What started as a trip down to Baltimore to both present on LGBTQ social media marketing, and attend one of their Maryland Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC) mixers, turned into a wonderful weekend exploring Baltimore, from downtown to Hampden to Midtown, and points in between, including Mt Vernon, Inner Harbor and Fells Point.
First, our presentation and mixer, which was held at Function Coworking Community in the Lauraville area of Baltimore. Despite the heavy rain that night, it turned into a great crowd for both presentation and mixer, with an art show called Tom Boy in the background, painted by none other than Joan Cox of Peacox Designs… both an artist and the head of the MDGLCC Chamber of Commerce!
The next day we first had lunch in the Mt Vernon Market, with a wide variety of menus appeal to every culinary taste! (I had Korean food while Richard had tacos). Its in this area, and just above in Midtown, where most of the gay bars are located as well.
That evening, we headed down to one of the most famous sites in Baltimore… the National Aquarium. After touring both the aquarium and the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, we strolled along the waterfront to the area known as Fells Point, one of the old, original settlement areas of Baltimore, with a ton of history displayed in the various homes’ front window sills along the way.
The next day, we took an Uber ride on up to a part of Baltimore called Hampden… everyone told us to make sure to check out the cute shops, coffee places, restaurants and nightlife in this area, which we did, settling in on a wonderful restaurant called the Food Market. It was one of those menus where you don’t even know where to begin, but with a focus on seafood this evening, we managed to try a wide range of shrimp and tuna small dishes, as well as amazing duck!
It was just a nice, short weekend trip from NYC, but one we would definitely come back to explore another time, as there were so many museums and sites in this wonderful city worth returning to a second, third and fourth time around… in the fabled Charm City!