Guide to Living in and Visiting Baltimore

Inner Harbor in the fog

Baltimore (“Charm City”) is the largest city in the state of Maryland, and is located in the Mid-Atlantic region, less than 40 miles from Washington, DC.  Living in Baltimore offers:

  • an incredibly rich history – Francis Scott Key wrote The Star-Spangled Banner, our national anthem, while on a ship in Baltimore Harbor as he watched the United States flag fly over Fort McHenry.  Today, Fort McHenry is a National Monument in Baltimore and a popular destination for kids and adults alike.
  • devoted sports fans of the Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles (both stadiums are easily accessible by public transit).  The Orioles play at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, often referred to as one of the most beautiful ballparks in America.
  • it’s Seaport, the original foundation for Baltimore’s economy. Today Baltimore is the second-largest seaport in the Mid-Atlantic.  The Baltimore Inner Harbor, only a few blocks from Camden Yards, is now a destination in itself with a wide variety of restaurants and shops as well as the National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center.
  • excellent cultural offerings, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as well as a variety of events through Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute.
  • a tight-knit community with strong neighborhoods, with seven unique city markets. There are many ways to meet people and have fun in Baltimore, including the Baltimore Sports and Social Club, the Downtown Sailing Center, and Baltimore Canoe and Kayak Club or Canton Kayak Club.  On the Medical Campus, many students frequent the Cooley Center, a fitness center on campus which includes a pool, as well as workout equipment at two different locations on the Medical Campus.

Public transport in Baltimore is excellent – there are a variety of forms of free (Charm City CirculatorHopkins Shuttle) or affordable (Baltimore Metro, Baltimore Light Rail) ways to travel around the city.  In fact, many students and postdocs commute using public transit (the Hopkins Shuttle, Charm City Circulator, and Baltimore Metro all have stops on the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus).  For students who use public transit, Johns Hopkins will partially subsidize the cost.

Baltimore is also conveniently located nearby a number of great destinations:

  • Washington, DC (~1hr by MARC commuter train, $8 fare)
  • Philadelphia (~1hr 10min by train)
  • New York City (~2hr 40min by train)

In addition, Maryland features excellent hiking (including part of the Appalachian Trail), and a number of beautiful State and National Parks.  In the summer, many Marylanders flock to the Eastern Shore to enjoy a day on the beach, including popular destinations such as Ocean City.

Additional websites with information about living in Baltimore:

Inner Harbor
The Baltimore Orioles
Tree in the Fall