Luke and I ventured to Baltimore this past weekend to celebrate the wedding of our close friends, Adam and Colleen! Having never been to this city before we were excited to wander and explore this city, which was full of history! Below you’ll see our adventure through a series of photos! I can’ take credit for all of them as some of the best were commandeered from Luke’s friend, Eric, whose camera was far superior to mine. 🙂 We really enjoyed our short time exploring Baltimore, from touring Fort McHenry to climbing Federal Hill (pictured above). We really were hoping the Orioles would be home  while in the city so we could experience Camden Yard, but alas perhaps next time. On a side note, Meryl Streep was staying at our hotel, with one of our party actually riding in an elevator with her! In my lone sighting she was camouflaged under a particularly floppy hat, but it was exciting regardless.  Part 1 of my Baltimore posts will include the majority our our sightseeing adventures.  You’ll have to stay tuned for Part 2 if you want to see photos from the breathtaking George Peabody Library.

Atomic Books

First and foremost, of course I had to research the bookstores that Baltimore had to offer.  Shortly, I stumbled upon Atomic Books that is touted as one of the top bookstores in the United States by the following list that I’ve been loosely following, having already visited John K. King (Detroit), Myopic Books (Chicago), and Powell’s (Portland). Particularly catching our interest was the presence of Eightbar in the bookstore. Books + Beer = a lovely combination. Alas, we chose to visit in the early afternoon, missing the bar opening by a few hours.  Despite the disappointment with regard to the lack of beer, the bookstore was fun to visit and definitely filled a specific niche.

Washington Monument

Yes, you read that correctly.  This Washington Monument, located in the beautiful Mount Vernon Place was the first public monument in honor of our first President.  Luke and I made the roughly 300 step climb to the top that offered a views in all direction of the surrounding city.  While the climb might have required a few breaks and it registered a bit on the claustrophobic scale with a lack of windows until you reach the top, it was well worth the trek to see the views!

Fort McHenry

We wrapped up our trip with a tour of Fort McHenry on our way to the airport. Fort McHenry claims its spot in history as the inspiration for the Star Spangled Banner, as Francis Scott Key watched the Fort successfully defend itself during a particularly fearsome onslaught occuring in War of 1812, all while being held behind enemy lines. We enjoyed our tour with the exhibits highlighting the role of the Fort throughout the various wars from 1812 to WW2.