parking at travel plaza

I am taking a bus to NYC in March from the Baltimore Travel Plaza. It is a weekend trip. Can I leave my car there over the weekend? Do they allow that? I saw on a previous post something about that they make you pay to park there. But I went for a day to NYC in December and left my car at the Travel Plaza and did not pay. It was just a parking lot, not attendants, not meters. If I can%26#39;t leave my car for the weekend, what ar my alternatives?

parking at travel plaza

It%26#39;s a parking lot without attendants and without meters, but you failed to mention (or notice) the ';permit parking only'; signs. You can buy your permit from inside the Plaza and park as long as you like (I think it%26#39;s $10 a day). I suspect you were lucky if you made it through a day there without a problem.

In a perfect world, you%26#39;ll find someone to drop you off/pick you up at the Plaza. It%26#39;s not the greatest area and I wouldn%26#39;t be comfortable leaving my car in an unattended lot for an extended period of time.

parking at travel plaza

No I did not mention (OR NOTICE) a permit sign. My car was there from 5:30 am until midnight. No problems. Where would one purchase a permit?

I would not leave my car there for a whole weekend. A lot of people walk through that area.

I wouldn%26#39;t leave my car there either. Not only is it in a questionable area, but I%26#39;ve actually been at a function at the Best Western hotel there at which guests were having their cars towed outside for not displaying the proper permit.

Visit

My wife and I may be staying a couple days in Annapolis for a little vacation. Any tips for B%26amp;Bs are things to see/do/eat?

Thanks!

Visit

I have lived in annapolis my whole life, but i couldn%26#39;t tell you where to stay, i have heard the b %26amp; b%26#39;s are nice though. as for food-

the restaurants downtown are pretty basic bar food. For Italian go to Mangias at the end of main street by mills liquors.

if you have a car or don%26#39;t mind a walk, over the spa creek bridge into eastport there is the best steak house ever , Lewnes Restaurant. Pricey, but you won%26#39;t have a better steak. for casual , there is davis%26#39;s pub in eastport. they are known for their crabcakes.

Out of the downtown area is a restaurant named Jalapenos in the parole area. it is our absolute favorite place to go. always delicious, it is mostly spanish, not mexican- the owner gonzalo is great!

hope this helps

Visit

B%26amp;B%26#39;s- Annapolis Inn (expensive), Governor Calvert House, Maryland Inn, The Robert Johnson House, The Gatehouse, Georgian House, State House Inn. Google these and you should find all the info needed. All are within the historic district and will have easy access to all sites, restaurants, etc.

Hotels: Mariott (only waterfront hotel in Annapolis) If you can cop a room with a balcony you can watch the constant parade of boats and other activity in the harbor (in season). Loews, a very nice property located on West Street in a newly refurbished area. Still walking distance to everything. O%26#39;Callaghan - nice Irish owned hotel a bit further down on West.

Depending on when you are coming, you should try to get on the water with several different charter companies. Watermark cruises take off from City Dock. ';Woodwind I %26amp; II depart from Pussers at the Marriott. One of the sailboats was featured in the movie the ';Wedding Crashers.';

There are quite a few historic homes you can tour, plenty of quaint shopping on Main Street, West Street and Maryland Avenue. The Naval Academy has tours or you can just visit the grounds and visitor center on your own. You need id%26#39;s to get in, but just go to the visitor center (a mini museum in its own right) and you will get a map of the property. The Basilica and and the crypt of John Paul Jones is worth seeing.

The State House is one of the oldest in the nation and you can enter for free and take a look around. It%26#39;s interesting and fun. There are self guided tours you can do and you can find what you need for that at the Historic Annapolis Museum Store.

Restaurants are a plenty so it really depends what you are hankering for. There are several seafood places but the top one would be O%26#39;Leary%26#39;s across the short bridge in Eastport. Phillip%26#39;s is a chain and only so so. Buddy%26#39;s is a tourist trap. Some excellent italian, eclectic, asian, american restaurants are right downtown. Depending on which ones you are interested in, reservations are strongly encouraged. Especially for Lewne%26#39;s (mentioned by a previous poster) and O%26#39;Leary%26#39;s.

Even if you don%26#39;t stay at the Marriott. If the weather is nice you have to sit outside at Pusser%26#39;s and have a drink. The views and the action is always fun.

connecting database

Best mailorder crab cakes?

I thought the Baltimore TA forum would be the best place to ask for recommendations for mailorder crab cakes--help me do my Christmas shopping and let me know which ones you think are the best.

Thanks.

Best mailorder crab cakes?

Our favorite is the G%26amp;M Restaurant, although Faidley%26#39;s in Lexington Market also gets rave reviews.

http://www.gandmcrabcakes.com/

Best mailorder crab cakes?

I personally find the crab cakes at G+M%26#39;s not a true Baltimore crab cake. They are more like a crab imperial- too wet for my taste. However, they are big and others seem to like them. Faidleys would be my choice. Also, Romano%26#39;s in Glen Burnie has a nice crab cake. You can check them out or order them from their site. I think it is www,romanodining.com [ if wrong just google Romano%26#39;s Restaurant in Glen Burnie}.

The best mail order crab cakes are G%26amp;M. The cakes are all crab meat and about the ';Best Crab Cake in Baltimore.'; The have a website, here is the link http://www.gandmcrabcakes.com/. Try them, they are the ';Best';.

Ask 20 people in Maryland where the ';best'; crabcakes are and you%26#39;ll get 20 answers lol. Or at least 19...

I also find the G%26amp;M crab cakes a bit ';wet';. Very good, just not what I prefer...I%26#39;d go with Faidley%26#39;s.

You may want to try Annapolis Seafood ( I do believe they ship). I live in Annapolis and when I don%26#39;t make my own, I always get their baseball sized lump cakes. My guests leave dreaming about them until their next visit.

Blue Point Crab House (carry out) and it%26#39;s website

http://www.BluePoint2Go.com

have great Maryland style Jumbo lump crab cakes. Everyone loves them!

I love crabs but an not a big crab cake fan but I love the cakes at By the Docks on Eastern ave. Someone can correct me i%26#39;m wrong but I think they are owned by the same people who own G %26amp; M.

Where is the best crabcake place near BWI?

I love both G%26amp;M and Faidley%26#39;s crabcakes, but would vote for Faidley%26#39;s myself.

Near BWI, the best place for steamed crabs is Gunning%26#39;s, just off Route 100. I assume their crabcakes are good, but I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;ve had them.

Another good crab place not far from BWI is Scooter%26#39;s, on Route 1 in Elkridge.

I gotta go with G%26amp;M. Never had Faidley%26#39;s... I need to get on that!

best directions from nepa?

If coming from Pa, Is it better to come in on rt 1 or on 113 an over the bridge md-90 at 62th street?

best directions from nepa?

That would all depend on when you plan to travel and where you are staying or where you plan to visit in OC.

Both 113 and rt1 will take you into OC but traffic is your main concern.

Rt 1 runns you through Rehobeth, Dewey and Bethany into the northern end of OC at 145 street. Depending on the time of day and time of year along with weekend or weekday all helps to make your choice.

Rt. 113 heading south you can take either rt54 which takes you from Shellbeville (sp) into OC at 145 street.

then you hit 90 which drops you off at 62th midtown.

Last route into OC 50 which brings you into town at the southern end near the start of the Boardwalk and at the inlet.

If you are traveling in the offseason early morning or in the evening really not much difference. In season say on Friday afternoon then you might pick a different route in.

The main road north and south through OC (Coastal Highway) can in season get busy so if you enter town nearest your destination

then it might save you some time traveling.

Personally I come down 113 in on route 54 from Selyeville (sp)

through Fenwick and that puts me on the Coastal Highway at 145 street to head south to wherever I am staying that trip.

Have a safe trip and good luck.

best directions from nepa?

I am staying at the golden sands (108th, i believe). The dates are Monday July 16th to Friday July 20th.

Waitress's name from the Sahara Motel Restaurant?

My husband and I cannot come up with this waitress%26#39;s first name? She has worked at OC for many years. She originally worked at the Surf and Sands Motel Restaurant and when that motel was torn down and Days Inn was built, she went to the Spinnaker Motel%26#39;s Restaurant and then finally to the Sahara Motel%26#39;s Restaurant (which is run by her original boss from The Surf and Sands-he%26#39;s a Grateful Dead fan and pictures are on display throughout the place) If anyone can come up with her name, we would so appreciate it! Thanks!

Waitress's name from the Sahara Motel Restaurant?

The Surf and Sands Motel was not torn down-the hotel still exists as the oceanfront building of the Days Inn, which two floors have been added to. Perhaps it is the restaurant that you are talking about. Additional (oceanblock) rooms were added when the Days Inn took over.

Apartment location in Baltimore area

I am moving to Baltimore for three months this summer...July, August and Septmeber for a graduate school internship. I%26#39;m a 24 year old female and would be living by my self. Any suggestions on good locations for a person like me?

Safety is my main issue and because it just a short time, rent is negotiable; I just want a safe place to live. I do have a dog so I would need a place where I could walk her safely as well.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Apartment location in Baltimore area

I%26#39;d suggest the north part of Federal Hill

Apartment location in Baltimore area

I also think you would like Federal Hill. The adjoining neighborhood of Locust Point will also be good. Where is your internship?

You might be able to find a summer sublet in Charles Village

which is adjacent to the Johns Hopkins Homewood campus.

A lot of dog owners take their dogs to the Wyman Park Dell

which is directly across from the Baltimore Museum of Art.

Wjere is your intership?

John

Wyman Park is an excellent place for dog walking and summer recreation. Without knowing what school you are attending I would recommend Roland Park and Mt Washington in terms of safety and green space. In the summer there are quite a few sublets available (JHU Homewood campus area). As a former employee of Hopkins Homewood (and viewing the daily security reports) I would not recommend Charles Village.

I work around Federal Hill now and I am not sure that I would recommend it in terms of security, either. You have to be buzzed in to the Papa Johns and you complete post office transactions through bulletproof glass (if that is any indication).

Here are a few links:

http://www.livebaltimore.com (good to research neighborhoods)

http://www.jhu.edu/~security/ (JHU Homewood security report)

http://141.157.54.34/bpdmaps/police.htm (Baltimore City crime map)

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/sub/ (Baltimore sublets)

Blumagoo - I%26#39;m sorry, but you are really inaccurate and misinformed about Federal Hill. It is the city and like living in any city you have to be precautious. The post office comment was quite funny. If talking about the post office on Ostend Street the ';plastice windows'; have been there forever - and what about the express window that has no window at all! I have lived in Federal Hill for nine years and fortunately have had nothing but great experiences. Do I walk around by myself after 11 pm at night, no, but I wouldn%26#39;t anywhere. If Awaldrop is looking to live in the city then all of the areas mentioned are definitely some of the safest - Federal Hill, Canton, Fells Point, Locust Point, Mount Washington, Ruxton, Mount Vernon, etc. Awaldrop please if you want to talk off line let me know.

Of course it depends on where you are attending school, but I%26#39;d recommend Roland Park, a beautiful old neighborhood with a village feel. Grand old houses, some of which are divided up into apartments.

Lots of private schools there so usually lots of people around. Just a really lovely spot. Several colleges in close proximity as well.

It depends on where your internship is. I would recommend Mt. Vernon. It%26#39;s the next part of the city about to boom.

south baltimore (south of cross street market) is perfectly safe - and may be slightly cheaper than federal hill proper

holiday makeup

Moving to Baltimore

Hi - we are moving to the Baltimore area, where I will be taking a job at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. We are looking for a nice suburb with a good school district, and a reasonable commute to work (30 minutes or less). Our price range is $500-$700K. We have been looking at Ellicott City, specifically the Centennial Lane area, but I%26#39;m somewhat concerned about the commute. Any thoughts? Is Route 40 a tough drive? Any other suggestions?

Moving to Baltimore

CCNewbie,

Ellicott City%26#39;s very nice, but is on the opposite side of town from JHH. Commutes in Baltimore are generally lousy...but not horrible. Off peak travel can be fairly easy...but there are very few good east/west routes in the city; it just wasn%26#39;t built that way.... There are a few classic slowdowns...and the harbor tunnels are part of that. I-95 is generally OK...but occasionally problematic from Ellicott City into town...US 40 isn%26#39;t terrible...but it%26#39;s a somewhat tedious drive from Ellicott City to East Baltimore...it%26#39;s mostly a commercial strip and crossing downtown can be a nightmare. Some combo of US1/I-95 is your best bet from EC...

The northeast side suburbs offer some pretty pleasant spots...Long Green, Carney, parts of Perry Hall..and a bit further out White Marsh...or Kingsville...Some of these are Baltimore County...some Harford County...I%26#39;m not very familiar with the school systems.

Your budget is fairly plentiful...

Moving to Baltimore

TA always pulls these relocation posts, so I better get my thoughts in while I can lol...

Howard County schools are considered among the best in the state, the system has a great reputation. And the ';Centennial District'; is considered among the best of the best.

You might be looking at the middle to top of your price range to get a decent home in that area.

But the commute to Baltimore will be longer than 30 minutes. In all honesty, the commute from ANYWHERE with a good public school system will be longer than 30 minutes in the Baltimore area.

I lived in Howard County for almost 20 years (graduated from High School there). I currently live in Laurel, MD which is about 15 minutes south of Columbia and I commute into Baltimore every day.

The Howard County School system is excellent, especially the Centennial Lane area. Great choice!

The 30 minute commute to Baltimore is not bad at all. I take the Baltimore/Washington Parkway up every day without any trouble. Several of my co-workers live in Ellicot City and take Route 40 with no complaints.

Most of the traffic is acutally headed south towards DC so consider yourself lucky that you will be commuting into Baltimore. If you were to drive into DC from Howard County it would be AT LEAST an hour commute!!!

Hi. I teach at the Homewood campus. I%26#39;d check out Towson, a short commute, good schools and a variety of very nice houses. It%26#39;s about 25 minutes to downtown during rush hour. You can also take the light rail to the hospital from Towson and avoid the drive.

If you do move to Howard county, try to avoid route 40. It%26#39;s awful.

Better to take 29 to 695.

For a bit more upscale neighborhood, Ruxton is beautiful and ';next door to Towson';

Best of luck.

Phyllis

or, right next door to ruxton is riderwood...quite nice also, and convenient to everything!

The Best county school system in Maryland is probably Montgomery County. But that is about 45-1hour away.

Baltimore City schools are the worst in the state probably. Baltimore County schools I don%26#39;t know much about.

Here are some cities that are nice to live in. And with the price range on house, you could move to any of them.

-Ellicott City

-Towson

-Bel Air

-Columbia

Howard County, Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County are all within 30 minutes of Baltimore.

';The Best county school system in Maryland is probably Montgomery County. But that is about 45-1hour away. ';

Certainly some parts of Montgomery County feed into some excellent schools. But overall Howard would be regarded as having the top school system in Maryland. And I say that as a proud graduate of Prince Georges County Public Schools lol.

I lived in Ellcott City for 5 years and it%26#39;s a pretty nice area. I had no problems commuting in to both D.C. and Baltimore. Route 40 is a good alternative path to take into downtown when the beltway is backed up, but Hopkins may be a bit further than I would commute. I would think that your commute is likely to be more like 45 minutes.

For that price range, you can find good houses in various parts of Columbia, which also has very good schools. As you%26#39;ve seen, others have recommended some fine areas outside Howard County that are also worth considering. Good luck!

I lived in Ellicott City and it is great area. Very family friendly. If you want an area with more land then I would suggest Hunt Valley, Monkton or the Hereford Zone. They will all be about the same commuting distance time appox 30 minutes. Towson is closer. Ruxton will be at the top of your price range.

you may wish to consider harford county. Bel Air is lovely - one of the fastest growings area in the country -still a reasonable commute, since you are only going to hopkins and not downtown. and your housing $$$ goes farther there. schools are excellent as well.

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