Tourism Tuesdays

It’s sunny, warm and you’re looking for a way to spend the day. How about hanging out with some elephants? The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is a fantastic place for a spring trip.

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is a terrific tourist destination. Grab some ice cream and saunter around looking at lions, penguins, reptiles and more. After having the joyous experience of viewing and adoring animals, hop over to the giraffe feeding station to make a new lanky yellow friend.

When touring Baltimore, the top recommendation for a place to visit is the Inner Harbor, specifically the Aquarium. Although there are numerous other interesting parts of Baltimore, the Inner Harbor does boast a few gems.

The Maryland Science Center is one fantastic Harbor offering. Closer to the Fed Hill side of the Harbor, the museum is a staple of the Baltimore museum circuit. It boasts a planetarium, Imax theatre, live demos and a whole bunch of entertaining exhibits. In addition to gaining unique science knowledge from exhibits, museum visitors can try riding a Segway or learn about the stars to impress a hot date with constellation knowledge.

If you have yet to investigate Hampden, trust me: you’re missing out. Situated conveniently close to Loyola, the funky enclave has a variety of fantastic thrift shops, tasty restaurants and eccentric shopping.

One lovely Hampden staple is Golden West Cafe. Home to a scrumptious menu and extensive bar, Golden has musical performances and comedy shenanigans throughout the week. Hampden is a happening place to spend the day, so check it out and stop into Golden West for some sustenance after the exploration.

Shape up and ship out to the Inner Harbor for some serious Baltimore exploration. Not for the standard jaunt around the mall or Cheesecake Factory, but some Historic Ship action.

Four historic ships, a museum, and lighthouse add up to a fantastic Historic Ship tour. Visitors can tour the ships, explore the decks and check out one of the oldest Chesapeake lighthouses still standing.

As Loyola students, you may be familiar with the Fells Point and Federal Hill sections of Baltimore. Both are fantastic spots chock full of fun and antiquitous housing. Typically overlooked by the Loyola bandwagon however, is Canton.

Canton is another top notch Baltimore area to explore. Quaint or bombastic depending on what time you visit, Canton is full of distinct shops, restaurants and bars. It’s not far from Fells and slightly more set back from the water.

Charm City flourishes all over the Food Network. In addition to the show “Ace of Cakes” there are numerous Baltimore establishments popping up all over the Food Network. For breakfast,…

Long, tall and gorgeous, Baltimore’s Washington Monument stands proudly in the classy Mount Vernon neighborhood.

Designed in the early 1800’s by the same architect who created the better-known Washington Monument in D.C., it can be seen from inside the sophisticated Walter’s Art Gallery and is only steps away from the musically rambunctious Peabody Institute.

Full of famed figures and elegant architecture, Green Mount Cemetery provides a chance to see final resting places of the John’s Hopkins and honest Abe’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth. Praised for notable architecture, the cemetery holds a gothic revival style chapel, stunning entrance way and neoclassical mausoleum.

An interesting and alternative tourist destination in Baltimore, Green Mount Cemetery attracts historians and bird watchers alike for tours of the intriguing grounds.

It’s always a good thing to explore the individual parts of a city, but sometimes its best to just stand back and view the city as a whole. The Top of the World Observation Level on the 27^th floor of the World Trade Center in the Inner Harbor allows us all this exhilarating experience.

If you’re ready to get into the holiday spirit, you won’t want to miss the festive programming from Baltimore Symphony Orchestra this December. The Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall has been home to the BSO since it opened in 1982 and once again the Holiday Spectacular will be returning. And this year, it’s Vegas, baby.