Pride of Baltimore

The "Pride of Baltimore 2" is a sailing ship that has its home base in Baltimore. A beautiful sailing ship, she first caught my sight as she returned to Baltimore after an absence of nearly a year. My luck! The Inner Harbor area has been redeveloped since the 1970s, when the city made the decision to save both its history and its natural beauty by rescuing that area from the decay of the end of the Industrial era. The result is a pleasure for all who visit this fine city. From ball games to historic sites, it has something for just about everyone.

You must spend time on the water. I got around the harbor on the famous water taxis, which do a fine job of providing transportation, a little narration, and some terrific views. An all-day ticket is for adults, for children. It’s the best bargain in town. Do not pass up the chance to walk along the Inner Harbor and do some historic sightseeing. The USS Constellation is berthed closest in, not far from the aquarium. The aquarium is great fun, as is the unusual Baltimore Public Works Museum. A primary activity in Baltimore is eating with a world-wide variety of food choices, restaurant prices, and locations. Our nation's future was made at Baltimore; well, actually, it was the little town of Fells Point, not far away. If not for the American victory there, we might all still be subjects of the Queen.

Quick Tips:

The Baltimore Visitor's Center in the Inner Harbor is a fantastic resource, with thousands of maps, brochures, and other sorts of information. The kind folks there can book tours and reservations for you. Also, the restrooms there are very tidy at all times. The building is supposed to resemble a sail -- sort of. Find it between the science museum and the shopping center.

Best Way To Get Around:

I used the water taxis nearly every day, along with walking and four-wheeled taxis after dark. There are plenty of taxis in Baltimore. From the Inner Harbor back to the Marriott Waterfront hotel via taxi cost about . Most of the walking is easy to do, but as with any great big city, it is important to know where you are going and to stay out of less desirable areas. From the Inner Harbor up to the Washington Monument is a very serious piece of uphill walking. Take a taxi or a city bus. There is plenty of information available on how to use public transportation and how to save money doing so. Transit maps and information are also available at Baltimore Washington International Airport, as well as the Visitor's Center at the Inner Harbor. Watch for coupons for discounts on tickets and dinners in the tourist information brochures.

You can count on Marriott for a very reliable business-style hotel product, which this hotel delivers 100%. The huge bonus, however, is in the location of the hotel and the extremely high quality of the staff. Book a harbor-view room (not too high up) and enjoy the pleasure of watching this beautiful harbor and its activities by day and by night. My room was a large king-size room (#1039), nearly a corner room, overlooking the harbor. All the details were right, from the quality of the housekeeping to the extremely comfortable pillow-topped bed, but I couldn't get over the view.

Let's give this hotel a lot of extra points for location. It is a few minutes walk down to the inner harbor, the location of the U.S.S. Constellation, and a few minutes walk in the opposite direction to the historic town of Fells Point. It gets extra points also for being the cleanest hotel I've stayed in since Tokyo. It was very, very tidy and everything worked.

It's all in the details. The housekeepers use wheeled suitcases for their gear rather than the typical bulky carts. They made sure we had plenty of fresh towels and all the items that come in small bottles. They respected the "do not enter" tag on the door and worked and talked very quietly.

We made heavy use of the concierge services (especially helpful is Mr. Richard Arrington) for dinner and entertainment reservations as well as my need for particular information on the moving of the U.S.S. Constellation down to Annapolis. Baltimore was a very busy city during our stay and restaurant reservations were a must for each evening.

We dined twice in the hotel's Grille restaurant (see separate entry) and had great meals. I made use of the self-service deli for breakfasts and snacks. The quality of the food there is very good, especially the fresh fruit. It was nice to be able to pick up a light snack.

I will gladly return to this hotel, as we had a very enjoyable stay of 5 nights. I stay in hotels at least 30 nights a year, usually many more. I know and love a fine hotel. This Marriott is one. It combines the efficiency required of a hotel for business people with the quality of service, restaurants, and bars for those who want a little pleasure.

Important information: Your taxi driver may call this hotel the "Marriott 700" because there are several Marriott hotels in the harbor area. Make sure you get the correct one!

Our first evening in Baltimore, we trotted out of our hotel to meet our dinner requirement. That is a crab supper for my husband and a great view for me. We accomplished both at City Lights. It’s perched above the Inner Harbor, in a shopping center that reminds me so much of Cape Town, South Africa, that I felt very much at home. They offer a vast seafood menu with bright and cheerful decor. The menu is heavy on crab specialties, but there a few choices for those of us who don't get along with seafood.

There is outside dining available in fine weather, but our evening had both the cold rain and wind of late fall in Baltimore. We dined comfortably inside, served by a waiter whose 'Bawl-mer' accent was a sure clue we weren't in Texas anymore.

We both had salads, fresh and crisp. I ordered pasta for my main course, and my husband had a very large plate of steamed crab with a little shrimp on the side. In a holiday mood, we finished off with large desserts. The restaurant offers a full bar, which is very appropriate in the party atmosphere of the Inner Harbor of Baltimore. It seems to be a fairly consistent practice in Baltimore to offer only one cup of coffee or tea or one glass of iced tea or soda with a meal. If you want more, you need to ask for it and may be charged for the second serving. We had about 15 meals in Baltimore and never had a waiter offer us a refill.

Check out www.citylightseafood.com for more information, including details on specially priced dinners and holiday events.

On the advice of IgoUgo guide "Idler", we made a reservation on a busy Sunday night for this fine restaurant. It was very busy, as it was "National Seafood Month". A special, wonderful, tasty, and hospitable evening. The atmosphere is that of a richly decorated seafront restaurant of ages past. Lots of Tiffany lamps, white tablecloths, and sparkling glassware.

My husband dove into the menu and ordered 'Shrimp Popcorn with Sherry Mayonnaise' ($9.85). I started with a house salad with blue cheese and walnuts ($5.85). A bit of Little Penguin wine, and my husband didn't hesitate with the 'Crab Imperial' ($23.75), and I made a choice of preferred oceans and ordered 'Atlantic Salmon from New Brunswick, Canada'($21.90) over another salmon from Alaska. We agreed that everything was wonderful, but I have to add that my salmon was a bit on the rare side. If you want yours more cooked, be sure to ask for it.

You know us -- we didn't pass up desserts and coffee, choosing the super sweet 'trio', but it goes without saying that you dine at this restaurant for the seafood and the view. If you don't want anything to eat that swims, there are steak and poultry choices. Does anyone order them? All prices vary with the market. Menus are printed daily, and what we had may not be available on another day.

Yes, these are the same McCormick's as the famous spice people. The restaurant has parking and is an easy walk from the Marriott Waterfront Hotel.

On our final morning in Baltimore, we were tired of sightseeing and wanted a nice sit-down brunch. We accomplished this at this café, which is on the other end of the same building as McCormick & Schmick's On Pier 5 on the Inner Harbor. The menu has many choices. I chose a Gene Kelly, which is grilled portabella mushroom with avocado, tomato, peppers, and tomato pesto ($8.50). My husband had the Ginger Rogers, which has turkey, bacon provolone cheese, mustard, lettuce, and tomato ($7.95).

We appreciated the hearty meal, as we knew that we had long flights ahead (with no food service). The food was fresh, but served quickly.

The views from this restaurant include a historic ship and the huge Barnes & Noble/Power Plant building. It was not boring for sure. Fine weather brings waterside dining. Long hours and a vast menu make this a popular gathering spot. Reservations are recommended/required during peak times.

www.peacockcafe.com

On a dark and dreary late fall evening, we decided that we wanted to stay in the hotel for dinner. Did I mention it was raining? Based on the quality of a lunch I'd had in the hotel's restaurant, The Grille, a couple of days earlier with Idler, we booked a reservation (needed on busy nights). I've dined in Marriott hotel restaurants here, there, and about everywhere. This is one of the best and should be on the list for the best restaurants in Baltimore.

The decor is a bit heavy, featuring dark woods, large mirrors, and furnishings, but it holds up well against the huge windows that frame views of the Harbor. When it is dark outside, the restaurant sparkles. Fair warning to all, especially those dieting-portions are huge (so Baltimore!) The menu is detailed and has many seafood selections, but we both ordered steak for our main course, with soup for me and a salad for my husband. He lingered over the extensive wine list. Finally, a choice!

As during my lunch in this restaurant, we did not wish to be rushed. Tables came and went as we enjoyed out meal. The steaks were great, well prepared, and beautifully presented. At first I thought they were a bit small (too much Texas experience with steaks), but the meat was rich and filling. We couldn't have eaten another bite. For dessert, I ordered fresh fruit as the fresh fruit in the hotel had been excellent at every meal. I was not disappointed.

I recommend this restaurant highly even if you are not staying in this hotel. It is worth seeking out-high praise in a city so full of top-class restaurants!

We had experienced so many really good restaurants in Baltimore that we went to Phillips Harborplace for a quick lunch on a cold and windy day with no particular expectations. After all, it's in a tourist area in the midst of a shopping district. It turns out we ambled into one of Baltimore's most famous restaurants, a restaurant with a well-deserved reputation for quality at a fair price (although it seems local folk think all the harborside restaurants have gotten too expensive). Located a stone's throw from the waters of the Inner Harbor, the views are great.

I munched my way through a very fresh green salad and truly enjoyed my planked Norwegian salmon served with a very light bourbon-pecan sauce. My fist was fresh and prepared perfectly. Seldom have I had better. I would fly 2,000 miles to have it again! Once again, my husband ordered another plate of crab cakes. He adores fresh seafood. We topped it all off with huge, fresh, and tasty desserts (after all, we'd been walking around all morning). I had a lemon cake that goes to the top of my favorites list.

There was full-bar service. It gets very busy in the evenings, so reservations are recommended for after 5pm. We walked in for lunch without a wait. I'll give them extra points also for very good regular American-style coffee. If you don't want seafood, there are offerings of beef, chicken, and vegetarian dishes. This is something for everyone, including special dishes for children. I put this restaurant in my top three for Baltimore and not to be missed.

I walked for about 15 minutes from the Marriott at 700 Aliceanna, mostly along the water, to Fells Point. It is an easy walk on level ground. The little town of Fells Point is almost all a historic preservation area with many dozens of narrow row houses, restaurants, and shops to be admired. For evenings, there is a busy bar and tavern trade. The Maritime Museum is of a very high quality. It is only a few steps from the docks where thousands of immigrants to America came off their ships and headed ashore for their new lives. All of the displays are carefully presented with easy-to-read cards. Photography is allowed. It was at Fells Point where the first major invention of American technology, the clipper schooners, came to be. This museum demonstrates how they affected the trade they carried. There are over 277 items are on view.

Wall-size maps help you orient yourself to the area. The museum's manager is delighted to answer questions. There is a tiny gift shop with a selection of hard-to-find books on this era of American history. The British wanted the deep-water harbor of Fells Point when they attacked during the night of the Star Spangled Banner. A visit to Fells Point opens your eyes to the details of that battle.

For more information, telephone 410/732-0278 or find it on the web at www.mdhs.org.

Special Report to IgoUgo:

It is my very good fortune to report that I happened to be in Baltimore Harbor at the time of the Annual Ship's Turnaround with the Voyage to the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, and the 150th anniversary of this fine ship. At the moment, I could hardly believe my luck.

The USS Constellation, the flagship of President Abraham Lincoln, is retired to Pier 1, Baltimore Inner Harbor, where she has experienced the largest non-Naval wooden ship restoration in the United States for a total of $7.5 million. Almost back to her original appearance, she is moored most of the time, except for the Annual Ship's Turnaround, and on this special year, her towing down to Annapolis for about a week's stay. Her first visit to Annapolis in 111 years.

Curious as usual, I toured the ship on a regular adult tour ($7.50). There were unusual happenings aboard ship, as not only the usual crew, but the curator and a tug boat captain, were buzzing around and talking about towing the ship in a couple of days. In fact a very large, heavy-duty tug boat, the Elizabeth Ann worked around the big, old ship.

Eyes and ears open, I soaked in as much information as I could. I've never witnessed such a nautical event. The plan included at least four massive seagoing tugs in an extremely well-planned move to take the Constellation down to Annapolis. With kind regard to this older woman, they took the time to answer my questions about where and when I should plan to view the big tow.

I chose to make my stand in front of the Marriott Waterfront Hotel on the long, curving walkway above the water -- a very good decision, as it turned out. Not only a good position, but I had no competition for the space. Passing on the chance to have coffee and donuts down on Pier 1, I set up my little photo stand early and waited, not to be disappointed, as the photos show.

I had a wonderful visit in Baltimore. This event was more than icing on fine cake. It was an experience I shall always treasure! The tow successful, the USS Constellation made her visit at the US Naval Academy, an old warship honoring those who now serve. Absolutely outstanding!

The US Post Office now has 37-cent commemorative stamps of the USS Constellation, and the ship's museum gift shop has first-day covers (not to mention a whole range of souvenir gear that benefits the upkeep of the ship).

www.constellation.org