Old Ellicott City
Ellicott City was established in the 1700s as a small milling town. More recently, it has been the home to many small shops built into small row homes along the hilly main street. In 2016 and 2018, it was devastated by floods and took the lives of two people. Now, it has been reestablished and is thriving once again.
Harbor East/Harbor Point
In the Harbor East region, there is a lot of high-end shopping along the water and on western part of Aliceanna Street. One of which is the Under Armour Brand House.
Pretty Boy Reservoir
Lindsey, Ryan, and I hiked along the Patapsco River at Pretty Boy Reservoir, which feeds to the Inner Harbor. The parking lot we went to is north of Timonium right off of I-83, at the end of a beautiful neighborhood. Follow the country road through the green bridge to a small parking lot and you will find a trail that leads you along the river to an enormous dam at the end!
Jones Falls Trail
The Jones Falls Trail is a 9.1-mile paved trail for hikers and bikers. The southernmost trail head begins at the inner harbor, and heads north paralleling I-83 (The Jones Falls Expressway), through Druid Hill Park, around the Maryland Zoo, through Woodberry, Cold Spring Park, then landing at the northernmost point at the Cylburn Arboretum. We ran a portion of the trail from the Maryland Zoo to the Cylburn Arboretum, which spanned more than 7 miles there-and-back.
Baltimore's Waterfront Promenade
The Baltimore Waterfront Promenade is a beautiful eight-mile paved trail built in the 1960s that goes through Canton, Fells Point, Harbor East, Inner Harbor, and Federal Hill. You can extend this to Locust Point and Fort McHenry if you so desire. This promenade is what started this blog; the sights took our breath away and really made me question why people are afraid of visiting this strikingly-beautiful city. This promenade makes for a great running path for those who run long-distances.
Lohr's Orchard
Lohr's Orchard is a family-owned-and-operated farm in Aberdeen, MD. I visited in the fall and highly enjoyed their apple cider slushies. They also have a pumpkin patch that features a hay ride. There is also much to offer during the other seasons; check their website for more details.
Top 5 Things to Do in Baltimore
After living in Baltimore for six years, here is a list that I compiled of what you cannot miss in Baltimore.
Boordy Vineyard
Boordy Vineyard has been a winery in Harford County since 1945. Its more current ownership started in 1980, and currently is full of open spaces to sit, relax, and enjoy a variety of wines. They typically have live music or other entertaining events.
Baltimore Water Taxi
The most dramatic sightseeing in Baltimore can be done on the Baltimore Water Taxi. Before I went to Australia, I heard from a friend that I needed to take the Manly Ferry in downtown Sydney. We did that ride and it sure was spectacular, just like they said. This taxi ride is comparable to my experience in Sydney, as it truly took my breath away.
Hampden
Hampden is for sure a quirky neighborhood north of the Inner Harbor. It centers around The Avenue, or 36th street, with lots of shops and restaurants. It is known for the Miracle on 34th street where one block of row homes goes all out with their Christmas decorations and is a sight you must see!
Oregon Ridge Trail
The Oregon Ridge Park Trail in Cockeysville, MD is about a 30-minute drive from the heart of Baltimore. We took the red and yellow loops, which was about 4-5 miles with about a moderate difficulty. Parts of the trail you had to hop rocks through a stream to follow the trail.
Guinness Brewery
In 1759, Arthur Guinness started his world-renowned beer company. Currently, the brewery is in 49 different countries. Guinness Brewery expanded their horizons allowing for us in the U.S. to have a fun, relaxed experience just 10 minutes south of Baltimore. They have plenty of options for Guinness beers on tap, including experimental beers that are brewed on the premises.