Charmed Charming Baltimore: Melding Yesterday and Today

Get lost on ballast stone streets lined with whimsical storefronts and end up in an upscale financial district or aboard a commercial schooner. From lively, bustling markets and glitzy shopping boutiques to cozy pubs and authentic eateries, to museums and historical marks, Baltimore’s sights entice a visitor’s craving for variety. Maryland’s capital city is a port that offers a mixture of activities as eclectic as the bounty of restaurants on Restaurant Row.

After all, Baltimore is "Charm City," and those who stroll its waterfront streets are sure to find something old and something new.

MARITIME MEMORIES. Baltimore’s natural deep water port is one of America’s oldest seaports and has attracted ships from all over the world since the 1600s. The city grew up on the harbor—a center of trade marked with historical highlights dating back to America’s independence.

Today’s busy port is paralleled with its integral past, and evidence of Baltimore’s colorful role in American history runs as deep as the surrounding Chesapeake Bay. Francis Scott Key penned The Star Spangled Banner at Fort McHenry, the site of the rebuff of the 1814 British attack, where today’s Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine stands on E. Fort St. (410/962-4290).

Docked in the harbor is the last floating Civil War vessel, the USS Constellation, the WWII submarine Torsk and the cutter Taney, the last floating warship that survived the Pearl Harbor attack, which visitors can board to satisfy seafaring curiosities. The National Historic Seaport of Baltimore offers tours or a pass for $15.75 (877/642-7678).

Celebrations following the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and the city’s cannon defenses during the Civil War took place on Federal Hill. Now, the National Historic District offers not only a glimpse of the past, but stunning views, a variety of restaurants, Maryland’s oldest brew-pub, Sisson’s Restaurant and Brewery, shops, antiques and live entertainment.

Also in the district is The Washington Monument and Museum and Mt. Vernon Place, the oldest monument to the nation’s first president. Visitors can challenge themselves by climbing the 228 steps to the top of the 178-foot column for spectacular city views at N. Charles St. and Mt. Vernon Place (410/396-0929).

Besides travel by sea, tracks for transportation progress were laid at the Mt. Clare train station, the original starting point of the B&O Railroad (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad), which is now occupied by a commemorative museum, 901 W. Pratt St. (410/752-2490). A bevy of token Baltimorians also paved their way through American history, from abolitionist Frederick Douglass and freedom fighter Harriet Tubman to jazz great Billie Holiday.

Today, Baltimore’s maritime past is preserved in the streets of Fell’s Point, one of Baltimore’s waterfront communities that retains the ambiance of its sailor-village past. The narrow streets are lined with pubs, coffeehouses, inns and window shoppers’ delights. Visitors can marvel at tug boats that still tie up on Thames Street’s piers.

EYE CANDY. For window shoppers and big spenders alike, a mishmash of Baltimore stores offer something for everyone. Harborplace and The Gallery, centered in the infamous Inner Harbor, features the city’s best shopping and dining, with over 150 shops, restaurants and eateries. Upscale boutiques and popular national stores are located in the waterfront attraction, which occupies two pavilions and a dramatic, four-story atrium. It is walking distance from the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Maryland Science Center and Camden Yards Stadiums, home of the Orioles baseball team.

For those looking to bargain, Market Center hosts more than 400 merchants in creating a culturally diverse, colorful atmosphere. Bounded by Franklin, Liberty, Baltimore and Greene Streets, the 12 square blocks are dotted with unusual discount stores, ethnic food nooks and specialty shops, including Lexington Market, the world’s largest indoor market.

Consistent with the city’s preserved wharf communities, shoppers are sure to find a variety of antique and vintage shops, filled with the quaint and the quirky. Howard Street’s Antique Row will satisfy this curiosity, with more than 75 dealers clustered in 800 blocks. While in the area, explore Downtown’s Cultural Center, home of the world-renowned Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Opera Company.

EDIBLE ENTERTAINMENT. Everyone in Baltimore gets crabs. At least that’s what the owners of the city’s many seafood restaurants might say, as Baltimore is famed for its Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. But if fresh catch isn’t your fare, Charles Street’s "Restaurant Row" will certainly cater to refined taste buds, with an extensive selection of dining choices ranging from ethnic to all-American

Baltimore’s world-famous Little Italy is home of a number of fine Italian restaurants offering everything to seven-course meals to carry-out. Enjoy nightly entertainment in the cigar lounge at Da Mimmo Finest Italian Cuisine, 217 S. High St., boasting to be Little Italy’s most romantic restaurant, although the owners of the hand-full of Italian eateries in the area might argue. (410/727-6878)

For those who want a participatory pick, guests can "Eat. Drink. Watch. Play." at ESPN Zone, 601 E. Pratt St., in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. A 35,000 square-foot dining complex, sports fans can be treated to American food in the Studio Grill, catch any game on the air in the Screening Room and be challenged with interactive games and attractions in the Sports Arena. (410/685-ESPN)

Vegetarians can grab a bite at One World Café, serving veggie entrees, coffees, wines and beers, and adding ambiance with an art gallery and pool. Two locations, 904 S. Charles St. in Federal Hill and 100 W. University Parkway, mean more than one chance to catch the café’s unique atmosphere. (410/234-0235)

MUSEUM AMUSEMENT. Just as Baltimore is rich with history, it is plentiful in museums, statues, parks, ships, inns and entire communities that reflect its opulent past. However, the city also boasts a number of museums that flaunt today’s treasures. The Inner Harbor holds sites like the National Aquarium, where more than 10,000 mammals, fish, birds reptiles and amphibians are exhibited in naturalistic habitats. The Open Ocean and Wings in the Water displays gain attention from visitors, and landlubbers who might prefer to see these wonders in a controlled environment. The Aquarium, 501 E. Pratt St., also showcases dolphin spectacles (410/576-3800).

Hop on the water taxi to other Inner Harbor attractions, such as the Maryland Science Center, Light St. at Key Hwy., which boasts three floors of hands-on exhibits and is the national visitors center for the Hubble space telescope. Relax in the IMAX Theater with a five-story screen or browse the Planetarium. (410/685-5225)

Water taxis are not only a way to get from point A to point B in Baltimore, stopping at 15 landings every 15 minutes, they are also a way to see Baltimore’s famed harbor and get a first-hand taste of the Chesapeake Bay. There are several charter boats that offer dinner, dancing, tours, sport fishing and sightseeing. Baltimore’s Quick Guide, available from the Baltimore Area Visitors Center (410/837-4636), offers a full listing of nautical options.

Or, stay on shore and let children enjoy exploring Port Discovery’s "kid-powered" museum. Imaginations are sparked in a factory of fun (410/727-8120). View creativity at the Baltimore Museum of Art (410/396-6320) or the American Visionary Art Museum, where doctors, mothers, mechanics, retired folks and homeless display their wares (410/244-1900).

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. Whether it be enjoying the atmosphere of one of Fell’s Point’s character-filled pubs, shopping in one of the city’s cutesy kitsch boutiques, browsing restored antiques in a bazaar, reliving a moment of America’s past or strolling the harbor’s scraper-lined skyline, Baltimore offers something for everyone.

Let "Charm City" work its magic, and discover the seaside city’s charisma.