Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 410-244-1900;
www.avam.org
;
800 Key Hwy; adult/child $16/10; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun)
AVAM is a showcase for self-taught (or 'outsider' art,) a celebration of unbridled creativ-
ity utterly free of arts-scene pretension. Some of the work comes from asylums, other
pieces are created by self-inspired visionaries, but it's all fantastically captivating and
well worth a long afternoon.
Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine
HISTORIC SITE
( 410-962-4290; 2400 E Fort Ave; adult/child $7/free; 8am-5pm)
On September 13 and
14, 1814, the star-shaped fort successfully repelled a British navy attack during the Battle
of Baltimore. After a long night of bombs bursting in the air, prisoner Francis Scott Key
saw, 'by dawn's early light,' the tattered flag still waving, inspiring him to pen 'The Star-
Spangled Banner' (set to the tune of a popular drinking song).
Fell's Point & Canton
Once the center of Baltimore's shipbuilding industry, the historic cobblestoned neighbor-
hood of Fell's Point is now a gentrified mix of 18th-century homes and restaurants, bars
and shops. The neighborhood has been the setting for several films and TV series, most
notably
Homicide: Life on the Street
. Further east, the slightly more sophisticated streets
of Canton fan out, with its grassy square surrounded by great restaurants and bars.
North Baltimore
The 'Hon' expression of affection, an oft-imitated but never quite duplicated 'Bawl-mer-
ese' peculiarity, was born in
Hampden
, an area straddling the line between working class
and hipster-creative class. Spend a lazy afternoon browsing kitsch, antiques and vintage
clothing along the
Avenue
(aka W 36th St). To get to Hampden, take the I-83 N, merge
onto Falls Rd (northbound) and take a right onto the Avenue. The prestigious
Johns
Hopkins University
(3400 N Charles St)
is nearby.
BALTIMORE FOR CHILDREN
Most attractions are centered on the Inner Harbor, including the National Aquari-
um (
Click here
)
, perfect for pint-sized visitors. Kids can run wild o'er the ramparts
of historic Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine, too.
