Baltimore is a city of the old and new! On one hand the city has one of the oldest ports of the country and on the other a total contradiction of neo modern parks, museums and other attractions. It is because of these contradictions that Baltimore has emerged as the newest favorite tourist destination of America. For all tourists visiting the city, there is a very well established network of hotels all across Baltimore.

The top tourism season of Baltimore is the summer and spring. The average summer temperatures are at 33 °C at the highest and 23 °C at the lowest. However, note that this season has relatively high humidity. The spring is comfortable with sunny days and low humidity. In the summer, the city holds many events and festivals which attract thousands of tourists from across the country. During the peak tourist season, the hotel room rates are relatively higher because of the high demand.

In this season, the average room rates(standard rooms) in 5 star luxury hotels may range between $125 and $175 per night. The prices for suites and deluxe rooms are obviously higher, going as high as $600 for luxury presidential suites. Rooms in budget hotels in the spring may cost you anywhere between $50 and $100 depending on the amenities offered by the hotel.

The autumns and winters are the off season for tourism in Baltimore. In the winters, the temperatures can drop as low as 7 °C(highest) and -1 °C(lowest). However, this does not dampen the spirit of the city. The city has a rich history that can be witnessed in its eclectic art and culture; the many attractions make Baltimore a great destination even in its cold winters. At this time of the year, the hotels of Baltimore offer great discounts and packages. These make your stay in Baltimore very affordable with great enjoyment in lesser expenditure.

Baltimore Climate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore

Baltimore Events

http://baltimore.org/events

Baltimore All Seasons' Attractions

http://baltimore.org/arts-and-culture

Baltimore Hotel Discounts and Packages

http://reservations.baltimore.org/2193_package-list_m1695_r575695.html

For the health conscious and fitness freaks, there are numerous health clubs and gyms in Baltimore, dotted all across the city. Given below are some of the best gymnasiums of the city:

Merritt Athletic Clubs: With 10 outlets in the Baltimore region, the Merritt Athletic Club offers a complete range of fitness facilities and programs like swimming, yoga, pilates, basketball, racquet sports, sauna and steam, running tracks, and massage. The club also runs many group fitness programs like aquatic classes, cardio kickboxing, body flow, body jam, sports conditioning and muscle conditioning to name a few.

Bally Total Fitness club: Bally offers a wide array of fitness related options with amenities ranging from martial arts to muscle training. The club has 5 outlets in the city have spacious gymnasium floor plans with state of the art fitness equipment and facilities. They also have trained personal fitness experts who offer individualized attention, expertise and motivation to the club members.

Brick Bodies and Lynne Brick's Health Club: This health club is located in the downtown area and offers the latest fitness solutions to the members. Some of these solutions are TRX Suspension Training, React, EmPower, Extreme Weight Loss Program, and Group Swimming Lessons. The Brick Bodies is one of the favorite gyms for the many corporate offices in the Baltimore Downtown area and offers many corporate group wellness programs.

Whirl Wynn Fitness Club: This is one of the few 24 hours operational fitness centers of Baltimore. Located at 36 South Charles Street, 203 Baltimore, there are state of the art fitness facilities and apparatus here. The personal trainers at the Whirl Wynn offer great motivation to the members to help them understand the importance of physical exercise and design personal training solutions for them. The club also offers great packages and discounts for the members.

Merritt Athletic Clubs

http://www.merrittclubs.com/programs/index.html

Bally Total Fitness club

http://www.ballyfitness.com/discover-bally/our-clubs.aspx

Brick Bodies and Lynne Brick's Health Club

http://www.brickbodies.com/Corporate/index.aspx

Whirl Wynn Fitness Club

http://www.whirl-wynnfitness.com/

Baltimore is not only good for vacationing with your friend and beloved, but it is also a great place to enjoy with your kids. There are quite a few spots where you can visit with your kids and have fun with them.

The Walters Art Museum is great place to visit with your kid. There is admission charge to enter this museum. It is open from Wednesday to Sunday till 4.30pm. Opt for the Family Friendly Audio Tour which is free and it will be great for your kids. You can also seek help from a guide to explore the place. The interactive section for children near the entrance is very good and do not miss the Asian section in the 3rd floor. Children can create art objects which is a great learning experience for them.

The Flag House and Star Spangled Banner Museum is another kid friendly destination in Baltimore. You will find a lot of history related to the creation of the national anthem of America in this museum. On Saturdays from 10 to 3pm, you will find historians dressed up as various characters from the pages of history. Baltimore Museum of Industry and B&O Railroad Museum are also kid friendly museums.

The Red Canoe Bookstore Cafe is a good place to bring your kids along. Situated on Hardford Road, this place offers sandwiches which are delicious. The staff is affable. The Clementine is a wonderful place for kids with a separate playing area for them. The menu is also suitable for children. Grind On offers sandwiches, breakfast fares, ice cream and coffee along with a great atmosphere for kids. Kids will also find toys to play. Frank's Pizza serves amazing pizzas and pastas to the customers. It is absolutely kid friendly. Pizza John's is one of the most wonderful kid friendly restaurants in the city serving delicious pizzas.

Kid friendly The Walters Art Museum

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60811-d103081-r75132528-The_Walters_Art_Museum-Baltimore_Maryland.html

Other kid friendly museums in Baltimore

http://hubpages.com/hub/Baltimores_Best_Kid-Friendly_Attractions

Most well known kid friendly restaurants in Baltimore

http://www.examiner.com/working-mom-in-baltimore/top-six-child-friendly-baltimore-restaurants

Pizza John's: one of the best kid friendly restaurants in Baltimore

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/31/352138/restaurant/Baltimore/Rosedale-Essex/Pizza-Johns-Essex

Vegetarianism is the in thing today! With the health benefits, more and more people prefer to turn vegetarian. If you too are one of those and are looking for vegetarian or vegan restaurants in Baltimore, there are plenty of options. Here are some of the popular favorite vegetarian or vegan restaurants in Baltimore:

One World Cafe: Located at 100 West University Parkway, the One World Cafe takes pride in their organic, chemical free, and healthy food. The ambience is casual, comfortable, and eclectic with great options of protein rich, low cholesterol and fat food. Whether it is vegan homemade deserts, organic coffee or organic wine or beer, be prepared to be surprised with the mind boggling options for vegetarian and vegan food.

One World Cafe

http://one-world-cafe.com/baltimore_restaurant_menu_vegan.cfm

India Rasoi: Located in 411 South Street, visit the India Rasoi to taste some delectable vegetarian Indian cuisine. Vegetarian and vegan food lovers will be surprised to find the array of mouthwatering dishes that Indian cuisine has to offer. Do not miss out on the signature Dal Makhani(a rich dish prepared with 5 lentils) and Mattar Paneer(green pees and home made cheese). The India Rasoi also offers great vegetarian appetizer than can influence even meat lovers to go for vegetarian and vegan food.

India Rasoi

http://www.india-rasoi.com/dine-in-menu.html#Vege

The Yabba Pot: This vegetarian restaurant is located in 771 Washington Boulevard and is a casual eatery that is great for families and children. The Yabba Pot serves completely vegan cuisine with dishes like citrus mock meat ribs, seaweed salad, and vegan mac and cheese. You will be pleasantly surprised with the brightly lit ambience with great music and eclectic artwork adorning the walls.

The Yabba Pot

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=vegetarian+restaurants+baltimore&fb=1&hq=vegetarian+restaurants&hnear=Baltimore,+MD&cid=7576358205884159951

Liquid Earth: This hip vegetarian restaurant is located at 1626 Alsceanna Street and is open all seven days of the week. The Liquid Earth is introduces innovative creations of vegan, vegetarian, and living and raw food.

Liquid Earth

http://www.liquidearth.com/

Johns Hopkins University is a private research university and is regarded as one of the top universities in the world. Also known as JHU, the University was founded in 1876. It has pioneered many innovations in research and academic pedagogy, and is a model for numerous universities around the world. JHU is among the most cited universities in the world, and has been ranked number one by the National Science foundation in the areas of total research and development, engineering, science, and medical spending for the last 30 years in a row!

The story of JHU started in 1873, when Johns Hopkins, a philanthropist, donated $7 million towards the creation of a hospital and a university in Maryland. The founders of the University looked away from the traditional universities in America at that time, and created a new system that focused on expansion of knowledge and faculty research.

The first president of Johns Hopkins University, Daniel Coit Gilman, was a visionary who pointed the future direction of the institution with his famous "Knowledge for the world" mission. The motto of JHU is Veritas vos Liberabit(Latin) which means "The Truth Will Set You Free". To accomplish his vision of an educational institution that will set the standards for education the world over, Gilman recruited internationally known luminaries to each department.

The University is comprised of nine academic divisions and campuses - The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the School of Education, the Carey Business School, schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, the Peabody Institute, and the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.

130 years after it was formed, JHU still remains a world leader in both research and teaching. It now has campuses in Maryland, Washington D.C., Nanjing(China), Bologna(Italy), and Singapore; all mirroring the values of its benefactor and founders.

Wikipedia Page for Johns Hopkins University

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hopkins_University

The History of JHU

http://webapps.jhu.edu/jhuniverse/information_about_hopkins/about_jhu/a_brief_history_of_jhu/index.cfm

JHU parent guide

http://www.universityparent.com/jhu/2010/08/11/johns-hopkins-history-mission

Visitor Guide John Hopkins University

http://webapps.jhu.edu/jhuniverse/information_about_hopkins/visitor_information/

The Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshal Airport(BWI Airport) is the international airport at the Baltimore Washington Metropolitan Area. It is one of the highest ranking airports in USA in terms of ease of getting around. There is a light rail station within the airport as well as easy commuting options from the city by buses and the connecting Interstate 195.

The BWI Airport is one of the handful airports across the world which has a light rail ground transportation system. This service is provided by the Maryland Transit Administration and connects the airport to Baltimore downtown, Hunt Valley and Timonium. It is operational all days of the week from 6 AM to 11 PM and on holidays from 11 AM to 7 PM.

The airport is also connected by the SuperShuttle service 24 hours of the day to Maryland, Washington DC, Annapolis and Northern Virginia. The airport shuttle also offers convenient transportation in 10 seater vans to the Howard Country(Ellicot City, Columbia, and Jessup) and Anne Arundel County(Annapolis, Crofton, Bowie and Fort Meade)

Another popular form of ground transportation in the BWI airport is the Amtrak. With services at the BWI Marshal Rail Station, passengers are offered free shuttle in the various terminals of the airport. The Maryland Transit Administration also offers bus service to the Arundel Mills Mall, Parkway Center, Patapsco Light Rail Shop and Airport 100 Park. The bus service runs at frequent intervals and is a much popular mode of transport for the residents and visitors to Baltimore.

The BWI Airport also has a large and spacious car rental area where most major national car rental companies have their stalls. The car rental area is located at the Stoney Run Road and New Ridge Road and there are free shuttle services from the airport to these car rental areas.

Light Rail System

http://www.bwiairport.com/en/travel/ground-transportation/trans/lightrail

SuperShuttle System

http://www.bwiairport.com/en/travel/ground-transportation/trans/supershuttle

Amtrak System

http://www.bwiairport.com/en/travel/ground-transportation/trans/amtrak

Bus Service Center

http://www.bwiairport.com/en/travel/ground-transportation/trans/mta

Car Rental System

http://www.bwiairport.com/en/travel/ground-transportation/trans/carrental