Car Free in Baltimore?

It sounds like, reading this board, that one could reasonably stay in downtown Baltimore without a car. It sounds like the transit is acceptable, the tourist areas are walkable and reasonably safe. True? I%26#39;d like to skip the car if I can. I would were I in central Boston or New York or Philadelphia. I am used to using transit in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I%26#39;m planning to be in Baltimore for probably 3 days--2 of them on a weekend--in July (not around July 4). I%26#39;ll be traveling with a reasonably city savvy 11 year old. We%26#39;re going to be spending a lot of our time with relatives up in Mount Washington--I believe they are close to a light rail station. But we%26#39;d also want to do some touristing (Poe%26#39;s house is a particular destination), need to get some reasonably priced meals, particularly at the beginning or end of the day, etc.

I haven%26#39;t reserved a hotel yet, but I%26#39;m more attracted to quieter, older independent hotels in the Mount Vernon area, as opposed to newer, glitzier chain properties near the Inner Harbor. But I%26#39;m not set in stone on this point. I wouldn%26#39;t attempt to do it without a car if I stay outside of downtown.

What do you all think?

Car Free in Baltimore?

Wanderer,

Doable....With your interests and requirements, it can be done pretty easily...probably....Yes, Mt. Washington is on the light rail...your relatives house might be (probably is) a mile away up a steep hill...Mt. Washington Village has a number of nice little establishments such as Ethel %26amp; Ramone%26#39;s and the Mt. Washington Tavern...A Starbucks/Whole Foods redo of former industrial mills is quite nice...

Mt. Vernon really has but one hotel, the Peabody Court...It%26#39;s a great location on Mt. Vernon Place...near the Helmand and Brewer%26#39;s Art...and The Walters Museum. It%26#39;s a bit dinged up...but one of the few older hotel remaining in Baltimore...one of the horrible legacies of our urban renewal was the destruction of quite a few great buildings....

The neighborhood is Baltimore%26#39;s most eclectic...and just about always has been. It is the cultural center with the Walters and the Meyerhoff and Lyric...and an educational one with the UB...MICA and Peabody School of Music, it%26#39;s full of students...and alternative folks of every variety.

The Poe House is a bit off the path however...and in a pretty sketchy section of public housing...The Poe Homes...they are called. It also has extremely limited hours...It may be best to grab a taxi, they are plentiful near the grave and UM/VA Hospital...and have them wait the time you%26#39;ll be in the house.

Everything else is close enough to the light rail for general principles....Little Italy and Fells Point are close enough for active urban hiking, but the water taxi is more fun...as long as no squalls turn it over...

Car Free in Baltimore?

Thanks, Travlin%26#39;. I appreciate you distinguishing the OK places from the sketchy ones. I believe in Philadelphia the neighborhood around Poe%26#39;s house is getting trendy, but apparently not in Baltimore. And I think you%26#39;re right that the relatives%26#39; house is up a steep hill from the light rail, though hopefully less than a mile. I%26#39;ll look at the MTA website to see what I can figure out about buses to places like Fells Point.

For hotels, I%26#39;d recommend the Inn at Henderson%26#39;s Wharf. It%26#39;s a beautiful place, right on the water in Fells Point. I found it via the Tripadvisor recommendations and they most certainly did not let me down here - one of the best places I have ever stayed. I think it would be fine for yourself and your 11 year old. I wouldn%26#39;t bring all three of my young kids here (ages 8 and 5), but for just one child it would be fine. They have a great deluxe continental spread in the mornings that is included with your room rate. It really was a great place in a stellar location.

Suzanne

Thanks for the recommendation The Inn at Henderson%26#39;s Wharf sounds lovely, and I want to at least visit Fells Point. Unfortunately, the inn is just a little pricy for me.

As for the car question, you could definitely do a car free trip in Baltimore, just be prepared to walk a bit, take the LR and a cab if need be. B-More is a small city so where you need a cab to isn%26#39;t too far away, just too far to walk. Plus there are some sketchy neighborhoods in between.

As for small hotels and inns, you might want to check out this page

bedandbreakfast.com/baltimore-maryland.html

The 4 East Madison Inn might be a little pricey, but not too much more than a downtown Baltimore hotel on a weekend.