Fall in Baltimore

There’s just something about autumn that makes you want to curl up with a cozy blanket, warm beverage and good book, and you’ll find plenty of those in “The City That Reads.” Baltimore has earned this nickname many times over, having been home to Edgar Allan Poe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, H.L. Mencken, Frederick Douglass, Ta-Nehisi Coates, John Waters and more. While you’re out browsing our independent bookstores for your fall read, make time to stop and explore the city’s literary legacy and landmarks, from The Walters Art Museum‘s collection of 900 illuminated manuscripts to the jaw-dropping architecture of the George Peabody Library.

You don’t have to drive to the mountains to find spectacular fall foliage; you can peep plenty of color in Baltimore’s sprawling outdoor spaces. Take in the changing leaves while working out, enjoying a stroll, picnicking or reading on a park bench. Top spots include Druid Hill Park, a 745-square-foot oasis home to the Maryland Zoo and Rawlings Conservatory, and Patterson Park, whose Observatory offers a spectacular view of the fall colors stretching across the city. For a true adventure, hop on the ten-mile wooded trail that follows the Jones Falls waterway from northern Baltimore to the Inner Harbor.

Spooky season is the perfect time to get to know the mysterious figures who have called Baltimore home, including the macabre poet Edgar Allan Poe. He died here under suspicious circumstances in 1849, and his grave is located at Baltimore’s Westminster Hall and Burying Grounds. You can also explore the house he lived in from 1832-1835. Baltimoreans love Poe so much we named our NFL football team after him and his famous poem “The Raven.” (Learn more about how to enjoy a game below!) On a Fell’s Point ghost tour or haunted pub crawl, you may encounter the spirits of the privateers and sailors that once roamed its Belgian block streets. Mount Vernon‘s gothic mansions and Hampden‘s converted mills have their own secrets, too. But the little ghouls have no reason to fear—it’s not all scares in Charm City, and you’ll find plenty of kid-friendly Halloween activities all month long.

Baltimore’s cafe culture really thrives in the fall, when pumpkin, maple, apple and cinnamon take over coffee and pastry menus. Spend a crisp morning trying all the seasonal flavors being served up at our family-owned and independent coffee shops and bakeries, many of which double as bookstores, cocktail bars and community event spaces. Craving a heartier meal? Take a bite out of Baltimore’s brunch scene, from cereal-inspired French toast stacks to hearty crab-topped Eggs Benedict.

Locals know Baltimore’s seafood tastes best in autumn—the crabs are sweeter and meatier, the oysters are plump and briny, and rockfish starts appearing on restaurant menus again. With October being National Seafood Month in Maryland, there’s no better time to try Chesapeake Bay-style seafood. We’ll teach you how to crack crabs, but if you want to get to the meat a little faster, you can’t go wrong with a classic Baltimore crab cake.

Hop harvests and Oktoberfest celebrations have made fall one of the best times to drink beer, especially in Baltimore. This is the city that invented the beer bottle cap and was instrumental in the canning industry, after all. In fact, you can still enjoy beers in the Crown Cork & Seal factory, now home to German brewery Guilford Hall. Or, sip small-batch brews in the sanctuary of a historic church at Ministry of Brewing. Want something a little stronger? Baltimore is home to several distilleries. Enjoy waterfront views while touring Sagamore Spirit Distillery‘s sprawling Baltimore Peninsula factory, blend your own whiskey at Baltimore Spirits Co. in Hampden and sip on seasonal rum and whiskey beverages at the Old Line Spirits taproom in Highlandtown.

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate it in Baltimore. Support our Hispanic and Latino-owned restaurants, which are cooking up Salvadoran pupusas, Peruvian rotisserie chicken, Venezuelan arepas, innovative Spanish tapas and more. Between meals, visit Casa de la Cultura on Gough Street to view works by Latino artists. Typically held in October around Patterson Park, Fiesta Baltimore features folkloric dance, live music and a Parade of Latin Nations. Also in October, the locally loved Great Baltimore Lantern Parade & Día de los Muertos Festival gets Baltimore glowing. Spend the afternoon making lanterns, browsing the art market and sampling local cuisine. Then, after sunset, grab a lantern and watch different cultural groups march through the park.

Fall marks the beginning of the theater season in Baltimore, ushering in an exciting lineup of plays, musicals, concerts and more. Maybe you’ll see Frankenstein come to life through Mary Shelley’s eyes at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, hear the gothic tale of Sweeney Todd in Vagabond Players’ intimate production, or Do the Time Warp (again and again) at productions of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” regularly put on by Iron Crow Theatre, Le Mondo and Baltimore Center Stage. Broadway lovers will enjoy the Hippodrome‘s offerings. Recurring shows include “Hamilton,” “SIX” and Cirque du Soleil. Not a theater person? Our live music venues run from elegant symphony halls to packed basement clubs, often on the same block.

Your eyes don’t deceive you—if you’re visiting Baltimore on a fall weekend, you’re probably seeing a lot of purple. Locals have a lot of pride in their team, and visitors are always welcome to join the flock! If you are attending a game at M&T Bank Stadium, show up early. The parking lots open four hours before kickoff, and the tailgates are legendary. Along RavensWalk, you’ll find live music, visits from the team’s mascot Poe (yes, named after the famous poet) and performances by the Ravens cheerleaders. No tickets? No problem. The whole city turns into a watch party. Pregame on the Purple Patio in Federal Hill. Find bars covered in floor-to-ceiling TVs in Fell’s Point. Or find your people at “Baltimore’s gayest sports bar” in Mount Vernon.