OK, let’s get this out of the way now.  Contrary to popular belief, the city of Baltimore, MD and its surrounding areas isn’t a carbon copy of what HBO’s The Wire portrays.  It is a beautiful city full of creativity and action, and its quirky idiosyncrasies make it unique and inviting. Our Hip Daddy guide is for those who have always wanted to travel there and need tips on places to stay, eat, and explore with or without your kids.  And for this one, we are bringing in our past guest contributor, Hip Mommy Lacy Pica Nugent, as she was born and raised in Baltimore!  Enjoy.

Here are five reasons why we think you should go there:

It’s Getting Fancier

For all of the Hip Daddys that require a level of sophistication in your accommodations, Baltimore is quickly becoming the place for you. Stay at Royal Sonesta Harbor Court and walk to an Orioles or Ravens game.  Check out the eco-friendly, conveniently located Inn at Black Olive in historic Fells Point.  Sip on a clever cocktail and relax at the infinity pool looking over the cityscape and Inner Harbor at the Four Seasons Baltimore.  Or get your Hip Daddy unwinding done at the Inn at Henderson’s Wharf located on a quaint cobblestone street in Fells Point next to the water.

Super Cool Neighborhoods

Check out any of these hyper-local and wonderfully eclectic neighborhoods that make Baltimore so charming.  Some are quickly becoming hipster havens with amazing restaurants.  Enter Fells Point, Baltimore’s historic waterfront neighborhood, known for it’s funky clientele and great live music scene. Tempt those Hip Daddy taste buds with some legit Italian meals at any of the family-owned restaurants in the intriguing neighborhood of Little Italy.  Walk down the kitschy streets of Hampden and feel like you’re in the middle of a John Waters movie set. Hampden, known as Baltimore’s hipster haven, has an artistic vibe and offers quirky antique shops, inventive restaurants, and an emerging shopping scene…Hip Daddy likes this vibe 🙂

History

Every Hip Daddy likes some History, it does the mind some goood (and might of been our College major..#justsayin.)  Anyhow, Baltimore…Settlers officially founded “The Town of Baltimore” over 285 years ago, so it’s safe to say the city is chock-full of extraordinary historical moments.  Whether it was inscription of our nation’s Star Spangled Banner or the birthplace of Babe Ruth, there is a plethora of historical sites that have influenced our country’s past.  Bring the kids for a picnic and beach chairs to Fort McHenry and enjoy a picturesque maritime view of one of the country’s most significant ports and the birthplace of the “Star Spangled Banner”.  Catch an Orioles game at Camden Yards stadium, a beautiful ballpark filled to the brim with awesome baseball fun facts, including Hip Daddy Cal Ripken Jr. surpassing Lou Gehrig’s streak of consecutive games played. Wonder through the American Visionary Art Museum, a fantastically, unusual museum with intriguing exhibits by self-taught artists. It sits at the foot of Federal Hill and is down the street from Baltimore Museum of Industry (might sound like a ‘snoozer’ but it’s actually Hip Daddy int-er-est-ing).

Music Scene

Baltimore is a sleeper of a town when it comes to its burgeoning music scene. In the past 10 years, critics have dubbed the city a hotbed for emerging talent, and the bands and venues do not disappoint.  Most recently, musicians like Future Islands, Wye Oak and Dan Deacon have (OR grabbed critics’ attention) made some serious sound waves on a national level.  These activities might not be family friendly, but every Hip Daddy needs a night out, right? Notable beer slinging, loud playing venues that wrangle killer talent include The Otto Bar in Charles Village and 8×10 in Federal Hill.  If you don’t need to be on the cutting edge on what is excessively hipster, check our Rams Head Live! in Downtown Baltimore for more mainstream acts.

Under Armour HQ

Okay, so we here at Hip Daddy might be Nike loyalists, but we can’t deny “Protecting This House” and Under Armour is a key to the Baltimore spirit.  Hip Daddy Kevin Plank has done some amazing things with this brand, and Baltimore reaps many of the benefits (Port Covington project coming.)  Under Amour brings an attitude to Baltimore, in a Hip Daddy kind of way.

So there you have it.  Baltimore deserves a look, yes it’s true.  Take the kids for the weekend and enjoy what the beautiful city has to offer.

About Our Contributor:

Hip Mommy Lacy Pica Nugent is a PR and marketing professional that has lived in NYC for over 10 years (and originally from Baltimore…and a massive Ravens fan.) She and her husband are Modern Parents with full time jobs who rely on the more creative, not so traditional parenting blogs to tell them what’s relevant and cool. Lacy also writes for Oh Mama, an interactive community for moms.