Baltimore, MD

Approval Rate: 72%

72%Approval ratio

Reviews 35

Sort by:
  • by

    jdgreger78

    Wed Apr 01 2009

    Please. This city aint bad at all. The inner harbor, Little Italy, Fells, Canton, Federal Hill...great diverse neighborhoods, great history, great bars and restaruants....of course stay away from the ghetto around druid park, cherry hill, south of pimlico, etc. man anything within a mile radius of the harbor is fine and whiteville. Get a grip you wimps. Bmore is nice.

  • by

    caphillsea77

    Sun Nov 16 2008

    I recently visted Baltimore over the weekend, at first glance I thought the city was straight up ghetto. However to really appreciate Baltimore one must give it the benefit of the doubt with a closer look. The Inner Harbor is nice, sorta tourist trappy but the aquarium is decent and the area has an atmosphere. Baltimore has some old historical neighborhoods that have a charming old world atmosphere like Mt. Vernon & Fells Point. The archetecture is gorgeous and a rare find as sprawly cities like Raleigh & Phoenix grow more sprawly & cookie cutter. Baltimore is a good restaurant town and a genuine city with plenty of urban grit that's worth exploring. It's a shame the city has so much crime, poverty, & riff raff as much of the city really is ghetto as its reputed to be. In most parts of the city (even the good ones) I find myself looking over my shoulder for safety's sake.

  • by

    interloper5

    Tue Aug 12 2008

    The police are the most unprofessional I have ever seen, do they even have real training? half of them seem straight out of the ghetto and can barely speak english, The Government is always playing racial politics by only hiring black people in High Ranking city positionsBaltimore is the worst city, its black people are very racists and will not hesitate to attack you if you are white, stay away from all areas except the inner harbor, You may get killed

  • by

    cyqing

    Sat Feb 16 2008

    Underrated city...just stay out of the nasty parts. The downtown area is pretty fun...lots of good shopping/eating opportunities. Johns Hopkins is a beautiful campus...and that's about it.

  • by

    treyceemonkey1_23

    Fri Apr 13 2007

    listen to Baltimore Club Music and watch the dances that go with it.Thats what makes the city stand out.Those crazy dances.

  • by

    nolapro

    Mon Sep 04 2006

    I lived in the area for about a year and nothing really sticks out in my mind is either great or terrible about Baltimore. It was a very average city for me. It was not as scenic or diverse as I thought it would be. Yhe people were cool though. All the houses look the same to me and the neighborhoods have no charm. The food is good if you like crab. Everything seems to be crab flavored there. The nightlife was interesting and I met some nice females to hang out with. I couldn't imagine buying a house there becaouse real estate is pretty high and every house on the block usually looks the same. I don't know why this is.

  • by

    elliebea2

    Fri Jul 21 2006

    At a time when soulless, sprawling monstrosities like Las Vegas and Phoenix are getting all the attention, it's nice to know there are still cities like Baltimore that are quietly earning a fresh look. Sure the city has problems, and those problems have been well-documented, but there is so much more to Baltimore. First, it is a great "hometown" kind of city. Unlike D.C., people are actually FROM Baltimore and have longstanding ties to the community. Those ties are not just evident in the larger view of the city as a whole, but can be seen even on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis. Each neighborhood has its own personality, and its own sense of community. Hampden, with its self-conscious working class background is noted for it's funky "Avenue" shops, and yearly HonFest. Fells Point, with its cobblestone streets, harbor views and 19th century architecture has seen a huge renaissance in recent decades, as have other East Baltimore neighborhoods such as Canton and Butche... Read more

  • by

    elliebea

    Fri Jul 21 2006

    At a time when soulless, sprawling monstrosities like Las Vegas and Phoenix are getting all the attention, it's nice to know there are still cities like Baltimore that are quietly earning a second look.

  • by

    maryclyens

    Mon Jul 17 2006

    It's the classic American city. Perfect location, abundant history, quirky neighborhoods, unpretentious residents, and its own sense of culture and community.

  • by

    punchboot

    Tue Oct 18 2005

    I've lived in Baltimore for three years now, and while I have no regrets about moving here and I love my own neighborhood, I am still saddened by the poverty and the many blighted buildings and indeed whole neighborhoods that dot the city. Baltimore has a huge underclass (both black and white) but it also has some great educational institutions (Johns Hopkins, Maryland Institute College of Art) and excellent galleries and museums. It really does have some beautiful areas, despite what you may think when you see the ugliness while driving through on I-95. The best parts of Baltimore form the letter "I" on a map, going south to north, from Federal Hill in the South to Mt. Washington in the North. If you stick to these areas, you'll meet educated, liberal-minded people and find lovely, sometimes historic old neighborhoods. And the best parts of Baltimore are genuinely urban, unlike sprawled-out non-places like Charlotte or Raleigh. One final thought, for the first time in my adult life I'... Read more

  • by

    rocket_robin_hood

    Sat Apr 16 2005

    Interesting, underapreciated, historic crime ridden city with top notch attractions. There is some city pride which has left so many other similiar cities. Some good buildings and museums. Relaxing, highly recommended.

  • by

    jimorama

    Tue Mar 29 2005

    Baltimore is a city I used to visit just to get away from the hyper-whitecollar DC. Much more of a hometown feel. Downside is that the locals are REALLY provincial (where did you go to high school?)...you are either FROM Baltimore or you ARENT. Upside is that its a delightfully kooky city...wonderful markets (Cross Street) where you can eat oysters and some great eateries (Sissions) and bars (Sissons..again!). Downside is that it goes from good to bad really quicky...watch where you walk.

  • by

    jackatoa

    Tue Mar 22 2005

    what in the hell is that smell?

  • by

    cyoakam1

    Fri Mar 18 2005

    Wonderful historic districts. Whole Inner Harbor and Chespeake Bay shoreline is super. Feels like mix of 1800s and 21st century. Lots of museums including some funky ones. A real urban feel. ...Cy

  • by

    terpguy2009

    Fri Dec 24 2004

    As a baltimore native, I'm proud of the steps my city has taken. Cherry Hil, Highlandtown, Sparrows point, and all those areas are coming back strong. Downtown is loaded with bars and clubs and other forms of entertainment. Seafood is amazing, and great ethnic foods can be found everywhere, from Afghani to Italian. Only a couple of bad areas, but every city has a dark side. Anyone who thinks that baltimore is just a crime-ridden, drug-infested town has watched too much of homicide and the wire. They should come visit some time.

  • by

    wavebacker

    Mon Nov 29 2004

    Baltimore is a spin-off of Philadelphia. If Philadelphia were Cheers, Baltimore would be Frasier. If Philadelphia were Happy Days, Baltimore would be Joanie Loves Chachie. Baltimore seems like a decent sort of place. A nice place to visit for a day trip or a weekend get-away. Aside from that, there's little staying power here. It's affordable if you want a house, work in DC and dont mind commuting, but it has some big time urban problems. A lot of the people who could make this a great city live in the suburbs. Baltimore,in the right hands , could be a great city, but it just isnt there yet. The HBO show The Wire can give one a sense of what Baltimore is like. It's not quite as harsh as the show depicts, but it's close.

  • by

    lost_in_space

    Sun Nov 14 2004

    A very sad city. Long history and beautiful old abandoned buildings. So sad to drive through the city and see what was and what is. It's probably because the people who live there take no pride in it.

  • by

    opinion585

    Mon Oct 25 2004

    Not a whole lot to offer, kind of has a lot of history. It's a little dirty. It can't quite decide if it is northern or southern, i guess you would call it mid atlantic, it doesnt have the charm of old northeastern cities, but it doesnt have southern accents or anything. It's kind of blah

  • by

    pwright1

    Mon Aug 23 2004

    Lots of history. Great sports town and nice Inner Harbor. I believe Fell's Point is the oldest part of Baltimore and its truely beautiful and historic. Great seafood restaurants. Sort of blue collar, funkier and hipper than its stuffy neighbor D.C. I kind of like Baltimore but crime is a big concern, with over 200 homocides last year. Just be careful.

  • by

    doctor_of_madness

    Sat Aug 14 2004

    The Inner Harbor, Camden Yards and all are nice, but the city itself has a bad feeling about it. I have no complaint with the people there. I just felt very uneasy.

  • by

    dudley

    Fri Jul 30 2004

    Baltimore has is truly one of the most hip cities in the country. Everyone feels like there is some big black hole between DC and Philadelphia, when in fact there is Charm city. Granted, there are a tremendous amount of problems related to crime, drugs, and disease. However, many of those problems are isolated in certain bad neighborhoods just like any other city. Baltimore has some of the most gorgeous neighborhoods in the country surrounding the metro area and despite what anyone tells you, there is a tremendous amount of old money throughout the city that helps support the city for generations and generations. People from the city are tremendously proud of Baltimore and only wish to share it with everyone else. You will not meet nicer, more friendly people in the Mid-Atlantic than in Baltimore. Plus, Maryland is a tremendous state with endless possibilities to offer visitors.

  • by

    aneudy25

    Wed Jun 30 2004

    Wasn't too fond of the city, lots of bums and empty buildings. A dirty town with lots of poverty. If it weren't for Camden Yards, I would rate Baltimore a 1.

  • by

    travesty_will

    Tue Jun 15 2004

    People compare Baltimore to D.C They are doing a disservice to both cities. Baltimore is dirty and has poor infrastructure but so what, the people are cool and the attitude is fairly laid back for the east coast. Certain parts of the city are really freen as well. My favorite industrial city.

  • by

    drentropy

    Thu May 27 2004

    Baltimore isn't paradise, but it's a better city than its ranking on this list would indicate. The public schools are lousy. There is high unemployment. There's lots of poor people. But Baltimore's bad image stems mostly from its unusually high rates of violent crime. It is so notorious for these that it has spawned an entire cottage industry: the 'gritty/realistic' books (later turned into TV shows) Homocide, The Corner and The Wire, all by former Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon. Besides these problems though, there is a lot to love in Baltimore. It is a beautiful city, with many attractions and an amazingly low cost of living. The food is some of the best you'll find anywhere. It is close to NYC and DC, and just a couple hours away from beaches to the east and mountains to the west. What makes Baltimore special though is its character and charm. American cities smaller than the very largest (NYC, SF, LA, Chicago) share a sad lack of urban identity-minus a lake here or s... Read more

  • by

    kamylienne

    Thu May 27 2004

    I'll admit, it sure isn't pretty, but it's home. One of those images that I've got in my head that I keep for sweet reminiscing is from a Fourth of July night--laying down on Federal Hill with some friends to watch the fireworks, the view of the bay in the Inner Harbor. The sun set and left the stars in competition to outshine each other against the water, while little sparklers looked like they were jumping around below. Every place has its good side and bad side--you just gotta know where to look.

  • by

    rjmst80

    Thu May 27 2004

    Quite possibly the ugliest city in the entire U.S.

  • by

    sundiszno

    Sat Mar 13 2004

    Baltimore may or may not be a nice city to live in (I lived there years ago, for about three months), but it does have some great attractions (Inner Harbor, Camden Yards, Fells Point, Fort McHenry have already been mentioned by other reviewers), but it also has a couple of unique attractions like being the home port of the USS John Brown (an operating WW II Liberty ship), and the B&O; Railroad Museum. Restaurants aplenty (some good ones in Little Italy, adjacent to the Inner Harbor). Good seafood (even though I'm not normally a seafood fan, I'll go for it in Baltimore), and there are still a couple of great Jewish kosher delis close to the Inner Harbor as well. Not a bad place to visit.

  • by

    earthspirit

    Thu Jul 03 2003

    As a native, I don't recommend Baltimore. When friends/family come to visit me I take them to D.C.

  • by

    mini_me

    Fri Jun 20 2003

    Baltimore isn't necessarily as bad as people say it is.But it does need a lot of work to become a major/important city on the east coast. Its the little things that Baltimore lacks that leaves it behind cities like NewYork, D.C. and even philly. But u can for a day or 2 have a reasonable good time but if your gonna move to the east coast go to either NewYork , or washington D.C. those 2 cities contains the best of what the others have to offer

  • by

    redoedo

    Fri Apr 25 2003

    As a native of the Baltimore area, I really am disappointed at the bad beat that this city gets. It really is amazing to visit with its cultural diversity. There's a little bit of everything for anyone- great restraunts and shops, and great historical significance as well. It's great to visit Fort McHenry- truly awesome to visit the site of the battle that inspired our national anthem. The skyline is beautiful as well. The Inner Harbor is really the city's cultural center-you always see something interesting there every time you go- whether it be performances or street players. It's the best place to spend the 4th of July holiday. The traffic is horrendous and take it from someone who lived in Inner City Baltimore-the crime is high. If you're looking to move to this area- move to Baltimore County.

  • by

    professor

    Sat Feb 01 2003

    Suburban Washington

  • by

    jmjim5

    Sun Nov 03 2002

    Baltimore is a wonderful city. It has a little of everything. It's location is prime for an abundance of activities. A excellent mix of old with new, comtemporary and traditional, urban and country. It is a northern and southern city all in one, with no pretentious attitudes. Note- you must see more than the inner harbor areas to appreciate Baltimore and it's unbelievable breadth of culture. This city truly does not follow trends. It marches to the beat of a different drummer (which coincidently hurts it international appeal). If you ever visit, I know you will not find a more pleasingly strange and quirky, yet balanced city in America.

  • by

    morgansinjesus

    Sun Jan 21 2001

    I loved the Inner Harbor and Fort McHenry! Really inspirational to sit in a boat in the harbor and look at the fort knowing that is where Key wrote about in our national anthem... worth the time to do for every American!

  • by

    shafty

    Wed Jan 19 2000

    Without Camden Yards and Fells point, this is just another smelly factory town.

  • by

    jani1786et

    Sat Nov 27 1999

    Love the Inner Harbor!