Mary Alice Kellogg
SEE: Begin with the dynamic Inner Harbor and a visit to the National Aquarium. In the Mount Vernon neighborhood, hear classical music at The Peabody Conservatory, and see painting, sculpture and Fabergé eggs at the newly renovated Walters Art Museum.
STAY: The Inn at Henderson’s Wharf, a former tobacco warehouse, is a waterfront hostelry with 38 luxurious guest rooms in historic Fell’s Point. Harbor Place pioneer Hyatt Regency is in the heart of the action, and was recently completely renovated.
DINE: If you don’t have steamed blue crabs, you haven’t been to Baltimore, so get to Obrycki’s. A taste of Chesapeake Bay cuisine not to be missed is L.P. Steamers. At the much-decorated Charleston Restaurant, chef Cindy Wolf dishes up an award-winning, eclectic, international menu in a sophisticated jazz-era eatery.
SHOP: Baltimore’s Antique Row, on North Howard Street near the Walters Art Museum, features everything from furniture to prints to porcelain. Hometown Girl celebrates the city’s culture and quirks with everything Baltimore, from books and art to clothes and food.
INSIDER’S TIP: The most charming way to discover Baltimore’s history is with a free Heritage Walk, starting at the Inner Harbor Visitors’ Center. Along the way you’ll find museums—the Flag House & Star-Spangled Banner Museum, Jewish Museum of Maryland, Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture—and lots of neighborhood charm.