Just two hours from Northern Virginia, Baltimore has a lot to offer, whether you go for a day or stay over. With the National Aquarium, some free art museums, a botanical garden with the second oldest glass conservatory in the country, and restaurants that keep you entertained well beyond the meal, it’s easy to see how the Baltimore earned its reputation as Charm City.
At a glance, here’s what Baltimore has to offer.
What to Do
Museum Hop
Many people think of the National Aquarium when they think of a trip to Baltimore. And yes, the aquarium is indeed excellent (perhaps the best in the country), but Baltimore has many more attractions worth visiting. Don’t miss the heavy-hitting Baltimore Museum of Art, which has everything from significant collections of African and Asian art to exhibitions of contemporary photography and to works by school children. The Walters Art Museum has collections that include ancient Egyptian artifacts and to European and North American decorative arts. Notably, both the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum have free admission. The petite Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum packs a punch, diving into one of the city’s most famous literary sons. Tickets are $10.
Stroll Through Some Garden
Located in Baltimore’s sprawling Druid Hill Park, the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Garden always has something in bloom, but it’s in summer when it truly shines. The conservatory, a series of five connected buildings, opened in 1888 and is the second oldest glass house in the country. With towering ceilings, delicate architecture, and plants several stories high, just walking through is to travel back to the Victorian age. Nearby, in Druid Hill Park, is the Maryland Zoo. One of the zoo’s sweetest summer events is breakfast at the zoo.
Get Out on the Water
Getting out on the water is essential for any trip to Baltimore. Watermark offers a variety of journeys throughout the summer, including a sightseeing and sunset cruises.
Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars for upcoming events: the Baltimore Jazz Fest (June 7–9), Fleet Week (June 12 – 18), and one of the East Coast’s largest African American festivals, AFRAM (June 17–18). The Lyric, Baltimore’s nonprofit arts center and live entertainment venue, has an engaging summer lineup that includes Regina Spektor, Herbie Hancock, and the Bored Teachers comedy tour.
Where to Eat
Monarque
Try dinner and a show at this French-inspired restaurant and burlesque cabaret. In addition to the old-fashioned theater of it all — live jazz and cabaret music and some circus-adjacent routines — most people come for the steaks and the wines (the cellar boasts a list of over 500 French labels). Other entrées to tempt you: plates of lobster vol-au-vent and Parisian gnocchi that are equally as rich as indulgent. Ask for a table with a clear view of the stage.
The Elk Room
Located right next to Monarque in Baltimore’s Harbor East area, this restaurant is must-try for cocktails. The dimly lit, antique, and eclectically decorated bar plays off Baltimore’s nautical, seafaring history. As a speakeasy-inspired lounge, the space feels ready for Capt. Ahab as it does for Prohibition bootleggers and date night couples. The cocktail menu, which describes itself as apothecary-themed is as long as it is interesting. Pick out a concoction from the menu or tell the bartender your symptoms and get a cure.
Petite Louis Bistro
People get a misty look when they talk about this no-frills French spot in the Roland Park neighborhood. Known for classic dishes like boeuf Bourguignon, cassoulet, and truite almondine, Petite Louis offers $35 prix fixe “civilized lunch” menu with suggested wine pairings as well as a popular Sunday brunch. If you go into the weekend burning the candle at both ends, keep this bistro in mind. It offers a last dinner seating at 9 p.m.
Where to Stay
Sagamore Pendry Baltimore
This hotel in the heart of Fells Point’s cobblestoned neighborhood is on the waterfront at Recreation Pier, within walking distance of the Inner Harbor and a short drive to the city’s museums, making it a convenient jumping off point to explore the city. Originally, a pier back in 1914, the site underwent a $60 million renovation and opened as the 128-room Sagamore Pendry in 2017. The hotel remains a favorite thanks to its buzzy restaurant, Rec Pier Chop House, which serves Italian specialties, seasonal mid-Atlantic fare, and steaks. The Cannon Room, the hotel’s bar, specializes in American whiskeys. The rooms and suites (try to book one facing the water) are sleek and modern. The hotel has a waterfront pool, in-room massages, and painting and sculptures by local artists peppered throughout its halls and common areas.
Feature image courtesy Sagamore Pendry Baltimore
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