Baltimore's Inner Harbour

We arrived in Charm City Thursday evening after a long, arduous trek from Virginia. I have never visited Baltimore before and figured this would be a good opportunity to visit. The first night we were here I was disappointed. There was not much we could find to do and couldn't figure out where the closest crab house was so we ended up eating at Mo's. They do not serve Flaming Mo's at this establishment.

We were a little hesitant as the first three reviews we found on the internet panned the restaurant, however, the hotel desk person said it was one of her favorite restaurants. We ate there and I was duly pleased. Word of advice, their portions are tremendous and an appetizer and main course can easily be shared by two people. And this is coming from a person who can eat.

The next morning started out well. The heat wave (90 degrees in early April) ended and the air was cool and crisp. We started to explore the inner harbour area and had a great time. The National Aquarium was well worth visiting and get this, Baltimore has a free bus called the Charm City circulator. There are three lines, and I will say it again, FREE! They run 10 minutes apart and they are FREE! FREE!. If the Circulator doesn't go where you want to go, the city bus lines are $1.60 and an all day pass is $3.50 do you hear that NYC Transit Authority, $3.60 for an all day pass!

NYC hired the same developers who did the Inner Harbour here to develop the South Street Seaport. We should ask for our money back. There is no comparison. You can easily walk around the inner harbour if you don't want to take the circulator, I would say it encompasses approximately 2 miles, or you can pay $9.00 for an all day water taxi pass to 12 different points of embarkation.

Since we were disappointed about finding a nearby crab house the evening before, we still wanted to experience Baltimore dining and ate at Pizzeria Uno and Chicago Grill on Pratt Street. I hand it to the Baltimorians to come up with the idea of a deep dish pizza. Baltimore Deep dish pizza while watching the Orioles on their myriad big screen TVs. I can't wait to go to Chicago to try their Boston cream pie.

The cost of hotels and restaurants here is two thirds what you would expect to pay in Manhattan, may be less. We stayed at a Fairfield Inn (Marriott) which was converted from an old brewery, and there is a tavern in the hotel. This was a boutique style hotel for $123 a night (not including parking and taxes). The Nu hotel in downtown Brooklyn charges up to $400 a night for the same ambiance.

The day we were here was opening day for the Orioles. They (Orioles)lost but people were friendly and outgoing. Riders on the circulator talk to you as if you were there neighbors. I don't know about the rest of Baltimore, but the Inner Harbour area is worth spending two to three nights, possibly longer if you use it as a jumping off area to visit DC and Annapolis.

Did I mention that a three bedroom, two bath apartment with central air runs about $1,100 a month in a decent neighborhood?