Explore Baltimore's Waterfront Promenade

Last summer, one of my friends came to visit for a week. She brought her eight-year-old son along. She planned to do the Washington, D. C., tourist thing - Air and Space Museum, Museum of Natural History - the standard stops.

We talked them into spending a day with us in Baltimore, visiting some of the museums and attractions in the Inner Harbor area. It only took one day to convince both of them to spend most of their time in Baltimore.

One of the nicest things about Baltimore's downtown transformation is the Waterfront Promenade. This attractive, wide brick walkway connects many of the Inner Harbor's most popular attractions, museums and restaurants. You can walk from the far side of the harbor - the Rusty Scupper restaurant area - past the Maryland Science Center and Harborplace, alongside USS Constellation, around the National Aquarium, and around to Fell's Point.

Designed to help visitors and locals enjoy Baltimore's Inner Harbor area, the Waterfront Promenade links residents to some of the city's most historic places. Baltimore grew in importance as the city's maritime and manufacturing industries flourished. Today, you can visit museums that celebrate and preserve Baltimore's maritime history.

Maritime Heritage

Although the USS Constellation is probably Baltimore's most famous maritime museum ship, it's not your only choice. Just down the Promenade, the Baltimore Maritime Museum features a Coast Guard cutter, a submarine, a stationary lighthouse and a light ship (floating lighthouse), all open for tours. The famous National Aquarium in Baltimore is nearby, should you want to learn about life under Baltimore's harbor waters.

African-American History

Baltimore's African-American heritage is an integral part of the city's culture and history. Located on the Promenade at Thames Street, you can visit the Frederick Douglass Isaac Myers Maritime Park, which commemorates the lives and achievements of two great African-Americans. At the Maritime Park, you can also participate in hands-on activities and learn about the African-American maritime industry in Baltimore. You may never need to caulk a ship to earn a paycheck, but trying your hand at caulking will increase your appreciation of the complex ship-building industry which has shaped Baltimore's destiny since colonial days.

Restaurants Abound

If museums aren't your thing, stroll along the Promenade until you find an appealing restaurant. From fast food to fine dining, it's all here. Harborplace's Pratt Street Pavilion and the Power Plant each house several restaurants, or you can wander along the Promenade to Canton or Fell's Point and eat in one of these historic neighborhoods. If you prefer, you can stray off the Promenade into Little Italy. Just follow your nose.

Music and Arts

During the summer months, you can enjoy Harborplace's free concert series or buy a ticket to one of the outdoor concerts at Pier Six. Visit the Art Gallery of Fell's Point or discover the works of self-trained artists at the American Visionary Arts Museum, across the street from the Rusty Scupper at the far end of the Promenade. Fell's Point's Vagabond Players and the Fell's Point Corner Theater present plays and musicals throughout the year.