A Neighborhood Spotlight: Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

Crab cakes and Natty Boh, John Waters, Camden Yards, and the Inner Harbor — these quirky Baltimore icons shape the city’s refreshingly offbeat personality. Whether you’re a longtime local or stepping into Charm City for the first time, experiencing them all is practically a rite of passage.

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is quirky, cool, and just waiting to charm you. (Photo Credit: @aestheticdistance)

Make the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Baltimore your home base in the city. (Photo Credit: @jcorrenh)

The Inner Harbor may be the city’s glittering, tourist-friendly epicenter, but if you want to go deeper, we tapped our Baltimore team for the places and experiences that stay on their “can’t miss” list — the ones that they keep coming back to, time and time again.

Time to Rise and Shine

Get your start at Miss Shirley’s Cafe — a brunch institution praised for its Southern roots. Named for Miss Shirley McDowell, a Baltimore icon beloved for her sassy charm and joy of cooking, the restaurant maintains a jovial vibe and menu of crowd-pleasing favorites like Coconut Cream-Stuffed French Toast or Crab Hash & Fried Green Tomato Eggs Benedict.

But first, brunch. (Photo Credit: Spencer Davis)

Adventurous diners (and drinkers) can order a housemade “mornin’ cocktail” like the Miss Mimosa, the Southern Ruby Crush made with fresh squeezed grapefruit, or the Spicy Shirley, a Bloody Mary garnished with bourbon-infused pickled okra and an Old Bay-seasoned rim.

Let’s Get Cultured

Just across the Inner Harbor, you’ll find the American Visionary Art Museum. Intended to celebrate intuitive creative invention and grassroots genius, the eccentric venue showcases art produced by self-taught individuals. Note that the museum is closed on Mondays, and that kiddos 6 and under always enter for free.

Picnic and then watch a movie under the stars. (Photo Credit: Julia Ivanina)

On Thursdays in the summer, the museum grants free admission to all from 5 to 9 pm, where movie lovers can gather to picnic under the stars and watch a film inspired by AVAM’s current exhibition. The Hughes Family Outdoor Theater features seating for a thousand-plus, and Adam Kurtzman’s Giant Golden Hand “holds” the 30-foot-wide screen. Year-round, you can take in one of the best sunset views in town across the street atop Federal Hill.

Take to the Water

Next, check out Baltimore from a new, aquatic perspective, by boarding a water taxi that connects the Inner Harbor to the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine — which inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem — and everywhere in between.

Hop on a water taxi and explore the harbor like a local. (Photo Credit: Austin Kirk)

But it’s more than just a ride. The water taxi doubles as a floating tour of Baltimore’s diverse waterfront neighborhoods. Hop on and off to explore cobblestone streets in Fell’s Point, the creative energy of Locust Point, or the maritime history and museums tucked into Harbor East. It’s a laidback and memorable way to experience the city — with postcard views around every bend.

Call It a Night… Cap

After a long day of sightseeing, cruising on the water, and taking in local art, call it a night at Kimpton Hotel Monaco Baltimore. At the B&O American Brasserie, choose from a variety of brick oven-fired pizzas, fresh pastas, or the house favorite Baltimore crab cakes — made of broiled jumbo lump crab cakes that are served with an arugula and cherry tomato salad and parmesan french fries.

Don’t sleep on the restaurant’s handcrafted cocktails either, like the gold-standard Cadizian, made with Redbreast 12-year Whiskey, Byass Solera 1847 Sherry, Lillet Blanc, Peychauds Bitters, and Fee Brothers Orange Bitters.

The marble staircase at Kimpton Hotel Monaco Baltimore is a site to behold. (Photo Credit: @adayinthelalz)

Stunning architecture is all around — just look up. (Photo Credit: @kelseypanicco)

Charm City awaits. (Photo Credit: @monacobaltimore)

Take in the beauty of the building which once housed the headquarters for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, including the two-story marble staircase, Tiffany stained glass windows, and oversized chandeliers dating back to the early 1900’s. We promise it won’t take long to see why Baltimore is called Charm City.

Where to stay: Kimpton Hotel Monaco Baltimore