Call Center Company in Baltimore, MD

Just under an hour north of Washington, D.C., is another vibrant city worthy of a weekend visit: Baltimore, Maryland. If you’re looking to spend a weekend dining, relaxing, and soaking in the culture of the city, you won’t want to miss out on our guide to Charm City. Baltimore is full of sights to see—you’ll truly have more than enough spots to check out over the course of a weekend!

Below, we’re sharing what to do, where to eat and drink, as well as where stay.

What To Do

Art lovers won’t want to miss out on the city’s many art museums, some of which include the Walters Art Museum (filled with 36,000 objects from all across the globe), the American Visionary Art Museum (celebrating self-taught artists), the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture (home to artifacts dating back to 1784), and of course, the Baltimore Museum of Art (featuring over 95,000 objects, including 1,000 works by Matisse). The literary set will appreciate setting foot inside the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum.

Baltimore is home to both the Maryland Zoo and the National Aquarium. Those planning to visit Baltimore with kids will enjoy exploring either one, or both. We think they're just as enjoyable for adults as well.

Throughout Baltimore, you'll find many different boutiques, antique stores, and beyond. If you’re looking to easily walk from shop to shop and check out all of the above types of stores, we recommend taking a stroll through the Hampden neighborhood. Once you’re there, make your way into some of our favorite shops, including In Watermelon Sugar (home to candles, perfumes, kitchenware, and more), Antique Exchange Interiors (a bilevel store with both new and secondhand items), The Parisian Flea (a charming shop filled with antique decor and lots of jewelry), and Brightside Boutique (a women’s clothing store).

Sports fanatics visiting Baltimore will want to keep their eyes peeled for Ravens or Orioles tickets. The Ravens play at M&T Bank Stadium when they're in town and the Orioles home series are played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

It’s worth walking up Roland Avenue and stopping into The Turnover Shop, an antique store (and the oldest consignment shop in Maryland), which is filled with art, furniture, and small decorative items.

turnovershop.com, 3855 Roland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21211

The Fells Point neighborhood, a more touristy part of the city that’s home to many colorful and historic houses, also features many shops of its own. You’ll definitely want to spend some time making your way in and out of the various boutiques and gift shops in search of souvenirs to bring home!

Where To Eat

If you’re in the mood for a hearty breakfast, be sure to stop into Miss Shirley’s Cafe, which has two Baltimore locations: one downtown in the Inner Harbor and another in the Roland Park neighborhood. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the restaurant is a favorite among tourists and locals alike—it was also voted Maryland’s Favorite Restaurant by the state’s restaurant association. Be sure to order a stack of their griddle cakes for the table; the Food Network named the best pancakes in the country (and we certainly agree they’re a can’t miss menu item!).

If you’re looking for a moody, sophisticated looking cocktail spot, the Bluebird Cocktail Room should certainly make its way onto your list. The Instagrammable venue is home to a lengthy cocktail menu as well as plenty of delicious eats. It opens at 5 p.m. daily, and while the kitchen closes at 10, customers can enjoy drinks from the bar until 1 a.m.

thebluebirdbaltimore.com, 3600 Hickory Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21211

If shopping up a storm in Hampden leaves your stomach rumbling, Golden West Cafe is a reliable neighborhood spot with a Southwest-inspired menu. Further down 36th Avenue is an outpost of local ice cream chain The Charmery, in case you’re hankering for a cone.

goldenwestcafe.com, 1105 W 36th St., Baltimore, MD 21211

Those who crave a speakeasy-like vibe will enjoy venturing into the newly opened Coral Wig, a dimly lit cocktail bar located adjacent to the Hotel Ulysses. Tucked into the alley, it’s the perfect spot in which to enjoy a date night out while sipping tropical-inspired drinks.

thecoralwig.com, 2 E. Read St., Baltimore, MD 21202

For dinner, don’t miss out on the Magdalena inside of the Ivy Hotel. This foodie haven is on the pricier side, but you certainly won’t leave hungry. The menu is inspired by France, England, and of course, Baltimore. Enjoy entrees including salmon, pork chops, risotto, and more, and be sure to cap off your meal with a delicious espresso martini.

theivybaltimore.com, 205 E. Biddle Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Woodberry Kitchen is a smaller sized restaurant that offers both brunch and dinner. The menu features British classics such as bangers and mash and scotch eggs, but Baltimore’s influence shows up yet again in the form of the Maryland-style fried chicken and Southern Maryland stuffed ham.

woodberrykitchen.com, 2010 Clipper Park Rd., Baltimore, MD 21211

Where To Stay

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing property offering everything from a fitness center and spa to a free make your own cocktail station and library, be sure to add The Ivy Hotel to your list. A Relais & Châteaux property, the hotel, which opened in 2015, is decorated to the nines, with Instagrammable design moments all throughout. Better yet, the building itself is full of history. Located in a mansion originally commissioned by prominent banker John Gilman in 1889, the home was later occupied by inventor William Painter. Eventually, Baltimore’s mayor designated the home as a place to host visiting dignitaries. Home to just 17 spacious and well-designed guest rooms and 23 fireplaces, high end The Ivy Hotel makes for a relaxing getaway within the heart of the city that’s most certainly worth the splurge.

theivybaltimore.com, 205 E. Biddle Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, (410) 514-6500

Those who desire a more budget-friendly property that’s still full of character and charm, check out the Ulysses Hotel, part of the ASH hotel group. Located within walking distance of The Ivy and boasting 116 hotel rooms, this hotel still maintains a boutique-like feel and includes two majorly photo-worthy bars.

ash.world/hotels/ulysses, 2 E Read St., Baltimore, MD 21202, 443-682-8578

The New Ivies schools are outpacing the nation's most elite schools in the eyes of employers. See which Maryland college made the list.

Deb Belt, Patch Staff

|Updated Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 12:30 pm ET

MARYLAND — Johns Hopkins University is one of 20 universities Forbes calls the “New Ivies” as the nation’s oldest and most venerable schools face political assault and criticism by employers.

Nearby Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., also made the list.

The list of 10 public and 10 private colleges comes as President Donald Trump unwinds decades-old diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs intended to help public institutions and workplaces mirror society in general.

Colleges across the country are facing steep federal funding cuts, eliminated programs and federal investigations, and even “fiscally fit” institutions are looking at four years of uncertainty, Forbes said.

The uncertainty is greatest at the “original eight” Ivy League schools.

Find out what's happening in Baltimorefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The administration has paused $400 million in funding at Columbia University over pro-Palestinian protests, and $175 million at the University of Pennsylvania, which allowed transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports before the NCAA changed its policy in 2025. And on Monday, the Trump administration said a federal antisemitism task force would review federal funding to Harvard University and its affiliates, including $255.6 million in contracts and $8.7 billion in multiyear grant commitments.

Employers were already growing disillusioned with Ivy League schools, according to a Forbes survey of 380 C-suite executives, which showed 37 percent were less likely than they were five years ago to hire an Ivy League graduate. Another 12 percent said they would never hire an Ivy League grad, citing their attitudes and lack of humility.

“I believe Ivy League candidates are overvalued, and they frequently have a higher than real opinion of themselves,” one respondent said. Entry-level job candidates should be “eager to learn, have no ego or be ‘stuck-up’ because of the school they attended,” said another.

The New Ivies schools are outpacing the nation’s most elite schools in the eyes of employers.

Johns Hopkins University is the highest-ranked school on the list among employers, but it’s also the largest recipient of grant funding from the National Institutes of Health — an agency that recently slashed funding for administrative costs related to university research. Johns Hopkins earned an A+ on this year’s Forbes Financial Grades, which is based on fiscal year 2023 data, but 40% of its annual revenues come from federal funding. Even with a $13.5 billion endowment, Johns Hopkins may be forced to shutter research programs, freeze hiring and limit the number of graduate students it enrolls if these trends continue.

This is the second year for the New Ivies list.

“These colleges are highly selective—applicants have a one in seven chance, or slimmer, to gain admission to one of the private New Ivies, and a 50% chance or less to enroll at one of the 10 mostly large public universities,” Forbes said on its website. “And, they accept the best—the private New Ivies admit students with a median SAT score of 1530—slightly higher than the nation’s largest Ivy, Cornell University, which has a median SAT score of 1520. The public universities, which educate a combined 396,000 students, admit students with a median SAT score of 1410.”

Other colleges on the list are:

Public Institutions

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Saturday night's storm came through quick but left behind a mess that folks will be cleaning up for days

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FREELAND, Md. —

Saturday night's storm came through quick but left behind a mess that residents will be cleaning up for days.

"My wife and I just left. We just live off the property and heard (the storm) come through, and I've never seen anything like it," said Lenny Reithlingshoefer, co-owner of Merry Meadows Campground in Freeland. "It went right through the middle of the campground. Wires are down, trees are down. It's just a mess back in there, but we're trying to get cleaned up as much as we can."

The Baltimore County Fire Department said the campground was the hardest hit in the county by Saturday night's storm. The campground has at least a dozen camp sites damaged due to downed or uprooted trees.

Reithlingshoefer said a tree split a trailer that was occupied by two small children.

"From what I understand, it was a boy and a girl, they were in their trailer. I don't know if they were going to bed, but they were by themselves because their mom and dad were with their friends next door. They heard the storm coming and the boy grabbed his sister and, from my understanding, they laid on the floor," Reithlingshoefer told 11 News. "In my opinion, it saved their life."

There were six minor injuries reported at the campground. Baltimore County fire officials said the victims refused treatment and did not go to a hospital.

"I heard a couple raindrops and there was, like, a low roar. Next thing you know, limbs were hitting the side of the camper. Just about three minutes, and then it was over," said Randy, who was camping at Merry Meadows on Saturday night. "My truck got beat up a little bit, and some winds tore my awning up. We got down on the floor, and I was like, there's nothing you can do. You don't know what to do other than just ball up and hope everything's OK at the end."

Baltimore Gas and Electric said crews were able to restore power by Easter Sunday to a majority of residents who lost service:

"Ninety-seven percent of customers who experienced an outage because of Saturday's storm were restored Sunday and the remaining customers will be restored (Monday).

"The holiday did not cause any delay in restoration, and we had teams working around the clock to restore power.

"For some insight into our process during restoration, we first have to assess the damage and then we assign a crew to do the work based on what is needed, (whether that is) a tree crew to remove fallen limbs, a construction crew to build a pole, etc.

"Saturday's microburst caused significant damage across Baltimore and Carroll counties, and construction crews were needed for many of the jobs, which are more complex and tend to take more time."

The National Weather Service told 11 News it would not be surveying Baltimore or Carroll counties, but its surveyors were headed to Allegany and Garrett counties due to the extensive damage in Western Maryland.

Weather Talk video below: What is a microburst?

Get WBAL-TV 11 News on the go

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Maryland isn't a state I've explored as much as its neighbors, but every time I visit, I'm increasingly impressed with all it has to offer. One of my favorite things about the state and its largest city, Baltimore, is its convenience to new and unique places. There are a lot of fantastic day trips near Baltimore, Maryland, because the city is a perfect jumping-off point for other destinations. It's just outside the DC metro area, and conveniently close to parts of Virginia, making a great spot to stay if you're looking to explore the nation's capitol. It's also on the country's most frequent Amtrak route, the Northeast Regional, which means jumping up and down the coast between Boston and DC is a breeze. Here are just a few day trips from Baltimore that excite me.

Baltimore was one of the key sites in early American history, and its most famous site is Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. Located on Locust Point with an incredible harbor view, this fort played a key role in the Battle of Baltimore, fending off the British Army during the War of 1812. The old cannons that played a key role are still present—and if you ask locals, so are the spirits of the brave men who fell in battle here.

One of my favorite local spots, this historic music venue is located in Alexandria less than an hour outside of the Baltimore area. As part of the DC metro area, it's very accessible, and I love its affordable ticket prices to see famous acts. I've been here twice, to see Chayce Beckham and Phil Vassar, and the music hall-style seating is a great place to see a show and have a classic Southern meal. I recommend the red beans and rice!

As a New Jersey resident, I love a good boardwalk. However, the Ocean City Boardwalk gives even our best a run for its money! Spanning miles with a convenient trolley ride along it, the area features some of the best attractions in the state, including an amusement park with some famous dark rides, an outpost of the popular Ripley's Believe It or Not franchise, and a world-famous seafood buffet named The Bonfire. This is a fantastic place to spend a few days during the summer when it's in full swing, but the 2.5-hour drive can be worked into a day trip with an early start.

I love aquariums, and I've visited them in NJ, NY, and Boston, but I don't think I've ever seen one as spectacular as the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Located in the city center, it's easy to spend the whole day here. The aquarium features hundreds of species in unique ecosystems; you'll find local species, exotic sea life from around the world, and even land animals in what feels a little more like a state-of-the-art zoo.

My favorite thing to do in the Baltimore area has got to be to head into the DC city center and explore the 17 museums that make up the Smithsonian Institution. The stunning dinosaur skeletons at the Natural History Museum and the historic vessels on display at the Air & Space Museum are the most famous. Still, my favorite hidden gem has to be the National Museum of the American Indian, one of the newest museums. It's also home to Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, a culinary hidden gem spotlighting traditional tribal foods from around the country.

Have you taken any of these day trips near Baltimore, Maryland before? If not, make sure you tell your travel buddy about this article and plan out your own Baltimore adventures! If you're looking for a home base in the area, I was thrilled to find the Homewood Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor right in the city's center. I have always loved this chain for its conveniently large suites and its delicious complimentary breakfast buffet.