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4 INNER HARBOR PROMENADE: TOURIST MECCA

BOUNDARIES: Eastern Ave., Inner Harbor Promenade, Key Hwy.

DISTANCE: 1.9 miles one way

DIFFICULTY: Easy to moderate

PARKING: Public parking garages in Little Italy near Columbus Park; limited street parking in Harbor East

PUBLIC TRANSIT: Water taxi stops in and around the harbor: at the Aquarium, Harborplace, the Science Center, the Rusty Scupper restaurant, Pier Five, and Harbor East. Metro stop at Shot Tower/Marketplace. Both the Charm City Circulator Green and Orange Routes run near the harbor. MTA buses #s 7, 10, 11, and 30 run along Pratt St. MTA bus #64 runs along Light St.

Baltimore sees some 11 million visitors each year; they are an important economic driver for the city, spending some $3 billion annually. As this book demonstrates, there are a ton of things to do in Charm City, and loads of interesting places to see. But the reality is that the vast majority of visitors to Baltimore head straight for the Inner Harbor and spend the majority of their time there. That’s a shame only if they fail to see any more of the city. But lingering in and around the harbor makes sense; it is the city’s major draw, hosting a wealth of attractions and putting on Baltimore’s best commercial face. Locals sometimes shun the glittering waterside jewel; after all, diehards usually find Baltimore’s seedier side the real attraction. And so the snide will scoff at this section as something not real, as a place for the out-of-towners. But even the most obdurate fan of grit and grime will find it almost impossible not to concede that a stroll around the harbor on a day with beautiful weather is a simple pleasure that’s hard to beat.

  Start in Columbus Park, which is complete with a series of Italian flags and a beautiful statue of Christopher Columbus, the youngest of the three monuments to Columbus in Baltimore (after Herring Park’s 1792 statue and Druid Hill’s 1892 memorial). This marble memorial was dedicated in 1984 by Mayor William Donald Schaefer and President Ronald Reagan. It’s an impressive statue, and its home in Columbus Piazza is impressive, too. The six reliefs that circle the marble base depict the Nina, the Pinta, the Santa Maria, Genoa, Columbus’s landing, and his first meeting with American Indians.

 Head toward the water over the bridge with the old Baltimore Public Works Museum (see Walk 5: Harbor East) to your left onto Pier 5, home to several attractions. The Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) is in the old Columbus Center building on the right. IMET is a joint research center involving the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC); the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES); and the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). The scientists at IMET conduct marine and environmental research. Floating in the water just in front of the marine research center is the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Taney, named for Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney, a Marylander. The ship enjoyed an illustrious military career but derives its fame today primarily from its distinction as being the last ship still afloat that was involved in the Battle of Pearl Harbor. The Taney served in both WWII theaters and helped in the search for Amelia Earhart, among other distinctions. She was decommissioned in 1986 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places two years later. The Taney is today part of the collection of the Historic Ships in Baltimore, a maritime museum offering tours of three ships, all National Historic Landmarks, and two lighthouses in and around the harbor. (See “Points of Interest” below for more info.) On the same pier as the Taney is the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse. The lighthouse was originally built in 1854–1855 and is an example of a screw-pile lighthouse, a distinctive hexagonal building that stands on piles screwed into muddy or sandy river bottoms. The bay once housed many of them. Seven Foot Knoll originally stood at the mouth of the Patapsco but was moved to its present location on Pier 5 in 1988 and was placed on the National Register the following year. The U.S. Coast Guard ran it for many years, employing three rotating lightkeepers who manned the lights and sounded fog warnings.

  Cross the next bridge, passing the impressive Power Plant building, listed on the National Register in 1987. Its large guitar, heralding the Hard Rock Café inside and attached to a tall smokestack, is a distinctive feature. The building itself was constructed in the first decade of the 20th century and is neoclassical in design. The plant’s original function was to supply power to the city’s system of electric railways. Later, Baltimore Gas & Electric’s predecessor company used it as a central steam-supply plant. Today, there are quite a few shops in this building worth checking out.

 With the National Aquarium in front of you, cross the next bridge. The National Aquarium in Baltimore is often cited as the key ingredient in Baltimore’s harbor renaissance. To this day, it remains one of the world’s truly great aquariums, seeing some 1.5 million visitors annually. Plans for the aquarium began in 1976, when the very notion of a revitalized Inner Harbor, then still a grimy shadow of its old working self—packed wharves mostly—was still a very risky proposition. But because of its position on the harbor and the fact that it consistently ranks as Baltimore’s top tourist attraction, the gamble has paid off. (There were some nervous moments, however: see “Back Story”) Docked in front of the aquarium astride Pier 3 are two more historic ships: the Lightship 116 Chesapeake and the USS Torsk submarine (can’t miss that fearsome painted toothy smile). The Chesapeake was originally built in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1930. In World War II, she served as a guard vessel off Cape Cod, protecting the port of Boston. Lightships had become obsolete by the 1960s, as they were being replaced by automated light towers. The Chesapeake served one more tour of duty in Delaware Bay before being decommissioned in 1971. She then came under the aegis of the National Park Service and was loaned to the city of Baltimore in 1982, when she became part of the Historic Ships in Baltimore. The Torsk, built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, was commissioned in 1944 and immediately saw action in the Pacific theater in World War II. The Torsk continued work throughout the 1950s and 1960s; she was decommissioned in 1968, recording well in excess of 10,000 dives, and has made her home in Baltimore since 1972.

 Continue heading west, with the water to your left along the Harbor Promenade. You’ll soon pass the 9/11 Monument, appropriately placed in the shadow of Baltimore’s World Trade Center. The memorial is constructed of three steel beams from the felled twin towers melded with pieces of limestone from the Pentagon’s west wall. Sixty-eight Marylanders lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Baltimore’s World Trade Center holds the distinction of being the world’s tallest pentagonal building. Enjoy sweeping views of Baltimore from the observation deck on the 27th floor, and take a paddleboat out into the harbor from the promenade in front of the WTC.

 Heading along the water, next up to your right is the Pratt Street Pavilion, one of two major waterside collections of shops and restaurants, all essential in Baltimore’s late-20th-century renaissance. A century or two earlier, what you would have seen here were oyster fleets, docks, and wharves, jam-packed with men making a trade in the Chesapeake’s bounty. Behind the Pratt Street Pavilion is the USS Constellation, truly a magnificent ship with an extraordinary history. Ships named Constellation hold an illustrious place in American naval history; three have held the name, including today’s still-active aircraft carrier known as America’s Flagship. The original frigate Constellation (1797) was named after the flag of the Continental Congress and became known as the Yankee Racehorse for her extraordinary speed. This is, in essence, what you see in front of you, though the ship underwent major modifications before being restored to her original appearance. A visit on deck never fails to spark the imagination. Her age and significance in American history make her special, but so does the fact that she’s a native, built right here in the Sterrett Shipyard. Before the 1700s were over, the Constellation had served admirably against the French in the West Indies. She then aided in the blockade of Tripoli in 1802, an event immortalized in the Marine Corps Hymn. Her next service was against the British in the War of 1812 before heading back to service in North Africa. Over the next two decades, the Constellation was used in protective services in South America, Asia, the West Indies, North America, and Europe. More global circumnavigations followed before the original Constellation was broken up in the 1850s. She was then reborn as a sloop of war in 1854–55. The Constellation’s service thereafter was no less extraordinary, including work during the Civil War. The ship today has been beautifully restored to her 1797 appearance with terrific attention to detail. She is truly a delight to visit and absolutely not to be missed.

 Wrap around the open space between the Pratt Street Pavilion and the next complex, the Light Street Pavilion, another collection of shops and restaurants. The space between the two provides an outdoor stage for a variety of public performances, which are often quite good, making it worth a stop to check out whatever’s going on.

 Beyond the Light Street Pavilion, at the westward cut for E. Conway St., is Bicentennial Plaza, anchored now with the statue of William Donald Schaefer, the Maryland governor and Baltimore mayor (1971–1987) whose visionary views of the harbor made it what it is today. His bronze likeness (2009) stares out over his great creation, his arm outstretched as if waving to all the passersby—and there are many of them—taking advantage of this wonderful public space.

 Up E. Conway, you’ll have an unobstructed view of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, still widely regarded as one of the, if not the, nicest stadiums in Major League Baseball. Next up is the visually striking Baltimore Visitor Center, which complements the nautical theme built into the architecture of the Columbus Center and the Aquarium. Step inside to see what’s going on.

 There’s more open space on the right, often filled with families on nice days, with the occasional free public concert. Next up, as the harbor makes an eastward swing, is the popular Maryland Science Center, instantly recognizable by the massive tyrannosaurus in the window. Along with the Aquarium, the Science Center is one of the city’s top attractions and one of the East Coast’s best museums for children.

 Continuing around the harbor, you’ll pass an old-style carousel, still operating at more than 100 years old (it was built in 1905). Then comes Rash Field, which has at times hosted an ice rink, sand pits for beach volleyball, and a trapeze school. Current plans are to convert Rash Field to a waterfront park.

 Walk south away from the water and cross Key Hwy. to visit the incomparable American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM). Each spring, AVAM sponsors the wild and incredible Kinetic Sculpture Race, starting from more or less this spot on Key Hwy. and traveling 15 miles around the city, culminating in the water entry in Canton. Participating sculptures can be as small as one single bike—decked out in lunacy, of course—or massive things, some more than 50 feet long. Inevitably, the crowd-pleaser, Fifi the colossal pink poodle, will appear. The museum itself is a true treasure, called by CNN “one of the most fantastic museums anywhere in America.” It’s true; the place is awesome. But many people aren’t even sure what visionary art is. From the museum’s website, “Visionary art as defined for the purposes of the American Visionary Art Museum refers to art produced by self-taught individuals, usually without formal training, whose works arise from an innate personal vision that revels foremost in the creative act itself.” While that might sound like a recipe for mediocrity, the results in this wild museum are guaranteed to blow you away.

 Across Key Hwy. from the AVAM are the Ritz-Carlton residences, tony places out on the water that count among their residents novelist Tom Clancy. Despite the exclusive address, the promenade winds its way around and through the complex, and you can walk it. That said, the walkway begins to break up in pieces here and there after the Ritz-Carlton (though plans are afoot to complete it so that it stretches all the way to Fort McHenry). Nevertheless, if you’re up for one more museum, in a little less than half a mile along the water is the unique Baltimore Museum of Industry, where the goal is to “Relive the Industrial Revolution.” Here you can learn about some of the many industrial firsts in Baltimore: the country’s first gas company, first disposable bottle cap, first typesetting machine, invention of modern radar, and much more. Just outside the museum is docked the country’s only operating steam tugboat.

 From here, retrace your steps back to your starting point or grab public transport.

The National Aquarium

BACK STORY

With the benefit of hindsight, the National Aquarium in Baltimore seems a no-brainer. But when Mayor Willie Don Schaefer first pursued the idea in the mid-1970s, it seemed a risky, even impossible, dream. The harbor was still a rather decrepit place, and for a city that needed its public funds for any number of social ills, passing a bond referendum putting the city on the hook for most of the money for its construction, more than $20 million, seemed downright crazy. But crazy works in Baltimore. The mayor made his pitch. The citizens approved the bond, and by 1981, the aquarium was built. There had been some trepidation over whether it would come in on time. Schaefer vowed it would or else he’d take a dip in the aquarium’s outdoor seal pool. When the schedule lagged, Mayor Schaefer made good on his promise and wore an 1890s-style bathing suit and a straw hat. Clutching an inflatable Donald Duck and accompanied by a live mermaid, Schaefer took his promised dip.

CONNECTING THE WALKS

Several options here. The walk’s beginning can easily link up with two walks: Walk 5: Harbor East and Walk 11: Civil War Trail. From the American Visionary Art Museum, you can climb the hill behind you to link up with Walk 3: Federal Hill.

POINTS OF INTEREST (START TO FINISH)

Historic Ships in Baltimore historicships.org; Pier I, 301 E. Pratt St.; 410-539-1797

USS Constellation: historicships.org/constellation; USCGC Taney: historicships.org/taney; USS Torsk: historicships.org/torsk; LV116 Chesapeake: historicships.org/chesapeake; Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse: historicships.org/knoll-lighthouse

National Aquarium in Baltimore aqua.org, 501 E. Pratt St., 410-576-3800

Top of the World Observation Level viewbaltimore.org, 401 E. Pratt St., 27th floor, 410-837-view

Maryland Science Center mdsci.org, 601 Light St., 410-685-5225

Baltimore Visitor Center baltimore.org, 401 Light St., 877-BALTIMORE

American Visionary Art Museum avam.org, 800 Key Hwy., 410-244-1900

Baltimore Museum of Industry thebmi.org, 1415 Key Hwy., 410-727-4808

ROUTE SUMMARY

1 Start at Columbus Park.

2 Head west from Eastern Ave. and cross the water to Pier 5.

3 Cross the bridge to Pier 3.

4 Cross the bridge to Pier 4.

5 Follow the harbor promenade westward around the water.

6 Cross Key Hwy. to the American Visionary Art Museum.

7 Cross Key Hwy. to the Ritz-Carlton.

8 Follow the harbor promenade to the Museum of Industry.