What to do in the many neighborhoods of Baltimore

Over the course of my two years at Hopkins I’ve mostly heard people complain about Baltimore. It’s too small, too dangerous, too boring. I’ve yet to hear anyone say that they actually like the city. No one’s told me about a cool neighborhood they visited or a delicious Thai restaurant they’ve found. No one’s said to me, “You have to visit the Walters Museum,” or “You can’t leave without eating at The Bun Shop.”

So I’m going to be that person, at least for the duration of this opinion.

I can’t say that I love Baltimore, but I did grow up in Los Angeles, so I may be a bit prejudiced. I do really, really like Baltimore, though. Yes, it can be very gritty in places, and it’s not exactly the most culturally diverse city, but it’s definitely called “Charm City” for a reason.

I have to say, when I got to Hopkins and was given a myriad of talks about how dangerous the city is, I was a bit put off. The bi-weekly emails about all the people who’d been mugged, stabbed or otherwise attacked didn’t help. It’s true that I grew up in a big city, but the constant barrage of cautionary tales made it that much easier to stay in the safety of the Hopkins bubble.

There are little enclaves full of different personalities all over the city.

The Hopkins bubble is very real and very scary. It’s like a black hole that sucks you in and squeezes you into a line of panicked atoms. Okay, it’s not quite that dramatic, but the campus does a really good job of reeling you in and never letting go. However, time spent only at Hopkins tends to drive me a little bit insane. Yes, the campus is beautiful, but I start feeling choked by all the work I’ve been doing, am doing and have to do. The world outside of the University tends to disappear into a panicked swirl of homework and exams.

Bursting out of the bubble takes work, but sometime at the beginning of last year I decided that, since I’m a senior, it’s time I really explored Baltimore outside of the Inner Harbor. I didn’t want to be the graduate who got nostalgic for all the stuff I hadn’t done in the city. Plus, I’d also come to the conclusion that equally as many muggings probably happened near my house in Los Angeles, but I just didn’t get a daily bulletin about them.

Baltimore is a city of neighborhoods. This means that there are little enclaves full of different personalities all over the city. Right next to campus is Hampden, which is super quirky and feels like you’ve traveled to a different world. I recommend walking the whole 15 minutes it takes to get there from campus one weekend morning for brunch. There are numerous tiny eateries lining 36th Street, ranging from crepes to traditional American fare. The neighborhood also specializes in antiques and used books, so be prepared to buy a 100-year-old copy of Hamlet because you can’t live without it.

I recently discovered Belvedere Square, which is a 10-minute Uber ride up York Road. Belvedere Square is an indoor market that specializes in artisanal and delicious food. Besides buying fancy smoked fish, cheese and homemade kombucha, you can also eat ramen, home-style Southern food and fancy scones. The Square is across the street from the Senator Theatre, which is a super-cool old movie theater that plays special movies on its giant screen on the weekend. A few weeks ago I watched The Princess Bride. “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya” has never sounded so good.

Have you ever really explored Mount Vernon? Or have you just ridden the JHMI Shuttle past the Peabody stop en route to the medical campus? There are a lot of great restaurants that are pretty affordable on a college student’s budget. Plus, there are a myriad of cafes that aren’t Starbucks, so if you want to get away from campus but still obsessively do work, Mount Vernon is definitely the place.

If you need a fast getaway that doesn’t involve food, there’s this lovely walking path along Stony Run (you know, that bubbling creek behind Bloomberg and the athletic fields) that meanders parallel to Charles Street through the neighborhoods behind Loyola and Notre Dame. It’s a great four-mile loop chock full of non-students taking their babies and dogs for walks. There’s even a little lending library in a bright green box if you need a book to read while you walk.

The list of neighborhoods to explore goes on and on. I recommend visiting Station North, Federal Hill, Charles Village, Little Italy and Greektown (yes, there’s a Greektown). Plus, there’s the whole county of Baltimore to visit, including Mount Washington and Towson. I know I sound a bit like an overenthusiastic parent trying to get their kid off the couch, but I think in order to survive the hell that can sometimes be Hopkins, you have to take some time for yourself away from everything having to do with school.

It’s time to leave the Hopkins bubble. Yes, the outside world is a scary place, but you’ll be okay. Eating good food and taking a break from the chaos of campus is well worth the risk.

Sarah Stockman is a senior Writing Seminars major from Los Angeles.