Baltimore Inner Harbor, Maryland

Baltimore Inner Harbor is the most popular tourist attractions in the city, and this has a lot to do with the district's waterfront positioning and its numerous attractions. Found where the downtown area meets the Chesapeake Bay, the Inner Harbor is an attractive place to be for many different reasons. The views of the water and the city skyline alone warrant a visit, and there is certainly no shortage of excellent restaurants to consider. Complementing the restaurants are scores of shops, many of which can be found at the expansive Harborplace marketplace, and you'll also find some of the best Baltimore hotels within a short walk from the water's edge.

The list of things to do in Baltimore Inner Harbor includes shopping at Harborplace, dining at seafood restaurants, going boating, and visiting some of the best attractions that the city has to offer. Baltimore Harbor boat rides are especially popular during the warmer months and can be a great way to spend an hour or more. Some of the boat rides are lunch or dinner cruises, and you can also take a midnight cruise if you please. Other Baltimore Harbor boat rides are hour-long affairs that include insightful narratives, and you can always consider adding some fishing to the picture if you please. Some inviting marinas are found at the Inner Harbor should you be arriving in a boat of your own. Water taxis are also plentiful in this area and can be excellent impromptu harbor cruise options.

Visiting the National Aquarium is one of the top things to do in Baltimore Inner Harbor, and for good reason. This excellent aquarium is full of curious and amazing marine creatures, and there is even a special rainforest area where visitors can learn about animals that call South American countries such as Brazil home. The exhibit focusing on Australia is also a highlight to any visit here.

One of the other fantastic attractions that can be found at Baltimore Inner Harbor is the Maryland Science Center. This dazzling center is home to some interesting science exhibits, as well as a planetarium and an IMAX movie theater. When the IMAX theater isn't playing science films, it often shows other kinds of cinematic productions, including current movies.

If you are looking for things to do in Baltimore Inner Harbor, some of the other attractions that can be found there include the first ever ESPN Zone sports bar and restaurant, the USS Constellation, and the American Visionary Art Museum. Should you venture inland a little ways, even more great attractions await, only adding to the options for ways to keep busy during a Baltimore Inner Harbor visit.

The Inner Harbor is a term that is sometimes used to refer to the waterfront part of the downtown area. In reality, the district extends fairly far inland, with President Street, Lombard Street, Greene Street, Camden Street, and Conway Street being the general boundaries. Starting at the water, some of the inland attractions that you can walk to with ease are Power Plant Live, the Baltimore Convention Center, and the Babe Ruth Museum, to name a few.

Should you be planning on spending a lot of time at Baltimore Inner Harbor, there are plenty of good hotels in and around the area. In fact, the Inner Harbor hotels include some of the best hotels in the city. You won't need a car if you stay at one of these hotels, unless you want to take a lot of side trips in your rental car. It is possible to rely on water taxis to get around to other waterfront neighborhoods of interest, while regular taxis and your own two feet will be all that are needed to get around on land.

Whether you want to enjoy Baltimore Harbor boat rides or you prefer staying on land and checking out the many great attractions on land, parking near the Inner Harbor is relatively easy to find should you need it. The nearby parking garages are just one option, and more often than not, it is possible to find a spot on the street in one of the surrounding neighborhoods. Street parking in the Inner Harbor itself is also available, though it tends to go the quickest. The area garages are the best option if you plan on spending the whole day at the Inner Harbor, as many of the metered street spots are only available for two or four hours at a time. As a side note, street parking restrictions are common when the Orioles or Ravens are playing.