It is easy for freshmen to be seduced by the wild revelry, carefree drinking and uninhibited young coeds that typically adorn most fraternity parties. But after a few weekends of dragging an unconscious roommate back to their room, many students start looking for alternative forms of entertainment.
Enter the self-proclaimed "Greatest City in America," and a plentiful amount of weekend options are ready for the taking.
Baltimore is a city divided into many different and distinct neighborhoods, each offering their own flavor. Visiting these neighborhoods is a good way to get to know the city.
Little Italy offers great Italian fare and a restaurant devoted entirely to gourmet desserts, Vaccaro's. Fells Point is the place to be for bar-hopping, as it has one of the highest concentrations of bars in the country. Mount Vernon offers bohemian art galleries and sushi bars. Hampden is the place for vintage clothing and kitschy antiques. Federal Hill offers several concert venues and clubs. And of course, there's always Charles Village, home to a smorgasbord of students and good old-fashioned Baltimoreans.
The Inner Harbor, Baltimore's tried and true tourist destination, is always a good place to take a break from the books. Besides a wealth of shopping and dining options, the Harbor is home to the National Aquarium, full of sharks, squid and starfish. For animals that like to stay on land, head to the Baltimore Zoo (2600 Madison Ave.) filled with penguin islands and chimpanzee forests.
If you need Matisse or Warhol to brighten up your day, look no further than the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) for a heavy dose of good old-fashioned talent. Located on the Homewood campus, admission to the museum is free for Hopkins students with college ID.
The BMA's downtown sibling, the Walters Art Museum (Mount Vernon Square) showcases art from around the globe and offers special exhibits year-round. Faberg? eggs never looked better.
After several nights of listening to Bon Jovi standards at Sig Ep, it might be time to venture off into other musical genres. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra plays regularly at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (1212 Cathedral St., a couple blocks from Penn Station). The Meyerhoff also occasionally offers stand-up acts like Dennis Miller and Jerry Seinfeld. Johns Hopkins' own Peabody Conservatory (Mount Vernon Square) also offers frequent (and often free) classical and jazz concerts by its world-class student body. The Recher Theater (512 York Rd.) in Towson is a good bet for independent rock acts like Pat McGee Band, Collective Soul and They Might Be Giants, all playing there this fall.
While Baltimore may not offer the star power and lights of Broadway, professional theatre has been making somewhat of a comeback here in recent years. Two of the most well-established theaters are Center Stage (700 N. Calvert St.) which features musicals and college nights where ticket prices are reduced. The Everyman Theater (1727 N. Charles St.) also offers student discounts and sticks mostly to drama.
Baltimore also provides its fair share of sporting options for those die-hard fans. Baseball enthusiasts can catch the Baltimore Orioles games at one of the best parks in the nation, Camden Yards. This season ends Oct. 3, then starts up again in early April. Games rarely sell-out so you can buy your tickets just before game-time.
The 2001 Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens play at M&T Bank Stadium through Dec. If you just want to watch the game on TV, and maybe grab a bite while you're at it, visit the ESPN Zone at the Inner Harbor. It also features arcade-style virtual reality sports games.
So go and party in some dirty fraternity basements for the next month or two. But one day soon your higher cultural sense will come calling. When that time arrives, don't be afraid to explore the city and make your weekend one for the record books.
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