Welcome to Baltimore! Welcome to Baltimore! For many of you, Loyola College in Maryland may be what brings you to Charm City for the first time. We hope that when you discover Baltimore’s historic background, diverse population, and cultural richness, you’ll want to call Baltimore your home. Neighborhoods Baltimore is comprised of many neighborhoods. Surrounding Loyola College are the neighborhoods of Roland Park, Homeland, Guilford, Govans, Keswick and Radnor Winston. Within a short distance from Loyola you can find shopping, restaurants and entertainment in Charles Village, Mt. Washington Village, and Hampden. Belvedere Square offers specialty shops, a market, and live entertainment on Friday nights. Nearby Senator Theatre is a historic landmark offering first run films. Back to top The Arts When it comes to the Arts, there’s no place like Baltimore. The Baltimore Museum of Art is within walking distance to Loyola, on the outskirts of Charles Village, and the Walters Art Museum is a short ride away in Mount Vernon, the cultural heart of the City. Beginning October 1st, both of these these world-class museums will offer free admission to the public. Not far from the Inner Harbor, the American Visionary Art Museum offers unique exhibits. Local talent often exhibit at the School 33 Art Center in South Baltimore, just beyond Federal Hill. For up-to-date information on these museums and galleries, and many others, check out the "Studio Art" page by Loyola's own Department of Fine Arts. The Meyerhoff Symphony Hall is home to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, as well as a venue for performing arts and lecture series. If theater’s your thing, you’ll find what you're looking for at The Hippodrome, The Lyric Opera House, CENTERSTAGE, or the many smaller theaters that are scattered throughout the downtown area. If you’re a film buff, Baltimore is a great place to be in the spring, when movie houses around the City play host to the Maryland Film Festival. Back to top City Culture There's no shortage of celebration in Baltimore of the city's diverse cultural heritage. Several museums and attractions pay homage to the extensive contributions made by African American Marylanders, including: The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture, the Arena Playhouse, and the Eubie Blake National Museum and Cultural Center. The Baltimore American Indian Center is located in historic Fells Point, a microcosm of the City's diversity. Baltimore was the second largest port of European immigration in the United States. It is no wonder then that the city’s population is richly diverse. Ethnic groups established neighborhoods in Baltimore City. Many of these neighborhoods have become points of interest and tourist attractions. You’ll find the Irish Shrine in Southwest Baltimore. Little Italy is just east of the Inner Harbor. Travel further east through Highlandtown and you’ll find your way to Greek Town. Ethnic festivals are held primarily in the summer months throughout the city. Baltimore’s religious history has significance for the nation as a whole. The recently restored Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the first Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, on the west side, was the nation's first African-American Catholic community. American Methodism got its start at the Lovely Lane Meeting House, which stood on Redwood Street. The third oldest Synagogue in the United States and the Jewish Museum of Maryland can be found on Lloyd Street, around the corner from the delis on Corned Beef Row. Back to top Attractions There's much to see and do in Baltimore, even for folks who are on a tight budget. Throughout the months of October and November 2006, live music, dance, theater and more will be offered in various venues at no charge through Free Fall Baltimore. Visit Baltimore’s own Washington Monument in Mt. Vernon Place. Attend First Thursdays on Charles Street. Check out what’s playing at the Charles Theatre. Tempt your taste buds at Lexington Market. Step back in time to the B & O Railroad Museum and while you in the neighborhood, stop by H.L. Mencken’s house, stroll around Union Square, or browse the stalls in Hollins Market, the oldest market still in operation in Baltimore City. Take in an O’s game at Camden Yards and visit the Sports Legends Museum and the nearby Babe Ruth Museum. Duck into the Enoch Pratt Free Library and do a little research. Visit the grave of Edgar Allen Poe. Back to top Sports Baltimore boasts several professional sports teams. For baseball, the Baltimore Orioles; for football, it’s the Baltimore Ravens; for soccer it’s the Baltimore Blast; and for lacrosse it's the Baltimore Bayhawks. Maryland is also known for thoroughbred racing. The annual running of the second jewel in the Triple Crown, the Preakness takes place at Pimlico Racecourse, right down the road from Loyola on Northern Parkway. Back to top The Outdoors If outdoor adventures are your thing, this is the place for you. Baltimore is fortunate in the amount of green space designated as public park. Places for biking, hiking, picnicking or playing team sports can be found throughout the city. Visit historic Cylburn Arboretum, less than a mile west from Loyola off Cold Spring Lane. Druid Hill Park, home to The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, is less than 5 miles away. Patterson Park in East Baltimore is one of the crown jewels of the City's park system, with ball fields, an ice rink, a swimming pool, an historic pagoda, and lots of open space. On the other side of the City, Gwynn Falls and Leakin Parks offer hiking trails and a nature center in one of the nation's largest urban wilderness preserves. Within easy reach of the City are a variety of places to go fishing, boating, rafting and climbing. Because Maryland’s climate is so versatile, you can do everything from skiing to paddle-boating. Back to top Collegetown
Collegetown is a network of other Baltimore city and county colleges and universities. In addition to Loyola, here are just some of the participating schools in this area: College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Towson University, the University of Baltimore, the Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, and the Maryland Institute College of Art. Collegetown also offers shuttle services between campuses. Back to top Day Trips If you’re interested in taking a day trip, there are several destinations within easy reach of Baltimore. The Columbia Town Center offers dining, shopping, and a multiplex movie theater. Annapolis, Maryland’s capital, is approximately 1 hour south of Baltimore. The quaint city of Frederick, located west of Baltimore, is also about an hour away. Students of American history and church history will enjoy visiting St. Mary's City, Maryland's first capital and the site of the first Jesuit church in the United States. Civil war buffs will not want to miss out on Harpers Ferry, Antietam, and Gettysburg, PA. Closer to home, historic Ellicott City, once a bustling mill town west of Baltimore, offers a unique shopping and dining experience. If you’re looking for fun in the sun, Ocean City, a popular beach resort, which is about 3 hours away. Less that an hour away and just beyond the state line is our nation’s capitol, Washington, DC . If you’re looking for amusement, Hershey Park, located in Pennsylvania, is only 90 miles away, and Paramount’s Kings Dominion, in Virginia, is about the same distance to the south. Back to top
B'more on the Web For more information about Baltimore, check out these sites:
www.baltimore.org
www.baltimorefunguide.com
www.ci.baltimore.md.us
www.maryland.gov
www.baltimorecitytourist.com
www.superpages.com/cities/Baltimore-MD.html
www.baltimorecountywebsite.com
www.mdhs.org Back to top | 
