Baltimore: Travel Guide

Baltimore at a Glance

Baltimore sits on the Patapsco River in northern Maryland, roughly 40 miles northeast of Washington D.C. It is a working port city with a serious food culture anchored by blue crab, a dense grid of Federal Hill rowhouses, and a waterfront that has been continuously rebuilt since the 1970s. Visitors come for the National Aquarium, the Preakness Stakes, and some of the best steamed crabs in the country. The city rewards slow exploration on foot.

Getting There and Getting Around

By air: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) handles most regional and national traffic. The MARC Penn Line commuter rail connects BWI to downtown Penn Station in approximately 20 minutes; tickets cost approximately $4 as of 2026. Taxis and rideshares from BWI to the Inner Harbor run approximately $30–$40.

By train: Amtrak stops at Penn Station (1500 N Charles St), about 1.5 miles north of the Inner Harbor. From New York Penn Station, journey time is roughly 3 hours; from Washington D.C., approximately 40 minutes.

By car: I-95 bisects the metro area. Parking in the Inner Harbor garage at 55 Market Place costs approximately $20–$25 per day as of 2026.

Within the city: The Charm City Circulator runs four free bus routes through downtown, Federal Hill, Fells Point, and Hampden. The MTA Light Rail links BWI to Hunt Valley via downtown, with single-ride fares at approximately $2. Water taxis connect Inner Harbor stops to Fells Point and Canton from approximately $8 round trip.

Neighborhoods to Know

Inner Harbor is the tourist core — the National Aquarium, Maryland Science Center, and the historic ships USS Constellation and submarine USS Torsk are all here. It is crowded in summer and convenient for first-time visitors.

Fells Point is a cobblestoned 18th-century neighborhood northeast of the harbor with a dense concentration of bars and independent restaurants. It is walkable from the Inner Harbor in about 20 minutes.

Federal Hill sits south across the harbor, with panoramic views of the skyline from Federal Hill Park (free, always open). The Cross Street Market on South Charles Street draws locals for oysters and lunch.

Hampden (pronounced HAMP-den by locals) runs along 36th Street — “The Avenue” — with independent shops, diners, and the annual HonFest in June. It is approximately 3 miles north of downtown; a Charm City Circulator Purple Route bus takes about 15 minutes from Penn Station.

Mount Vernon surrounds the Washington Monument (Baltimore’s, predating D.C.’s) and holds the Walters Art Museum and Maryland Historical Society. The neighborhood is quieter and more residential than the harbor.

Top Attractions

National Aquarium — 501 E Pratt St, Inner Harbor. Open Sunday–Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m. (hours vary seasonally). Admission approximately $40 adults, $30 children ages 3–11 as of 2026. Book online to guarantee timed entry in summer.

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine — 2400 E Fort Ave. Open daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (extended summer hours). Admission approximately $15 adults; children under 15 free. The site where Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the 1814 bombardment. A water taxi from Inner Harbor runs approximately $8 one way.

Walters Art Museum — 600 N Charles St, Mount Vernon. Open Wednesday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission is free. The permanent collection spans 55 centuries of art including Egyptian antiquities and medieval manuscripts.

Maryland Science Center — 601 Light St, Inner Harbor. Open daily in summer, reduced hours off-season; check website. Admission approximately $27 adults, $22 children as of 2026.

Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum — 216 Emory St, near Oriole Park. Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (extended on Orioles home game days). Admission approximately $10 adults as of 2026.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards — Tours run approximately $10 as of 2026; game tickets range from approximately $20 (upper deck) to $100+ (premium seats). One of the most architecturally admired ballparks in the country, opened 1992.

Where to Eat

LP Steamers — 1100 E Fort Ave, Locust Point. A no-frills crab house where steamed blue crabs are sold by the dozen; expect approximately $50–$80 per dozen for large crabs in peak summer as of 2026. Cash preferred. Open Tuesday–Sunday from 4 p.m.

Thames Street Oyster House — 1728 Thames St, Fells Point. Raw bar and Eastern Shore seafood; entrees approximately $28–$45. Reservations recommended on weekends.

The Bygone — 101 W Monument St, Mount Vernon (Kimpton Hotel Monaco). Rooftop steakhouse with city views; entrees approximately $45–$75. Dinner only.

Ekiben — 1622 Eastern Ave, Fells Point. Steamed bun sandwiches with Asian-American fillings; most items approximately $10–$14. Informal, counter-service, and very popular.

Woodberry Kitchen — 2010 Clipper Park Rd, Woodberry. Farm-to-table Maryland ingredients in a converted industrial mill; entrees approximately $28–$55. Widely considered the best farm-to-table restaurant in the city.

Lexington Market — 400 W Lexington St (reopened in new building 2024). A 240-year-old public market with dozens of vendors selling everything from pit beef to seafood; most stalls under $15.

Where to Stay

Four Seasons Baltimore — 200 International Dr, Inner Harbor. The city’s most polished luxury option overlooking the water; rates approximately $350–$600 per night as of 2026.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco Baltimore — 2 N Charles St, Mount Vernon. A 202-room boutique hotel in a restored 1906 Beaux-Arts building; rates approximately $160–$280 per night. Central location for Mount Vernon and a 10-minute walk to the harbor.

The Ivy Hotel — 205 E Biddle St, Mount Vernon. A 18-room luxury property in a 19th-century mansion; rates approximately $400–$700 per night. Exceptional personalized service.

Sagamore Pendry Baltimore — 1715 Thames St, Fells Point. A waterfront hotel in the 1914 Recreation Pier building; rates approximately $250–$450 per night. The rooftop bar is a draw in its own right.

Admiral Fell Inn — 888 S Broadway, Fells Point. A 80-room inn spread across seven Federal-style buildings; rates approximately $130–$220 per night. Reliable mid-range option in the thick of Fells Point.

Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor — 401 W Pratt St. Conventionally comfortable large hotel with direct connection to the convention center; rates approximately $150–$250 per night.

Practical Information

Best time to visit: Late April through early June and September through October offer comfortable temperatures (55°F–75°F) without summer humidity. The Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course runs the third Saturday of May — book accommodation months ahead.

Safety: Downtown, the Inner Harbor, Fells Point, and Federal Hill are well-trafficked and generally safe for tourists. Avoid walking east of downtown toward the East Baltimore neighborhoods at night unless you know the area.

Sales tax: Maryland sales tax is 6% on most goods. Meals and alcohol are also taxed at 6%.

Currency and tipping: Standard tipping at restaurants is 18–20%. At crab houses and counter-service spots, tipping customs are more relaxed.