Back when I was thinking about attending Hopkins, I had never been to Baltimore before. As someone from a suburb without much to do, I was very excited to live in a city. I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to explore Baltimore since I don’t have a car, nor do I know how to drive. I’ve found getting around town is fairly simple, and there are tons of exciting places to go. Here are some Baltimore neighborhoods I love to frequent and how I get there from the Homewood campus!
Remington (3-min drive)
Remington is lined with beautiful street art and has a laid-back vibe. As a lover of cutesy shops, I would definitely check out the bookstore Greedy Reads and the plant shop B. Willow.
As for places to eat, there is a vibrant food court called R. House. There are 10-food stalls that all have unique cuisines. One of the stalls rotates every few months, so there is always something new to try. You can take your food outside to the fireplace or enjoy it inside where they have board games. Oftentimes events are going on, such as trivia nights or live music performances.
There is a bakery in the area that I won’t stop raving about called Doppio Pasticceria. The bakery has both sweet pastries and more savory food—all with uniquely Sicilian flavors. I visited some of my relatives in Sicily last summer and have since been craving arancini, fried risotto balls, and cassata, which is a marzipan almond-flavored cake. I am so glad I found a place to get my fix in!
My last food recommendation is Papermoon Diner, which I would say is a must-visit. Papermoon serves traditional diner food but stands out in its atmosphere. From floor to ceiling, you’ll find colorful dolls, children’s toys, and mannequins lining the walls. The location is artistic, unique, and vaguely reminds me of the TV series “Pretty Little Liars.”
Ways to get there for free:
- Short walk from Homewood
- Take the Blue Jay Shuttle
Station North (5-min drive)
Known as the arts district of Baltimore, Station North is the location of Baltimore’s New/Next Film Festival, the Maryland Film Festival, as well as Artscape—America’s largest free outdoor arts festival. The New/Next Film Festival takes place at the Charles Theatre. Having a favorite movie theatre is a little odd, but the Charles is mine. I love this one because it screens indie films, revivals, and foreign films that aren’t widely distributed as well as mainstream Hollywood movies. It’s also cheaper than pretty much any chain movie theatre these days. Last summer, I had the opportunity through Hopkins to attend the Cannes Film Festival. There were a few films I didn’t get a chance to see so I was excited to catch them at the Charles.
My ideal Friday consists of going to Alma Cocina Latina, a Venezuelan restaurant, during their happy hour and ordering ceviche tostadas, and then going to the Charles next door. Foraged and Tapas Teatro are also located next to the theatre and are both delicious restaurants with cute interiors.
Ways to get there for free:
- JHMI (pronounced “Jimmy”) Shuttle
- Blue Jay Shuttle
Mount Vernon (10-min drive)
As a historic part of the city that was primarily developed in the 19th century, the neighborhood has a gothic style of architecture. The center of Mount Vernon is marked by the Washington Monument and beautiful cobblestone streets that surround Mount Vernon Square Park. The park is the location of Flower Mart—an annual festival where vendors sell plants and gardening tools. The Peabody Music Conservatory is also located here and so is the stunning George Peabody Library, both of which are part of the Hopkins network.
When I’m in the neighborhood I also love to check out the vintage clothing stores, especially The Zone and Bottle of Bread. There are also a ton of great cafes like Dooby’s, which serves Korean food, and Cafe Fili, which has Middle Eastern food. Both are cute places to linger, but in terms of places to study, nothing beats The Bun Shop. It’s open until 3 a.m. and serves pastries, coffee, and tea. The dim lighting and jazz music is perfect for a late-night outing.
Ways to get there for free:
- JHMI Shuttle
- Blue Jay Shuttle
Downtown (13-min drive)
Just north of the Inner Harbor is the business district of Downtown, but there isn’t a shortage of things to do here.
There are a few theaters in the area, including the Everyman Theatre and the Hippodrome. The Hippodrome is a main stop for a lot of touring Broadway shows. I used to volunteer at the theatre as an usher and have seen some really cool performances for free, including comedians John Oliver and John Mulaney.
I would also recommend checking out the Turkish restaurant Cazbar when in the area. The food is delicious, and it has a beautiful interior filled with lanterns.
Ways to get there for free:
- JHMI to Mount Vernon and walk
- Charm City Circulator purple bus line
- Blue Jay Shuttle
Inner Harbor (15-min drive)
Once home to shipbuilding and steel mills, it is now a bustling waterfront location that’s home to a lot of city events and museums.
There are also a lot of live music venues and arenas in the Inner Harbor, including Soundstage, CFG Bank Arena, and Rams Head Live. I recently saw Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet tour at CFG Bank Arena.
The harbor is also where the National Aquarium is. I visited the aquarium with the Museum Club, a group at Hopkins that organizes free trips to museums in Baltimore and nearby cities.
Ways to get there for free:
- Charm City Circulator purple bus line
- Blue Jay Shuttle
Fell’s Point (21-min drive)
As one of Baltimore’s oldest neighborhoods, Fell’s Point has an old-style charm that has endured over the years, with cobblestone streets, waterfront dining spots, and quaint boutiques that still capture the area’s historic character.
I wish I had ventured to Fell’s Point earlier in my time in Baltimore. Now that I have, I love spending the day in the area. There is a record shop in Fell’s called Sound Garden that hosts listening parties for new releases and has a wide variety of new and used vinyls and CDs. I went to a Chappell Roan listening party recently and it was really fun to meet people whom I have common interests with.
Fell’s Point often has live musicians and street vendors in Broadway Square on the weekends. Near the square is the restaurant Bunny’s Buckets and Bubbles; it not only has super tasty Southern food but is also quite aesthetic and has a cute bunny theme.
Ekiben is another great restaurant in the area. Most students at Hopkins would echo that sentiment and for good reason. The food at Ekiben is quite unique Ethiopian and Asian fusion food.
On Halloween every year they give out discounted fried chicken bao buns if you come in costume. I’ve made a surprising number of friends waiting in line, and now going to the Fell’s location is a beloved Halloween tradition of mine.
Ways to get there for free:
- Charm City Circulator purple bus line to Saratoga Street and then transfer to the Charm City Circulator green bus line to Caroline Street
- Blue Jay Shuttle or JHMI to Mount Vernon, and then take the East Baltimore Blue Jay Shuttle to your desired location
I’ve really enjoyed discovering just how much there is to do in Baltimore! The city is truly such a vibrant and fun place to be.
