Welcome to Baltimore, the home of crab cakes, pink-haired “hons” and scrubbed white marble steps.  But if you think that’s all there is to Charm City, think again.  With its fabled past, historic neighborhoods, world-class arts, and world champion sports teams, Baltimore is one place worth getting to know.

So where do you start?  There’s plenty of good information about Baltimore’s sights, services, and occasional strangeness online, but here are a few tips to get you started:

• Let yourself be a tourist at least once and visit the Inner Harbor, location of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Maryland Science Center, and the American Visionary Arts Museum—plus more stores and restaurants than you can imagine.
• Visit one of Baltimore’s more than 30 museums, like the Walters Art Museum in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, with exhibits ranging from ancient Egyptian jewelry and Greek sculpture to medieval armor and 19th century European painting.
• Grab a soda and some nachos and take in nine innings with the Baltimore Orioles or a football match with the Baltimore Ravens.
• Dump the fast food and instead taste what Baltimore’s restaurants are all about—like Bo Brooks Crab House in Canton, One World Café near Hopkins and Tapas Teatro in Midtown.
• When the sun goes down, step out for live music, like the Recher Theater in Towson, which features some of the best national and regional music around, like Billy Bragg, George Clinton, Linkin Park and the White Stripes.
• Towson Town Center is the area's largest shopping center, with nearly 200 stores. In addition, the center offers more than just great shopping. Dine with friends at T.G.I. Friday's, have a quiet lunch at The Nordstrom Café, or visit the food court for plenty of quick and easy options. Currently going through a renovation, additional stores (such as Burberry, BCBG Max Azria, a 2-level XXI Forever, and a 2 - level Crate & Barrel) and 3 new restaurants (including P.F. Chang's and The Cheesecake Factory) are scheduled to open in the fall of 2008. Visit www.towsontowncenter.com for directions, further information and a complete list of stores.

Find out more! Visit www.baltimore.org for what to see, where to eat and where to stay during your visit to College of Notre Dame of Maryland.