How to get around in Baltimore,while at Bouchercon

Directions

To, in and around Baltimore...

The B'con Sheraton is bounded by one-way streets – all traveling counterclockwise. There are a lot of one-way streets in Baltimore's city center. With that in mind (and with many attractions within a half mile), all directions here are for walking – except for travel into town, just below. (directions map shows one-way streets for driving.)

Travel:
to Sheraton City Center Hotel – Bouchercon 2008: Charmed to Death
101 West Fayette Street; 410-752-1100

From North, using I-95 South:
Take I-95 through the Fort McHenry Tunnel (toll) to Exit 53 (I-395 North, Downtown), bear left off exit (follow signs toward Inner Harbor), continue in left or center lanes, at 3rd light, make a right onto Pratt St, continue 2 blocks (cross Hopkins/Sharp, pass Hanover), turn left onto S Charles (cross Lombard, pass Redwood on right, cross Baltimore), turn left onto W Fayette (hotel is 1 block on left, SW corner with N Hanover.)

From North, using I-83 South:
Take I-83 (Harrisburg Expressway) to the merger of I-83 and I-695 West, continue on I-83/I-695 merger for one mile to Exit 23A (I-83 South, Downtown), proceed on I-83 (Jones Falls Expressway) until expressway ends (Downtown) and becomes President Street, take right onto E Fayette, go 1/2 mile to hotel (on left at N Hanover, SW corner with W Fayette)

From East (and alternate from North), using I-95 South:
take West US 40 (Pulaski Hwy), continue onto Orleans St, turn left onto St. Paul (cross Mulberry, Pleasant, Saratogo, Lexington), right onto E Fayette (cross Charles; hotel is 2 blocks on left, SW corner with Hanover.)

From West, using I-70 East:
Take I-70 to Exit 91 (I-695 South, Glen Burnie), travel I-695 South and take Exit 11A (I-95 North, Baltimore), proceed on I-95 North to Exit 53 (I-395 North, Downtown), bear left off exit (follow signs toward Inner Harbor), continue in left or center lanes, at 3rd light, make a right onto Pratt St, continue 2 blocks (cross Hopkins/Sharp, pass Hanover), turn left onto S Charles (cross Lombard, pass Redwood on right, cross Baltimore), turn left onto W Fayette (hotel is 1 block on left, SW corner with N Hanover.)

Alternate from West using I-70:
Take Exit 94 onto Security Blvd (MD 122, turns into Cook Ln) south to East US 40 (Edmondson Ave), continue onto W Franklin, then W Mulberry, turn right onto St. Paul (cross Mulberry, Pleasant, Saratogo, Lexington), right onto E Fayette (cross Charles; hotel is 2 blocks on left, SW corner with N Hanover.)

From South, using I-95 North:
Take I-95 to Exit 53 (I-395 North, Downtown), bear left off exit (follow signs toward Inner Harbor), continue in left or center lanes, at 3rd light, make a right onto Pratt St, continue 2 blocks (cross Hopkins/Sharp, pass Hanover), turn left onto S Charles (cross Lombard, pass Redwood on right, cross Baltimore), turn left onto W Fayette (hotel is 1 block on left, SW corner with N Hanover.)

[ Baltimore.org's directions to Inner Harbor, at city center ]

Hotels [to Sheraton; reference # from Hotels_near map]:

[15] Brookshire Suites, 120 E. Lombard St (at S Calvert, NW corner)
   West on E Lombard (cross Grant, Light), north on S Charles (past/cross Redwood), west on W Baltimore, north on N Hanover.
[12] Days Inn Inner Harbor Hotel, 100 Hopkins Pl (at W Lombard, SW corner)
   North on Hopkins, east on W Baltimore, north on N Hanover.
[14] Hampton Inn & Suites, Inner Harbor, 131 E. Redwood St (at S Calvert, SW corner)
   West on E Redwood (cross Grant, Light), north on S Charles, west on W Baltimore, north on N Hanover.
[9] Holiday Inn Inner Harbor, 301 W. Lombard St (at S Howard, SW corner)
   East on W Lombard, north on Hopkins Pl, east on W Baltimore, north on N Hanover.
[3] Mount Vernon Hotel, 24 W. Franklin St (at Cathedral, NE corner)
   South on Cathedral (cross Mulberry, Pleasant, Saratoga), becomes N Liberty (cross Sharp/Clay, past Lexington & Marion), east on W Lafayette.
[2] Peabody Court Hotel, 612 Cathedral St (at Monument, SW corner)
   South on Cathedral (cross Centre, Hamilton, Franklin, Mulberry, Pleasant, Saratoga), becomes N Liberty (cross Sharp/Clay, past Lexington & Marion), east on W Lafayette.
[7] Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore, 20 W. Baltimore St (at N Hanover, NE corner)
   Cross Hanover and go north a block to Lafayette. (B'con's secondary hotel)
[13] Residence Inn Baltimore Downtown/Inner Harbor, 17 Light St (at Mercer, SE corner)
   North on Light (cross Redwood), west on W Baltimore (cross Charles), north on N Hanover.
[4] Tremont Park Hotel, 8 E. Pleasant St (at Lovegrove)
   West on E Pleasant, south on Charles (cross Saratoga, Lexington), west on W Fayette.
[5] Tremont Plaza Hotel, 222 St. Paul Pl (at E Saratoga, SW corner)
   South on St. Paul (cross Lexington), west on Fayette (cross Charles).

Attractions/Shopping [see directions map]:

Edgar Allen Poe's grave: west on W Fayette (cross Liberty, Park, Howard, Eutaw, Paca), about 1/3 mile.

Poe House and Museum: from grave, continue west on W Fayette (cross Greene, Pine, MLK Blvd, Fremont, Poppleton), north on N Amity (cross Lexington), go 50/60 feet-on right; distance is about 3/4 mile from grave.

Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Branch: west on W Fayette, north on N Liberty (past/cross Marion, Lexington, cross Clay, Saratoga [street changes to Cathedral], Pleasant, Mulberry), on left between Mulberry and Franklin; less than 1/3 mile.

Lexington Market: west on W Fayette St (cross Liberty, Park, Howard), north on N Eutaw; about 1/3 mile total.

Cross Street Market: south on N Hanover, east on W Baltimore, south on S Charles (last 5 crosses are Montgomery, Churchill, Henrietta, Wheeling, Hamburg); about 7/8 mile total.

Inner Harbor: south on N Hanover, east on W Baltimore (cross Charles), south on Light (cross Redwood; cross/pass Mercer, Water; cross Lombard), plaza leading to Harborplace at SE corner with E Pratt. The Visitor Center is along Light, just south of Harborplace. The U.S.S. Constellation, National Aquarium, and Power Plant are east along Pratt; The Gallery is past the Light/Pratt intersection to the left. The Maryland Science Center/Imax Theatre is 1/3 mile south on Light St (NE of corner with Key Hwy).

Power Plant Live: south on N Hanover, east on W Baltimore (cross Charles, St. Paul/Light, Calvert, Guilford/South, Holliday/Commerce, cross/pass Custom House, cross Gay), bldg is at SE corner with S Frederick.

The Avenue (W. 36th St, Hampden): north on Fells Pkwy [I-83] between Druid Hill Park and Johns Hopkins (about 3 miles); MTA Bus Route 27, Roland Stop; Light Rail, Woodberry Stop

Belvedere Square: north on Greenmount Ave/York Rd to Govanstown (about 6 miles); MTA Bus Route 8 (near stop E)

Recreation:

Edgar's Billiards Club: south on N Hanover, east on W Baltimore, south on S Charles (cross/pass Redwood, cross Lombard), at SE corner with E Pratt.
Shake and Bake Family Fun Center: west on W Fayette, north on N Paca, west on W Franklin, northwest on Pennsylvania, to Pitcher St (about 1-1/2 miles total); MTA Bus Route 7

City Parks [see parks map]:
Federal Hill - basketball court
   (1 mile: east to St. Paul/Light, south to Key Hwy, east to park)
Riverside - ball field, basketball courts
   (1-1/2 miles: east to St. Paul/Light, south to Randall, east to park)
Latrobe - ball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts
   (2-1/3 miles: less than 1/2 mile WNW of Ft. McHenry)
Patterson - ball fields, multiple basketball courts, multiple tennis courts
   (2 miles: west on Baltimore to park)
   [ friends of park site, includes facilities & maps and seasonal bird list ]
Carroll - ball fields, basketball courts
   (1-2/3 miles: west to Poppleton, south (past B&O Museum on right)
   to Washington Blvd, west, then southwest, to park)
Druid Hill - ball fields, basketball courts, multiple tennis courts
   (3 miles: southeast part of park, above lake; Maryland Zoo at this park)

[ overview of city parks, maps of all city parks and recreation centers ]

Public Transportation [see transportation map, or MTA, for more detail]:
There are many bus routes that have stops within a couple blocks of the hotel.

Charles Center Metro station (a block from southeast corner of hotel): south on N Hanover to W Baltimore, east on Baltimore (near southwest corner of Baltimore and Charles Sts).

Maryland Transit Administration: Accessibility Fares Schedules