Downtown Hotels and Events

Inner Harbor by Day - Courtesy www.digitalharbor.info

Baltimore or Ballmer or even B-more as its often called turned out to be a really friendly place. What drew me out here was primarily the fact that the city is now in the hands of its first woman Mayor, Sheila Dixon who if all reports are to be believed is trying to turn the city around. Well actually this port town has continually reinvented itself to go on to become a city of many firsts. Besides its idiosyncratic past and its quaint accent, it thrives on unique Bawlmorese charms not the least of which are its distinctive neighborhoods.

As the largest city in the Maryland area its located about 40 miles north of Washington DC, close to the Chesapeake Bay. A quick Amtrak hop brings you here. This independent city has been a major seaport on the East Coast since ages. With its proximity to the Atlantic and the Patapsco River, summers here are bound to be humid. Additionally you may have to take in the afternoon thunderstorms. But if you plan well and spend the time inside the many many museums, you can avoid them.

The city gets casually divided into East or West using Charles Street as a dividing line, and into North and South using Baltimore Street as a dividing line. The Central region is the downtown area that’s Baltimore’s commercial center. Home to the Harbor Area, Camden Yards Sports Complex, Convention Center and the famed National Aquarium, downtown is rife with nightclubs, bars and restaurants, shopping centers and lots of attractions.

Baltimore’s Mt. Vernon is the traditional center of cultural and artistic life of the city. The famous Washington Monument atop the hill is the precursor to the other monument in Washington, D.C. Baltimore exhibits some wonderful architecture of earlier periods preserving the works of many famous architects. As you explore around you realize its a vibrant city where you will find something new around every corner. The ever increasing tourist influx has new hotels coming up along with other many other attractions as well. As I found out my destination was full of exciting prospects and things to enjoy, that included its fine cuisine.

Baltimore’s world-renowned Inner Harbor is surrounded by historic neighborhoods where you will find city living at its best with unique shops and restaurants for every style and taste. Just take a quick turn into an inner road for an enchanted neighborhood experience. Feel the pulse of the city. Well Baltimore also has you enjoying a colorful arts scene that embraces its history and influence on American culture.

You’d be more than happy to explore Baltimore’s Inner Harbor’s top attractions with the Baltimore Harbor Pass. It got me to see the most popular attractions at a discount. Being a frugal tourist I had also opted for the Heritage Pass that not only helped me save on admission but also brought me good discounts in the neighborhood restaurants and shops. While on the subject let me inform you that the online Downtown Baltimore hotel site is definitely worth a hit if you are on the lookout for some happy benefits.

What held my attention the longest was the Baltimore Aquarium. And why not. A staggering 1.6 million visitors come here every year! As the leading tourist attraction in all of Maryland you get to enjoy the dolphin shows as much as the jellyfish, lizards and other aquatic denizens. Housing more than 16,000 creatures, the Baltimore Aquarium exhibits a variety of species in their naturalistic habitats. You’ll find animals such as stingrays, sharks, sea turtles, bullfrogs and phytoplankton among others. Educational shows present exotic worlds you may never have even heard of. The Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes show that is currently on offers a spectacular river gorge depicting Australia’s Northern Territory. With a 35-foot waterfall, free-flying birds, free-roaming lizards basking on rocky cliffs and freshwater crocodiles behind acrylic barriers – the experience really takes you down under.

Its kind of hard to say what exactly it is about Baltimore that captures your mind. It could be the history, the closely knit neighborhoods, the celebrated water front or even the many tasty restaurants, unique shopping, famous museums, live entertainment and local pubs and taverns. Everything appears to made just for your enjoyment. You even end up catching up with the sports action that gets you into the spirit and fun of the city. The summer calender of events is full of excitement making it impossible to decide what you would like to do while here. Some things that caught my fancy were the Free Heritage Walk and Mount Vernon Cultural Tours, Kianga Ford’s Charm City Remix and the Live concert shows at Pier Six Pavilion.

The city stands proud by its motto as “The Greatest City in America”. With the first Catholic Cathedral, the first Public Library and now the first Woman Mayor, Baltimore appears to have come full circle. You can actually end up spending an entire summer here. Walk about for the sheer pleasure of being in truly democratic America. Balmoreans, known for enjoying life to the fullest do not hesitate in making you part of their lives. It’s true.

Inner Harbor at Night - Courtesy Google Images