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Inspired by the recent theme of the Bay Area vs. anything imaginable , I thought this would be an interesting discussion. Oakland and Baltimore, two cities that are constantly overshadowed by SF and DC respectively. Both have well-publicized crime problems, yet both are undergoing urban renewals in certain areas and both attract residents who have been priced out of the more expensive neighboring cities. So what do you think?
Me, I have to go with my home town, Baltimore. Oakland's great, but I just think Baltimore has much more to offer, more interesting neighborhoods (Fells Point, Canton, Mount Vernon, Hampden, Federal Hill), and better architecture. Mass transit is better in Oakland though.
Oakland by far. No, Baltimore doesn't have more to offer, and it is much farther away from DC than Oakland from SF.
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Originally Posted by matt345
Inspired by the recent theme of the Bay Area vs. anything imaginable , I thought this would be an interesting discussion. Oakland and Baltimore, two cities that are constantly overshadowed by SF and DC respectively. Both have well-publicized crime problems, yet both are undergoing urban renewals in certain areas and both attract residents who have been priced out of the more expensive neighboring cities. So what do you think?
Me, I have to go with my home town, Baltimore. Oakland's great, but I just think Baltimore has much more to offer, more interesting neighborhoods (Fells Point, Canton, Mount Vernon, Hampden, Federal Hill), and better architecture. Mass transit is better in Oakland though.
Inspired by the recent theme of the Bay Area vs. anything imaginable , I thought this would be an interesting discussion. Oakland and Baltimore, two cities that are constantly overshadowed by SF and DC respectively.
Oakland is only a 3.5 mile bridge away from Downtown San Francisco. Baltimore is about 10 times further away from DC. If anything, we can include all the amenities of SF as part of Oakland's advantage over Baltimore.
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Me, I have to go with my home town, Baltimore.
We all love our hometowns-they usually have a very special place in our hearts.
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I just think Baltimore has much more to offer, more interesting neighborhoods
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(Fells Point, Canton, Mount Vernon, Hampden, Federal Hill), and better architecture.
I'm sure the architecture in some of those areas is quite stunning--Baltimore has age over Oakland and that translates to very nice homes from eras long past. But within many of Oakland's neighborhoods are vibrant commercial districts with quite a bit of activity and a real sense of community.
Also, as I was commenting in the Oakland vs Jersey City thread, I think Oakland is more apt to suit my personal lifestyle.
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This is a house---yes, its in Oakland(LOL)
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Mass transit is better in Oakland though.
Its better if you are along transit lines, but I couldnt be in Oakland without a vehicle.
Lexington and Cross Street Markets (think Pike Place market, only smaller and more "East Coast")
Literally bar after bar in the historic Fells Point neighborhood (kind of like Baltimore's version of the French Quarter). Also, there's a lot of bars and restaurants in neighboring Canton and Federal Hill
The Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum (which btw is located in beautiful Mt. Vernon, home to the original Washington Monument, before the one in DC was built)
"The Avenue" shopping district in Hampden - if you've ever seen a John Waters film, you'll know what this neighborhood is like.
The Inner Harbor - yes it's extremely touristy, but it's also home to the world-class National Aquarium in Baltimore, constantly named year after year as one of the best aquariums in the nation.
Ft. McHenry - the site of the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812, were Francis Scott Key was inspired to write "The Star Spangled Banner"
Little Italy - some good Italian restaurants still line the streets of this old neighborhood
Inspired by the recent theme of the Bay Area vs. anything imaginable , I thought this would be an interesting discussion. Oakland and Baltimore, two cities that are constantly overshadowed by SF and DC respectively. Both have well-publicized crime problems, yet both are undergoing urban renewals in certain areas and both attract residents who have been priced out of the more expensive neighboring cities. So what do you think?
Me, I have to go with my home town, Baltimore. Oakland's great, but I just think Baltimore has much more to offer, more interesting neighborhoods (Fells Point, Canton, Mount Vernon, Hampden, Federal Hill), and better architecture. Mass transit is better in Oakland though.
I pick Baltimore; it is a historic city, has a walkable central district and more diverse skyline...reminds me of a larger version of Scranton.
Oakland is only a 3.5 mile bridge away from Downtown San Francisco. Baltimore is about 10 times further away from DC. If anything, we can include all the amenities of SF as part of Oakland's advantage over Baltimore.
Yes I know it's not a perfect comparison, but really, what is? As a matter of fact, a large number of people from Baltimore commute into DC for work. Many of the new housing developments in the city were purposely advertised as being "close to I-95" or "close the MARC train" since a very large portion of buyers were DC workers. There has been a lot of talk about Baltimore functionally becoming a DC suburb (much to the chagrin of proud Baltimore natives btw!). Many in the area spend significant time in both DC and Baltimore, much like how many in the Bay Area spend a lot of time in SF and Oakland. However, in both cases, a single city seems to attract the most attention, while the other is overshadowed. I just thought that Oakland's relationship to SF was similar to Baltimore's relationship to DC.
Well, the fact that people in Baltimore are so willing to travel such a long distance to DC only shows Baltimore really doesn't have much to offer. It doesn't change the distance. It is still a much longer commute compared to Oakland and SF.
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Originally Posted by matt345
Yes I know it's not a perfect comparison, but really, what is? As a matter of fact, a large number of people from Baltimore commute into DC for work. Many of the new housing developments in the city were purposely advertised as being "close to I-95" or "close the MARC train" since a very large portion of buyers were DC workers. There has been a lot of talk about Baltimore functionally becoming a DC suburb (much to the chagrin of proud Baltimore natives btw!). Many in the area spend significant time in both DC and Baltimore, much like how many in the Bay Area spend a lot of time in SF and Oakland. However, in both cases, a single city seems to attract the most attention, while the other is overshadowed. I just thought that Oakland's relationship to SF was similar to Baltimore's relationship to DC.
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, I thought this would be an interesting discussion. Oakland and Baltimore, two cities that are constantly overshadowed by SF and DC respectively. Both have well-publicized crime problems, yet both are undergoing urban renewals in certain areas and both attract residents who have been priced out of the more expensive neighboring cities. So what do you think? 
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