Before heading home after our trip to D.C., we decided to spend a few hours in Baltimore. You will find this emerging city that is home to the Baltimore Orioles just a short drive from D.C. Before heading out, make sure to check out their website at www.baltimore.org for tips and a list of events going on during your vacation. Here you will find first-class hotels, gourmet cuisine, and enough activities to keep you going for a while.

One of the most popular areas in Baltimore is its famed Inner Harbor. More than 11 million people visit each year. Along with hotels, shops, and restaurants, you will find the Science Center, The National Aquarium, and the Maritime Museum. Amazing views of the city can be found atop the top of the World Observation Deck. You can find several tall ships here for exploring. Take in a relaxing harbor tour. Or enjoy all the excitement of the Power Plant. This premier entertainment complex is home to the Hard Rock Café, ESPN Zone, and Barnes and Nobles.

The renewal of this complex began back in the 1970s. While many cities around Baltimore were emerging, Baltimore was going nowhere. The city decided to breathe life back into Baltimore. There urban renewal plan paid off and has now become a model for many other cities. Today, Baltimore once again shines and offers visitors a memorable time.

If you are coming, you really do need to allot yourselves at least 1 day here. In fact, Baltimore and its Inner Harbor are vacation destinations themselves. Unfortunately, when I was here, I only had a few hours and mainly came for the two lighthouses found at the Inner Harbor. But next year, when we go on our trip to Philly, we have already decided to stop and stay a few days this time. No trip to D.C. is complete without a stop here.

The Inner Harbor is probably Baltimore’s most photogenic location; just grab your camera and start walking around. Begin at Harborplace, at Pratt and Light Streets just east of the Convention center. It’s just under a half-mile from the Pratt St.light rail stop. You’ll encounter a series of overhead walkways leading to the shopping/dining/entertainment complex at the northwest corner of the harbor itself. The modernistic Aquarium is visible across a small bay and the tall ship to your left is the restored U.S. Frigate Constellation.

Don’t ignore the colorful storefronts and taverns nearby --- great photo subjects. As you walk, check out the various restaurants you’ll pass. You’ll see many appealing menus, especially seafood menus. A Maritime Museum will be a short distance beynd the Aquarium and, back toward the west on Pratt Street, the railroad museum is a mile or so away.

It’s taken me fewer than 220 words to describe my walk aound the Inner Harbor. But if you carry a camera, and pause to compare photo opportunities and compose your views, it could easily take two hours --- and that’s not including a tour of one of the tall ships, visiting the Aquarium or taking a harbor cruise.

If you’re blessed with a sunny day, strolling through the Inner Harbor area is a marvelous way to spend a morning or afternoon. And when you get home, you’ll have some memorable photos to share with friends and neighbors. Here are some of mine ...