Baltimore

I spent 24 hours in Baltimore with my father exploring this beautiful historic city. Baltimore has a bad reputation for not being safe, similar to Detroit (my hometown), but it is just like any other major city in the United States. Be smart, do not walk around at night alone, do not obviously flash valuables, and try to stick to the main downtown areas.

I flew from Los Angeles to the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), and it said it was supposed to be a 50 minute drive, however, it took me about two hours because I landed right at 4:30PM, and I ended up getting stuck in rush hour traffic.

Inner Harbor Neighborhood

Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel

We stayed at the Renaissance Marriott in the Inner Harbor. It was in the perfect location, just steps away from the harbor, which is lined with numerous restaurants, bars, and shops. We enjoyed walking around the harbor to see the old ships they still have docked.

National Aquarium

The National Aquarium is famous for its massive aquarium exhibits. It costs $40 to get in per adult, so we opted out of actually going inside, but it is beautiful from even the outside. I really loved the architecture. One day when I have kids, I would love to come back here with them.

Little Italy Neighborhood

We ate dinner in Little Italy at a restaurant called Cava Mezze, which is a actually Mediterranean Restaurant, and the food was delicious! We ordered hummus, brussels sprouts with Greek yogurt, and lollipop chicken with honey and Greek yogurt. I wish I had a restaurant near me with tapas style Mediterranean food like this!

Fells Point Neighborhood

After Dinner, we  walked around the cute little neighborhood with cobbled streets and a lot of history. It is crazy to think about how people lived here before America became a country. We went to a restaurant right on the water called Barcocina, and we ordered drinks and dessert. It was fun to watch the sunset on the water. 

Federal Hill

We climbed up to the top of Federal Hill for an amazing view of the city of Baltimore. The hill was used as a battle fort during the Civil War, and there is still a cannon that remains at the top. They also have park benches, a playground, and a gigantic USA flag.

American Visionary Art Museum

The American Visionary Art Museum is right next to Federal Hill. It costs $15 to get in, however, you can walk around the outside of the museum to get a taste for the unique and interesting art.

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Fort McHenry is part of the National Park Service, and it is a National Monument located on the southwest side of the harbor. It is not too far from Federal Hill. You can pay $10 to enter the fort and walk around. The United States National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, was written during the War of 1812. It is crazy to see all of the cannons still in place and picture soldiers fighting there to defend out country. It was a great experience!

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Another popular spot in the city is the Oriole Baseball Park at Camden Yards. The stadium is ranked as one of the best in the United States. There was a game going on while we were there, however, they are ranked as one of the worst teams in the US at the moment.

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

I love visiting historic Catholic churches and cathedrals because they typically have such beautiful architecture. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the US.

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon is a neighborhood north of the Inner Harbor where we were staying, and it is known for being a very fun and hip neighborhood. It is home to the Peabody Library and Washington Monument. We didn’t have enough time to make it out here.