Baltimore

Build a stadium; save a city. It's not exactly an original idea -- dozens of towns try it -- but in the case of Baltimore, the ballpark seems to have borne fruit. Camden Yards, the Orioles baseball stadium, has become one of the key elements in renovating the central city. But success is not as simple as putting up some skyboxes. Camden Yards works because it manages to be both contemporary and historic (its vintage styling was the prototype for several other "throw-back" stadiums). This kind of new-old blending happens a lot in Baltimore. Up-to-the-minute restaurants and clubs inhabit vintage neighborhoods. Historic figures such as Babe Ruth are celebrated in recently built museums. It's a city that keeps an eye on its past without ever getting stuck there. A great place to see the mix of tradition and innovation is at the lively Inner Harbor (a near neighbor to Camden Yards). Once a run-down warehouse district, it has been transformed into a colorful, thriving area that serves as the heart of the city and contains several first-rate visitor attractions.

Baltimore Travels & Tours

National Aquarium in Baltimore This aquarium is perhaps the greatest attraction in Baltimore's celebrated Inner Harbor. The exhibits start small with samples of marine life from local waters, but visitors soon find themselves eye-to-eye with sharks, rays and other very large creatures. A simulated rainforest ecosystem and regularly scheduled dolphin shows round out the attractions. Admission is high, and the wait can be long, but both are worth it. Baltimore Waterfront Festival The city's lively Inner Harbor is the ideal setting to celebrate Baltimore's waterfront and its maritime history. This free, four-day event features a stunning array of Chesapeake Bay boats, maritime exhibits and food and drink vendors. Live music, strolling entertainment, land and water races and environmental awareness campaigns round out the activities. Hundreds of people join in the celebration each year. The event is typically held in mid-Aprilrain or shine. Port Discovery Port Discovery offers interactive fun for the whole family. The young and young at heart will enjoy the Dream Lab and the Exploration Center, where visitors make their dreams come true and learn how to make their own art and jewelry. Children are particularly amused by Port Discovery's three-story treehouse, where they are encouraged to climb, crawl, swing and slide. The museum is also a great place for your child's birthday party. Artscape One of Baltimore's best features is its vibrant arts scenethe product of hundreds of talented artists, musicians and writers who live and work here. Each July the city celebrates these people with a three-day festival held along Mount Royal Avenue near the Maryland Institute College of Art. There are poetry readings, gallery shows, street theater, musical performancesjust about everything else that's inspired by a muse. There are also workshops, competitions and sales, and, of course, plenty of good food. Maryland Science Center This Inner Harbor museum features interactive exhibits that focus on physics, marine biology and astronomy. Among the most popular recent exhibits were three-dimensional nebula models and a giant meteor hanging from the ceiling of the main hall. Of more local interest is the Chesapeake Bay estuary exhibit, which features several tanks of live creatures. Summer Concert Series at the Harborplace Amphitheatre Rock, pop and progressive bands entertain throngs of music lovers and Inner Harbor visitors every Saturday at 8pm and every Sunday afternoon from 4pm-6pm during the summer at the Harborplace Amphitheatre. Not only is the music high energy, it's free. Hot Harbor Saturday Nights and Celebrate America Sundays feature dance music; local, regional and military bands; big band, jazz, swing, pops and patriotic music share the stage. The free concerts run from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Baltimore Orioles Since 1955, the Orioles have brought a great deal of joy to Baltimore's baseball fans. No matter where you're from, an evening spent watching the Birds at Camden Yards is an evening well spent. The atmosphere is festive, the ballpark is both modern and comfortable, and the food is great. Tickets for Orioles home games can be purchased at the Camden Yards Warehouse (next door to the stadium) from 9am-5pm Mon-Sat; noon-5pm Sun. Maryland State Fair One of the state's biggest agricultural events, the Maryland State Fair showcases livestock, horses and farm products. It's more than a farm fair, however. Horse-racing, crafts, food, midway rides and games help attract more than 600,000 people each year. Now in its 122nd year, the 10-day event includes agricultural and livestock demonstrations, as well as horse shows and live entertainment. The fair begins in late August and runs through to early September. Event schedules vary and are held at various venues throughout the fairgrounds. Free admission. Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum Babe Ruth is so much a part of New York Yankees lore, people forget that he was born and raised—and introduced to professional baseball—in Baltimore. This museum celebrates the Babe's Baltimore roots, displaying his boyhood bat, the score card from his first professional game, and artifacts from his father's saloon—which stood where Oriole Park is today. The museum is also the official repository of Orioles team memorabilia. Baltimore Museum of Art The soul of this museum is its spacious wing dedicated to Modern American artists—Rothko, de Kooning, Pollock and their contemporaries. The museum has the second largest private collection of Andy Warhol's works. It also features Oceanic and American Indian art, a sizable Old Masters collection and a beautiful sculpture garden. The BMA is also home to the Cone collection—a treasury of Early Modern masterpieces.

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