Where to stay · Baltimore · United States
Where to stay in Baltimore
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Toohool, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Inner Harbor. Waterfront promenade with the aquarium, historic ships and big chain hotels. Best alternatives — budget: Canton; nightlife: Fells Point.
Key facts
- First visit
- Inner Harbor
- Families
- Inner Harbor
- Budget
- Canton
- Nightlife
- Fells Point
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Inner Harbor | Waterfront promenade with the aquarium, historic ships and big chain hotels |
| Families | Inner Harbor | Waterfront promenade with the aquarium, historic ships and big chain hotels |
| Couples | Harbor East | Glassy new towers, upscale hotels and restaurants between the Inner Harbor and Fells Point |
| Budget | Canton | Row houses, a waterfront park and pubs around O'Donnell Square |
| Luxury | Harbor East | Glassy new towers, upscale hotels and restaurants between the Inner Harbor and Fells Point |
| Nightlife | Fells Point | Belgian-block streets, 18th-century row houses and waterfront pubs |
| Food lovers | Harbor East | Glassy new towers, upscale hotels and restaurants between the Inner Harbor and Fells Point |
| Solo travellers | Federal Hill | Hilltop park views over the harbour and a busy bar scene on Cross Street |
| Shopping | Hampden | Quirky shops, diners and kitsch along 36th Street, known locally as 'The Avenue' |
| Quiet stays | Canton | Row houses, a waterfront park and pubs around O'Donnell Square |
Baltimore neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers and families
Inner Harbor
The Inner Harbor is the city's visitor centre: a brick promenade around the water with the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center and the historic warship USS Constellation. Many of the big hotels are here or a few blocks away near the convention centre, Camden Yards and the light rail. The waterfront's former Harborplace pavilions are part of a long-term redevelopment.
- Good
- Walk to the main attractions; Water taxi stops; Wide choice of hotels
- Watch out
- Chain restaurants and a touristy feel; Quiet streets away from the water at night
- Nearby
- National Aquarium, Historic Ships in Baltimore, Maryland Science Center, Oriole Park at Camden Yards
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples and food lovers
Harbor East
Built on former industrial land since the 2000s, Harbor East has the city's most polished hotels, steakhouses and designer shops along Lancaster and Aliceanna Streets. It sits between the Inner Harbor and Fells Point, with Little Italy's red-sauce restaurants and bocce courts just to the north.
- Good
- High-end hotels and dining; Walk to Fells Point and the Inner Harbor; Water taxi stop
- Watch out
- Expensive; Feels newer and less characterful than its neighbours
- Nearby
- Fells Point, Little Italy, Inner Harbor
$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples, first-timers and food lovers
Fells Point
Founded as a shipbuilding village in the 1760s, Fells Point keeps cobbled streets, brick row houses and a working-waterfront feel along Thames Street. It has dense nightlife, the Broadway Market and a couple of historic boutique hotels, and water taxis connect it with the Inner Harbor and Fort McHenry.
- Good
- Historic character; Lots of bars and restaurants; Water taxi to the Inner Harbor
- Watch out
- Noisy on weekend nights; Parking is very tight
- Nearby
- Thames Street, Broadway Market, Harbor East, Canton
$$ · Best for nightlife, quiet stays and budget
Canton
East of Fells Point, Canton is a residential neighbourhood of row houses and converted canneries, with a cluster of bars and restaurants around O'Donnell Square and a waterfront park with harbour views. Patterson Park, with its pagoda and boat lake, is at its northern edge.
- Good
- Local neighbourhood feel; Good bars and casual food; Waterfront walks
- Watch out
- Few hotels; A water taxi or rideshare from the main sights
- Nearby
- O'Donnell Square, Canton Waterfront Park, Patterson Park
$$ · 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
$$ · Best for culture, couples and quiet stays
Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is Baltimore's cultural district, with the Walters Art Museum, the Peabody Institute and its library, and townhouses around the four park squares of Mount Vernon Place. Historic hotels and B&Bs make it an elegant base, and Penn Station is a short walk north.
- Good
- Beautiful architecture; Free museums nearby; Walk to Penn Station
- Watch out
- Some blocks feel empty after dark; A 20-minute walk to the Inner Harbor
- Nearby
- Washington Monument, Walters Art Museum, Peabody Library, Baltimore Basilica
$$ · Best for shopping, food lovers and quiet stays
Hampden
A former mill village in north Baltimore, Hampden is known for its independent shops, vintage stores and restaurants along West 36th Street, and for the 'hon' culture of beehive hairdos and leopard print it celebrates. In December, the row houses of 34th Street are covered in elaborate Christmas lights.
- Good
- Independent shops and restaurants; Strong local character; Calm residential streets
- Watch out
- Few hotels; About 15 minutes by car from the harbour
- Nearby
- The Avenue (36th Street), Druid Hill Park, Johns Hopkins University
$$ · Best for culture, budget and quiet stays
Charles Village
Around Johns Hopkins University's Homewood campus, Charles Village has colourfully painted Victorian row houses, student cafés and the Baltimore Museum of Art. It is a quieter, more affordable base for museum lovers, with buses down Charles Street to Mount Vernon and the harbour.
- Good
- Next to the BMA; Affordable; Leafy campus setting
- Watch out
- Limited hotels; Far from the waterfront nightlife
- Nearby
- Baltimore Museum of Art, Johns Hopkins University, Wyman Park
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Inner Harbor | $$$ | National Aquarium, Historic Ships in Baltimore, Maryland Science Center, Oriole Park at Camden Yards |
| Harbor East | $$$$ | Fells Point, Little Italy, Inner Harbor |
| Fells Point | $$$ | Thames Street, Broadway Market, Harbor East, Canton |
| Canton | $$ | O'Donnell Square, Canton Waterfront Park, Patterson Park |
| Federal Hill | $$ | Federal Hill Park, American Visionary Art Museum, Cross Street Market |
| Mount Vernon | $$ | Washington Monument, Walters Art Museum, Peabody Library, Baltimore Basilica |
| Hampden | $$ | The Avenue (36th Street), Druid Hill Park, Johns Hopkins University |
| Charles Village | $$ | Baltimore Museum of Art, Johns Hopkins University, Wyman Park |
Getting to your hotel
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is about 15 km south of downtown. The Light RailLink runs from the terminal to Camden Yards and downtown in about 30 minutes. A free shuttle connects to BWI Rail Station for MARC and Amtrak trains to Penn Station. Taxis take about 20–25 minutes.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Baltimore for first-time visitors?
Inner Harbor. The Inner Harbor is the city's visitor centre: a brick promenade around the water with the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center and the historic warship USS Constellation.
+Where should families stay in Baltimore?
Inner Harbor: Walk to the main attractions.
+Which area of Baltimore is best for a budget stay?
Canton ($$): Row houses, a waterfront park and pubs around O'Donnell Square.