The Inner Harbor is Baltimore's most visited area and its most controversial — beloved by tourists, viewed with affectionate condescension by locals, and genuinely impressive in its setting. The basin where Baltimore's shipping industry once operated has been transformed into a waterfront promenade ringed by museums, restaurants, and the city's skyline.
The National Aquarium, the Historic Ships collection, the Maryland Science Center, and the American Visionary Art Museum (just south of the main basin) anchor the area. Harborplace — the shopping and dining complex — is functional rather than inspired, but the waterfront itself is excellent for walking, and the views across the water in any direction show off Baltimore's compact scale. Come for the museums; stay for the atmosphere.