Welcome to Charm City! Baltimore has much to offer and is just a 3.5-hour drive (or 40-minute flight) from New York City. We’ve decided to highlight some of the very exciting things happening in Baltimore in terms of small business, hospitality, and dining. In the past it’s been home to the likes of Edgar Allan Poe, Billie Holiday, John Waters, and today it’s burgeoning with next-generation creatives. It seems the history of this city is as exciting as its future. We recently explored the city, and with the help of family members and our friend, journalist and author Crystal Berger, we’ve created a long weekend itinerary.
Thursday
11 AM: Check in isn’t until later, so we’ll enjoy an early lunch at the Mount Vernon Marketplace. There are so many options here to support local Baltimore businesses. Try Fishnet. The fish is locally caught. Chef Ferhat Yalçin creates food that is naturally delicious, fresh, and simply prepared. Try the crispy catfish sandwich, the lake trout (a Baltimore tradition), or the salmon croquettes. Head to The Local Oyster, for, as the name would suggest, local oysters. Or visit the Taps Fill Station, which features 30 self-serve taps that include craft beer, wine, ciders, meads, and more.
1 PM: Off to the Walters Art Museum. This free public art museum was opened in 1934. The collection includes centuries of art — 36,000 pieces from around the world.
2 PM: Head to The Ivy Hotel to check in. It’s time for tea.
Your room may not be ready yet, but you’ll be glad it’s not. Because sitting for afternoon tea at The Ivy is offered to guests daily during their stay. The majority of the teas on the menu come from the Baltimore-based company Equitea, which offers a variety of organic full leaf tea. Matched with The Ivy’s finger sandwiches, scones, local honey butter, and chocolates, and there’s really no better way to enjoy the afternoon.
But let’s talk more about The Ivy, because it’s a very special place — and a travel experience that will stay with you for years to come.
Gorgeous, romantic, and welcoming are three words to describe The Ivy, located in the heart of Baltimore’s historic Mount Vernon neighborhood. From the moment you arrive there’s no wonder why it’s been rated one of the best hotels in the world by numerous outlets. It’s a refuge of world-class hospitality, located in what was once a magnificent private home. The mansion was built by architect Charles Carson in 1889 for John Gilman, a banker and industrialist. After being gifted to the city during the Great Depression, jump to recent day, the hotel is now owned by philanthropists Eddie and Sylvia Brown who reopened it as a hotel in 2014.
It’s the first and only Relais & Chateaux property in Maryland, offering top-of-the-line service and accommodations. The common areas are glorious and grand and transport you to the gilded age, and while you’re a guest, you feel like this is your home too. The Conservatory is accented by a restored piano. It belonged to the heirs of the original owners, and is encouraged to be put to use. The Mansion Bar houses a self-service, complimentary, fully stocked bar, where guests are encouraged to pour a classic cocktail… or a glass of champagne, which is always flowing. The Tea Room features a spectacular mural painted by local artists. It’s a place where guests can read, play board games, or enjoy a drink by the fire. The Library offers an extensive collection of books that guests are also encouraged to peruse. The Game Room houses the original billiards table from the 1800s. And the ceiling is covered in 18k gold.
The inclusive nightly room rate includes the hotel accommodations, breakfast, internet, barmoir, wine, spirits and snacks, daily afternoon tea, car service, valet and all gratuities. Complimentary private transportation within three miles of the property is available. There are 17 accommodations available: ten suites and seven rooms, each uniquely designed. Each room has a fireplace, an oversized bathroom, and a one-of-a-kind armoire designed by a local artist. It’s the perfect home base.
4 PM: We’ll do a little afternoon shopping and strolling around Mount Vernon. We suggest visits to Dollhouse Boutique, The Paper Herald, and Aunt Kelly’s Cookies. Be sure to also walk through Mount Vernon Place.
7 PM: Dinner at Magdalena, the restaurant located at The Ivy. Magdalena offers elevated bistro fare inspired by the classic dishes of France. The seasonally evolving menu highlights the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay region, created by Chef Scott Bacon, a contemporary and classically trained chef. The courtyard garden and indoor dining offer classic bistro touches throughout.
9 PM: It’s time for a nightcap at Owl Bar, which is located at The Belvedere, and dates back to Prohibition with a rich history of exciting guests like Al Pacino, Patti LaBelle, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Friday
9 AM: We’ll start the day with a coffee from Vagrant Coffee at the Station North location (they also have an Inner Harbor location). Beans are sourced from locations such as Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Brazil. You can also order whole bean coffee online with some giving back portions to various local charities.
12 PM: Lunch at Duck Duck Goose. Chef Ashish Alfred and team present a modern French dining experience within a very chic and fun restaurant that focuses on local and seasonal ingredients. Signature cocktails like the Golden Goose exceed our already high expectations with exceptional taste and beautiful presentation (the golden goose egg is, of course, a nice touch). Treat yourself to the duck confit and waffles — you won’t be disappointed.
1:30: Stop by The Cannon Room, an American whiskey bar located at the Sagamore Pendry Baltimore. Seventeenth-century cannons were discovered below the Recreation Pier during hotel construction leading to the name of the venue.
2:30 PM: Shopping around Fells Point. Try Katwalk Boutique, El Suprimo Records, Poppy & Stella, E.C. Pops, Fells Point Surf Co, and Soigne Luxury Accessories.
4PM: The Horse You Came In On is America’s oldest continuously operated saloon, open since 1775. It also claims to be the last destination before the sudden death of Baltimore’s famed Edgar Allan Poe.
6:30 PM: A cocktail at The Bluebird. This cocktail bar is inspired by great literature and the world of botany. The cocktails are crafted with local and organic ingredients from nearby farms, producers, and distilleries. And there’s a poem for each carefully crafted libation.
8 PM: Dinner at Blk Swan, a go-to for trendsetters, urbanites, and influencers. The menu, curated by Executive Chef Saon Brice, offers New American dishes, while the bar specializes in high-quality cocktails. Friday and Saturdays nights turn into a livelier dining experience as DJs spin into the night.
Saturday
10 AM: Start the day with a tea from Teavolve. They serve over 30 varieties of loose-leaf teas, as well as boba and locally-roasted coffee and espresso. For breakfast, we also hear that the shrimp and grits are the best.
10:30 AM: Schedule a facial with NKV Skincare. The location, founded by Nikia K. Vaughan, provides healthy and effective skin care services.
12 PM: A visit to the American Visionary Art Museum. The museum specializes in the preservation and display of outsider art.
1:30 PM: Lunch at Cindy Lou’s Fish House. It’s on the harbor, overlooking the iconic Domino Sugar Refinery sign, and offers spirited southern food from restaurateurs Tony Foreman and Chef Cindy Wolf.
3 PM: The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, a tiny brick house on Baltimore’s North Amity Street where Edgar Allan Poe wrote some of his early work.
6 PM: A drink at Loch Bar located at the Four Seasons in Harbor East. It’s a classic seafood house with a beautiful bar.
8 PM: Dinner at The Bygone, located at the top of the Four Seasons, the venue gives “roaring glamour.” It also provides one of the best city views you’ll find.
Sunday
10 AM: Breakfast at Golden West Café, located in Hampden. This is the perfect spot for many vegan options.
11 AM: Try out Dangerously Delicious Pies, a rock-n-roll style pie shop that’s been open since 1999. Each Sunday it’s Honky Tonk Hero’s Sunday with live music on the porch of the Hampden stop.
11:30 AM: Shopping is great in the Hampden area. Visit spots like Trohv Shop and Keepers Vintage.
2 PM: You can’t visit Baltimore without experiencing a jumbo lump crab cake. Faidley’s Seafood is an institution that’s been around for generations, since 1886.
3 PM (or the afternoon sometime): If there’s an afternoon game, like there is in our perfect itinerary, we’re off to cheer on the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. It’s one of the country’s nicest stadiums. For food, you’ll want to visit Boog’s BBQ or Jimmy’s Seafood for the jumbo lump crab cake, founded by former player Boog Powell and Jimmy Minadakis respectively.
3 PM Alternate plan: If there is no game, we’re headed just outside of the city to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery. The famous Irish brewery’s only American location offers a brewery, taproom, restaurant, store, food truck, and beer garden, and also offers guided and self-guided tours.
8 PM: Dinner at Alma Cocina Latina. Located close to The Ivy, the restaurant offers a Sunday Prix Fixe for $55. The menu is inspired by Venezuelan culinary roots.
8 PM: Alternate dinner option: Restaurante Tio Pepe for authentic and fresh Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine.
