Beginner's Guide to Maryland

Day Two

2006-03-30T22:37:07Z

Peale’s Baltimore Museum
Rembrandt Peale opened the first building in the United States designed and erected exclusively as a museum and art gallery in the summer of 1814. The museum was designed by Baltimore architect Robert Cary Long, Sr., and served as Baltimore’s city hall from 1830 until 1875. It has been the city’s civic museum since 1931.

Shopping and Dining: Cross Street Market is located between South Charles and Light Street, and is part of the Federal Hill district. Numerous vendors offer very high-quality items at this busy public market, which has a history of operation that stretches back to 1846. For sale here one may find everything from fine cheeses and tobacco products to the fresh live crabs. This is also a great place to pick up lunch or a keepsake to take home or to give to friends or family. The raw bar at the market is famous for its variety and the freshness of its goods. After sundown the entire place turns into one grand bar, and attracts a crowd of people representing every walk of life. It’s a great place to be when the fun starts.

Day Three

2006-03-30T22:37:53Z

Mount Clare is a brick Georgian plantation house, the oldest Colonial structure in the City of Baltimore. It once served as quarters for Union soldiers during the Civil War and currently serves as a museum.

Shopping and Dining: Owings Mills Mall is located at 10300 Mill Run Circle. True to its name, it is in the Owings Mills district, and may even be reached by way of the Baltimore subway system. This mall and shopping center is two stories high, and is set around by Macy's, Hecht's, and JC Penney. It features a variety of very nice specialty shops including Aeropostale, Disney Store, Bath & Body Works, and Ann Taylor. With nearly two hundred fifty stores to choose from, there is no danger of boredom. The dining options are at least as varied as the shopping if not more, with posh and upscale restaurants as well as quick, casual options for satisfying hunger. An eighteen-screen movie theater is also close by, and makes a great way to unwind after a few days spent hunting and gathering in Baltimore.

Day Four

2006-03-30T22:38:39Z

William Henry Welch House
William Henry Welch was professor of pathology at Johns Hopkins University from 1884 to 1916, and he is known for developing areas of investigation such as pathology and bacteriology, which have become disciplines unto themselves. Welch lived at this location from about 1891 to 1908.

Southwest Baltimore: The Southwest Baltimore district is an up and coming developing area with another distinctly bohemian flair. Artists and artisans of every trade have made the Southwest district their stomping grounds. Union Square is becoming an increasingly popular hangout for those in the know fashion-wise. The B&O Railroad Museum at Mount Clare Station also calls this district home, and is one of Baltimore's most popular attractions. It has the curious talent of drawing a crowd of admirers which include train buffs and non train buffs of all walks of life. Also of note in this district is the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, home to a great repository of material honoring the Great Bambino.

Day Five

2006-03-30T22:39:25Z

Washington Monument and Museum at Mount Vernon Place
The Washington Monument was America's first heroic and civic monument to George Washington. Visitors may enjoy great views of the city from nearly 230 feet up.

Mount Vernon Cultural District: Mount Vernon Cultural District is a short distance northwest of Inner Harbor. As the name suggests, it is an area with a close association with the arts and culture. The reputation is well deserved, as Walters Art Museum, Maryland Historical Society and the Peabody Institute are among the other centers and institutes one may find here. Besides classic art and culture, this side of town is headquarters to an incredible shopping scene, and one may easily find a fine selection of modern, trendy shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, together with a truly avant garde, bohemian zest for life.

Day Six

2006-03-30T22:40:10Z

Maryvale Castle - 11300 Falls Road
Notable for being modeled on England's Warwick Castle, the structure was built in 1913 and is set in 115 beautiful acres of the Greenspring Valley. It currently houses the Maryvale Trinity College Preparatory School.

Downtown: Baltimore's downtown district is the heart and core of things, and is comprised of a number of smaller sub-districts. These include City Center, Inner Harbor, West Side. The Camden Yards district serves as the gateway to downtown; when doing the downtown area, start at Camden Yards. Many of the chief delights of Baltimore can be found in the Inner Harbor area. These include the National Aquarium and Port Discovery Children’s Museum.

Day Seven

2006-03-30T22:40:53Z

Edgar Allan Poe House - 203 North Amity Street
Built in 1830, this was home to the author famous for penning many of the classic spine-tingling stories of early American literature. The house contains artifacts from the writer's life and much of its original décor. Visit during Halloween and you may catch one of the theatrical presentations offered here.

Fells Point: Also known as Fells Point Historic District, this part of town is located on the waterfront and is just east of the Inner Harbor district. Fells Point is comprised of a large residential area, and its inhabitants and visitors may freely enjoy the variety of incredible entertainment venues here. Restaurants, pubs, saloons, bars and nightclubs operate amid venues for the arts including live music, art galleries and historical museums.

Baltimore Real Estate Overview

2006-04-13T15:53:33Z

Baltimore is a place of growth and expansion with a history rooted deeply in economic strength, cultural diversity and a love for the finer things in life. Baltimore’s neighborhoods underwent a renovation of sorts in the latter part of the twentieth century, giving the city a new flavor, feel and character. This beautification of the city led to an influx of people and business, which led to further growth. Baltimoreans view their city as the ideal place to work, live and play, as everything one needs is inside city limits; especially the thriving neighborhoods, each of which has a singular character, flavor and feel. The Southwest district is currently an avant garde, artsy local hangout, and was recently the target for a great deal of development. It is likely to join the ranks of the other neighborhoods of Baltimore as ‘the’ place to be; not only as a trendy hangout area to shoot the breeze and catch the latest gossip, but as a neighborhood and residential center point in its own right.

Baltimore may be an adjustment for some, as parts of the city run on a twenty-four hour schedule, especially in the hospitality and restaurant sectors of town. Any move involves change, and if one is not the lively, large-city type there may need to be more of an adjustment still.

Neighborhoods of Baltimore

2006-04-13T15:56:05Z

Fells Point, Inner Harbor, Southwest, Mount Vernon and Downtown are a sampling of the neighborhoods of Baltimore, and each has its own distinct local atmosphere. This has been shaped by the history of each district and the economic and cultural impact to these neighborhoods as Baltimore grew as a town.

The sites of the old mill areas and the port naturally became the city’s industrial and commercial areas, while the places where landmark historical events occurred grew to be cherished as cultural and historical icons. Art and culture thrived around these landmarks, while the financial and business districts grew up around the places where industry and business transactions occurred. As Baltimore grew, the need for its people to live where they worked grew accordingly, hence the residential neighborhoods that grew up in and around the city.

Where people go, business follows. The relationship is an inverse one, and Baltimore is no exception. There is opportunity in plenty for business outlets in the city. The more historical districts naturally have less growing real estate than do the other districts, as they serve as cultural and historical centers. These are generally home to museums, art galleries, the theater, the symphony, and other venues of culture and art. The financial and business districts are more likely to foster growing real estate ventures. Residential neighborhoods are also more likely to foster such growth as an influx of people move to a neighborhood that is under development.

The Southwest district is one such rapidly developing part of the Baltimore scene. The Southwest district is a great deal like the Mount Vernon district in that it is a place of art and culture. The developments in this district will no doubt attract a residential core as well as more business, shopping and a cultural life all its own.

Schools in Baltimore

2006-04-13T15:56:50Z

Baltimore’s neighborhoods have a number of fine school districts, as well as places of higher education. The City of Baltimore delineates schools by areas. Elementary, Middle and High Schools, as well as Charter schools are under management of certain areas. Places of higher education in the Baltimore area are several, and include Johns Hopkins, a premier institute of higher learning. Johns Hopkins is comprised of several schools of learning, each devoted to a certain field of expertise or research.

The Market in Baltimore

2006-04-13T15:57:24Z

Baltimore already has a thriving market, chiefly because it is still one of the major ports of entry in the contiguous United States. This makes it an ideal place to live as well as work. If one needs to move for business, one could certainly do worse than Baltimore. For those who intend to move for business purposes, the entrepreneurial sprit of the town makes it easy to get a start here. Local vendors sell everything from arts and crafts to high end clothing and furniture.

Baltimore’s civic business bureau has goals to dramatically increase the number and success rate of the minority owned businesses in the town, in areas of promising growth. These sectors include the areas of tourism, technology, and real estate development. Baltimore has made a great investment of time and resources to encourage the growth of these minority-owned and operated businesses. The resources available to entrepreneurs in the city are manifold, and serve to encourage such entrepreneurship. According to economic philosophy, this is the best way to strengthen the economy in a city. In Baltimore, it appears to be paying in dividends.

Moving to Baltimore

2006-04-13T15:58:06Z

The internet has become the easiest way to find real estate in any town, and Baltimore is no exception. Whether one intends to rent or buy, and whether the real estate desired is an apartment, a condominium, or a house, Baltimore has plenty of opportunity in each of these areas. As with any major purchase a budget is absolutely necessary, as is a great deal of personal research and forethought. One might also wish to employ the services of an agent when making such a decision... and it almost goes without saying that a decision never ought to be made immediately. Make a list of places you want to visit that are within your budget for the neighborhood you’ve selected, and shop around.

If at all possible, avoid moving during the peak season of the year. Summertime is usually a hectic and busy time in the real estate industry, and prices can increase by as much as twenty percent during these times. Choose a time that is ‘off peak’. To know when this time is requires observation and forethought for a particular area, but it is a general rule of thumb that holidays and summer are busy, busy times. Try not to move on a weekend or at either end of the month. Make sure the movers give you an accurate quote and ensure that each party knows what is expected of the other.

There are dozens of small things to do before, during and after a move. The car will need new tags, drivers will need different insurance and licenses, addresses will need to be changed and the appropriate parties will need to be registered to vote. Banking information and bills will need to be forwarded to the new address too, and the convenience of the internet is available to help with this. Many companies offer online bill management, and banks such as Wachovia offer bill payment through their website, even to individual people. All you need is a name, address, and phone number, which you can input into the system.

As for the seasonal weather in Baltimore, its Atlantic location moderates some of the weather it gets. The climate is typically humid, with warm summer weather and milder winters. Spring is warm and fairly dry. Baltimore’s weather in late Summer and early Autumn includes thunderstorms with a chance of hurricanes, but Autumn itself is pleasant with warmer daytime temperatures and cooler nights. Winters are cool, the coldest month being January. Snowfall does occur in winter, but does not last long.
As a final note, Baltimore can be a little overwhelming to the new arrival. Take time to explore once everything is settled on the home front. None of it is going anywhere, and all the wonderful things about the city will wait for as long as you need them to.

Baltimore Hotels and Accommodations

2006-08-01T18:37:18Z

Baltimore Restaurants and Activities

2006-08-01T18:39:55Z

Short Stays in Baltimore

2006-08-01T18:41:16Z

Week-Long Stays in Baltimore

2006-08-01T18:42:12Z

Beginner's Guide to Maryland

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

Day Seven

Baltimore Real Estate Overview

Neighborhoods of Baltimore

Schools in Baltimore

The Market in Baltimore

Moving to Baltimore

Baltimore Hotels and Accommodations

Baltimore Hotels and Accommodations Overview

Budget Accommodations in Baltimore

Mid-range Accommodations in Baltimore

Luxury Accommodations in Baltimore

Baltimore Restaurants and Activities

Baltimore Restaurants and Activities Overview

Places for Food

Places to Visit in Baltimore

Art and Music Venues in Baltimore

Short Stays in Baltimore

Short Stays in Baltimore Overview

Places to Sample in Baltimore

One to Two Days in Baltimore

Itineraries

Week-Long Stays in Baltimore

Week-Long Stays in Baltimore Overview

A Week-Long Itinerary

Day One

Day Two