Baltimore Itinerary: How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in Charm City
It was our first time visiting Baltimore, and we were genuinely surprised by just how much there was to see, do, and experience in Charm City! There’s something about Baltimore that’s hard to put into words—it has a unique, quirky personality that feels unlike any other U.S. city we’ve been to. From its colorful neighborhoods and historic waterfront to its incredible food scene and welcoming community, the city has a charm that’s impossible to ignore. After spending a few days exploring, we totally get how Baltimore earned its nickname. If you’re planning a trip to Baltimore, make sure keep reading for our guide to the best things to do in the city!
Where to Stay in Baltimore
We stayed at the Hotel Ulysses in the historic Mount Vernon neighborhood of the city. The boutique hotel has a unique vibe, and it’s art-deco design was heavily inspired by Baltimore legend and filmmaker John Waters, with nods including flamingo motifs and colorful, eclectic furniture and patterns. There’s also an all day cafe on site called Ash Bar, and amazing cocktails at the mirrored lounge called Bloom’s. We loved our experience staying at Hotel Ulysses and would definitely recommend staying here when visiting Baltimore!
Best Things to do in Baltimore
Graffiti Alley
American Visionary Art Museum
Hampden
Fell’s Point
Washington Monument
Inner Harbor
Walk along the cobblestone streets of Fell’s Point - one of Baltimore oldest neighborhoods with some of the best waterfront views and our fav neighborhood in the city!
Check out Inner Harbor - another waterfront view in the city with historic ships and local shops.
Walk Around the OG Gayborhood, Mount Vernon - one of the most historic neighborhoods in Baltimore and is known as the cultural heart of the city!
Tour the American Visionary Arts Museum - a national museum an education center for original works of art from self-taught artists! Here you’ll also find the famous statue of Baltimore legend Divine.
Explore queer-friendly Hampden - the north Baltimore neighborhood great for eating, shopping, and more! Make sure you check out 36th Street aka “The Avenue” and pop into all the local shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants. Some of our fav spots were Atomic Books (a legendary indie bookstore where filmmaker John Waters gets his fanmail!), Brightside Boutique, Milagro, Modern World, Celebrated Summer Records, but you can’t go wrong with any of the shops on the block!
Visit Graffiti Alley - A small alleyway famous for it’s every changing graffiti art and murals! It’s a perfect representation of Baltimore’s unique and artsy culture.
Check out the Washington Monument - completed in 1829 and is actually the first major monument dedicated to George Washington in the United States!
Shop around Red Emma’s - a half vegan cafe, half community bookstore/events space! Red Emma’s is a worker-owned cooperative that creates a welcoming environment for all.
Where to Eat & Drink in Baltimore (vegan)
Oleum
Johnny Rad’s
Golden West Cafe
Catalog Coffee
Oleum - vegan Maryland seafood (one of our fav vegan restaurants we have ever been to!)
Golden West Cafe - american comfrot food with lots of vegan options!
Catalog Coffee - local coffee shop
The Royal Blue - elevated bar bites with vegan options
Johnny Rad’s - vegan options for pizza, mozzarella sticks, as well as beer and cocktails
Ceremony Coffee - local coffee shop
Red Emma’s - vegan cafe with light bites
Gertrude’s - located in the Baltimore Museum of Art, a locally sourced ingriedent restaurant that’s been featured as a “Best in Baltimore” in many renowned publications.
Ash Bar - Hotel Ulysses all day cafe
Bloom’s - Hotel Ulysses cocktail lounge
The LGBTQ+ Scene in Baltimore
Baltimore has an amazing and thriving queer scene, known as one of the most established on the East Coast. The queer scene is centered around two neighborhoods, Mount Vernon aka the original “gayborhood” of the city and Hampden. But to be honest, we felt welcomed and saw tons of inclusive signs and rainbow flags all over the city. Baltimore’s quirky, unique, and artsy culture definitely ties into the LGBTQ+ community being so vibrant here. It’s a city where you can come as you are and be yourself and you will be welcomed and supported for it.
We visited during Baltimore Pride and got to see the city truly come alive and support the local LGBTQ+ community. We felt like we could be our true selves as a couple on our trip to Baltimore, and saw tons of other queer locals and queer couples on our trip as well.
If you want to see everything we did on our trip to Baltimore, make sure to check out our Baltimore YouTube video below!
This post is sponsored by Visit Baltimore. As always, all opinions are honest and our own. Some links on this post are affiliate links of which we receive a small commission, but the price is the same for you.