Baltimore
Industrial, port Baltimore is a city with a manly character. It's determined, independent, and ambitious. It's passionate about ventures and loves adventures. Sometimes it even shows its cool temper and stubbornness. But at the same time, it is sincere, friendly, and always ready to come to the rescue. Baltimore can charm any guest with perfectly preserved sights, feed with seafood delicacies, mesmerize with the sounds of good old jazz, and surprise with thousands of exciting stories related to the time when the United States had gained independence.
Map Baltimore
Attractions of Baltimore
Baltimore is one of the oldest cities in the United States, so there are a lot of unique sights worth seeing with your own eyes. By the number of museums, historical and architectural monuments, this city has no equal — the Baltimore Basilica, the oldest Peabody Conservatory, Maritime Museum, Fort McHenry. You just have to make a plan to travel around the city to visit all the exciting things.
Population
Brief history
Located on the Patapsco River, it was initially built as a port city and later played a key role in the struggle for U.S. independence. Fort McHenry, located at the mouth of Inner Harbor, during the war of 1812-1814, became a landmark place for Americans — a symbol of strength and bravery. The British had been firing cannons at it for 24 hours, but the fort, and with it, Baltimore, stood firm. A few days later, there was a general battle between the Americans and the British, in which the latter were defeated. Just during the siege of Baltimore, the captured lawyer Francis Scott Key wrote poems that became the American anthem.
During the U.S. Civil War, the city took the side of the northerners, thus opposing slavery. But Baltimore had always been famous for its cool temper — there were often riots in Baltimore that required the use of the army to subdue. For example, the streets of the city "blazed up" in 1968, after the murder of African-American rights defender Martin Luther King. The intervention of the National Guard was also needed in 2015 — because of protests that began in Baltimore after the arrest and death of African-American Freddie Gray.
Trip budget
Before the trip, you should calculate the approximate budget that you will require for the travel:
Hotels | Apartment | Taxi | Gasoline |
Average bill | from 99 $/night | from 107 $/night | Start - 4 $, 1km - 2.11 $ | 0.71 $/liter | 65 $ for 2 person |
|---|
The best time to visit Baltimore
But in early autumn, a visit to the city will also be quite comfortable. In September, the traditional Baltimore Seafood Festival is held in Baltimore, during which you can taste delicious seafood, including dishes made of blue crab. There are also crab cakes, crab soup, and Maryland-style crabs. Anyway, this is a gourmet paradise.
Useful notes
Baltimore is one of the most criminalized cities in the U.S., so it is better for a tourist not to visit some districts. And even more so, do not appear there without a guide or local escort. First of all, dangerous places include Ellwood Park, Sandtown-Winchester, and Berea. When moving around the city in the evening and at night, the safest way is to take a taxi. The most problematic parts of Baltimore are west and east. You can walk safely in the center, even at night.
There's a Heritage Walk for tourists in Baltimore. It is a bronze-marked trail on the pavement that will showcase the most exciting sights and historical monuments. It is quite long, so it is better to get on it early so that you can have a good look before dark.
The portions in the local cafes and restaurants are quite large and very nutritious. In most cases, it is better to order one meal for two — you can also eat and try more items from the menu of traditional American cuisine. Do not forget about the tip. It is customary to leave them here in the amount of 10-15% of the bill.
What should a tourist do in Baltimore?
- Go for a walk to Inner Harbor. It's now a kind of open-air museum. Its piers are moored with yachts, submarines, and real vintage. For example, the famous military frigate USS Constellation, the Civil War era. You should definitely go to Fort McHenry, which now has a museum.
- Go up to the observation deck of the skyscraper of the World Trade Center to admire Baltimore and the harbor from a bird's-eye view.
- Wander around the Italian Quarter. This is a real, very atmospheric piece of Italy with cute cafes and cozy restaurants, as well as interesting shops of the country's famous brands. No less fascinating will be a walk in the area of Falls Point, where they have very meticulously restored many historic buildings, which means you will have a lot of exciting photos.
- Try the local dish made of blue crab — Baltimore-style crab cake — a crab meat sandwich. Every restaurant and even any street vendor has its own recipe for this dish, so it won't be very easy to make a choice. By the way, almost everything made of seafood in Baltimore is above all praise.
- Watch the lives of underwater creatures at the Baltimore National Aquarium. Its collection includes nearly 600 species of fish, as well as sharks and rays. There are also aquariums with crocodiles and turtles. Dolphin shows are held daily, and on the top floor, you can wander around a truly tropical kingdom inhabited by thousands of birds.
- Fans of the famous Edgar Poe should visit the writer's house museum. After all, it was in this city that he lived and wrote his spooky works. But it's better to check the museum hours in advance. The writer's grave is also located here in Baltimore, in Westminster Cemetery.
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