Bus to Baltimore

Baltimore is an independent city and the largest city in the state of Maryland. Baltimore is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, which forms a much ramified natural harbor, 14 mi. from Chesapeake Bay and 170 mi. from the Atlantic. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore City in order to distinguish it from surrounding Baltimore County. Founded in 1729, Baltimore is a major U.S. seaport and is situated closer to major Midwestern markets than any other major seaport on the East Coast. Baltimore's Inner Harbor was once the second leading port of entry for immigrants to the United States and a major manufacturing center. The harbor is now home to the Harborplace, a shopping, entertainment, and tourist center, and the National Aquarium in Baltimore. After a decline in manufacturing industries, Baltimore shifted to a service sector-oriented economy. Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Hospital are now the city's largest employers.

The city is named after Lord Baltimore in the Irish House of Lords, the founding proprietor of the Maryland Colony. Baltimore himself took his title from a place in Bornacoola parish, County Leitrim and County Longford, Ireland. Baltimore is an anglicized form of the Irish Baile an T� Mh�ir, meaning "Town of the Big House", not to be confused with Baltimore, County Cork, the Irish name of which is D�n na S�ad.

With several famous universities, in particular the Johns Hopkins University, museums and a renowned symphony orchestra, Baltimore is a major east coast cultural center. It was the birthplace of Edgar Allan Poe.

Baltimore exhibits examples from each period of architecture over more than two centuries, and work from many famous architects such as Benjamin Latrobe, John Russell Pope, Mies Van Der Rohe and I.M. Pei.
The city has architecturally important buildings in a variety of styles. The Baltimore Basilica (1806�1821) is a neoclassical design by Benjamin Latrobe, and also the oldest Catholic Cathedral in the United States. In 1813 Robert Cary Long, Sr. built for Rembrandt Peale the first substantial structure in the United States designed expressly as a museum. Restored, it is now the Municipal Museum of Baltimore, or popularly the �Peale Museum�. The McKim Free School founded and endowed by John McKim, although the building was erected by his son Isaac in 1822 after a design by William Howard and William Small. It reflects the popular interest in Greece when the nation was securing its independence, as well as a scholarly interest in recently published drawings of Athenian antiquities. The Phoenix Shot Tower (1828), at 234.25 feet (71.40 m) tall, was the tallest building in the United States until the time of the Civil war. It was constructed without the use of exterior scaffolding. The Sun Iron Building designed by R.C. Hatfield in 1851, was city�s first iron-front building and it was a model for a whole generation of downtown buildings. Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church, built in 1870 in memory of financier George Brown, is noted for its stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany and has been called "one of the most significant buildings in this city, a treasure of art and architecture" by Baltimore Magazine. The 1845 Greek Revival style Lloyd Street Synagogue is one of the Oldest synagogues in the United States. The Johns Hopkins Hospital, designed by Lt. Col. John S. Billings in 1876 was a considerable achievement for its day in functional arrangement and fire proofing.

I.M.Pei's World Trade Center (1977) is the tallest equilateral pentagonal building in the world at 405 feet (123.4 m) tall.

Future contributions to Baltimore's skyline include plans for a 717 foot (218.5 m) tall structure known as "10 Inner Harbor". The building was recently approved by Baltimore's design panel and will be completed around the year 2010. It will include luxury condominiums, a hotel, restaurants, and shopping centers. The Naing Corporation has approved a tower of 50-60 floors for the lot at 300 Pratt street, with the design currently being finalized. The Inner Harbor East area will see the addition of two new towers which have started construction: a 24-floor tower that will be the new world headquarters of Legg Mason, and a 21 floor Four Seasons Hotel complex.

The streets of Baltimore are organized in a grid pattern. The streets are lined with tens of thousands of brick and Formstone faced rowhouses. Many consider the rowhouse the architectural form most closely associated to the city. Some rowhouses are dated as far back as the 1790s.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is considered by many to be the most beautiful baseball park in Major League Baseball, and has inspired many other cities to build their own versions of this Retro-Style Ballpark.
Camden Yards along with the National Aquarium have helped revive the Inner Harbor from what once was an industrial district full of dilapidated warehouses, into a bustling commercial district full of bars, restaurants and retail establishments.

Baltimore is officially divided into nine geographical regions: Northern, Northwestern, Northeastern, Western, Central, Eastern, Southern, Southwestern, and Southeastern Baltimore's Inner Harbor is one of the most photographed and visited areas of the city. It has been one of the major seaports in the United States since the 1700s and started blossoming into the cultural center of Baltimore in the 1970s.
Distinct in function and form, locals and visitors alike enjoy Baltimore's Inner Harbor and the surrounding neighborhoods that offer a variety of fine dining, cultural experiences and exciting nightlife.

From breath-taking panoramic views of the skyline from the Observation Level of the World Trade Center to the up-close and personal experiences of street performances happening spontaneously at the waterfront, Baltimore�s Inner Harbor offers more to see and do than you might imagine. Consider staying at one of the many Inner Harbor Hotels to enjoy all that the Inner Harbor has to offer up close and all within walking distance!

It�s no surprise that the Baltimore tourism industry is thriving. You�ll find an action packed vacation for any budget.

Your enjoyment of Baltimore tourism starts with:

Accommodations - over 7,000 rooms downtown with another 7,000 just a short cab ride away, including quaint historical inns, economical family-style lodging, bed & breakfasts and extravagant hotels.

Dining - elegant gourmet cuisine, ethnic foods from around the world and plenty of fresh seafood from Maryland's Chesapeake Bay.

Nightlife - Baltimore Tourism doesn't shut down at night... enjoy brew pubs and taverns, comedy clubs, dance clubs, live music and sports bars after dark.

Shopping - find anything from antiques, crafts and collectibles, clothing and souvenirs to gourmet food and wine at over 200 specialty stores from outlet malls to farmer's markets.

Transportation - many attractions are within walking distance from downtown. Trains, cabs, water and public transportation make the entire city easily accessible!