The Best of 
Baltimore

"The Greatest City in America." Baltimore's motto may be a little flawed (how else would you expect a Philadelphia native to respond?), but it's a town with charm that still has much to offer.

Baltimore has 72 designated historic districts traditionally occupied by distinct ethnic groups. The most notable are three downtown areas along the port: the Inner Harbor (a tourist's dream filled with hotels, shops and museums); Fells Point (formerly a favorite entertainment spot for sailors, featured in the movie "Sleepless in Seattle"); and Little Italy (a cozy neighborhood located between the Inner Harbor and Fells Point where people can dine at almost 30 restaurants, watch outdoor films, participate in bocce tournaments, etc.).

Furthermore, the city is home to a lot of cool people including: jazz singer Billie Holiday; filmmaker John Waters; musicians Ric Ocasek and Frank Zappa; writers Upton Sinclair and Edgar Allan Poe; legendary Hall of Fame baseball star Cal Ripken, Jr.; actor Edward Norton; and Puppeteer Kevin Clash.

Keep this in mind as the 2012 Print Solutions Conference & Expo wraps up for the day. According to the official tourism site for Baltimore, www.baltimore.org, there are quite a few famous places to explore. Here are just a few of them:

INNER HARBOR

Arguably one of the city's crown jewels, Baltimore's Inner Harbor is the city's premier tourist attraction. The Inner Harbor was originally a rundown port area populated by sailors and dockworkers. On July 1, 1980, Harborplace officially opened and everything changed.

Today, the Inner Harbor plays host to the National Aquarium, Harborplace, Maryland Science Center and many restaurants and shops.

FELLS POINT

Founded in 1730 by William Fell, Fells Point remains true to its maritime roots. Tugboats and water taxis ply its waters, while bar-goers stroll along its cobblestone streets. Visitors often stay in Fells Point's quaint inns and shop in its eclectic boutiques.