Travel Tips

Ask the Locals Travel Guide: Baltimore, Maryland

Locations in this article:  Baltimore, MD

Fells Point BaltimoreWant to really get know a destination?

All you really have to do is ask a local to great insider recommendations.

Check out what Baltimore locals recommend in the city by the Chesapeake.

Max Weiss, Managing Editor, Baltimore Magazine

Hampden
“Baltimore is all about its neighborhoods, each with its own unique architecture, traditions, and personality,” says Weiss. “Hampden is our eclectic, kitschy ’hood.” You can walk up and down “The Avenue” (aka 36th street) and shop at the various specialty stores and boutiques: Check out stores like Watermelon Sugar or Hometown Girl for gifts; Minas for vintage clothing; Doubledutch for funky clothes; Ma Petite Shoe for that holy duo of shoes and chocolate.

Baltimore Harbor at nightStop for a bite to eat at any of the great neighborhood restaurants: Rocket to Venus is comfort food in a hipster setting; Dogwood Cafe is upscale farm-to-table dining; Golden West is gloriously weird and delicious Southwestern-style grub; Cafe Hon is that rare find—a tourist favorite that real Baltimoreans dig, too. www.hampdenmerchants.com

Station North Arts District
Want to experience a perfect evening as the locals do? Weiss recommends the barbecue chicken pizza at Joe Squared (yes, the pizza is square) or the divine Spanish tapas at Tapas Teatro. Then catch an indie flick at the Charles Theater, and grab a drink at the noir-ish, hipster Club Charles. www.stationnorth.org

Cinghiale
This is one of Weiss’ favorite restaurants, located in the “sexy” Harbor East neighborhood, which has lots of shops, hotels, and construction. (“Oy, the construction,” she laments.) Cinghiale (Italian for “wild boar”) encompasses two different dining experiences: the more formal Osteria, and the laid-back Enoteca.

As a local, one of Weiss’s favorite things to do is sit at Enoteca’s bar, chat it up with Monica (“one of the best bartenders in town”), and have a bowl of pasta, or a panini and a glass of Lambrusco. “They also have a killer antipasti bar, with gourmet salamis and various marinated vegetables and small plates,” she reports. Word to the wise: “Things are pretty casual and convivial at the bar but pay attention to what you order, or you might get sticker shock when the bill arrives.” 410-547-8282, www.cinghiale-osteria.com

John Zieman, Deputy Director – Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards

Orioles Park Camden YardsLittle Italy
Baltimore’s Little Italy, located between the Inner Harbor and Fells Point, is packed with trattorias and mind-blowing bakeries. Chiapparelli’s is a local institution, established in 1940,  and Vaccaro’s Italian Pastries is “real Italian,” says Zieman.  Try a traditional cannoli or a scoop of authentic gelato topped with chocolate “jimmies” (East Coast lingo for sprinkles.) www.littleitalymd.com

Kibby’s Restaurant and Lounge
Put simply, Kibby’s is all about shrimp salad. “There’s none better,” says Zieman. This former speakeasy has been in business since 1934, and even locals have to fight off visitors from “all over” who arrive, salivating for that shrimp salad. The shrimp are enormous, tossed just right with dressing and onions, and served on a bed of lettuce or on bread. 410-644-8716, kibbysrestaurant.net

Baltimore City Federal hillObrycki’s Crab House
Ever wondered where to find the best crabs in Maryland? It’s right here at Obrycki’s. “They serve steamed crabs and their seasoning is outstanding,” says Zieman. If you’re intimidated by cracking open those slippery little crab legs, worry not. Obrycki’s has step-by-step instructions on how to eat crab without looking like a tourist. 410-732-6399, www.obryckis.com

G&M Restaurant
Can’t overlook the crab cakes.  “I’m a Marylander and they’re the best,” says Zieman. Not only is G&M Zieman’s favorite spot for Eastern Shore crab cakes, but apparently it’s all of Baltimore’s as well. It’s been voted “best crab cakes” four years running by Baltimore Magazine and ranked number one by the Washington Post. Can’t argue with the locals. 410-636-1777, www.gandmcrabcakes.com

Rusty Scupper
For a more high-end experience, don’t miss an evening overlooking the Inner Harbor while dining on seafood at the Rusty Scupper. “Whoever picked that site for the restaurant should be kissed,” says Zieman. The way the restaurant is tiered, no matter where you sit you get a view of the harbor. 410-727-3678, www.selectrestaurants.com

Donna M. Owens, Baltimore-based freelance journalist

Best Sunset View
“The best place to watch the sunset is Federal Hill, at the Inner Harbor,” says Owens.  Not only are there fabulous views of the city and waterfront, a nearby municipal market (Cross Street Market) means you can grab sandwiches and fruit for a sunset picnic.

Mt. Vernon Cultural District
Mount Vernon districtThe architecture is beautiful and there are quiet places to eat, read a book in the shadow of a marble statue or daydream, according to Owens. The area is packed with boutique shops selling everything from “sexy designer rags” to vintage clothing. Discover tomorrow’s big trends at Katwalk on West Read Street, a little boutique owned by a “fab fashionista” named Toni James. https://mvcd.org

Also in this area is The Walters Art Museum. It  has a permanent collection that includes medieval and Asian art, Fabergé and Tiffany objects and 19th-century paintings. They recently hosted two successful exhibitions featuring quilts by African American female artisans, and maps from around the world. The Walters gift shop sells treats such as gorgeous silk scarves, hand-crafted jewelry, frames and artsy housewares.  410-547-9000, https://thewalters.org

Baltimore’s African-American Heritage
Since Baltimore’s founding in the early 1700s, the city’s large (and still predominantly black population) has greatly contributed to its growth and development.

Maryland African American historyAmong the many sites paying homage is the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture, which opened in 2005 and bears the name of the late Baltimore-born business mogul. The striking building in downtown Baltimore, was designed by African American architects, boasts geometric lines and a boldly-colored exterior. It’s the largest African-American museum on the East Coast, and the second largest museum of its kind in the world. 443-263-1800, www.africanamericanculture.org

“For black history buffs, I also advise visitors to check out the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park and Museum,” says Owens. The park is located in historic Fells Point, where Douglass came as a boy during slavery to work on the docks, and later escaped to freedom. The museum and park highlights Douglass’ life, and also features a re-creation of the first marine shipyard and marine railway operated by Isaac Myers, an early black entrepreneur. Inside is a natural foods restaurant, North Star Bistro, the brainchild of Ellis Marsalis, entrepreneur, photographer, poet, and brother of famed musicians Wynton and Brandford. 410-685-0295 x 252, www.douglassmyers.org

By Sarika Chawla for PeterGreenberg.com.

To learn more about Baltimore, don’t miss Peter’s radio show broadcasting live from Baltimore.

Read about Baltimore’s top-notch transit links in More of America’s Best Alternate Airports.