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Unexpected Finds in Baltimore

Baltimore abounds with unexpected treasures. After all, there's a lot you might not know about this city of firsts! Only have a day? If your group is up for the challenge, see how much you can pack in! This full-day itinerary has great stops for everyone.

Did you know that Babe Ruth was born in Baltimore? The life of the beloved ball player is commemorated at the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum. This National Historic Site features rare artifacts, photos, videos and more. The museum is located, fittingly, only two blocks from Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

For more history, take your group over to Westminster Hall and Burying Ground. A restored historic church with cathedral ceilings and raised balconies, the hall is surrounded by one of Baltimore's oldest cemeteries, home to the gravesites of Edgar Allan Poe and Colonial war heroes.

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was central to the shaping of the city in many unexpected ways. Find out how at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum. Explore 40 acres of historic locomotives and take your group for a ride along the nation's first commercial railroad track.

If all of that history has made you hungry, stop by Lexington Market. Sample delicious international treats, fresh seafood, and wares from more than 130 merchants' stalls. Since 1782, Lexington Market has been a Baltimore staple and it remains a favorite of many locals today. It is also the world's largest, continuously running market.

From the market, make your way to Mount Vernon to visit the Washington Monument, America's first civic memorial to George Washington. While in Mount Vernon, don't miss the Baltimore Basilica, America's first cathedral.

A few minutes outside of downtown, fun and funky Hampden awaits. Check out the Baltimore Streetcar Museum and ride on an original Baltimore streetcar. From Hampden, stop at The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum, well-known for its collection of more than 100 life-size wax figures.

Take one of Baltimore's main arteries straight downtown and stop by the Phoenix Shot Tower in Historic Jonestown. During the 1800s, molten lead was dropped 215 feet from the top of this Baltimore landmark, to make ammunition-small, round pellets known as "shot" - for guns.

Down at the Inner Harbor, the Top of the World Observation Level (on the 27th floor of the World Trade Center) offers a breathtaking view of Baltimore. Your group will find exhibits about historic "firsts" in Baltimore, and fun facts about how Baltimore has changed and evolved over time.

End your tour of unexpected Baltimore by taking a Water Taxi ride to Fell's Point. There, you will find the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park. An African American heritage site, this museum recounts the history of Frederick Douglass, Isaac Myers and the first Black-owned shipyard in the United States. The museum features exhibits, galleries and interactive learning centers.

Many sites require groups to make advanced reservations for tours and visits. Please contact each site before your group tour.