For the very first Hometown Tourists link up we’re talking about the #1 Must’s of our city. Get the skinny on the big things to look for when you visit Baltimore.

Whenever I travel to a new city, I plan to look for specific categories of things that can essentially be broken down into two overarching themes: (1) Things to see/activities to do and (2) What to eat (arguably the most important category.) It was really difficult to manage narrowing this post down so I decided to give brief descriptions of each of those main categories.

SEE + DO

This is just so hard to answer authentically! Baltimore has one very specific tourist draw – the Inner Harbor – which is what would instantly spring to mind when thinking about tourist attractions for the city. The problem is, that’s all it really is – a tourist attraction. It still seems like the logical “Must See” if you are visiting for the first time but I would caveat that taking a look at the museums and shops in the surrounding area would be more fulfilling. The video above from SeeMoreBMore has a great look at the neat attractions that make up the “Outer Harbor” area.

If you do decided to check out the harbor area, please keep in mind that it is only a fraction of what the city has to offer and isn’t even close to the best spot in the city. You can check out equally fantastic water views (and much better food) in Canton and Fells Point, stunning old architecture in Mount Vernon, a wonderful art scene in Charles Village and a quirky/hipster side of Baltimore in Hampden. That’s just a tip of the iceberg! If you venture out into the various neighborhoods of the city you will get a whole new perspective.

EAT

Food is an easier category to zero in on. If you come to the city, you are going to want to try some form of crab. If you are here in the Summer, then you will want to seek out a place to get some carry out steamed crabs and hopefully a helpful host to show you how to eat them. You could also go with a crabcake if you prefer, just make sure you get a good one! It seems like everyone I know has their go-to spot for crabcakes but places like By the Docks or Koco’s Pub seem like safe bets. Don’t like seafood? Don’t worry, just try something with our signature seasoning – Old Bay (we seriously put it on everything here.)

If you need something sweet you have a handful of options including the thin but tasty Otterbein cookies and my personal favorite sugar overload, Berger Cookies. You can also hit up my Zeke’s for some of the best coffee in the city and Dangerously Delicious Pies if you just want some damn good pie.

So there you have it! Every traveler is different and is looking for different experiences but if it’s your first time in the city then I think these suggestions are a great place to start!

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