'One Of The Best Places In The Country To Explore Urban Culture' Is A Historic Road In Maryland

From culturally significant landmarks to the Chesapeake Bay coastline and stunning scenery, Maryland packs a big punch for visitors to the nation's eighth state. On its west end, you'll find Frederick, a "hip and historic" city with award-winning food, art, and fun. Maryland's eastern shores are home to The Chesapeake Bay Country Scenic Byway, an "All-American" scenic byway that goes through cute towns and historic sites and is one of six national scenic byways in the state. 

The city of Baltimore is home to another, one of the best places in the country to explore urban culture, historic Charles Street. Earning its designation as a national scenic byway in 2009, Historic Charles Street offers visitors 12 miles of cultural and historical landmarks intermingled with a variety of food and entertainment choices. You can choose to traverse the route from either north to south or south to north, depending on the points of interest you want to view, and the time available to do it. Many choose to start at the Charles Street-Beltway in the suburb of Lutherville and culminate in the heart of Baltimore's Inner Harbor, home to famed attractions such as the National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center. Visitors already staying in the city will head north and choose to end at the Hampton National Historic Site, a 1790s mansion, gardens, and farm. With such diversity along the route, there is an attraction for any type of visitor to enjoy, regardless of their age.

History buffs should plan to hit several sights along historic Charles Street. The Mount Vernon Place Historic Landmark District features the first-ever monument to George Washington, standing 208 feet tall, along with a 16-foot statue of him surrounded by four small parks. Adjacent to Mount Vernon Place is the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as "American's First Cathedral." Built in 1821, it is a shining examples of neo-classical architecture. Another point of historical interest is The Hampton National Historic Site offers an in-depth look at a former plantation, along with mansion tours, that housed slaves from the 1740s to 1940s.  

Museum lovers will have their choice including the admission-free Baltimore Museum of Art, home to the largest collection of Henri Matisse works, and the Walters Art Museum, whose collection dates back 7,000 years. Also plan to include a stop at the American Visionary Art Museum, featuring outsider art, and a visionary dream with bold creativity and unusual exhibits.  

There's something for sports lovers along Charles Street as well. You can visit the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum honoring America's oldest sport on the north end of the route, and Camden Yards baseball park and M&T Bank football stadium, along with the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, located in the Inner Harbor area.

With so much to see and do on Baltimore's historic Charles Street, it will be impossible to hit every site, and crafting an itinerary depends on time, interest, and group members. The Baltimore Visitor Center, located in the Inner Harbor, is a great place to start your Charles Street excursion in The Charm City. There are guided "Heritage Walks" available from the Visitor Center which include portions of the historic Charles Street and connect up to 20 different sites. 

If you desire to see it all and have multiple days available, the Capital Region USA tourism website details an ideal itinerary, along with a YouTube video highlighting the route. Their itinerary runs north to south from Lutherville and ends in the Inner Harbor Region, and breaks down each day's suggested stops, with some of the attractions above. A family-friendly destination featured is the Maryland Zoo, located in Druid Hill Park as part of the byway. The Maryland Office of Tourism, on their Visit Maryland website, suggests a different itinerary, beginning in Baltimore's Inner Harbor neighborhood, running south to north, and breaking down the attractions by specific neighborhood. This makes it easy for visitors who are limited on time or restricted to foot travel, to hit up some of the sites. They note the drive time is one hour if all you want to do is a windshield tour of this best historic cultural road.

You can also immerse yourself in the heart of historic Charles Street simply by exploring the architecture and culture of its neighborhoods as well as educational institutions. 

Lutherville, the most northern end of the route, is an 1852 Victorian architecture suburb, home to the Hampton National Historic Site, pubs, restaurants, and art museums. You can marvel at the architecture in the Charles Village, founded in the late 19th century as one of the city's original suburban neighborhoods. Dotted with colorful row homes, it's also the epicenter of Baltimore's creative community, and where jazz legends such as Eubie Blake and Billie Holiday are featured. Heading south from the Inner Harbor to Federal Hill, you'll find a park with picturesque views.  You might also want to stop at the Cross Street Market where you can choose from a variety of cuisine choices to please any palate, including plenty of local Maryland seafood favorites. 

You'll find an array of historic and famed educational institutions along the 12-mile stretch of historic Charles Street as well. The Friends School, built in 1784, is Baltimore's oldest school, while Notre Dame of Maryland University, built in 1895, was the first Catholic women's college in the nation. Loyola University of Maryland opened in 1852 as a private Jesuit University. Famed Johns Hopkins University opened in 1876 and is located in Charles Village. It is known for world-class research and science programs and is home to the Baltimore Museum of Art.