Inner Harbor: Baltimore

Any tour of Baltimore should start with the Inner Harbor. For years the area was at the heart of Baltimore's port facilities. As the city's shipping business declined in the post-war years, the Inner Harbor did too. By the mid-1970s, it was a long stretch of dilapidated docks and abandoned warehouses, but the end of the 1970s saw the start of a concerted effort to revitalize Baltimore. A key part of the plan was the creation of Harborplace, a three-acre retail and entertainment complex that anchors the Inner Harbor. Today, the Inner Harbor's attractions include the Maryland Science Center, the National Aquarium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the U.S.S. Constellation, and the Pier Six Concert Pavilion. In addition, there are a number of excellent hotels, including the four-star Harbor Court, many fine restaurants, such as Obrycki's crab house, and two very busy marinas. The Inner Harbor's renovation was vital to Baltimore's renaissance, and it remains the key draw of the city's approximately $625 million-a-year tourist industry. © WCities