Solo travel · Baltimore · United States
Solo travel in Baltimore
How to enjoy Baltimore at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Matthew Binebrink, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Baltimore suits solo travellers who like museums, history and neighbourhood bars, with free museums, walkable waterfront districts and friendly crab-house tables where strangers share mallets. Many solo travellers base themselves in Federal Hill.
Key facts
- Base
- Federal Hill
- Getting around
- Tram
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Language
- English
Solo travel tips
- Stay in the Inner Harbor, Harbor East or Mount Vernon for walkable access to the main sights.
- Use water taxis to hop between waterfront neighbourhoods in daylight.
- Sit at the bar in Fells Point pubs for easy conversation.
- After dark, use rideshares between neighbourhoods rather than walking through quiet blocks.
- Free walking tours of Fells Point and Mount Vernon run regularly in season.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget and solo travellers
Federal Hill
South of the Inner Harbor, Federal Hill rises steeply to a park with one of the best views of the skyline. Its row-house streets hold the Cross Street Market, many bars and the American Visionary Art Museum, and Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium are a short walk west.
- Good
- Great harbour views; Walk to the stadiums and the Inner Harbor; Lively bar scene
- Watch out
- Few hotels; mostly rentals; Rowdy on game days and weekends
- Nearby
- Federal Hill Park, American Visionary Art Museum, Cross Street Market
Great on your own
Historic site · Inner Harbor
Historic Ships in Baltimore
Buy a pass that covers several ships; the Torsk submarine's tight bunks are the highlight for children.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Iconic
Historic site · Locust Point
Fort McHenry National Monument
Arrive by water taxi from the Inner Harbor or Fells Point in season, and ask about the timing of the flag-change programmes.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
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Museum · Charles Village
Baltimore Museum of Art
Go straight to the Cone Wing for the Matisse paintings, then finish in the sculpture garden with Rodin's The Thinker.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Landmark · Camden Yards
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Walk along Eutaw Street inside the ballpark to find the home-run plaques, and try pit beef or crab fries from the stands.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Kids
- After dark
- Architecture
Gallery · Federal Hill
American Visionary Art Museum
Visit in early May if you can, when the museum's Kinetic Sculpture Race sends human-powered art vehicles through the city and into the harbour.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Viewpoint · Federal Hill
Federal Hill Park
Climb the steps from Key Highway at sunset, then walk down for dinner on Cross Street or Light Street.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
Meeting people
- Crab feast — Order a dozen steamed crabs with corn on the cob and cold beer at a crab house, and ask staff to show you how to pick them; it takes time, which is the point.
- Lexington Market lunch — Browse the stalls of the city's oldest market, then sit down with a crab cake, a sandwich from another vendor and a Berger cookie.
- Fells Point — Historic waterfront pubs, live music and late bars along Thames Street and Broadway.
- Federal Hill — Sports bars and a young crowd along Light and Cross Streets, busiest on game days.
Sensible precautions
Visitor areas such as the Inner Harbor, Fells Point and Mount Vernon are generally fine with normal precautions, but conditions can change from block to block, so stick to busy streets after dark and use rideshares for longer trips at night. Car break-ins happen; leave nothing visible in parked cars.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Staying connected
- US SIM cards and eSIMs are easy to buy; free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, libraries and at BWI.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Baltimore good for solo travellers?
Baltimore suits solo travellers who like museums, history and neighbourhood bars, with free museums, walkable waterfront districts and friendly crab-house tables where strangers share mallets.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Baltimore?
Federal Hill: Hilltop park views over the harbour and a busy bar scene on Cross Street.