Visiting Baltimore - Is it safe to stay Downtown?

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by 640TAG

Dang, that is word-for-word EXACTLY my intended itinerary.

Looks like it's back to the drawing board then.

Seriously - it is kind of strange that Baltimore's Downtown is sketchy at night. In my experience, even in US cities, "Downtowns" (or "city centres" as we call them) are usually safe and bustling. It's the neighbourhoods on the way to Downtown which can be dodgy.

Where is the main shopping area in Downtown Baltimore, as in department stores, clothing stores etc?

The "sketchy" nature of Baltimore's downtown has more to do with its proximity to "sketchy" areas along with the fact that some sections are void of any pedestrian activity. Baltimore's downtown also is no longer the center of the city in the traditional sense and has several activity nodes such as Inner Harbor, Harbor East, and Towson (not in the City) that have taken its place as far as entertainment goes.. It also has very popular neighborhood districts which often attract large numbers of visitors such as Fed Hill, Canton, Fells Point, Station North, Mt. Vernon, Hampden/Woodberry, Mt Washington and JHU that also take away the need for people to go/frequent downtown. Many homeless can also congregate downtown as opposed to in a residential neighborhood where they are likely to be harassed by homeowners/residents that don't want them hanging round their doorsteps.. thus downtown especially when all the white collar workers and their security guards close up the buildings for the night.... becomes a place where they can hang..unmolested thus adding to the "sketchy" nature.. That plus the fact that its a transit hub for people going from one side of town to the other along with teens who cant really "hang" anywhere else.


That said, I think that will change as many of the older downtown offices/warehouses are converted into apartments and hotels which will enliven some of the currently quiet/dead streets. As we speak there are several new developments proposed in the Westside of Downtown that will complement a growing theatre district along Eutaw and W. Fayette Sts along with new apartments and businesses proposed on the upper end of Howard Street. Then there is Lexington Market which is undergoing a sloooow transformation. Like London there are more than one place to go in the City and downtown is just one of them....




http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore...-works-to.html

[640TAG]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

The "sketchy" nature of Baltimore's downtown has more to do with its proximity to "sketchy" areas along with the fact that some sections are void of any pedestrian activity.

Thanks for that. Really interesting. So much better to find out about a place before one visits, as it makes much more sense when there.

I love "activity nodes", btw

I would have thought Lexington Market would be ripe for development, and by the sound of many (most, even) of visitor's reports, it could do with it. If it becomes a real magnet, it can revitalise a whole area.

Whilst Borough Market in London never went away, it had an amazing revival several years ago and kick started the whole London Bridge area as a destination rather than just a run down part around a busy station. Tourists absolutely love it - especially Americans, going by the reviews.

You can't, however, buy muskrat or raccoon there

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attrac...d.html#REVIEWS

[ersatz]

I used to shop Borough Market (or Berwick) every weekend before they were cleaned up. Lexington Market is groddier. Think Walthamstow Central after dark. Except, at Lexington, that's during the day ....

[640TAG]

Originally Posted by ersatz

I used to shop Borough Market (or Berwick) every weekend before they were cleaned up. Lexington Market is groddier. Think Walthamstow Central after dark. Except, at Lexington, that's during the day ....

Oh, what a perfect analogy. I used to live 100 yards off Hoe St so I am painfully familiar with Walthamstow Central after the last Tube! It's why we moved to Wanstead - I was convinced the OH was going to get stabbed at some point as he's not one to avoid confrontation. Better put him in a baby-harness if I bring him to Bmore LOL!

You wouldn't believe what is happening around Berwick St - build build build. Then there's Crossrail, Europe's largest civil engineering project.

[ffknight918]

Honestly, I don't think downtown is nearly as bad as some are making it out to be. I currently live in a downtown loft and love it. So I'm here every day and night. I've yet to come close to any problems. I've also lived in Fells Point and Canton. I don't feel any less safe downtown than I did in those areas.

I'm on the west side of downtown a couple blocks north of Camden Yards and a couple south of Lexington Market. There's some great bars like Ale Wife and Forno which I would recommend. Forno has amazing pizza. Pratt Street Ale House is good. The stadium bars can be fun. Not to mention I can walk up two blocks and watch an O's game for cheaper than a movie.

There's a lot of new apartments being built. Under Armour just opened a new gym last week called the Under Armour Performance Center. It's in an old bank that they renovated and put a turf field in. https://www.instagram.com/p/BE8z54FkTnD/

Definitely a lot of new things going on downtown.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by ffknight918

Honestly, I don't think downtown is nearly as bad as some are making it out to be. I currently live in a downtown loft and love it. So I'm here every day and night. I've yet to come close to any problems. I've also lived in Fells Point and Canton. I don't feel any less safe downtown than I did in those areas.

I'm on the west side of downtown a couple blocks north of Camden Yards and a couple south of Lexington Market. There's some great bars like Ale Wife and Forno which I would recommend. Forno has amazing pizza. Pratt Street Ale House is good. The stadium bars can be fun. Not to mention I can walk up two blocks and watch an O's game for cheaper than a movie.

There's a lot of new apartments being built. Under Armour just opened a new gym last week called the Under Armour Performance Center. It's in an old bank that they renovated and put a turf field in. https://www.instagram.com/p/BE8z54FkTnD/

Definitely a lot of new things going on downtown.

Totally agree... I can also imagine that you don't frequent dark alleys or side streets where you likely have no business going anyway nor walk visibly drunk and by yourself back from Ale Wife et al at 2am........ Again, no different than advice what most people would give to someone in most major American cities....

[ffknight918]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

Totally agree... I can also imagine that you don't frequent dark alleys or side streets where you likely have no business going anyway nor walk visibly drunk and by yourself back from Ale Wife et al at 2am........ Again, no different than advice what most people would give to someone in most major American cities....

Yep. Common sense goes a long ways. Like you said though, that same advice for someone in Baltimore, would apply to the person in NYC, Philly, Chicago, or any large city.