When we visited Baltimore last fall, our first priority was to find the best crab cakes. We definitely succeeded, and we also found that Baltimore had some hidden gems if you venture out beyond the Inner Harbor. Of course, if you stay around the Inner Harbor, there are tons of chain restaurants and attractions. You can find everything from Shake Shack to Chick-Fil-A and Ruth’s Chris, but we found some really special places just a short ride away.
Things to do
Baltimore is known for the National Aquarium. You can plan to go on a number of different tours or just wander around the aquarium yourself. Plan to get your tickets ahead of time. It’s located right on the bay, next to a collection of historic ships, which you can also tour. For an outdoor experience, visit Fort McHenry, the fort that inspired the song, The Star-Spangled Banner.
Where to Eat & Drink
Attman’s Authentic New York Delicatessen – Just around the corner from Baltimore’s Little Italy, this is where you’ll find the best deli in downtown Baltimore. You must go and try the famous corned beef sandwich and matzo ball soup.
Woodbery Kitchen – This one is outside the downtown area, but just a short ride away. Set in a historic flour mill, this farm to table restaurant has a huge space. Come early and enjoy a glass of wine or hot chocolate by the giant roaring fire outside. You can’t go wrong with this spot.
Rec Pier Chop House – Located in the Sagamore Pendry, they have fantastic cocktails in a beautiful space.
Thames Street Oyster House – This was one of our favorite places. The historic Fells Point district is super cute and buzzes at night. If you don’t have a reservation, put your name down on the list and walk across the street to the new Sagamore Pendry hotel bar for a cocktail while you wait. They’ll text you when your table is ready. They have an amazing list of oysters and their lobster roll is literally dripping with butter. We also had to try the cast iron crab cake. What we liked about it was that it was huge, and it didn’t have a lot of added ingredients to detract from the crab.
Rye – This is a great bar for craft cocktails in a historic building located in the Fells Point historic district.
Where to Stay
There are a lot of chain hotels located in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore near the water. For luxury hotel options, we would recommend the new Sagamore Pendry, Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, or The Ivy Hotel.
Thank you to Alaska Airlines for sponsoring this guide.
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