A few blocks away a three story flamingo marks your arrival at Cafe Hon, a kitschy cafe serving up Maryland diner classics. Browse the shelves at Atomic Books, an independent bookstore with a bar in the back that stands as a shrine to pulp culture, you may even see native son John Waters when he picks up his fan mail here. The epicenter of Baltimore’s eclectic charms is Hampden, a traditional blue collar community that is now home to artists, young professionals and a uniquely zany vibe that you won’t find anywhere else. Portland and Austin may keep things weird but Baltimore is the capital of East Coast quirk. Check out Faidley’s Seafood for some of the best crab cakes in the city then head to Berger’s Bakery for Baltimore’s iconic(and addicitve) fudge covered cookies. This historic market has been in operation since 1782 and with over 100 vendors offers a true taste of Baltimore. Having worked up a hunger head to nearby Lexington Market, a must for any visit to Baltimore. On the other side of North Charles Street the George Peabody Library, a research center for Johns Hopkins University, stands as a shrine to the written word. 300,000 books fill the six floors of the library decorative cast-iron columns, touches of gold leaf and a soaring 61-foot ceiling make the Peabody a beautiful space for events. The Walters Art Museum houses one of the most comprehensive art collections in the country with pieces spanning over 55 centuries. A climb of the monument’s 220 steps lead to one of the best views in Baltimore. Vernon is the Washington Monument, built in 1815 as the first monument to honor George Washington (the Washington Monument on the National Mall in DC didn’t open until 1888). Vernon is regarded as one of the most beautiful historic districts in the US and would not look out of place in Europe’s capital cities. With grand nineteenth century architecture, charming garden-filled parks and a gothic-style church Mt. Since I was staying at the Hotel Indigo, a former YMCA that’s been renovated into a stylish boutique hotel, I first decided to check out nearby Mt. I was graciously hosted by Visit Baltimore however all opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links, when you make a purchase or book a hotel through these links the Casual Travelist receives a small commission that helps support this site at no additional cost to you. Whether you’re looking for centuries of history and cobblestone streets or something a little more modern and funky you’ll soon find out how charming Baltimore can be.
These are all fine reasons to visit but to discover the real Baltimore you need to check out a few of it’s distinct neighborhoods. Most visitors come to Baltimore to visit the Inner Harbor, catch a Ravens or Orioles game or dine on some of Maryland’s famous blue crabs. It’s a working class town where the real charm is in its neighborhoods, where you’re as likely to chat up a stranger over a can of Natty Boh as a craft cocktail. It’s a place where you’ll find fried green tomatoes and scrapple on the same menu. I saw elements of the coastal South that I now call home and vestiges of the industrial Pennsylvania town where I grew up. With it’s proximity to Washington DC, Philadelphia and the Chesapeake Bay, (all areas I know very well) I thought I knew what to expect but Baltimore is never what you expect.