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Q&A BY PIERS TOWNLEY

Beside the harbor is where Customer Beside the harbor is where Customer Service Representative Suzanne Kent Service Representative Suzanne Kent would rather be. For her, Baltimore’s would rather be. For her, Baltimore’s charms, heritage and friendliness charms, heritage and friendliness bolster its unique appeal. bolster its unique appeal.

What puts Baltimore on the map for you?
Well, the thing about Baltimore that makes it so beautiful is the people. It’s a diverse city and it’s growing every single day. The harbor is the biggest draw—once it was nothing, just concrete sidewalks, but now we have fabulous shopping, fantastic restaurants, high rises, hotels and two brand-new stadiums. It’s an incredibly welcoming city. We’re over-the-top friendly!

Baltimore’s hip bar scene

Give us the dish on Baltimore’s dishes.
If you come to Baltimore, there are two places you must eat. They are both signature restaurants. You must have the prime rib in the Prime Rib. It comes to the table and it’s so big, it’s frightening. The waiters look quaintly old-fashioned in their black tie and are very friendly. The place has been in business for about 40 years and is full of characters. The other place I’d recommend is called Obrycki’s and is superb for crab.

Camden YardsWhat’s a good landmark to get your bearings when you first arrive?
There’s a newly built visitor center in the Inner Harbor district, next to the Science Center. The visitor center’s design is fabulous—and from there you can reach everywhere. You can’t get lost in Baltimore, it’s all within walking distance. The waterways here are brilliant and a lot of work has gone into improving and preserving them. You can take a boat from the city and head all the way out to Chesapeake Bay. Water taxis are a great way to access the city. One of the best things for me about Baltimore is that I can travel three hours one way and be in Ocean City with fabulous beaches, and three hours in the other direction and be in the mountains in the middle of nowhere, to ski or walk or just lose myself.

If you’re heading out into the night?
South Point is unique for its nightlife. It’s where the ships used to dock and there’s such a buzz there. It’s all cobbled-stone streets with cute little bars and clubs and you can find fabulous seafood in the restaurants. There’s a hip bar scene with loads of live music venues. Ram’s Head is a huge live venue, only a block away from the water—if you’re single, head there, you’ll have a great time!

If you have children in tow?
You have to take them to the Aquarium. It’s one of the finest I’ve ever seen and there’s a second part to it being built right now that looks like the Australian outback. Port Discovery is where the children’s museums are situated—they are all really hands on. The Renaissance Festival takes place at this time of the year—it’s like stepping back in time with jousting tournaments and traditional shows—it’s great fun.

The Aquarium

If you only have 24 hours?
For a real flavor, definitely head to the Inner Harbor area—it encompasses a lot of things including the Science Center and the pavilions, which are filled with food and shopping. Also we have Fort McHenry, where the Star-Spangled Banner was written. You can’t get more historical than that. If you fancy watching some baseball then head out to Camden Yards. Don’t worry if the weather’s bad, it’ll change in five minutes—even nature’s vibrant here!

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