What NOT to Do in Baltimore, Maryland

[@KyleShade]

I have traveled my share, I love Baltimore more than anywhere else because of the people. It’s the only city I have been to where people are 100% authentically them. No pretentiousness , no snobbery, what you see is what you get.

[@johnalden5821]

Very true. They've got nobody they care to impress. It's a city of neighborhoods, and the culture is based on working-class lifestyles. You worked in the same factories, went to church in the same church, drank at the same bars and ate at the same diners. All kinds of people from all over the country and the world built their lives there, kind of on top of each other. It created an open, honest, no-BS kind of culture -- one that values loyalty and pride over fanciness and bling.

[@ValC-ux4xi]

People would say that about almost any city in US. I am sure Philly and any Midwest city would make the same claim.

[@ms.donaldson2533]

Much love from Baltimore!

[@psychshell4644]

I moved to Baltimore three years ago. I agree that the people are genuine and friendly here.

[@martyham10]

I agree completely. Why? Because I'm a "Baltimoron"...

[@jg-7780]

Pro tip: If you visit on a weekday, there are 3 completely free water taxi routes subsidized by the city. They're called the Harbor Connector routes, considered an extension of the Charm City Circulator, which is a modest network of free downtown bus routes run by the city.

[@eastbmoreyo2154]

I live here and didn't know about the water taxi but I'll use now thanks 👍

[@brabbit7703]

@@eastbmoreyo2154 from here too and never heard about no free bus rides either

[@boondoggle4820]

If you start seeing a bunch of abandoned houses, that is *definitely* a part of the city that you want to avoid. That’s my number one safety tip.

[@ms.donaldson2533]

PR any street that is just nothing.... that means they have already cleared that block and you don't know what is lurking in the hood.

[@NobodyImportant-ef3de]

I never knew that, I'm in those neighborhoods and have 0 issues ever in Bmore. I'm not minding people's business and they aren't minding mine.

[@kwhopper1100]

Only place where I regularly saw 8 year olds selling drugs in the middle of the day while delivering to local stores .

[@tonegrail650]

Don't walk around unarmed.

[@NobodyImportant-ef3de]

@@tonegrail650 like where? I'm in bmore unarmed a lot

[@ramblinman07]

Been waiting for this video for a while. Spent the first 9 years of my life in Baltimore before moving to FL. Thanks for talking about being safe in the city, but not harping on it. People should also check out the Zoo and Druid Hill Park and maybe Hampden.

[@Pomeray8]

This is the advice I'm looking for as a person that hopes to visit again and see even more.

[@jvcsidecougars]

What had you move to florida? im in florida now looking into baltimore haha

[@ramblinman07]

@@jvcsidecougars I was nine. My Mom was laid off from Westinghouse. She was getting a little tired of the city, and my uncle was stationed at an air force base in FL and said we could stay with him for a bit.

[@ms.donaldson2533]

As a local, I went to the now "Maryland" Zoo and they upgraded, but left the old cages to show the abuses of the Baltimore Zoo and built new enclosures and added some features, but it seemed there were less animals and less excitement. But..... it was still a great experience overall. it was nice to go back after 20 years.

[@NickP16]

In Baltimore, a person definitely can’t skip a visit to Fort McHenry. The birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner 🇺🇸

[@brabbit7703]

You can even go to Baltimore county to fort Howard and go in the dungeons and stuff lot's of history there too

[@ms.donaldson2533]

I spent mu life researching United States history and live in Baltimore - you know what they don't teach at Fort McHenry??? The Maryland Mission (1633) and the Jesuit Suppression (1773-1814) both play a KEY role in way the Revolution and the Defense happened. The Mission to Maryland provided "The Lord" and "The Cross" and their expansion to the American Bible Society provided "The National Anthem" "The Flag" and Free Bibles that the Founding Fathers warned everyone about. *Jesuit*

[@shadowmwo]

Im from Baltimore and this video sums it up in a nutshell! Old bay is good on everything!!

[@Rickuttto]

TRUE THAT!! Can’t live without my Old Bay(: It’s not just for crabs and seafood…I sprinkle it on my popcorn, my steamed green beans, and of course in my Bloody Mary(:

[@devashishkalambe5014]

How about a meetup in August?

[@MarkM58]

Including scrambled eggs and vanilla ice cream!

[@timothymull8740]

Baltimore has a place in my heart. Most genuine and generous people you will meet anywhere. An underdog town that will grow on you the more you understand it and it's people.

[@del5629]

25 yrs n Baltimore… 1. Fav Botanical garden @ Druid hill park. 2. Chill @ Lake Montebello up the hill by the pine trees. 3. Korean War memorial…take FREE water taxi to Under Armour, 4. Visit the Padoga…concer schedule. 5. Hang out @ White Marsh the “Avenue, concert schedule! Great grub..@ Thai Rainbow..concourse ln, Broadway dinner..Fogo de Chao…

[@lauraleecreations3217]

Don't forget the Zoo, if it's still open. When I lived in Maryland I took my children there. It was great! They are now adults (almost 30's).❤️❤️❤️

[@pamelacox540]

Maryland Zoo is great. Both my grandchildren had their birthday parties there! Our favorite is the penguins exhibit!

[@alligeek]

Love it! It's a little surreal to see you in my backyard. :) Baltimore has a really bad reputation, but it has its gems too.

[@ExplorationRandomDestination]

If they started actually prosecuting crime it would go down a lot. average time served for murder in Baltimore is 7-10 years pretty much no valid reason it shouldnt be 35 to life. That is just as a start.

[@alexlindquist2986]

One I have is don’t pass up the Guinness Open Gate brewery. It may not be the one in Dublin but it’s a super cool building with lots of historic brewing artifacts, with some good beer on top of it. It has a unique vibe which I really like. The people working there have a passion for the beer and loved to answer questions and tell stories. For being a “touristy” place,I had a really fun time. I live in Chicago where the Guinness brewery that opened up out here is pathetic in comparison to the Baltimore one.

[@jugatsu23nichi]

Great video and awesome seeing Rob with you. I definitely recommend also taking a short 35 min south to Annapolis. Very beautiful historic city on the water with lots of shops and restaurants. The Naval Academy is there and has a great gift shop and museum open to the public.

[@dennisking7872]

Annapolis is a fantastic day trip unto itself and preferably an overnight visit at a historic property.

[@alligeek]

Annapolis is a great place to visit. Downtown near the City Dock is a nice place to watch sailboats, grab some food, and people watch.

[@Pomeray8]

Both were great stops back in Sept. Cant wait to see them again. Make sure to drink plenty of water if you aren't used to high humidity.

[@jimjankswankson]

BALTIMORE native born and raised. Awesome vid.👍🏾 Love my city.

[@kingbradentucky]

I am headed to Baltimore in a month for no reason other than to go to Baltimore . Super excited. It seems like a cool city.

[@LittleMissSunshine721]

I hope you enjoyed yourself! 😊🦀✨

[@801D012]

@@LittleMissSunshine721 No reply yet. I have a bad feeling they didn't make it back home.

[@markfinley2486]

TriphacksDC and Wolters World, what a great combo!

[@Pomeray8]

Like Cleveland and Detroit, Baltimore city proper is also a problematic city that has more going for it than not. All 3 have worldclass features. Perhaps I'm unphased by examples of extreme wealth AND extreme poverty because I have read the context of horrendous, failed policies America has enacted on its own. Redlining, freeway construction really hurt Baltimore. It's an underrated city with amazing architecture. It has artsy quirk and a charming vibe and a unique accent. The vacants come down to this: the city can't tear them down because they are registered to LLCs. This means that until they can obtain information on any real humans behind the LLCs (which country, if the owner is even still alive) they sit. I hope they find a workaround without driving up costs of living. It is an affordable city filled with genuine people. I did see several cranes in the sky. New build is occuring throughout. Just slowly. Slower than Detroit's comeback, and definitely slower than the rapid building happening as I type this across the whole of Philadelphia and Cleveland. So far, Cleveland seems to be the only place trying to build for every income bracket without pricing folks out. Bottom line, too: folks SHOULD see all aspects of America. Folks should witness the results of disinvestment firsthand. We should understand just how widely we have weakened ourselves, our quality of life. Real estate did a lot of it. Now, real estate is mostly controlled by 3 companies. It seems that home ownership is quickly becoming a distant dream. Aren't we better than this? Can't we come together and fix things? Improving our neighbors' quality of life will improve ours in turn. It's a net benefit: figuring out how to keep money staying within and therefore reinvested in a locality. I would recommend people visit all 3 cities I mentioned. I can't wait to go back to all of them. I miss B'more Licks and their cookie butter ice cream. It was so nice on a hot day to sit there gazing out Baltimore Ave into Patterson Park. And, we still haven't even gone to any of the museums (besides Ft McHenry) mentioned in this video.

[@dextermcgrubbin]

Lots of cities built urban freeways and displaced residents. Can you explain why freeway construction affected Baltimore worse compared to other cities?

[@KyleShade]

Just like Cleveland and Detroit, Baltimore was an industrial city in a post industrial America. Had Bethlehem steel, the Chrome Works, Domino Sugar was refined here, they built steam ships here, the railroad was a big employer, I work on Brewer’s Hill where there are no more breweries. The jobs started leaving in the 70s, the people followed. Also it’s a port city, the docks. There were plenty of longshoremen jobs at one time, but that port also made the city an importation site for heroin since the French connection days. There used to be to a gambino crime family crew in Baltimore. When all the jobs left the heroin and the crime like burglary and gambling were the only game in town for a while.

[@sebtheanimal]

Fells Point is rowdy over the weekends but very fun and of course the annual Fells Point Festival is incredible.

[@sebtheanimal]

I live here :)

[@sunsetatshabooms4558]

I'm from outside of Baltimore and I think you guys did a pretty good job with this video Thumbs up. Just a little note about crabs, unlike other areas, we refer to them as crabs not crab. So we say "we're having crabs" Do you want to get some crabs?" I have no idea why we say it that way when other states say crab lol but if you want to fit in, you say "how are the crabs?" I would also suggest checking out Arundel Mills which is just outside of Baltimore. There is a casino, theatre, huge mall, movies and lots of restaurants/shopping. There are also nice hotels there so if you don't want to stay downtown, this is an option as well. There are also lot of other places to check out outside of baltimore if you have the time and transportation. Annapolis, Naval Academy, Ocean City, Assateague Island National Seashore, Historic Frederick, Great Falls Park outside DC where you can ride a historic Canal boat, Blackwater National Refuge with site of Harriet Tubman's childhood home, Deep Creek Lake, Antietam National Battlefiel and more! :)

[@sunsetatshabooms4558]

As someone else mentioned, they are getting ready to do a big revitalization of the downtown area so check on construction status before planning a trip.

[@ExplorationRandomDestination]

ahh i always thought marylanders meant the genital crabs always be walking around like weirdos saying i got the best crabs and im just like dazayyyumm thats nastttyy. Jk everything i just said is trolling.

[@youeileenfoley5213]

Thanks for highlighting Baltimore. Don't miss Fells Point around the inner harbor as well😊

[@meursaultscourtroom8886]

The neighborhoods of Hampden & Canton & Federal Hill are great with interesting shops and good food. . Downtown is very limited after hours- Baltimoreans actually spend very little time there unless their working or going to the stadiums!

[@alligeek]

This, 100%. Inner Harbor is not where you want to be at dinner time. Any of those neighborhoods will have great local restaurants.

[@ms.donaldson2533]

There are old Baltimore news stories available online and it proves that downtown has always been limited access after dark. The stores closed up, the shop owners went home, the downtown workers commuted back to their homes and it was empty. I watched them build the Inner Harbor from the News American building across the street and the plan was to bring nightlife to the area and all it did was caused DANGEROUS situation, increased violence and some additional death. Now.... that planned failed, the bridge collapsed and the new Universe is coming soon.

[@waitasecond3]

Aww as a Marylander who hasn’t been home in years, you’ve got me homesick! Love Camden Yards! Fort McHenry!! And Phillips crab cakes ♥️♥️♥️

[@MarkM58]

Phillips sucks nowadays.

[@papigrande4378]

I'm a Baltimorean. Five minutes into this video and I can see this guy did his homework. Very good information. You sir, get a sub!

[@tanasuter5777]

The Walters Museum is wonderful as is the gorgeous PeabodyLibrary! And some great restaurants.

[@dennisking7872]

Baltimore Museum of Art is also great!

[@raven3moon]

The Pratt Central Library is great, too! Especially since they've finished the renovations.

[@kerrypokorny813]

First comment . . . from Urbana, IL. Thanks for all your videos. You've helped us have a lot of fun and safe travels, really.

[@woltersworld]

Thank you Kerry! Glad to help!

[@josephfreedman9422]

I visit Baltimore occasionally from Philadelphia for pleasure. I am always impressed by its rich architectural heritage, buildings that in too many cities were torn down. A few years ago I revisited Fort McHenry, and realized how strategic it was, and learned previously how Baltimoreans defeated the British on land as well, and saved our nation.

[@theOlLineRebel]

Yes, the forgotten Battle of Baltimore, which includes North Point (where they landed and marched up) and Baltimore 5-mi-long entrenchments by various units and locals simply getting ready for defense. Ft. McHenry gets all the attention likely because of the Star-Spangled Banner. And indeed it was great, but that COUPLED with the fact scouts saw the vast barriers upon reaching town level made them call it all off, despite victories along North Point.

[@joannunemaker6332]

What a nice looking city. It's giving me travel ideas... I like this video.😊❤

[@SteveInNEPA1]

Love playing indoor bocce in the Little Italy cafes. Harborplace is being reimagined and will hopefully give the inner harbor a much needed update. Did you know that the PowerPlant was once an indoor Six Flags amusement park?! One more don't: dont fall into a meat induced coma at Fogo (Brazilian Steakhouse) 😂Thanks, Mark!

[@lilly3182]

I was thinking about visiting Inner Harbor. Maybe next weekend I will go... thanks for your suggestions

[@Pomeray8]

Check out the reading room at the Peabody, Mt Vernon neighborhood. Cool monument in the center of the square it's within. Federal Hill, Locust Point, Patterson Park, Canton, Fell's Point all worth a stop, too. Stop in a B'more Licks for their cookie butter ice cream. You could grab that, go into the park, or stroll around looking at beautiful old row homes while you eat. You will probably run into some eclectic shops, cafes, and a really diverse restaurant scene.

[@mattyboh9395]

Just discovered your channel and I can't tell you how thrilled I was to see someone give this city the love it deserves. I fell in love with this city as a visitor and decided to make it my home for the last 15 years. There's a few tips I would like to add. 1 Don't sleep on Royal Farms (RoFo). It's not just a gas station. Some of the best fried chicken you'll ever have. 2 Patterson Park is an incredible place to spend a day, with nearby Greektown offering incredible food options, and neighboring Canton as another great option for nightlife. 3. While you're visiting the Inner Harbor, don't miss out on the Baltimore World Trade Center building. It's the tallest pentagonal shaped building in the world, and gives a stunning view of the city. 4. Try a day trip to Annapolis to see the State Capital building, the Navy museum, and the Kunta Kinte memorial.

[@tobiojo6469]

I’m from Baltimore and this video is amazing.

[@kimmunchel3004]

Mark, thank you for visiting Baltimore, my hometown. So glad you pointed out many fun to visit places. Here are a few more. Oriole Park at Camden Yards is an old warehouse and a unique ball park. For the “real” B’more, visit Hampden. Also try Federal Hill, Bolton Hill, Mt. Washington, Mt. Vernon, Charles Village, Patterson Park and Canton. Sherwood Gardens is a lovely, free garden to visit in the spring when the tulips are out, located in the upscale neighborhood of Guilford. Folks may not know Baltimore is a college town with gorgeous campuses: Loyola, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, University of Maryland in Baltimore. We are a city with world famous teaching hospitals. Foreign dignitaries come to Baltimore for medical treatment. A huge problem with Baltimore is it’s a city that’s been historically red lined and so there are two cities here. Also, we are still dealing with the same strife as any rust belt city. Yet, the people of Baltimore are a resilient lot. Thanks for highlighting the positives in your video!

[@KasirRham]

We have to see the parallel video with Cherry Hill, Poplar Grove and Riggs, Lexington Terrace, Mondawmin, etc etc etc. Love all the sites Wolter pointed out, just wanted to point out the hoods too lol.

[@LittleMissSunshine721]

Very well said.

[@brabbit7703]

​@@KasirRham B-more carful guy's might not make it out

[@TripHacksDC]

Glad you got to try those Old Bay wings, Mark!

[@jimdellavecchia4594]

I live in South NJ, less than 2 hrs from Baltimore. Lexington Market is great, Fells Point and of course the Inner Harbor. Make sure you go in April, May, Sept or October. Summer months are so crowded and hotels are much cheaper

[@christophercichon623]

Ya, don’t walk to Lexington market VERY unsafe!

[@danielfrancella5219]

I grew up in Baltimore area. I never had any issues with safety. You need to be aware of your surroundings. There are so many great neighborhoods.

[@spennyblair]

Mark, thanks for making a video about my hometown of Baltimore! I’ve seen a lot of people mention some of this, but I’ll co-sign that on top of Mt. Vernon and Fells Point, there are a few other great neighborhoods with the city’s best restaurants: Hampden, Harbor East, Canton, Locust Point, Federal Hill. In my opinion, the biggest gem of Mt. Vernon is the Peabody Library - amazing for photos! The Domino Sugar sign is also a symbol of the city and super cool to photograph! Harbor East is the newest and most luxurious part of the city. You’re spot on that Camden Yards is definitely one of the best ballparks in America, and Bmore is absolutely a sports town! Lastly, while the Inner Harbor is nice to walk around, much of those stores at Harborplace are touristy (like you mention) and low-quality chains. I’d say locals don’t really go there other to walk or run on the weekends. Thankfully, there’s a plan to renovate Harborplace and hopefully rejuvenate it to be a popular central space similar to how you describe! Thanks again!

[@michaelhopkins5141]

I've been in Baltimore area for 40 yrs. Harbor area is nice but I would recommend going 8-10 blocks east, west or north of there. Like most cities be aware of your surroundings

[@lindaprivito4354]

THE BEST Restaurants on east coast.i am born here but lived philie Atlantic city and south jersey so I know

[@clrobinson1776]

Baltimore has it’s problems, HOWEVER, I LOVED living in Baltimore. There is a vibe there that is like no other.

[@aaronhurst4379]

I'm friends with plenty of Marylanders, and I can confirm they do not shut up about Old Bay seasoning! It seems to be some sort of religion over there haha, will be sure to try it if I ever get to travel there

[@jonlate4581]

You can find it in just about any grocery store.

[@brabbit7703]

​@@jonlate4581I heard that that don't sell it in a lot of other states but idk how true that is

[@LittleMissSunshine721]

Thank you for featuring Baltimore, Mark! We do love our Old Bay, our Natty Boh, and our Utz! We have a great art culture and our restaurants are pretty amazing (KoKo’s on Harford road has THEE BEST crab cakes, imo). If you love music, and vintage stuff, visit The Sound Garden in Fells Point. Like Mark mentioned, the inner harbor is very touristy. Don’t get food down there, it’s expensive and not that great. Go around the corner to Fells or up the street to Mount Vernon and visit the local restaurants. You can get a great burger or sushi here! Best time to come to Baltimore is during the fall or springtime. Patterson park has GREAT festivals throughout the year and you can get a delicious scoop of ice cream nearby at B-More Licks. Our city has some neighborhoods that aren’t the greatest, just like any other city in the world! Most people are scared of us based off of what they saw from ‘The Wire’. 😅 B-More Pride is definitely a thing, and we truly take it to heart when people talk bad about us. From Greek Town to Little Italy, make a list, and just take a tour around to see why they call us Charm City! We’d love to have ya, Hon! 🦩🦀☺️

[@muskanmohabe2749]

Hey girl 🤍 Thanks for this, I am going to come in spring This defiantly helps me! so excited!!🦀

[@muskanmohabe2749]

PS: Do u have a neighbourhood in mind which can be safe for me for accommodation :D

[@MikeIzzle_]

I’ve always wanted to visit Baltimore and catch an O’s game!

[@Oraanu]

Don't forget to visit Annapolis too!

[@Pomeray8]

Yo, I miss that meal I had at Preserve every day! Cannot wait to go back to Bmore and Annapolis.

[@rudiruttger]

Now that's a place you should visit often.

[@dendren0]

I want to visit Baltimore but I will also add Annapolis to my list. My sister was born there.

[@rich7447]

What not to do in Baltimore: 1/ Go to any of the following neighborhoods: Middle East Fairfield West Baltimore East Monument Historic District Pulaski Cherry Hill Greenmount East Highlandtown Greater Rosemont Berea Grove Park Sandtown-Winchester 2/ Think that Mondawmin Mall is a good place to visit. 3/ Consider riding public transit unless it is a train heading into/out of town from Penn Station.

[@Happyface1981]

Don’t forget that MD is not just B-more city. The state fair grounds is worth going to if there’s an activity there. Don’t forget to go to Annapolis and Frederick. Don’t forget that Columbia and Ellicott City are not far from the city. Don’t forget to enjoy your visit 😊 welcome ❤

[@LittleMissSunshine721]

Frederick is BEAUTIFUL!

[@JoshuaR.Collins]

9:01 that’s changed now. The owner ship group thaf take over just before the start of this season we actually like

[@intallpines]

Well, who knew? Very informative as always, thanks, Mark!

[@dextermcgrubbin]

6:23 Baltimore gets majority of its crabs from Asia. That said, Koco's Pub on Harford Rd. is the place to get crab cakes.

[@LittleMissSunshine721]

Literally just mentioned KoKo’s I love them!

[@btnapoli]

For history visit the Baltimore Museum of History and the best collection of art is Baltimore Museum of Art.

[@valeriyverkhovskiy5928]

Right on point! Definitely mentioned Fells, mt. Vernon but don't sleep on Fed Hill neighborhood. One of the best if not the best neighborhood in the city. Cross Street market along with all the restaurants and bars etc., Fed Hill park with the best views of the city, proximity to stadiums, inner harbor and much much more...

[@LittleMissSunshine721]

Love Fed Hill! There’s a Thai restaurant there that has the best pad Thai. 😋

[@lukecoleman423]

Don't be alone at night, anywhere

[@monique.thenurse55]

I’m definitely going to make plans to come to Baltimore always wanted to because of the crabs 🦀 and other delicious seafood, I love seafood❤

[@woltersworld]

late spring or early fall are my fav times

[@josephusanthonybumaat9690]

Hey Mark, you should put up your own Wolters museum. Don’t wait for them to make one slightly named after you, lol 😂🤣

[@kengruz669]

Fun fact: Both Edgar Allen Poe and John Wilkes Booth are buried here. And yes, I love me some crabcakes. Baltimore- Come and visit. You will find yourself either returning or staying. As has been mentioned, very little pretension.

[@btnapoli]

A Baltimorean invented the crown bottle cap that kept fizzy beverages fizzy.

[@johnkitchen4699]

The inner harbor is fun, especially Christmas market time. The railroad museum is fun. The food is good. Visit Fort McHenry to visit the site that gave America its strange national anthem (the one that deals with a battle survived in a war that was lost - yes the USA lost! The war of 1812 is known to historians as the one Americans think they won, the ones Canadians know they won and the one the British don’t care about - remember the USA invaded Canada trying to drive the British out of North America. If you check the maps, Canada is still there and still has the King as head of state).

[@philknox]

I agree the US over does this war, but as a military historian to say the US lost is absurd. We returned to status quo antebellum, and eliminated the Indian threat in the Northwest territories. As for the Canadian perspective, that would be largely irrelevant to most Americans. I won't be asking you for any military science analysis anytime soon.

[@davidherb8224]

Just a heads up if you come to Baltimore via uber from DC. Rush hour can turn a 45 minute trip into an hour and 45 minutes. There are multiple routes and waze can be a lifesaver. Even if it's not rush hour there are often accidents causing delays. Maybe best just to take the marc train from union station.

[@EmpireStateExpress01]

right

[@tessat338]

Baltimore also has an extensive and excellent theatre and concert scene. As a Marylander, we go to plays and concerts here all the time. My family used to have a subscription to the Lyric Opera House.

[@Kgy1371]

Baltimore can be a lot of fun! There are several cool things to do. He’s right, the better restaurants are outside the harbor. There are also really cool and family friendly things. The famous black persons wax museum, graffiti alley, shops around 36th street, 32nd street farmers market (seasonal). Just like DC, Philly and other large cities it has issues with crime. You should always practice being safe wherever you go, but that’s no need to pass up on a fun city

[@jakealden2517]

Thanks for doing this video on Baltimore. I just went to the annual German Christmas market at the harbor. It's one of my favorites! Like all other major US cities right now, Baltimore has problems but there's a lot of good happening in the city. In most of the city I feel as safe as I would in DC, Philly, or New York. One food tip is to avoid going to touristy places for crabs/crab cakes. Every restaurant in Baltimore claims to have the "best" crab cake, but it's the offbeat places that have the most authentic food. Right now, Harborplace is closed but will be undergoing a major renovation in the coming years. Harbor East has upscale shops, restaurants, and hotels for those looking for that type of experience. There's a free water taxi from near the Maryland Science Center over to Harbor East.

[@LittleMissSunshine721]

Yes! My sister and I went to the market! It was so cute and the brats were delicious!

[@meganmangold1074]

We used to have such good food in the harborplace back on the day! I do miss those days!

[@SusieKatpersonKoch]

Thank you Wolters World!

[@johnvoltageltd]

Great video. I especially liked the pronunciation lesson. There used to be a shuttle driver at my old uni who was from Baltimore, and it took me a while before I knew what he was talking about when he told me about Balmer and Merlin. lol

[@julietrik4873]

Also, Thames St is "thames" not "tames" :)

[@theOlLineRebel]

@@julietrik4873you mean, “Temms”. English, sigh. Also in CT they know how to pronounce “Thames River” correctly….

[@bradjtrains]

Fun fact about Fort McHenry. If you purchase a flag from the gift shop, they will let you fly it on the mast. They even let you hoist it!

[@fellspoint9364]

Chessie System logo , huh ?

[@michaelwasiljov8633]

Lived the first 30 years of my life there. I only wish you could’ve seen it in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s when it was thriving and safe.

[@rudiruttger]

incidentally, the early 2000s was the last time I visited downtown Baltimore.

[@CeemPlay]

The Wire

[@FredSox49]

Glad to see Fels Point is still a place to be.

[@MarkM58]

1. The Baltimore area has its own dialect known as Bawlmerese. You will be visiting Bawlmer, Murlin. The dialect can be so strong that Siri and car voice command systems don't understand it. My wife has that issue. Don't be offended if someone calls you, Hon (hun). It's a thing. 2. Don't waste your money going to Phillips. Phillips is a tourist trap and the food isn't all that good. For good crab cakes, G&M, Timbuktu, Faidley's, Pappas, to name a few are not far from downtown. Faidley's is in the Lexington Market. Go to these places and you won't regret it. Also, crab dishes in DC are nowhere nearly as good as Baltimore. Just a fact. If you know locals, ask them if crabs are in season and go eat steamed crabs, known as a crab feast. It is a social event, not a meal! 3. Be careful downtown. Most locals don't go downtown at night, other than a few areas like Fells Point. Personally, I would stay in hotels in the suburbs and visit the city during the day. 4. Traffic sucks and the roads in the city will beat you up. Be warned. LOL

[@Louise_C3]

I really want to go see Edgar Allen Poe museum.

[@dianeshaw1145]

Edgar Allan Poe is buried in a neighborhood near downtown Baltimore and you can visit his grave site (people tend to leave little offerings of flowers or alcohol!). The Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore has a special collections department with Poe manuscripts and memorabilia. I haven't visited the Poe Museum yet, but I hope to go there sometime soon.

[@jonlate4581]

Just be aware that the Poe house is, shall we say, not located in the best part of town.

[@jonlate4581]

Westminster Cemetary a few blocks from the Inner Harbor.

[@MG-bg4mv]

Here's a big dont...don't walk from the inner harbor to Lexington Market unless you want to go home in a body bag.

[@AV_AlissA_VA]

@@MG-bg4mv lol not a body bag 🤣. As a white chick from a small town in the MidWest, and now a 20 year Baltimore *City* resident, I’d agree to get a Uber/Lyft/Taxi to Lexington Market to drop you off right there vs. driving your own car or walking. Parking around there is going to be a bish, and walking maybe a shorter distance, but if you’re not accustomed to cities like Baltimore, you gonna be nervous. We don’t want you to be nervous. We want you to enjoy your time here! That being said me and my girlfriends, we walk there, or our nearby employer (U of MD) alone daytime, early evening, no problem ♥️

[@erinolsen8062]

baltimore has 2 different accents, baldimore/bawlmer and murlin/marilyn.. also the film maker john waters is from baltimore and people love to go see locations from his movies

[@ShuGuai]

Don't eat crab cake at any tourist trap that serves it with that white goop on the side. Crab cake+lemon wedge+saltines. Don't miss out on the corned beef at the Lombard Street Attman's. Walk in to the shop and say exactly what the Repeat After Me sign says. Don't worry about what exactly lake trout is or which brand of hot sauce is on the table. It'll be good.

[@NDB469]

A lot of places use JO spice as well, usually mistaken for old bay. Old bay is finer, JO is a bit grittier in my opinion.

[@kengruz669]

from BWI The Light Rail takes you right into Baltimore for a couple of a bucks.

[@user-uk1nl2fs3i]

Wear your comfy shoes. It is Small-timore but, were the gentleman noted that lovely gothic church is also 'steps' away from The Walters Art Museum, the Washington and Lafayette memorials. The Walters is not to be neglected. The collections & exhibitions are a vast array of impressive curations. And Baltimore has 18th century colonial charm.

[@koby8251]

The donts of Baltimore... 1. Dont go during the day. 2. Dont go at night.

[@thegenerikshow8545]

Went there for the first time this past May and was severely underwhelmed. The inner harbor felt dead, and I have a pretty high tolerance for being unsafe environments, but didn’t feel great. It was 6pm by the time I got there on Memorial Day so couldn’t go to attractions like the aquarium, or fort McHenry. I have little desire to go back

[@Pomeray8]

Wow, was there in September and left this area. We explored all over. No issues. Lots of charming neighborhoods to explore. Genuine people. Maybe try leaving tourist areas? Because people were out and about everywhere. Also: your perceptions of safety are really skewed with reality. That area scared you!? It's really safe, and nice. Definitely a you issue you need to work on. I notice city people are scared of the country, and rural people scared of cities. I've lived in both. Love both. A lot of it comes down to how comfortable you are with yourself. I'm a scrawny white nerd, and regularly venture into handfuls of Detroit's neighborhoods without a problem. It's a great place. Always a good time. Your comfort zone will kill you.

[@thegenerikshow8545]

@@Pomeray8 yeah and I pretty much only had 2 hours so yeah it was a very rushed experienced and I bet I could’ve gotten a little more out of it but there just wasn’t a lot of people out and about. It was more some of streets on the east side of town where I came in from Philly. I live in Youngstown OH and have my whole life. Believe me I got a high tolerance for this safety. I came into downtown Baltimore expecting something comparable to downtown Cleveland or Pittsburgh and It felt like a run down harbor town. Not a place that has pro sports teams and national institutions. The CBD was just full of terrible infrastructure

[@jakealden2517]

The inner harbor is abandoned right now as they are razing the buildings and constructing a new Harborplace.

[@dianecripps204]

Try the Charm City Circulator, Bmore's free, clean bus service, goes to major attractions. You can take the light rail or train to downtown.

[@SethB-no9iz]

Orioles are 95% of why I want to visit baltimore. Camden yards looks amazing! 😊

[@cameronvieira6648]

@@SethB-no9iz just went this past weekend was absolutely beautiful

[@tobiojo6469]

Hey Mark, great video and thanks for coming to my hometown.

[@itstheheistmeister3796]

Real simple. Don't go pass Charles St & Lombard. Since you do not plan on getting car jacked or shot. Listen to this man. And stay in them designed areas. Until advised. Beware on holidays or after 8 pm down the Inner Horror. Fells Point is nice in the day time. Do Not. I repeat. Do Not try to party down there Thursday thru Sunday after 6 pm. If you want to go Lexington Market. You bold. He can't tell you everything I can. I am just being honest. Hopefully my advice helps someone. If one of you takes my comment down. Don't say no one tried to warn you.

[@gpturner0924]

Don’t pass up on eating at Dangerously Delicious Pies! Specifically, the original location in the Canton Waterfront neighborhood. They are a hidden gem with a rotating menu of savory meat pies, sweet pies, and quiches. Seating has been at a premium since they closed their dining room during COVID, but it is well worth going in and getting a slice or two. Also, if you visit Fell’s Point, be sure to visit The Horse You Came In On Saloon. It is the oldest operating bar in the USA, having opened its doors in 1775, before we even earned our sovereignty. Legend has it that Edgar Allan Poe had his final meal and drinks there just hours before his death. The atmosphere there is really cool. You can just feel the history when you walk in, and among the 4 different bar rooms they have, the bar in the very back of the restaurant was a classic dirt floor saloon bar all the way up into the late 90s.

[@cherylrucinski1386]

Thank you for a positive spin on Baltimore. I have been looking for an inner harbor hotel before my cruise. Some say it’s too unsafe but all we want to do is get to the hotel two nights earlier and spend one day walking around the inner harbor. We are not night owls so we will be cozy in our room come sunset. The Aquarium looks fantastic. Is most of the inner harbor walkable from Sonesta or close hotels?

[@Tramptraveller]

❤❤❤❤

[@johncremeans969]

We use old bay because if you boil crabs without it, the algae that grows on the the crab shells, stinks like the worst . As an old timer I am not obsessed with this spice mix it's good for crab and perhaps a bloody Mary.

[@theOlLineRebel]

@@johncremeans969 we don’t boil, we steam!

[@paulw7047]

Why not mention the submarine Torsk? It was the last sub to sink an enem4y ship. It was in one of your photo shots

[@karenschunk2192]

Baltimorian here. Almost no Baltimorians do anything mentioned. Natty Boh is gosh awful. We do not go near the Inner Harbor. Fells is a nightmare on Friday and Saturday. However, brunch is a phenomenon in Baltimore culture and Fells is excellent on Sundays, but there are other wonderful areas. One has to know where to go. Phillips? Fully aware of it. That is for tourists only. Real Marylanders go to the local places for crabs. Phillips is most likely serving Venezuelan, Louisiana or Texas crabs. They taste different, just like oysters taste different depending upon region of origin. Parking, forget about it. There are secret spots that will never be disclosed. We can interpret the zones. No tourist can, it is a unique language. A garage will cost a small fortune. Take an Uber. Camden Yards is magnificent. Fed Hill is a college nightmare on roofies. The actual hill is great for splendid views but the party area is awful. Hampden is "scenester", everyone there trying to be quirky and cool. There are decent places but people equally trying to impress by not being like other people... It is innane. Remington has some solid spots. There are utterly amazing places to visit in Baltimore and Maryland but unfortunately we kinda keep those to ourselves. I can walk anywhere without issue in a cute outfit and fine jewelry, but I am local. The majority of crime in Baltimore is against associated people. A tourist might get mugged, but it is not worth the risk of worse. I can literally look at a person and tell they are from "The County", and a tourist is flag city. They are utterly obvious. I absolutely adore Baltimore and Maryland. I have traveled to over fifty nations and I consider Maryland and Baltimore utterly beautiful. Without an actual connection one will never experience the city. I've hosted numerous out of towners who had no concept and loved it. We never went to the Inner Harbor or Phillips. We did not get crabs at all because if one does not know how to pick them it is not worth it, The National Aquarium is pretty cool though. The Inner Harbor is not.

[@SpayAndNeuterChristians]

Baltimore is my favorite 3rd world city

[@grdn02100]

Mine is Los Angeles.

[@bobanderson6656]

Old Bay is very good. Not worth going overboard with it though.

[@jasonherd8313]

It’s ok. I have lived here for ten years, been wanting to get out for half of those. I mean. I wouldn’t come on vacation to anywhere in the Northeast personally. But if you are here anyways it’s better than DC that’s for sure.

[@goooser410]

Get comfortable with sound of sirens..... and don't walk around late at night in the inner harbor.

[@iggieminana8371]

Love the pit beef especially from those little tiny huts like the one near Security Mall with horse radish and tiger sauce!

[@Srode1999]

Unless you are ordering whole crabs, you are getting imported Asian or Valenzuelan crab meat. If you order Natty Bo, you might as well wear a T-shirt that says "I'm a tourist" in large print on both the front and back.

[@LeoLady3966]

Honey Old Bay wings 😋 been here 4 years and I like Baltimore.

[@NDB469]

The tourist areas are relatively safe, during the day. Don’t go off the beaten path. There’s a lot of incredible history in Baltimore but keep your wits about you.

[@Booger414]

I went to Baltimore a few years ago. It was a few nice things surrounded by horrible neighborhoods. Took the free tourist bus (rolling homeless shelter) to one museum. Neighborhood was bud but oddly desolate. I felt safe because there were no people. Went to Some "historic" market, not sure if it was Lexington or not, it was filthy and one store had bullet proof glass in front of the register. Stayed at a cool historic hotel, had fun at the railroad museum. By far the worst thing was being unable to get a taxi. Tried to go to a site far away. No taxis on the street. Visitor center sugfested Uber. Went to a hotel, bellman said they would call, gave up after half an hour. Missed two tours we were supposed to take. Leaving our hotel for the train station had to use a car service because of thenlack of taxis, although there were a lot stopped at the train station when we got there. Very weird.

[@sunsetatshabooms4558]

Yeah, it's not like NYC. You're best bet is uber or lyft. I wouldn't take the subway or bus. The lightrail is ok depending on where you're going

[@jakealden2517]

I think you went to Lexington when it was closing down for the major renovation.

[@CJ-NYR]

When they offer “imperial sauce” on crab cakes you gotta go for that. It turns it up to 11

[@EdwardGregoryNYC]

Also, don't miss the American Visionary Art Museum if you enjoy quirky attractions. It's probably the only thing around the Inner Harbor I'd recommend. It's all the way counter-clockwise past the Science Museum in Federal Hill. Also, Federal Hill also has what may be the best small food market in Baltimore. In Fells Point, don't miss Bertha's for mussels. BTW, I wouldn't say we "won" the War of 1812. We started the war by invading Canada. The Brits did try to take the opportunity to re-invade the U.S., and we did stop them. But I'd prefer to say that the Canadians won the war. For us it was more of a stalemate.

[@markennes5208]

Don't miss the pit beef

[@slvreagle2004]

Heavy Seas Brewing and Union Craft Brewing Don't forget about the Counties/suburbs.

[@dustine7371]

What not to do is visit in the first place