Life Vacation in...Baltimore? [Archive]

DaFace

05-23-2010, 09:47 PM

As some of you may have heard in this thread (http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=228545), I have an upcoming vacation planned to Washington DC that now needs to change dramatically. My wife and I are stuck with the plane tickets, so we're still going to DC. However, we're now postponing the "real" DC trip with my dad until next year. Instead, my wife and I will see a couple of things in DC that my parents don't care about, then head to see a friend in Virginia for a day or two, then finish the trip in Baltimore.

So...what is there to do in Baltimore?

Deberg_1990

05-23-2010, 09:48 PM

Pretty much anything Inner Harbor area.

Bugeater

05-23-2010, 09:49 PM

Get killed?

Terribilis

05-23-2010, 09:50 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fells_Point,_Baltimore

http://www.atomicbooks.com/

Miles

05-23-2010, 09:52 PM

I hear a tour of the locations where The Wire was shot could be entertaining. Maybe check out where Melo grew up while you are at it.

On a more serious note Camden Yards is a cool place to catch a baseball game.

ChiefJustice

05-23-2010, 10:00 PM

See the grave of Poe...at midnight.

http://www.baltimorecity.gov/Portals/0/agencies/chap/images/poemap.jpg

Chiefnj2

05-23-2010, 10:05 PM

Inner Harbor and the aquarium are all nice. Stay in the tourist areas.

KcMizzou

05-23-2010, 10:10 PM

Say hey to Omar for me.

Thig Lyfe

05-23-2010, 10:26 PM

http://www.gifsoup.com/imager.php?id=455810 (http://www.gifsoup.com/view/455810/the-wire-herc-carver.html) GIFSoup (http://www.gifsoup.com/)

Coach

05-23-2010, 10:31 PM

Just be careful not to piss of Ray Lewis.
Posted via Mobile Device

Gonzo

05-23-2010, 10:32 PM

I dunno man. I would just stick to the DC trip and lie about it if asked.
Posted via Mobile Device

luv

05-23-2010, 10:36 PM

Charm City Cakes is in Baltimore. Sorry, I'm an Ace of Cakes fan.

They have some great bands up there. Look for Higher Hands. I have a friend who sometimes plays brass in the shows, but he's mostly a photographer (major hobby).

ClevelandBronco

05-23-2010, 10:37 PM

My brother in law is in Bethesda. If you see him tell him I said, "Hi."

luv

05-23-2010, 10:42 PM

How long will you be there?

chefsos

05-23-2010, 10:43 PM

Pretty much anything Inner Harbor area.Yeah, this. I'm sure there are plenty of other things to see in the city, but I've personally never been anywhere but the harbor/ballpark area.
You could easily spend a day around the Inner Harbor, though. The aquarium's on one pier, ESPNZone and the Hard Rock on the next, several ships and a sub that are open for walkthroughs are moored there, too. I've never been killed there, either.

SnakeXJones

05-23-2010, 10:51 PM

Jeffery Dahmer

Thig Lyfe

05-23-2010, 10:55 PM

ESPNZone and the Hard Rock
They also have a Hooters, if you're feeling particularly adventurous.

chefsos

05-23-2010, 11:13 PM

They also have a Hooters, if you're feeling particularly adventurous.Probably five-six years since I've been in Balmer, so I'm just gonna assume it opened since then. 'Cause if Hooters was there and I missed it, I'm pissed.

Buck

05-24-2010, 03:38 AM

Got that WMD!

redsurfer11

05-24-2010, 04:02 AM

Rent a car. Go to Virginia Beach or Maryland Eastern shore. Baltimore is a 1/2 day stop.

blaise

05-24-2010, 05:07 AM

Camden Yards is withing walking distance to the Inner Harbor. You could see an Orioles game if they're in town and then walk to the Inner Harbor. If you have a rental car you can get from Baltimore to Annapolis in about 45 minutes. There's all kinds of little shops and restaurants in the historical village, and there's a boat tour that goes out into the bay, past the Naval Academy (they sell beer and wine on the boat)
Also, when you go down to Virginia you might want to check out Old Town Alexandria. It's the historic area, cobblestone streets and stuff, bars, restaurants and shops.
Also, as far as seeing things in DC that maybe you wouldn't normally see while on vacation with the family- The Teddy Roosevelt Island Memorial is one that normally gets skipped. It's an island on the Potomac between DC and VA. Another cool memorial that gets skipped by almost everyone is Constitution Gardens. It's in that Mall Area. It's a little island in a pond with a granite block for each person that signed the Declaration of Independence. What's nice about it is that because almost no one goes there, you can usually sit quietly for a while away from all the tourists.

Chiefnj2

05-24-2010, 06:26 AM

Be warned if you travel from Balt to DC, the traffic in DC is some of the worst in the nation. It sucks. Travel off peak times if possible.

YayMike

05-24-2010, 06:33 AM

Obviously, as mentioned, the inner harbor is the place to go. If you are in the inner harbor at night you could catch a cab to Federal Hill, some great bars to see there. Catch an Oriole game (as there will always be tickets if they are in town, as low as like 7 bucks a ticket).

Depending how far you want to drive, Ocean City MD (about 2.5 hours from Baltimore) could be worth the trip. you could drive over the Bay Bridge and get to stop in some little towns like Easton, and enjoy the famous Maryland Seafood. The crabs (the steamed ones) are the best around.

Let me know if there is anything else you want to know about.

05-24-2010, 07:42 AM

Go to Fells Point for drinks and entertainment. Eat crab cakes and steamed crabs (not downtown if you can help it). Eat a pit beef sandwich from Big Al's on Pulaski Hwy. Go to an O's game and as long as you're there, get a pit beef from Boog Powell's. Do the aquarium, the science center and the museum of art. Also, the Walters museum. I don't know if it's still there, but back in the day they had an awesome collection of suits of armor. And, as someone mentioned, a drive down to the ocean only takes a couple of hours. If you don't want to be labeled a tourist, that is pronounced "downy ocean".

Lots of cool stuff in Baltimore, more than most would think.

blaise

05-24-2010, 07:58 AM

Given a choice between a Orioles day game and a night game I'd opt for the night (if you're going in summer) it can get really hot and humid there in the day.

Simply Red

05-24-2010, 08:17 AM

Bloodymore, Murderland - It's gorgeous.

seclark

05-24-2010, 08:32 AM

did the baltimore/dc thing a few years back. spent one night in baltimore, and the rest of the time at my brothers house down in solomons. the aquarium was the best i saw in baltimore. the yard is a pretty cool place to watch a game.

if you get bored, spend a day driving down the chesapeake bay. it was interesting to the wife and me.

dc is dc. if you're a history buff, don't expect to even get close to taking it all in in just one or two days. awsome.

whoever mentioned the traffic was correct. i was completely out of my element. rented a van and let my brother drive us everywhere we went. he's nuts enough to go with the flow.

have fun,
sec

Rain Man

05-24-2010, 08:34 AM

I know next to nothing about Baltimore. It seems like it should be a historic city, but I can't really name anything famous.

If it was me, I'd go spend a night in Delaware just to cross it off my "states I've visited" list.

Rain Man

05-24-2010, 08:35 AM

Bump

05-24-2010, 08:36 AM

did the Baltimore/DC thing a few years back. I spent one night in baltimore, and the rest of the time at my brothers house down in Solomons. The aquarium was the best I saw in Baltimore. The yard is a pretty cool place to watch a game.

If you get bored, spend a day driving down the Chesapeake bay. it was interesting to the wife and me.

DC is DC. if you're a history buff, don't expect to even get close to taking it all in during just one or two days. awesome.

whoever mentioned the traffic was correct. I was completely out of my element. I rented a van and let my brother drive us everywhere we went. He's nuts enough to go with the flow.

have fun,
sec

PFYP

seclark

05-24-2010, 08:47 AM

i'm a f@ckin jerkoff
.

seclark

05-24-2010, 08:49 AM

So if he only has time for one, would you recommend your brother's house or the aquarium?

brother had a nice place. stocked bar. he's moved to florida, though.
sec

DaFace

05-24-2010, 09:11 AM

.

Agree. Definitely one of the most obnoxious mults we've had in a while. My patience with it is wearing thin.

Bugeater

05-24-2010, 09:13 AM

Agree. Definitely one of the most obnoxious mults we've had in a while. My patience with it is wearing thin.
Pull the fucking trigger. Please.

Rain Man

05-24-2010, 09:14 AM

brother had a nice place. stocked bar. he's moved to florida, though.
sec

Ah. Aquarium by default, then.

I wonder if there's some Fort McHenry historic site there.

05-24-2010, 09:34 AM

Ah. Aquarium by default, then.

I wonder if there's some Fort McHenry historic site there.

Yes. It's called Fort McHenry.

Oh, DaFace, I forgot Cross Street. If you don't make it to Fells Point, go to Cross Street.

Mostly, Baltimore is a really great place if you like to eat and drink and look at old stuff.

The Babe Ruth Museum. The B & O Railroad Museum. Edgar Allen Poe House. USS Constellation and USS Torsk.

As long as you know where not to go you will have a fine time.

Amnorix

05-24-2010, 10:26 AM

Heard that the crab cakes are good there. Otherwise, don't know a thing about it.

DJay23

05-24-2010, 10:42 AM

A couple of good places to eat. The DuClaw in Fells Point is pretty good and Phillips Seafood right on the Inner Harbor.

WoodDraw

05-24-2010, 10:47 AM

I remember the harbor area being kind of a cookie cutter development. It was done by Cordish, the people who did P&L. You see one, you see them all... I wasn't there for long, so I don't want to trash the city. But I remember the best part of Baltimore being thinking of where to go next.

DC, on the other hand, I love.

teedubya

05-24-2010, 10:50 AM

Take the train to New York... spend a day there... take the train to Philly, spend a day there... there are SOOO many places around there, so don't settle for just one city.

RaiderH8r

05-24-2010, 11:11 AM

Rain Man

05-24-2010, 11:16 AM

Take the train to New York... spend a day there... take the train to Philly, spend a day there... there are SOOO many places around there, so don't settle for just one city.

I initially pondered suggesting a road trip to Monticello. I think that's far enough away that it wouldn't be on the list for a DC vacation. I've never been there, but I've heard it's a good place to go. Opposite direction from Baltimore, though.

Otter

05-24-2010, 11:21 AM

Other than what's been mentioned:

* Go the Green Turtle (http://www.greeneturtle.com/menu_appetizers.php) for their bread and crab dip. yummy! It's a neat area too. Right on the harbor with a bunch of little stores and pubs. Big ass navy ships. If you've never seen a carrier close up it's worth seeing. This is an appetizer and beer place though, don't do dinner here or anything.

* If you like steamed clams (which are very popular there) be warned; for some reason beyond my comprehension all restaurants in Baltimore soak them in Old Bay and onions. It's ****ing gross if you ask me. You have to specify "Clams with a side of butter, no spices, no onions".

* Be on your guard even in the tourist areas (inner harbor, stadiums etc) - it can be a rough city

05-24-2010, 11:25 AM

Fells Point, Camden Yard, Chap's Pit Beef. You can knock that out in a day. Otherwise, stay outta b-more. It sucks. Sucks hard. But if you need a concert you can check out Ram's head Live, Sonar, and some other joints in town that get some quality shows.

Every big city has it's bad areas. Just gotta know where to go and where to avoid. Chaps is indeed excellent pit beef.

DaFace

05-24-2010, 11:26 AM

Take the train to New York... spend a day there... take the train to Philly, spend a day there... there are SOOO many places around there, so don't settle for just one city.

It's a five-day total vacation (plus two days in the air), so travel time eats away at our on-the-ground time pretty quickly. Not to mention that DC to NYC is $200 round trip on Amtrak.

05-24-2010, 11:27 AM

Take the train to New York... spend a day there... take the train to Philly, spend a day there... there are SOOO many places around there, so don't settle for just one city.

That's a good suggestion. In fact, if I can ever string a couple weeks off together I plan on doing that very thing. I have a lot of friends and family in Baltimore (lived there for 25 years) so I'd want to spend some time there but I also want to take my daughter to New York and the train is the way to go.

05-24-2010, 11:28 AM

It's a five-day total vacation (plus two days in the air), so travel time eats away at our on-the-ground time pretty quickly. Not to mention that DC to NYC is $200 round trip on Amtrak.

Dang....prices have really gone up since the last time I made that trip.

Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan

05-24-2010, 11:42 AM

Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan

05-24-2010, 11:43 AM

Strange, my last trip to NYC from Baltimore and back was $126. Maybe it's time of day/week that I went . . .

05-24-2010, 11:55 AM

Strange, my last trip to NYC from Baltimore and back was $126. Maybe it's time of day/week that I went . . .

I'm thinking he meant for two people, and probably weekday/daytime. I'm sure there are less expensive times. I can remember making that trip for well under $100.

DaFace

05-24-2010, 12:13 PM

I'm thinking he meant for two people, and probably weekday/daytime. I'm sure there are less expensive times. I can remember making that trip for well under $100.

Yeah, that was roundtrip for 2 people. It's not a HUGE deal - we can definitely afford it - but it would definitely increase the cost of a trip that was otherwise supposed to be pretty inexpensive (since most of the stuff to do in DC is free).

Also, to some extent, my wife and I are testing a hypothesis. I've always thought that every city in the U.S. that has over a million people should have enough stuff to keep you occupied for at least 2 days. Under that assumption, we have thought about taking a few mini-vacations each year rather than one big vacation to a touristy city in order to really get to see the country rather than just getting the "in a bubble" experience that many touristy cities seem to have.

DaFace

05-24-2010, 12:18 PM

Face,

I live here in the middle of the DC/Balto metroplex. You've gotten some really good ideas from the other posters, but there are other things to see in Baltimore depending on what you're interested in. Drop me a PM and I'll see what I can do to play tour guide.

Thanks for the offer. I'll be planning this more as the week goes on, so I may take you up on that with a PM later in the week.

gblowfish

05-24-2010, 12:21 PM

I've been to DC and Baltimore a few times. Camden Yards is a cool ballpark. History? Check out Ft. McHenry. Food? Crabcakes Crabcakes Crabcakes. Don't eat Scrapple, ever.

luv

05-24-2010, 02:53 PM

Advice from a friend in Baltimore....

"If they're gonna be around briefly, I'd say 1) the aquarium 2) an Orioles game @ Camden Yards 3) exploring the Inner Harbor (shops, food) in the daytime and if they like to be part of the night crowd, explore Power Plant Live (food, entertainment). Alternatively, they can visit Fells Point to go bar-hopping."

KurtCobain

05-24-2010, 03:28 PM

Find a Raven and take it home.

chefsos

05-24-2010, 04:41 PM

I've been to DC and Baltimore a few times. Camden Yards is a cool ballpark. History? Check out Ft. McHenry. Food? Crabcakes Crabcakes Crabcakes. Don't eat Scrapple, ever.Nyet. Scrapple is awesome.

Don't ask what's in scrapple, ever.

05-24-2010, 04:52 PM

Nyet. Scrapple is awesome.

Don't ask what's in scrapple, ever.

I have some scrapple in my refrigerator as we speak. My step dad brought it back from a trip to Baltimore. I've been trying real hard to eat a healthier diet lately and I'm fairly certain scrapple doesn't qualify as healthy.

Bugeater

05-24-2010, 04:55 PM

Nyet. Scrapple is awesome.

Don't ask what's in scrapple, ever.
I Googled it, it sounds similar to SPAM® Brand Luncheon Meat.

05-24-2010, 05:05 PM

I Googled it, it sounds similar to SPAM® Brand Luncheon Meat.

Not even Hawaiins would eat scrapple. It's a food only the Pennsylvania Dutch could love.

chefsos

05-24-2010, 05:07 PM

I Googled it, it sounds similar to SPAM® Brand Luncheon Meat.Not really, other than being about the same size and shape. When it's fried up right, I liken it to a crispy piece of toast, except that it's (well, partly) meat.

05-24-2010, 05:13 PM

Not really, other than being about the same size and shape. When it's fried up right, I liken it to a crispy piece of toast, except that it's (well, partly) meat.

Actually, I'd say it's the stuff that's left over after all the meat has been removed.