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Every city has a core, a central location that is the site of its great triumphs and celebrations as well as its tragedies. Since the 1600s, when the first merchant vessel sailed up the Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore (aka Charm City), the place has been known as the Inner Harbor. Each year some 11 million travelers make their way to Baltimore, of whom a significant percentage join local residents in taking a stroll along the water's edge and enjoying the many shopping, eating and recreational opportunities available at Haborplace, The Gallery and The Power Plant, along with a plethora of restaurants, museums and entertainment venues.

The Inner Harbor has been a hub of activity for more than three centuries when the first settlers set up camp along the water's edge in 1661. However, it wasn't until the city's official founding in 1729 that the town was named after the Lords Baltimore who founded the colony of Maryland. The seeds of the modern city were sown in 1796 when Baltimore was incorporated. With a scant two hundred homes, the fledgling port that initially acted as a hub for tobacco farmers and exporters, quickly grew into a locus for flour milling and shipbuilding for the newly independent Mid-Atlantic states.

Located in the center of downtown Baltimore, the Inner Harbor has now served as the center of commerce, community and entertainment for over 300 hundred years, and several of the city's oldest neighborhoods are within easy walking distance. It is also the point where more than 200 neighborhoods in Baltimore gather annually to celebrate New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July as well as major milestones such as the Baltimore Ravens 2001 win in SuperBowl XXXV.

In July 1980, when only warehouses and docks dotted the shoreline, the city unveiled the first step of what was to become an extreme makeover for the Inner Harbor: the two Harbor Place pavilions opened their doors merging with The Maryland Science Center and one year later with the then-new National Aquarium in Baltimore. All those wannabe-Jacques Cousteaus, young and old, will have a hard time coming up for air as they take in the more than 10,500 sea creatures spanning 560 species on display at the city's incredible National Aquarium.

The Inner Harbor's crowning glory, the National Aquarium, attracts more than 1.6 million visitors each year. There are seven current exhibits on the aquarium's five levels including: "Wings in the Water", featuring dozens of stingrays gliding through a 265,000 gallon pool, alongside a variety of small shark species; "Puffins", showcasing birds of the North Atlantic such as puffins, razorbills and black guillemots and the "Marine Mammal Pavilion" where the aquarium's dolphins reside. In spring the aquarium will launch its next exhibit, "Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes", the first exhibition of its kind in the US. Planners say it will plunge visitors into the "colors, textures, sights and sounds of the Northern Territory of Australia" and include a 35-foot waaterfall and 32 species of birds.

The seafaring experience continues a short walk away at the Baltimore Maritime Museum where one can learn more about the city's nautical past. Visitors can view the nation's naval history aboard the USS Constellation, the only surviving Civil War eraall-sail vessel. Older children can enjoy a hands-on experience of 19th-century sailor life. Those looking for a more authentic experience can sail aboard a variety of crafts from the Inner Harbor, such as Maryland's Pride of Baltimore II.

It is a matter of local debate as to which location is best for a bird's eye view of the harbor and surrounding areas. Most locals fall into one of two camps-those who think the World Trade Center's (WTC) 27th floor observation deck is prime viewing real estate and those staunchly in favor of the natural surroundings on top of Federal Hill. For the WTC crowd, the Top of the World Observation Level is the closest most city residents will come to an eagle's eye view. On a clear day, visitors can see Fort McHenry to the east, historic Mount Vernon neighborhood and the Washington monument to the north and M&T Stadium, home of the Ravens football team to the south.

Federal Hill supporters contend that there is nothing like green grass and trees in a historic setting to get the best view of Baltimore. The hill, named for the celebration residents held to commemorate the ratification of the United States' Constitution, borders the historic neighborhood of the same name. The huge cannon on the hill is a vestige from the Civil War when Union troops occupied the city to prevent areas surrounding the District of Columbia from falling into Confederate hands.

Harborplace, The Gallery and Power Plant create a shoppers' paradise with more than 200 stores, restaurants and eateries. The waterside mall and pavilions offer a selection of stores for all tastes from über-hip clothing at J Crew and Forever 21, the classic elegance of Talbots or the casual chic of The Gap at the Gallery or the independent and eclectic shops such as Hats in the Belfry, Who You Calling a Crab and Christmas Dove (HarborPlace & The Gallery). If all that shopping has left you in need of quick, good-quality nosh then grab a bite at Baltimore's Hard Rock Cafe in Power Plant.

If you like to learn and have fun at the same time, just a short walk two blocks east is Port Discovery, the Kid-Powered Museum. It has three floors of interactive educational exhibits and programs for children aged 2-12-and you can join in with them. On the southwest end of the harbor, miniature Einsteins can put all that brain food to use and experiment at the Maryland Science Center.

Three floors of exhibits include a bed of nails, a dinosaur dig, monitoring of earthquakes and volcanoes, an obserzvatory, a planetarium and a special exhibit for little scientists, eight-years-old and under. Later on, the kids can take in a flick on the incredible, eight-storey high screen in the Center's IMAX Theatre.

Once the kids are tucked up in bed, adults looking for fun can head to Power Plant Live!-a restaurant, bar and nightclub emporium. Or you can let it all hang out at Howl at the Moon, which has an '80s-bar feel.

Sport fanatics should head west and catch a game at either of the city's sports stadiums. Home to the Baltimore Orioles, Camden Yards is widely considered one of the nation's most beautiful ballparks with its redbrick façade. The M&T stadium, just beyond Camden Yards, is the home of the Baltimore Ravens. Both venues provide off-season tours.

The Inner Harbor is certainly an insider's secret and the residents of Baltimore are grateful for the cultural, social and educational focus point it provides for the community. It is little wonder that such a historic port, which has provided a point of entrance and departure for thousands of visitors, is more receptive to change than other, more hermetic cities. An integral port of call for those who love the sea, the city and the great outdoors.

Harbor Place
EPN Zone, Barnes & Noble and Hard Rock Cafe in Power Plant

WHERE TO VISIT ...
Baltimore Maritime Museum: www.baltomaritimemuseum.org
Baltimore Orioles: www.orioles.com
Baltimore Ravens:www.baltimoreravens.com
Federal Hill Park: www.baltimorecity.gov
Fort McHenry: www.nps.gov/fomc
Harbor Place and The Gallery: www.harborplace.com
Hard Rock Cafe: www.hardrockcafe.com
Howl at the Moon: www.howlatthemoon.com
Maryland Science Center: www.mdsci.org
National Aquarium: www.aqua.org
Port Discovery: The Kid-Powered Museum www.portdiscovery.org
Power Plant: www.cordish.com
Power Plant Live! www.powerplantlive.com
Pride of Baltimore II: www.intandem.com
Ram's Head Tavern: www.ramsheadtavern.com
WTC Top of the World Observation Level: www.baltimore.to/TopOfWorld
USS Constellation: www.constellation.org

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