Inner Harbor Weekend

A March 2007 trip to Baltimore by artbasement

Quote: Baltimore is close to home, and a lot of fun. It's a great place to spend a weekend away from home.

Inner Harbor Weekend

Overview

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Best Way To Get Around:

I've never used the public transportation (e.g. bus, train, trolley) systems in Baltimore. But I have taken Ed Kane's Water Taxi. It's much quicker (and more fun) to get from Harbor Place to Ft. McHenry via Water Taxi than by car.

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Pier 5 Hotel

Hotel

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Pier 5 is a magical place to stay. The decor is rich and vibrant in purple and yellow jewel tones. The furniture is comfortable and the harbor view is delightful, even during an overcast early-spring weekend.We partook of the aquarium package, which included VIP tickets to the National Aquarium (a short walk two piers away) and Oceanopoly board game. Other amenities we enjoyed were discount tickets to the Museum of Visionary Art, and a 6-pack of locally brewed beer delivered to our room.Our Experience Specialist, Jill, was very friendly and helpful. Despite having to hand-pick rose petals for some guests' romantic turn-down service when her regular supplier failed to deliver, she went ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 12, 2007

Pier 5 Hotel
711 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
(410) 539-2000

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Papermoon Diner

Restaurant

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Even before you get inside, you can sense that there's something different about Papermoon Diner. Walking up to the door, you see some unique planters: old toilets. When you get inside, it's even more unique. The walls and ceiling are covered with toys: old wooden toys, recent action figures, and a whole host of Happy Meal toys. There's even a mannequin with plastic army men for hair sitting by the cash register.

The food is similar to typical diner food. You can get an omelette or a burger at any time of the day or night but you can also get a breakfast bagel sandwich filled with lox, capers, and cream cheese. Their menu is large and has plenty of vegetarian options in addition to their fried chicken and meatloaf.

I've never been at the Papermoon when it hasn't been busy. There is frequently a 45-minute wait (or longer at peak times - such as around 2am when area bar patrons relocate after last call). On this visit, the wait was long, and we were hungry. There was no wait to be seated at the counter. I wasn't thrilled about having counter seating instead of a table, but it only took a few minutes of watching the two cooks work their magic in their teeny-tiny work space for me to realize that I had the best seat in the house. They created breakfast masterpieces while being able to move only about 2-3 feet side-to-side! Their teamwork and ability to read each other's minds made me reel with wonder. Their friendly attitude was infectious.

On this trip, my husband and I both ordered pancakes and home fries. The pancakes are large, fluffy, and delicious. I consider Papermoon's home fries to be the best on the planet. From my perch at the counter, I finally figured out why: the potato cubes spend some time in the deep fryer before being put on the flat grill to wait in a pile until they're scooped onto a plate. This gives them a delicious crispy outer shell and, despite what you might think, they are much less greasy than your average diner home fries.

I love Papermoon Diner. I try to get there whenever I'm in Baltimore. If you like an unusual (and busy) ambiance, and unique food, stop by. It's easy to find - the bright colors of the building shine out in the mostly grey neighborhood. Parking can be had in the fenced-in lot just past the restaurant. If the lot is full, expect to wait a good hour for a seat. But it's worth it - for the home fries alone. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 12, 2007

Papermoon Diner
227 West 29th St.
Baltimore, Maryland 21211
(410) 889-4444

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National Aquarium Baltimore

Attraction | "National Aquarium in Baltimore"

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I was excited to go to the aquarium. I hadn't been there since the Australian exhibit was built. Since we'd gotten tickets from our hotel through their aquarium package, we skipped the entire ticket counter area and walked right in. I must admit that I was a little disappointed by the Australia exhibit. It's very large, but it's hard to see much. The display is mostly vertical and there's nowhere to get a higher view. I wanted to get a better look at the bats, but they were so far away! I kept looking for gangways or ladders or anything that would have gotten me up 10 or 20 feet higher. I feel that the rainforest exhibit does a much better job with perspectives.On the positive side, th...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on July 19, 2007

National Aquarium Baltimore
501 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
(410) 576-3800