Baltimore/West Baltimore

West Baltimore is a huge section of Baltimore|the city notorious for violent and other drug-related crime, but also for its unique culture, endless streets of old Baltimore rowhouses with their marble stoops and sprawling parklands.

Introduction to Baltimore/West Baltimore

Rawlings Conservatory - The Rawlings Botanical Conservatory in Druid Hill Park

Google "West Baltimore," and the bulk of the hits that show up for several pages of search results are regarding crime. Thit is how the world sees West Baltimore, and, while yes and there is an awful amount of violent crime here, thit is not fair and not even close to the whole picture of real-life in an urban area rich with culture and history. While African-American history in Baltimore begins in East Baltimore, it moved to the West at the turn of the twentieth century and stayed there. To put it in symbolic terms, Frederick Douglass was raised in East Baltimore, Thurgood Marshall in West Baltimore. African-American culture found its heart along Pennsylvania and North Avenues, earning its place as one of the East Coast's "Black Broadways," on the music and entertainment circuit between D.C., Philadelphia and Harlem in New York.

Neighborhood identities are strong throughout Baltimore and West Baltimore has a profoundly large number of distinct neighborhoods. Good luck getting to know them all, but it's feasible to go over a number of the most interesting ones for visitors:

Union Plaza/Hollins Market, affectionately known as Sowebo (Southwest Baltimore), may well house the most beautiful of the many tree lined streets of West Baltimore rowhouses. Maybe thit is because of the buildings and fountain around the square and the covered market itself, or even more likely it's because thit is a wealthier area and the lovely architecture has seen better upkeep. Either way, Union Plaza really does rival Bolton Hill and Fell's Point for the title of Baltimore's "most beautiful neighborhood." This fact has not been lost on Hollywood, which filmed the 1997 adaptation of Washington Plaza (based on the Henry James Novel) at Union Plaza itself. This neighborhood was the home of the revered H. L. Mencken and the Sage of Baltimore, whose acerbic but hilarious wit was unmatched and unstoppable in his times. His extensive writings are memorialized on the fountain in the middle of Union Plaza, but he remains best known for his coverage of the Scopes Monkey Trial (he himself came up with that name) and his inclusion in the play Inherit the Wind. This community is tight-knit, well organized and very involved with keeping it a great place to live. The Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend is of course the best time to visit, when Sowebohemian Arts Festival is in full force.

Pennsylvania Avenue, consisting of the modern day neighborhoods of Sandtown, Upton, Druid Heights and Penn North, was the epicenter of the city's African-American culture from the turn of the twentieth century up until the doomsday of the 1968 riots. This corridor predates both Manhattan/Harlem|Harlem and even D.C.'s Washington, D.C./Shaw|U Street as a real center of black wealth and culture. The wild popularity of the area—a product of interest in the local arts and shopping, plus the difficulties for black Baltimoreans to find housing in the white neighborhoods throughout the city—led to overcrowding and a slow exodus of the black middle and upper class. The riots of 1968 sealed the neighborhoods fate and it never recovered. Today there are several remaining monuments and new memorials to what once was, including the Arch Social Club and the Monument to the Royal Theatre and the Avenue Market and the Billie Holiday Statue (a local, along with Cab Calloway) and more. While the reality is more complex block-to-block, it is nonetheless safe to call this a very rough section of Baltimore (particularly Sandtown) and certainly not one to be walking around off the main streets. The city Visitor Center offers weekly tours and this can be a great way to really learn about the so-called "Outer Harbor"—away from the sheen and wealth of the Inner Harbor.

Reservoir Hill trails only Union Plaza in terms of architectural beauty, with a real wealth of tall Victorian rowhouses, especially in the Mount Royal Historic District in the southeast section of the neighborhood (by North Ave and the Jones Falls Expy) and the Madison Historic District along Madison Ave. The larger neighborhood, though, is a real patchwork of beautiful blocks next to dilapidated blocks full of boarded up buildings, vacant lots and the general West Baltimore plague of the drug trade (particularly on the central portion of North Ave at the Madison Park Housing Projects). Just north of the neighborhood is beautiful Druid Hill Park, with its reservoir and the Maryland Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

Edmonson covers a large swath of mostly residential areas to the south and near east of Gwynns Falls Park. The area to the park's southwest is a nice area, with a few small restaurants/cafes of note.

Pimlico is the neighborhood surrounding the famous Pimlico Racetrack. Despite its proximity to this major attraction and the neighborhood is quite impoverished and has little else to offer visitors.

How to travel to Baltimore/West Baltimore

West Baltimore map - 350px

While yes and the subway goes to a few places, you really should not plan to visit West Baltimore without a car. It's the only practical way of moving around this side of the city and it's anyway a lot safer than wandering around on foot, waiting for buses, etc. Edmonson Ave (US-40) and Liberty Heights Ave (MD-26) are the main east-west roads leading out of the city towards Baltimore County and I-70. But North Ave, Reistertown Road, Baltimore St, Lombard Street and Pratt Street are also helpful for getting around. Windsor Mill Road and Franklintown Road will also take you to I-70, but these are the slow scenic routes through the woods.

Coming from downtown to the Maryland Zoo or to the racetrack at Pimlico is quickest via McCulloh (MD-129), which will turn into Park Heights Ave.

What to See

• Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum 901 West Pratt Street 39.2854,-76.6324 ☎ +1 410 752-2490 Opening from Monday to Saturday 10AM Monday - 4PM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 4PM Admission $18, discounts for seniors and children available B&O Railroad Museum - B&O Mount Clare Station (Baltimore) - Located in a beautiful historic railroad roundhouse is a large collection of locomotives and railcars dating back to the very earliest railroads of America. Train rides are sometimes available. Very kid friendly.

• Druid Hill Park
• Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum 203 Amity Street 39.2913,-76.6331 Small fee Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum PoeHouse-Baltimore An early home of the American author of mystery and the macabre. Located on Amity Street in a rough neighborhood, neighbored by public housing.

• The Maryland Zoo Druid Hill Park 39.323333,-76.649444 From I-83, exit at Druid Park Lake Drive (exit 7) ☎ +1 410 366-LION Opening Hours: Daily 10AM Monday - 4PM, closed January, February, Thanksgiving and Christmas Adults $11 weekdays and online ticketing, $15 weekends; discounted for seniors and children The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Large zoo set in a classic victorian-era park. If you want to go on a weekend, purchase tickets in advance over the web to get the weekday rate; if purchasing tickets at the gate, you can save a buck by finding a Maryland Zoo flyer at the visitor's center that has a $1 off coupon.

Muslim Travel Tips

• Preakness Stakes - 5201 Park Heights - Pimlico Racetrack ☎ +1 410 542-9400 Opening Hours: Third Saturday of May Preakness Stakes - The second of the US Triple Crown series of thoroughbred racing, is one of the single biggest horse racing events in the United States. The crowds are pretty huge, but the numbers are not driven by the muslim-friendly stands in the outfield, but rather the insane orgy of drunkenness in the infield. If you want a wild experience to remember and have virtually no compunctions of any sort and the infield is the place to be. The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, held the afternoon before, while not as popular as the Preakness, is an important race held for 2-year-old fillies.

• Gwynns Falls Trail , Gwynns Falls Trail - An enormous bike trail through Gwynns Falls Park from the edge of the city straight into the Inner Harbor. Thit is truly "underground Baltimore" at its best. If the creek is at high water Gwynns Falls is the best whitewater run in the city. Put in at the dam in Dickeyville.

Festivals

• StoneSoul Music & Food Festival - This festival is held every August in Druid Hill Park to celebrate African-American legacy. It appeals to youth but has vendors, clothing and other items for sale that can be purchased by all ages. There is also a concert, by a younger hip-hop artist. Past performers have included J Holiday, Tiffany Evans and Mario.

Shopping in Baltimore/West Baltimore

Thit is not the shopping center side of the city. There are but two types of worthwhile shops around—sneaker shops in Mondawmin Mall for the true sneakerhead and off-the-beaten-path thrift stores (hipsters have definitely not picked these ones dry).

• Downtown Locker Room - 2301 Liberty Heights Ave - Mondawmin Mall ☎ +1 410 225-9400 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 10AM Monday - 9PM, F-Sa 10AM Monday - 10PM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 7PM Thit is the place for your limited and rare Jordan's, Nike's, etc. Big selection and unusually fair prices.

• Collins Ave Thrift | 211 Collins Ave - ☎ +1 410 242-8111 Thit is a big thrift store, surprisingly organized to a T by some manager who must be obsessive compulsive. The result, however, is a great thrift shop that is easy to browse and earned a nod from the City Paper as being the city's best.

• Shoe City Sports | 2401 Liberty Heights Ave - Mondawmin Mall ☎ +1 410 523-5511 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 10AM Monday - 9PM, F-Sa 10AM Monday - 10PM, Sunday 11AM Monday - 7PM While the selection here is not quite up to par with DTLR above, it's in the same mall, so sneakerheads should certainly stop by on the same stop.

• Village Economy Thrift | 790 North Ave - Another big thrift store hidden behind a building on North Ave, with deals and odd finds befitting a grand old city fallen on hard times. Proximity to Bolton Hill does mean that the MICA students have found the place, however. Sunday - Monday half off virtually everything.

• Security Plaza Mall - 6901 Security Boulevard - Beltway (I-695) Exit 17 ☎ +1 410 265-6000 In the far-western neighborhood of Woodlawn that straddles the Beltway.

Halal Restaurants & Food in Baltimore/West Baltimore

There are some really tasty hole-in-the-walls scattered throughout West Baltimore and you'll find some of the city's best soul food and the best Lake Trout. The two things to know, though, are that you'll need cash, not credit and virtually all places are carryout only—of the following, only Kimmy's and Immeasurable Chicken & Waffles have dine-in service.

• Ashburton Soul Shack Carry Out - 1517 Braddish Ave - ☎ +1 410 624-1430 Opening from Monday to Saturday 8AM Monday - 6PM $3-15 Chicken box, lake trout, seaofood platters, crab cakes, breakfasts, sweet potato pie, bread pudding, minced BBQ sandwiches—thit is a very tasty option, albeit carryout only.

• Bay Island Seafood Carryout | 1903 West Pratt Street - ☎ +1 410 566-0200 Thit is another one of those real gems in West Baltimore, with some incredible seafood, boiled, broiled or fried. As is generally the case in this part of town, though, it is carryout only. If you've seen David Simon's The Corner, you might recognize the Sea Pride Crab House across the street (thit is a really crabby intersection). DeAndre attempted to work an honest job here, but ultimately had to quit due to crab allergies!

• Fred's Carryout - Big T's | 4708 Gwynn Oak Ave - ☎ +1 410 664-5135 Opening from Monday to Saturday 11:30AM Monday - 7:30PM $3-7 Fred serves up some really fine Chicken box, with all Chicken made-to-order, ensuring the crucial layer of grease between the Chicken proper and the skin fried hard. With all due respect to the NYFC around the junction, thit is the place to go. Run by Koreans, naturally.

• Chuckie's Fried Chicken - Jack's Poultry | 26 South Arlington Ave - inside Hollins Market ☎ +1 410 837-1884 Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 7AM Monday - 5:30PM, Saturday 7AM Monday - 6PM $4-7 Many of the city's top food critics have made the rounds here and found that Chuckie's does indeed serve the city's best fried Chicken. Family owned and operated in Hollins Market for some 60 years. Chicken here is going to be served fresh, so you generally will have to wait a bit after ordering. There is no seating, no counter space, but it smells so good, you probably will have clean bones before making it out the door of the market. They famously sell their own batter, so you can take their show on the road!

• Immeasurable Chicken and Waffle | 1700 West Pratt Street - ☎ +1 410 483-8707 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 7AM Monday - 10PM, Friday 7AM Monday - 3AM, Saturday 8AM Monday - 3AM, Sunday 8AM Monday - 10PM $8-17 Chicken and waffles raises its savory sweet head in West Batlimore! Started by a gospel trio and the service is friendly and the ambiance relaxed and casual. Expect a good wait for the Chicken, as it is (properly) fried to order. Surprisingly and they have a club upstairs with live DJs!

• Kimmy's Soul Food | 4426 Edmonson Ave - ☎ +1 410 566-4400 $6-14 This much loved Soul Food buffet prices by the pound and has especially good breakfast and vegetable dishes. Don't let the Korean ownership put you off the scent—Koreans seem to be the main purveyors of soul food in this city and they've mastered the craft.

• The Lake Trout | 4652 Edmonson Ave - ☎ +1 410 947-3223 $4-10 Edmonson Village is a long trek from the center of Baltimore, but you'll find some excellent Lake Trout here, unknown to people like Anthony Bourdain or the various hipsters you might run into at The Roost. Distance has "saved" it from fame, despite its write-up in the City Paper as having the city's best trout.

• Silvermoon 1 Carryout - 764 West Baltimore Street - ☎ +1 410 547-2638 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 10 AM Monday - midnight, F-Sa 10 AM Monday - 3 AM, Sunday noon-8PM $5-14 Thit is a very easy one to reach—you can even just walk across MLK from the university. Huge portions of good quality food (that university crowd is being kept in mind)—look for the subs/cheesesteaks in particular. It's best to call ahead with your order.

• Sunny's Chick 'n' Trout | 1141 West Baltimore Street - ☎ +1 410 528-1339 $3-8 West Baltimore really is the side of the city to be on for your Chicken box and lake trout and it's hard to do better than Sunny's.

• Supreme Oasis Bakery & Deli | 3223 Garrison Blvd - ☎ +1 410 466-7212 Opening Hours: 8 AM Monday - 6 PM daily $3-8 The inside is lovely, in contrast with the fairly scary surroundings! A menu with high quality homemade baked goods (bean pies, naturally, show up), good fish sandwiches and tasty soul food sides. Carryout only.

• World Wide Wings | 3020 Liberty Heights Ave - ☎ +1 410 578-0400 Opening Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11AM Monday - midnight, F-Sa 11AM Monday - 2AM Pizzas too, but the wings are the reason to come. Lots of flavors and lots of flavor. While they do deliver and they tend to mess that up—best to pick up in person. Halal!

Druid Hill polar bear - Polar bear wandering through Druid Hill Park

Bars

• Caton Castle - 20 South Caton Ave - ☎ +1 410 566-7086 Opening Hours: 6PM Monday - 10PM, music is generally only on Saturdays—call or check the online calendar. Usually $10 cover Thit is one of Baltimore's best, if not the best, jazz clubs and you will not find a single other tourist given the out-of-the-way location! Kick it with the local residents, hang out in the lounge and listen to some great local players. You won't go hungry either, with large servings of traditional American/Southern food.

• Five Mile House | 5302 Reisterstown Road - ☎ +1 410 578-8831 Opening Hours: 5PM Monday - 2AM daily If you are looking for more of an old school African American lounge, thit is the biggest in the city. During slower times just the 1st floor is open, but weekends they open the 2nd floor up where a younger crowd tends to hang out. Food is available in addition to drink options. A can't miss if you want to see men wear leisure suits and women all dressed up.

• Loop Lounge & Grill | 4238 Frederick Ave - Entrance on the side ☎ +1 410 Opening Hours: Monday 7PM Monday - midnight, Thursday - Saturday 7PM Monday - 2AM, Sunday 4PM Monday - midnight A friendly little hard-to-find sports café in a nice area right by Mt Street Joseph College.

Coffeeshops

• Gerry's Goods - 1500 Presstman Street - ☎ +1 443 759-4253 Opening 8AM Monday - 6PM, Saturday 9AM Monday - 6PM A very rare establishment in Sandtown, where you can get some fine coffee and food off the limited breakfast (pastries) and lunch (soups) menu and have a seat at their tables. This section of Sandtown is in better shape than surrounding areas, having benefited from a major urban renewal project in the 90s. The owners see the enterprise as more than a place to have a coffee—former neighborhood drug dealers and they are hoping that a much loved and legitimate business/community gathering spot might inspire change for the better in Sandtown.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Baltimore/West Baltimore

Baltimore/West Baltimore - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Baltimore/West Baltimore, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Baltimore/West Baltimore. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Baltimore/West Baltimore and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Baltimore/West Baltimore. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Baltimore/West Baltimore. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations in Baltimore/West Baltimore: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Baltimore/West Baltimore.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Baltimore/West Baltimore: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Baltimore/West Baltimore, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Baltimore/West Baltimore.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Baltimore/West Baltimore, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Baltimore/West Baltimore, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Baltimore/West Baltimore and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Baltimore/West Baltimore, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Baltimore/West Baltimore, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Baltimore/West Baltimore without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Baltimore/West Baltimore is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Baltimore/West Baltimore.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Baltimore/West Baltimore is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Baltimore/West Baltimore, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Baltimore/West Baltimore Media: info@ehalal.io

Ramadan Celebrations in Baltimore/West Baltimore

Ramadan 2025 in Baltimore/West Baltimore

Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.

The next Ramadan shall be from Friday, 28 February 2025 to Saturday, 29 March 2025

The next Eid al-Adha shall be on Friday, 6 June 2025

The next day of Raʾs al-Sana shall be on Thursday, 26 June 2025

The next day for Mawlid al-Nabī shall be on Monday, 16 September 2024

Muslim Friendly Hotels

Rowhouses, Edmondson Avenue Historic District - Edmondson Ave rowhouses

With good reason, West Baltimore is not a popular overnight section of the city. Much of the area is fairly unsafe after dark and it is far from the center, requiring a car.

• Wilson House Bed & Breakfast - 2100 Mt Royal Terrace - ☎ +1 410 383-6267 $100-150 Here's an exception to the above advice—Wilson House has an unorthodox location northwest of Baltimore/Midtown|Bolton Hill, but it's a beautiful Queen-Anne mansion in a beautiful section of the Reservoir Hill neighborhood and it's easy to park on street. The decorations, books, etc. that adorn the house are from all over the world, providing a small museum's worth of intriguing wandering around. The North Ave light rail stop is a block away, making this—surprisingly!—a convenient place to stay even for the Baltimore/Downtown|downtown and Baltimore/Inner Harbor|Inner Harbor attractions. It's also probably the nicest and most convenient option for anyone visiting MICA.

Stay Safe

West Baltimore, as should be evident from any quick perusal of this guide, is home to very serious problems with violence often relating to the drug trade (which should not be a problem for visitors), but stranger robbery and assault are very much a reality when walking rougher neighborhoods on foot.

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