What do I love sharing in Google Maps? Pictures and things to do in my city, Baltimore, MD! Duh… Living in the city can be full of adventures and lots of options and activities for a wandering mind. So what I love sharing in Google Maps are pictures and reviews of what Baltimore City has to offer. So my official response to “why”: I’m pretty passionate about show what the city is like from a local’s view that doesn’t display all the negative stereotypes and stores that Baltimore may have associated with it. I think it’s important for community engagement so Google Maps and Local Guides Connect provides a good platform to do such. I think it’s important to be able to find out accurate information about places you’re wanting to visit. Also honest and varying reviews. Everyone’s different but I think the reviews of places really adds to helping someone narrow down their search.
Also sharing places via lists can be super helpful. When I have friends coming into town or considering visiting. I’ll send them a link to my list(s), get their feedback and then make plans.
I love showing off the city so let me give you a quick glimpse of what Baltimore, Maryland has to offer…Hope you find something interesting and come visit. 
Baltimore, Maryland is the land of Pleasant Living or also known as Charm City. One of the many stereotypes about Baltimore is that it’s a crime filled hateful city. I’m here to tell you that is far from the truth. Baltimore’s bad reputation has stemmed from shows like HBO’s The Wire and media coverage about riots and crime. Baltimore, just like every city, has its bad side but most importantly have the charming small city vibe and local residents that deeply care about the city. What I love sharing about Baltimore are some of the interesting things to do and small businesses. There is a sense of community here that shows the citizens here will not let the negative stereotypes ruin this great city.
For the international readers here (or those just not familiar), Baltimore is a small(ish) City of roughly ~611K citizens that is 3 hours south of New York, City. We’re famous for:
- Crabs
- Crab cakes
- Natty Boh beer
- The Star Spangled Banner
- Our craft brewery scene
- The Baltimore Ravens
- Pit beef
- Snowballs
- The Inner Harbor Waterfront
Let me take you through some great qualities and notables in Baltimore.
One notable main attraction in downtown Baltimore City is the Inner Harbor. While this is mostly viewed as a tourist trap it but it for locals it’s a sign of pride and business. The Inner Harbor is also the resting home of the USS Constellation, a sloop-of-war Navy ship that was commissioned in 1855 and decommissioned in 1955. A century of service to the US Navy, especially during the US Civil War, much pride in Baltimore and is one of the most photographed landmarks in the city. Today it serves as a historical museum dedicated to it’s service life.
The city also has some great festivals and events. One of the most popular events is Light City, a free festival of light and innovation. For 2019 they have partnered with the Baltimore Book Festival, which was previously a VERY popular separate event. This even features art displays from local and worldwide artists that incorporate the usage of lights. Probably one of the most popular family friendly events held down town.
A great feature of the city is our bus mass transit system and water taxi. Some of these are operated by the local Waterfront Partnership and are free!
The water taxi and various circulators stop at all of the famous sites and various neighborhoods of Baltimore.
To quickly sum this story up - Baltimore is just more than crab cakes and crime. We’re a thriving small(ish) city that has loving citizens that are proud of what we have to offer and want everyone to visit and enjoy the area. I highly recommend that if you’re visiting the east coast, stop by! You can get to Baltimore from any of the major cities by Amtrak train for a reasonable price, which makes this a quick day trip destination. Come by and crab a snowball and walk around the waterfront!
Hope this gave everyone a quick insight of the city and shows just a bit about why I like sharing pictures, review and stories about Baltimore.
Please look out for more of my posts or follow me on Instagram @erictookthis
Until next time!
-Eric
