Baltimore City is on the move. Baltimore is home to some of the world’s best universities, hospitals, and research institutions. Thousands of new apartments, lofts, and condominiums are coming on line in 2006. The city’s collection of museums and historic neighborhoods has helped “Charm City” gain recognition as one of Frommer’s Top Ten Up-and-Coming Tourist Destinations in the world in 2005. Baltimore’s downtown state of the art stadiums add to the color of city living. The Hippodrome Theater has just undergone a spectacular restoration and is now home to Broadway shows such as Lion King, Mama Mia, The Producers…. Baltimore’s numerous parks are full of recreational users and the recently completed Gwynns Falls bike trail weaves through 30 city neighborhoods. Farmers markets, diverse restaurants, and new grocery stores make Baltimore a great place to eat.

Baltimore is well connected to the region and the globe. Baltimore’s Penn Station easily connects residents by commuter trains to destinations in the region and Washington DC, while high speed trains quickly whish passengers to cities on Amtrak’s Northeast corridor line. Baltimore Washington International airport (BWI) is on the train line and only 8 miles from downtown Baltimore. BWI is also a hub of Southwest and AirTran airlines providing for quick affordable nonstop flights. Royal Caribbean operates 30 cruises a year from Baltimore’s harbor.

Baltimore has all the great amenities of a large city, but in the context of a midsize historic city of charming neighborhoods. That is why many describe Charm City as the biggest small town in America.