Our Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program is among the top in the world, but we know that when it comes to relocating, our fair city has steep competition. The birthplace of the national anthem is a web of small communities that radiate out from the scenic Inner Harbor and have roots in shipbuilding, railroads, seafood canning, and steel. And like most mid-size U.S. cities that have weathered decline in manufacturing, our gem of the Mid-Atlantic has experienced flux. But with ongoing development, cultural investment, and community engagement, this is an undeniably exciting time for Baltimore!
What’s to love about Charm City? In addition to our legendary crab cakes, Baltimore is quirky, it’s artsy, it’s musical, it’s a small city with big city attitude—it’s uniquely Bawlmer, hon! From the water, to arts, sports, music, festivals, and kid-friendly attractions, there are so many reasons why Baltimore is great city to call home!
Learn more about living in Baltimore as a Hopkins ID Fellow from current and former fellows Drs. Danica Rockney, Sean Anderson, Jillian Peters, Sima Sharara, and Diana Zhong.
Waterfront
Our 7-mile waterfront promenade offers stunning views while running, strolling, ice skating in the winter, visiting attractions like Federal Hill Park, the National Aquarium, and the Maryland Science Center, or while dining and enjoying nightlife in Fell’s Point. There are several parks along the way—and be sure to check out the small but entertaining Pierce’s Park, just across the footbridge from the Peir 4 exit of the National Aquarium. The very best waterfront views are from the top of Federal Hill Park and from Fort McHenry National Park, a pivotal battle site in the War of 1812 and an integral component of the city’s waterfront.
Museums & Performing Arts Centers
From the world’s largest public collection of Henri Matisse’s works to Fifi the 15-foot pink poodle, here are some of our favorites:
- American Visionary Arts Museum
- Baltimore Museum of Art
- Walters Art Museum
- The Patterson
- Edgar Allen Poe House and Museum
- Westminster Hall, Burying Grounds, and Catacombs
- B&O Railroad Museum
- Museum of Industry
- Rawlings Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
- Cylburn Arboretum
- Babe Ruth Birthplace & Museum
- Fort McHenry
- Reginald Lewis Museum of African American History & Culture
- National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
- Eubie Blake Cultural Center
- Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, home of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Lyric Baltimore
Live Music Scene
Baltimore has early roots in blues and jazz (Cab Calloway, Eubie Blake, and Billy Holliday were all Batimoreans!) and there are very active communities of local musicians here. Fell’s Point is a great place to wander and see local bands, or you can check out societies and some of our venues for upcoming shows:
Professional Sports
One thing you will quickly discover about Baltimore is our home-team pride—it's all about baseball and football. And we’re lucky that parks for both teams are located right downtown.
Orioles: How ‘bout them Os?! There’s a reason so many major league teams have mimicked Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and why it’s a must-see among die-hard fans from around the world. Located downtown, with its own lightrail stop and within walking distance from many Baltimore neighborhoods, the iconic park offers cheap seats, crab cakes, and stunning views. And, it’s pretty easy to get tickets.
Ravens: Right next door to Camden Yards is M&T Bank stadium, home turf of the Baltimore Ravens and the ultimate NFL experience. When the Ravens Marching Band comes down Ravenswalk playing the fight song to lead the crowd into the stadium, don’t skip the line to rub Jonny U’s shoe for good luck on your way in. An AFC North divisional game (Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns) is always a favorite. Our fans are notorious for the “12th man” effect on third down—led by the shirtless Real Fan Dan and 2012 ESPN/Stub Hub Hall of Fans Inductee Captain Dee-Fense.
Festivals, and More Festivals!
Here are just a few:
- AFRAM & Baltimore Jazz Fest
- ArtScape
- Maryland Fleet Week
- Fell’s Point Fun Festival
- FlowerMart
- Night of 100 Elvises (tickets required)
- Baltimore Book Festival
- Baltimore Running Festival
- Fiesta Baltimore
- St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival
- Little Italy: Feast of St. Anthony Festival; Feast of St. Gabriele Festival
- Ukranian Festival
- Maryland Film Festival
- SOWEBO Arts & Music Festival
- Baltimore Pride
- Charm City Bluegrass Festival
- Fell’s Point Old Tyme Christmas (First weekend in December, Santa arrives on a tugboat)
- East Baltimore Christmas Caroling (December 23 at 7:00 pm Polish Home Club—the streets are closed down for this massive group of carolers led by a polka band)
Parks
Baltimore has more than 4,000 acres of amazing parkland. Visit Baltimore has great resources on public spaces reserved for all kinds of outdoor experiences!
Kid-Friendly Attractions
There are so many ways to enjoy the city with kids or to nurture the kid inside you:
Childcare Resources
High quality childcare centers are available across Baltimore and in the surrounding counties. You can explore JHU’s partner organizations on the Benefits and Worklife website: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/family-programs/child-care/jhu-child-care-center-partners/
Community
Many quaint neighborhoods with tree-lined streets and historic rowhomes are within convenient walking distance of the Johns Hopkins East Baltimore Medical Campus:
- Little Italy
- Fell’s Point
- Patterson Park
- Butcher’s Hill
- Highlandtown
- Upper Fell’s Point
- Washington Hill
And if you prefer greener pastures, there are many areas north of downtown and in the surrounding counties that offer a suburban lifestyle:
- Charles Village
- Homeland
- Roland Park
- Mount Washington
- Anne Arundel County
- Baltimore County
- Howard County
Proximity
- Annapolis: The sailing capital of the U.S., Maryland’s capital city is a quaint waterfront collection of sailboats, shops, restaurants, and the U.S. Naval Academy. It’s less than an hour from Baltimore by car.
- Washington, DC: The nation’s capital is less than an hour down the road and easily accessible by car, Amtrak, and the MARC commuter rail.
- Philadelphia: An easy day trip to tour historic sites and satisfy your cheesesteak craving, Philly is an hour train ride, or a 1.5 hour trip by car.
- New York: The Big Apple is just a 3 hour drive, or 2.5 hours by Amtrak.
- Boston: By car or train, we’re about a 7 hour ride (give or take) to Boston, but at 1.5 hours by plane, flying is the most expedient option.
Transit
By Air:
- Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) is the East Coast hub for Southwest Airlines, and it’s just 13 miles south of the city. Baltimore’s Light Rail train drops passengers off right at the air terminal.
- Reagan National Airport is around 1.5 hours by car, depending on day and time of travel.
- Dulles International Airport is around 1.5 hours by car, depending on day and time of travel.
- Philadelphia International Airport is around 2 hours by car, depending on day and time of travel.
By Train: Baltimore’s Penn Station is located in the city and is only 1.5 miles from the East Baltimore Medical Campus.