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Real Estate & Homes in Baltimore - Maryland - Baltimore, Maryland homes and communities Baltimore
Baltimore BackgroundConveniently positioned at the end of the Patapsco River, and tucked away between Washington, D.C., and New York, Baltimore is Maryland’s biggest city and continues to be one of the busiest ports on the East Coast. It is a city that survived a British attack and the city where “The Star-Spangled Banner,” our national anthem, was born. It is the birthplace of Babe Ruth and the final resting place of Edgar Allen Poe.Nicknamed “Charm City,” Baltimore is a small jewel that guarantees a wide selection of attractions and entertainment with a beautiful waterfront, an impressive list of cultural landmarks and great food. When in Baltimore, it isn’t a question of what there is to do — it’s more the matter of what isn’t there to do and is there enough time to do it all? For a city so small in its size, Baltimore offers a large variety of entertainment attractions. Yet Baltimore still keeps that small-town charm and welcoming feel. It is a city that definitely leaves its impression on anyone who has the opportunity to sample its plentiful culture and a city that has many coming back for return visits. ActivitiesLocated in the heart of downtown, the Inner Harbor is one of the city’s main highlights. The waters are always busy with water taxis and paddle boats, while the shopping centers and thoroughfares are always buzzing with locals and tourists. The Inner Harbor is home to the World Trade Center with its 27-story high Top-of-the-World observation level, which offers breathtaking views of all the city has to offer.While at the Inner Harbor, one doesn’t want to pass up the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center, or Port Discovery children’s museum. The National Aquarium features 14,000 fish, marine mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Between the five levels of the main building, exterior seal pool, tropical rainforest and the daily dolphin shows, there are a slew of exhibits sure to satisfy any audience. The Maryland Science Center offers a full spectrum of scientific exhibits covering the earth, space and our bodies. You will also find a touring exhibit hall, the Davis Planetarium, Crosby Ramsey Memorial Observatory, Hubble Telescope National Visitors Center and an IMAX theater with daily shows. And if the kids still want to see more, take them to Port Discovery. The museum offers children an opportunity to learn while having fun, challenging the imagination and critical thinking skills. There is a working TV studio, a mystery house full of clues and a simulated archaeological expedition. Even toddlers and infants can benefit and play in the Sensation Station. Within close proximity of the Inner Harbor are other museums and attractions that range from the classical to the strange and obscure. The Walter’s Art Gallery boasts one of the area's most stunning collections, presenting artwork from around the world and from several centuries. From ancient art to Islamic and Asian art, and even manuscripts and rare books, the gallery houses the Rubens vase; Napoleon’s diaries; and works by El Greco, Monet and Pissarro, just to name a few. The Baltimore Museum of Art houses the famous Cone Collection with its focus on works by Matisse, including “Purple Robe and Anemones” and others. Also at the BMA, you will find Vincent van Gogh's “Landscape with Figures” and a modern wing built in 1994 that showcases late 20th-century masterpieces. Less traditional museums like the American Visionary Art Museum feature art by self-taught individuals who haven’t had any formal training, but rather, whose art comes from an innate personal vision. Here you will find a boat constructed from 193,000 toothpicks, an autobiographical work embroidered by a Tennessee woman locked away in a mental institution by her husband, and a 55-foot whirligig. If you are looking for the off-beat and downright strange, you will find it at the American Dime Museum, which claims to be the world's only museum where you can find the exhibition and appreciation of thrill acts, tattooing and piercing, human blockheads, bearded ladies, sword swallowers, human cannonballs, Fiji mermaids, unicorns and 10-foot mummified giants all under one roof. Not as strange, but just as interesting, is the Edgar Allan Poe house, an early 19th century, five-room brick duplex where Poe lived from 1833 to 1835. The house — with its uneven wooden plank flooring and three brick-lined fireplaces, along with glassware and china belonging to Poe's foster father — offers a glimpse into Poe's mysterious life. Here you will find a full-size color reproduction of the only known portrait of Poe's wife, Virginia, painted at her death in 1847 and several bottles of the cognac that is left every year at Poe's grave by the mysterious "Poe Toaster." SportsIf museums are not your style or even if you just want some variety, a sports fan will find constant excitement with Orioles baseball during the spring and summer and the Ravens during the NFL season. The Baltimore Blast also have a faithful following of fans in the world of indoor soccer. And Johns Hopkins’ fierce lacrosse team is nationally recognized — if you can’t catch a game, you can always check out the Lacrosse Hall of Fame that is located on the campus of Johns Hopkins.RestaurantsOf course, taking in all these sights is sure to build up a hunger. While there are countless options, visitors should take their first dining opportunity to enjoy the abundant seafood specialties that can be found in the many restaurants around the city. From the most casual of pubs to the fancier dining establishments around town, you’ll be able to feast on fresh mussels, steamed shrimp, crab cakes or steamed Maryland blue crabs smothered in the must-have Old Bay spice seasoning.Before leaving Baltimore, make sure to stop by Corned Beef Row for an authentic New York Jewish deli-style corned beef sandwich. While there, save room for dinner and meander the few blocks over to Little Italy, with its old-world charm and selection of home-style Italian restaurants. Where is Baltimore?
Written by S. Alexander Katz exclusively for HomesParadise.com.
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