Baltimore is known as the Charm City – and I must admit, I was charmed by it.  Since I was tasked with shipping my son’s vehicle to Germany at the Port of Baltimore, I thought I might as well spend some time poking around the city. 

It was a pleasant, stress-free six-hour drive from Cleveland to Baltimore. As always, the AAA TripTik provided accurate, easy-to-follow directions. (And I still don’t trust a GPS.)

My home for my two-night stay was the Hampton Inn Downtown Convention Center. This Three Diamond hotel is located across the street from Oriole Park at Camden Yards and close to a couple of attractions that I was planning to visit. Public transit stops are just a few blocks away.

I’ve stayed in many hotels that provide unique décor, but the Hampton did something I’d never seen before. There were small black and white photographs by the guest room doors and on the buttons on the radio, plus photographs with kind phrases on the interior elevator doors. I found that to be very cozy and comfortable and special enough to mention here.

My first stop was the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards. As a sports fan, I was intrigued by the number of displays depicting the accomplishments of sports figures from Maryland and Baltimore. Exploring the museum, I became a bit nostalgic as I viewed exhibits featuring Jim Palmer, Orioles pitcher extraordinaire.  (I had a big crush on him when I was in high school. He has the most amazing blue eyes.) 

Eddie Murray was prominently featured as an Oriole, but there was a Cleveland connection, as he attained his 3,000th hit while a member of the Cleveland Indians. Of course there were displays of Babe Ruth, Baltimore’s most favored son. 

I did suffer a moment of dismay as I left the baseball displays and entered the football area. There in bronze was Art Modell, at one time the most hated man in Cleveland for moving.  (He moved the town’s beloved Browns to Baltimore in the 1990s, but I think LeBron James has since replaced Art on that list.) Lacrosse is big in Maryland too, and part of the museum was dedicated to that sport.

A little incongruent with the sports theme, the museum also included exhibits about the Civil War and President Lincoln’s visits to Baltimore during the war, as well as when his body was returned to “lie in state” after his assassination. 

Walking a few blocks, I discovered Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. This area is home to the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center and the Maritime Museum, which includes the U.S.S. Constellation, as well as countless restaurants and shops. 

The Baltimore Visitor’s Center is located here too, and I suggest that you make it one of your first stops. I didn’t do there until my visit was just about over and regretted it. Visitors can glean all sorts of useful information, from the available brochures as well as from the knowledgeable staff.

I spent a couple of hours exploring the Inner Harbor, watching the activity both on and off the water. A couple of street entertainers were amusing tourists. I spotted a cormorant diving for its dinner and watched in fascination as it tried swallowing a fish that seemed much too big for its mouth. 

Deciding where and what to eat seemed to be my biggest challenge. Since Baltimore is located on the water (the Patapsco River), seafood is a specialty. The city is also particularly famous for crab cakes. Unfortunately, I’m not a big seafood fan. 

There were plenty of chain choices and some pricey hotel options, and I finally stopped at a place just around the corner from the Hampton. Frank and Nic’s was a cozy place with a wide variety of food choices. I did try a shrimp dish and wasn’t terribly impressed, but the service was good and the price was right. 

As a baseball fan, the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum was a “must see” on my itinerary.  For some reason, I always believed that the Babe was a hard-charging, hard-partying ball player. And, yes, he was. But I also learned that he was kind and considerate and had a soft spot for children. 

This family man was not an orphan as I once believed but was sent to the St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys because he was a bit of a handful for his parents.  He learned to play ball under the guidance of Xaverian Brothers, particularly Brother Matthias. 

After my museum visit, I walked toward the Inner Harbor, considering my options.  I decided to hop aboard the Baltimore Water Taxi, which transports passengers to various destinations along the Patapsco River. Tickets are$10 and are good for the entire day.

Historic Fell’s Point was my destination. The crew on the taxi answered my many questions, added other interesting bits of information and pointed out landmarks as we made our way to Fell’s Point on a gray, misty fall day. 

As I wandered about gawking at the many bars and interesting architecture, someone walked out of the Fell’s Point Visitor Center.  Unfortunately, the center was closed, but the woman mentioned that there was a walking tour scheduled to depart later that day, which I decided to join. 

While I waited for the appointed tour time, I explored the various side streets and visited a shop called Sheep’s Clothing.  It was mostly to get out of the rain for a bit, but I ended up having an extended conversation with the proprietor.  She and her husband owned the shop for more than 30 years and offered much insight on how the area transformed from a place in the way of major interstate construction to a place designated as a National Historic District. 

When I returned at the scheduled time, I was the only patron.  I asked the Urban Ranger (who happened to be the woman I originally bumped into) if she was up for a one-person tour on this wet day. To my delight, she was.  She led me through the streets of Fell’s Point, providing an interesting overview of this historical area that was once home to Frederick Douglass and Billie Holiday.  

After the tour it was back on the water taxi toward downtown Baltimore. The American Visionary Art Museum was the next stop on my tour.  This museum was one of the most interesting, fascinating art museums I’ve ever visited. Filled with unique pieces created by artists who aren’t formally trained, the museum became a magical experience.  

Words fail to describe the art here. Visit their website to experience just a small taste of what is on display.

Mealtime once again presented a dilemma (you would think that making decisions while traveling alone would be easy – but no. You can’t blame anyone else when you make a bad one). I tried the nearby Pratt Street Ale House. It was reasonably priced, and the food and beer were a delight, too! (Good choice, Heidemarie!).

The next morning was departure day. Just a five-minute walk from the Hampton Inn was a light rail stop that would take me to the airport. Public transportation in Baltimore is satisfactory but nowhere near as good as it is in Boston or New York City. 

Having a car there may have provided an opportunity to see more of the city. Traffic didn’t seem too horrendous, but then again, I was walking just about everywhere.