
Baltimore's Inner Harbor is the obvious starting point for visitors, the focal point of the town's turnaround in the late 1970s. Visitors can get a feel for the city's seafaring days through attractions on the Inner Harbor, harbor cruises, and even water taxis.
The National Aquarium is filled with fish, sharks, and dolphins, and topped with a rainforest. The Maryland Science Center offers an IMAX theater and planetarium. Harborplace Mall and the Gallery are shopping and dining extravaganzas that draw thousands every weekend.
Baltimore has become a destination for pleasure boaters, tall ships, and even high-tech racing sailboats. The Volvo Ocean Race sailors stopped here in 2002 and 2006.
Just past the Inner Harbor are some of Baltimore's oldest neighborhoods.
Little Italy has been home to Italian immigrants and their descendants since the mid-1800s, when they first opened the restaurants that continue to anchor the neighborhood. Some of the city's oldest buildings line the charming, narrow streets -- these survived the 1905 fire that destroyed downtown. Before or after dinner, take a walk to see the rowhouses and their famous marble steps, which dominate the Baltimore streetscape -- and notice the shrines with flowers and statues that grace windows here and there.
Harbor East, formerly an industrial area, now boasts the city's newest hotels and condos, and some fine restaurants and shops. Young adults moving to Baltimore want to live in this area, which is quite convenient to the other harborside neighborhoods.
Fell's Point was Baltimore's original seaport and home to the first shipyards. Baltimore clippers, swift and elegant topsail schooners, were made here. For years, immigrants to the U.S. arrived in Fell's Point and settled this area, as well as the surrounding neighborhoods of Highlandtown and Canton.
Fell's Point has long been known as a rowdy part of town. Restaurants and entertainment venues keep this neighborhood hopping all night. But don't miss the history. Walking tours bring the past (and a few ghosts) to life as you pass elegant brick rowhouses.
The Recreation Pier will be familiar to TV viewers as the site of police headquarters in the series Homicide.
Canton was once home to families whose breadwinners worked at nearby factories, canneries, and breweries. Today, technology firms rent office space here, while families are moving in to rehab the old brick and Formstone rowhouses. O'Donnell Square is surrounded by bars and eateries, and the Can Company has transformed an abandoned can-making operation into a mixed-use space, with offices, a few shops, and restaurants with outdoor patios.
All of the above neighborhoods are connected by a waterfront promenade as well as water taxis.
Mount Vernon, surrounding the Washington Monument (which, as Baltimoreans will remind you, predates the one in D.C.), offers a collection of beautiful buildings from the city's heyday. This tony area is home to the Walters Art Museum and a half-mile walk up Charles Street.
Northern Baltimore City is mostly residential, though Hampden and Mount Washington Village offer interesting shopping and some good restaurants. If you happen to be in town in December, visit Hampden's 34th Street to see how the neighbors dress up their rowhouses for the holidays; people come from all over the city to view the thousands of lights, model trains, and Santas. Mount Washington Village is a short Light Rail trip from downtown, a good side trip if the glitz of the Inner Harbor is too much for you. It's small but offers a handful of fun eateries, as well as some unique shops, plenty of hair salons, and a pottery studio.
Fast Facts
American Express -- The office is at 100 E. Pratt St. (tel. 410/837-3100).
Area Code -- The area codes in Baltimore are 410 and 443.
Car Rentals -- Two companies have locations at the Inner Harbor: Avis, at the Sheraton, 101 W. Fayette St. (tel. 410/685-6405), and Enterprise, at the Sheraton, 300 S. Charles St. (tel. 410/547-1855).
Emergencies -- Dial tel. 911 for fire, police, or ambulance.
Eyeglass Repair -- Try For Eyes, 330 N. Charles St. (tel. 410/727-2027).
Hospitals -- Downtown options include Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 S. Wolfe St. (tel. 410/955-5000); University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 S. Greene St. (tel. 410/328-8667); and Mercy Medical Center, 301 St. Paul Place (tel. 410/332-9000).
Liquor Laws -- Restaurants, bars, hotels, and other places serving alcohol may stay open from 6am to 2am. Some opt to close on Sundays and election days. The legal age to buy or consume alcohol is 21.
Newspapers & Magazines -- The Baltimore Sun (www.baltimoresun.com) is the city's daily. City Paper, Baltimore's free weekly, is published Wednesdays and has excellent listings. Baltimore magazine is published monthly.
Pharmacies -- Two downtown options are Rite Aid, 125 E. Baltimore St. (tel. 410/685-4340), and Walgreens, 19 E. Fayette St. (tel. 410/625-1179).
Police -- Dial tel. 911 for emergencies, or tel. 311 for nonemergencies requiring police attention.
Post Office -- The main post office is at 900 E. Fayette St. (tel. 410/347-4202). It's open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 7pm. Other area post offices are at 111 N. Calvert (tel. 410/539-2335), and 130 N. Greene St. (tel. 410/244-1981). Both are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.
Safety -- Baltimore has a nagging problem with both property and violent crime. The Inner Harbor and Mount Vernon areas are fairly safe, thanks to a greater number of police officers, along with the Downtown Partnership's safety guides. Still, be alert and follow some common-sense precautions.
Taxes -- The state sales tax is 6%. The hotel tax is an additional 7.5%.
Transit Information -- For bus, Light Rail, and Metro info, call the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) at tel. 866/RIDE-MTA (743-3682) or 410/539-5000; or go to www.mtamaryland.com.
Weather -- Call tel. 410/936-1212.
Getting Around
By Car
If you plan to stay near the harbor, it is easier to walk or take a water taxi than to drive and park. That having been said, driving in downtown Baltimore is fairly easy. The streets are on a straight grid; many are one-way. The major northbound streets are Howard, Charles, and Calvert. Cathedral and St. Paul are southbound. Lombard and Pratt are the major east and west streets. On the west side, Martin Luther King Boulevard connects the harbor with the cultural district; it runs both north and south.
Need to find an address? Buildings are numbered east and west from Charles Street; 100 East Lombard is in the first block to the east of Charles. Baltimore Street is the dividing line for north-south addresses; 100 South Charles is a block below Baltimore.
Car-rental agencies at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport include Alamo (tel. 410/859-8092), Avis (tel. 410/859-1680), Budget (tel. 410/859-0850), Dollar (tel. 800/800-4000), Enterprise (tel. 800/325-8007), Hertz (tel. 410/850-7400), National (tel. 410/859-8860), and Thrifty (tel. 410/850-7139).
By Light Rail, Subway & Bus
The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) operates the Light Rail, a 27-mile system of aboveground rail lines reminiscent of the city's old streetcars. It travels on one north-south line, from the northern suburb of Timonium to Glen Burnie in the south, with a spur to Penn Station. The key stop within the city is Camden Station, next to the Orioles' ballpark. The Light Rail is the ideal way to get to a game or to travel between Camden Yards and the Inner Harbor, and the train station, the performing-arts district, or Mount Washington. Trains run every 15 to 30 minutes daily between 6am and midnight and Sunday between 11am and 7pm. Tickets, which cost $1.60 one-way, are dispensed from machines at each stop. Better yet, get a day pass for $3.50 -- it's good on all MTA transportation.
The MTA also operates the Metro, a subway system that connects downtown with the northwestern suburbs. Trains run from Johns Hopkins Hospital in East Baltimore through Charles Center and north to the suburb of Owings Mills. Service is available Monday through Friday from 5am to midnight, Saturday and Sunday from 6am to midnight. The fare is $1.60; you can also purchase the aforementioned day pass, which allows unlimited trips on the Light Rail, the Metro, and city buses for $3.50.
A network of buses, also operated by the MTA, connects all sections of the city. Service is daily, but hours vary. The base fare is $1.60; exact change is necessary.
The Charm City Circulator (www.charmcitycirculator.com), a free shuttle with three routes, was due to begin operations in early 2010.
To get information and schedules for all MTA services, call tel. 410/539-5000 or visit www.mtamaryland.com.
By Taxi
All taxis in the city are metered; two reputable companies are Yellow Cab (tel. 410/685-1212) and Arrow Cab (tel. 410/358-9697). For airport trips, call SuperShuttle (tel. 800/258-3826; www.supershuttle.com).
By Water Taxi
The water taxi makes for a pleasant way to visit Baltimore's attractions. Baltimore Water Taxis (tel. 800/658-8947 or 410/563-3901; www.thewatertaxi.com) runs between about a dozen Inner Harbor locations, including Harborplace, Fell's Point, Little Italy, Canton, and Fort McHenry; the main stop at Harborplace is on the corner between the two pavilions. Just tell the mate where you want to go. The cost is $9 for adults and $4 for children 10 and under for a full day's unlimited use of the water taxi and trolley to Fort McHenry. Tickets include a "Letter of Marque," a set of discount coupons for area restaurants, museums, and shops.
From May through Labor Day weekend, the 13 water taxis generally run about every 15 to 18 minutes, from 10am to 11pm Sunday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday. From November through March, taxis run from 11am to 6pm, sometimes later. In April, May, and October, Friday and Saturday service runs until 11pm. Service to Fort McHenry runs only April through September. Service is always weather permitting; you can pick up a schedule at the main stop at Harborplace.
Note: A free Water Taxi Harbor Connector runs between Tide Point, about a mile from Fort McHenry, and Maritime Park in Fell's Point. Water taxis run every 12 minutes 7am to 7pm daily, except in inclement weather.
On Foot
You'll need to know only a few streets to get around. The easiest is the promenade around the Inner Harbor, which runs along the water from Federal Hill to Harbor East to Fell's Point and Canton. You can take it to the American Visionary Art Museum, Maryland Science Center, Harborplace, National Aquarium, USS Constellation, and Maritime Museum, as well as to shops and restaurants. Biking is permitted from 6 to 10am every day on the promenade.
Pratt and Lombard streets are the two major east-west arteries just above the Inner Harbor. Pratt heads east to Little Italy, while Lombard extends west to the stadiums. Charles Street is Baltimore's main route north and home to some good restaurants, Baltimore's Washington Monument, and the Walters Art Museum, all within walking distance of the Inner Harbor. St. Paul Street is the major route south.
