Baltimore's Inner Harbor Walking Tour

Baltimore's Inner Harbor Walking Tour is a 1.5 mile point-to-point trail located near Baltimore, Maryland and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for walking. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

Length1.5 miElevation gain13 ftRoute typePoint to point

Description

Waypoints (8)

Tips

Baltimore has a rich, storied history as a seaport. In lieu of a maritime museum, the city has revamped several historic ships and other seafaring attractions into museums that visitors can climb aboard and experience firsthand. The Inner Harbor has four historic ships: the U.S.S. Constellation, a sloop-of-war from 1854; the U.S.C.G.C. Taney, a Coast Guard cutter; a WWII-era submarine named the U.S.S. Torsk; and a lightship that went by many names over the years, but is now known as the Chesapeake. Tickets can be purchased at stands outside any of the ships, and if you plan to hop aboard several you can get a pretty steep discount.

Federal Hill Park

Start your day at Federal Hill Park, the large hill that lies to the south side of the Inner Harbor. A well known lookout during the Civil War and War of 1812, today the park is the best place to get your bearings as you take in panoramic views of the entire Baltimore cityscape. Work up a sweat climbing to the top or walking the perimeter via paths that circle the hill at different levels, or hit the stairs on Battery Avenue near the intersection at Key Highway. Once at the top, take in some birds-eye views of many ships we'll be stopping at and see if you can spot the next stop, the Pride Memorial, from the top of the hill.

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Pride Memorial

The tall mast that stands upright on the southern side of the Inner Harbor is a memorial to the Pride of Baltimore, an authentic reproduction of a 19th-century Baltimore clipper that was lost at sea with four of its twelve crew on May 14, 1986. The ship was commissioned by the City of Baltimore in 1975 as part of a plan to revitalize the Inner Harbor, and sailed over 150,000 nautical miles during her nine years of service. The ship was returning from Britain on the trade route to the Caribbean when a windstorm struck the just 250 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico. The ship capsized and sank, the captain and three crew were lost at sea while the remaining eight crewmembers floated on a partially inflated life-raft for over four days until a Norwegian tanker rescued them. A replica of the vessel replaced the pride in 1988 an now sails as a Goodwill Ambassador that represents Baltimore and the State of Maryland. It can often be seen in the Inner Harbor.

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U.S.S. Constellation

Walk West along the outer edge of the Inner Harbor, passing the Maryland Science Center and the Baltimore Area Visitor's Center. On the way, you might catch sight of two bright yellow speed boats, dubbed the Seadogs, that offer 50-minute sightseeing tours of the Inner Harbor. For something a little more relaxed, Spirit Cruises (a yacht that hosts dinner and dancing tours) is also docked here. As the walkway turns to the right, you can't miss the U.S.S. Constellation. The last all-sail ship of the U.S. Navy, the U.S.S. Constellation was constructed in 1854. Climb aboard and you'll find that nearly all of the ship is accessible. Explore on your own or ask for assistance from the staff. If you're lucky, you'll catch the daily cannon firing.

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Baltimore WTC

Baltimore's WTC is a unique pentagonal-shaped office building that is the focal point of the inner harbor. A memorial to all Marylanders who were lost in the 9/11 attacks is available to visit as you pass through the building's arcade.

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LV116 Chesapeake

Continue East past the World Trade Center (go to the top for another great view of the city) and several docks where you can rent paddle-boats, until you reach Pier 3. Here you can't miss a bright red ship that reads "Chesapeake" in capital white letters. Completed in 1930, this lightship served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1939 until she was decommissioned in 1971. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the ship was handed over to Baltimore in 1982 and is open for touring.

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U.S.S. Torsk

Further toward the end of Pier 3, the U.S.S. Torsk is a gray submarine painted with jagged teeth that served 24 years with the U.S. Navy. One of only two Tench Class submarines located inside the country, the ship made two war patrols off Japan in 1945, sinking one cargo vessel and two coastal defense frigates. The latter was the last enemy ship sunk by the U.S. Navy in World War II. Nicknamed both the "Galloping Ghost of the Japanese Coast" and the "Last Survivor of Pearl Harbor," the ship also served during the Vietnam War, hunted for hurricanes off the coast of New Jersey in the 70's, and carried out drug interdiction patrols and search and rescue duties in the Caribbean until 1986 (including a 1985 bust that netted 160 tons of marijuana, the largest in U.S. history). Today the ship serves as a memorial and museum.

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U.S.C.G.C. TANEY

Make your way over to Pier 5 (there is a walkway just south of the Power Plant) where you'll find the U.S.C.G.C. Taney, a famed Coast Guard cutter built in the mid-1930s that is notable for being the last ship floating that fought in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Named after Roger B. Taney, who served as US Attorney General, Secretary of the Treasury and Chief Justice of the Supreme court during his lifetime, the ship served during World War II and the Vietnam War. The ship now serves as a memorial and a museum that makes up part of the Historic Ships in Baltimore fleet.

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Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse

Walk south the the edge of Pier 5 and you can't miss the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, a round, raised building that is painted bright red. The last of its kind in Maryland, the lighthouse was constructed in the "screw-pile" style, meaning it sits on piles that are meant to be screwed into sandy or muddy sea or river bottoms. Originally installed on a shallow shoal, Seven Foot Knoll, at the mouth of the Patapsco River, the isolated lighthouse was manned by three keepers at a time and marked the river entrance for over 130 years before being decommissioned and moved to Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Now a museum, the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse is free to all visitors.

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Since most of this walking tour is outside, be sure to check the weather and plan ahead with items such as umbrellas and sunscreen. Even though the distance of this tour is short, good walking shoes are a necessity because you'll be standing the entire time. If you need a break, there are many restaurants around the harbor for lunch (you can also grab a snack and a seat inside the air conditioned Harborplace Mall). If you plan to tour through several ships, you can get multi-ship passes at a discounted rate.

Weather

UV Index

Daylight

Reviews (55)

Photos (78)

Recordings (37)

Completed (232)

Dee Purdy

February 14, 2021

Hiking

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Bruce Phillips

November 21, 2020

Hiking

It was great! You can kill two birds with one stone. You can hike and shop—simultaneously. And when your done, you can eat at one of the many restaurants along the trail.

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GeeGee Granville

November 21, 2020

Hiking

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Sandy Lambert

September 16, 2020

Hiking

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Dan Haggerty

July 30, 2020

Hiking

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Myell Bunn Williams

July 25, 2020

Hiking

Walking back

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Myell Bunn Williams

July 25, 2020

Hiking

Walking with Spouse

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Ashley Matter

July 19, 2020

Hiking

Nice easy walk with beautiful view of the harbor!

John Plunkett

September 18, 2019

No shade

Scott Kerr

July 5, 2019

WalkingNo shade

This is a paved city walk by lots of chain restaurants and gimmicky touristy stores. It can be a nice walk though. Try to go in the morning or evening, and avoid the hoards of tourist.

Angelo W.

June 23, 2019

Walking

Inner Harbor walking/easy hiking, on a warm, early-summer night. I managed to get 7 miles in. Don’t mean to romanticize and all, but to be perfectly honest, the outing reminded me of that old smooth jazz song. Just an absolutely marvelous night for walking and being on the Inner Harbor. There was music (house or techno) on one end of the Harbor, and a live band playing on the other end. I guess this is the reason why I couldn’t resist recalling that old song. If you don’t know the one I’m talking about, here’s the link: https://youtu.be/GDWNwIVCzxM Completed: 22-June-2019 (Saturday)

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Angelo W.

June 6, 2019

Running

Slow Inner Harbor run with bathroom break at mile 3. Weather was mild. Garmin recorded. Completed: 06 June 2019

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Angelo W.

May 19, 2019

Running

Nice walk-jog on a very crowded Inner Harbor trail in downtown Baltimore. This outing was not all about trail running, however. It was a nice day to get out and enjoy the weather and people in the city. Garmin recorded. Completed: 19 May 2019

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Casey Kellogg

August 12, 2018

Walking

Beautiful for slow stroll in a crowd. Not sure it qualifies as a trail any more than mall walking does. What kind of trail is rated by lots of shopping, dining and drinking?

Kelly P

April 27, 2018

Hiking

We always enjoy a good walk around the Harbor, there are always things going on and sometimes it is nice and quiet in the colder months. It can get really busy during the summer with all the people, but there are some amazing restaurants, neat history info along the way, and tons to do. We always go to the aquarium first and then around do the walk around. You do have to pay for parking and that can really add up if your not careful where you park.

Samantha Wolverton

January 21, 2018

Walking

I do this walk every day on the way to work. It is very pleasant. In the early hours and on colder days it is not too crowded, but once the weather warms up and schools let out it is another story with a combination of locals, tourists, and history buffs. If you are looking for some interesting history there are signs along the way with factoids. On nice weekends there will be various street performers in the main inmer harbor area. I would say this is a must see if you are in Baltimore looking for something easy, historical, but outdoors.

Lindsey Duff

October 8, 2017

Walking

Lots of scenery, crowded on weekends, nice little Italy. Flat minus the potholes and train tracks.

Scott Densmore

May 5, 2017

Walking

The Inner Harbor is a fun place to walk and explore, with lots of history and many options for food and entertainment. We made numerous trips there when we lived in the Washington, DC area, usually in conjunction with a visit to the National Aquarium or a baseball game at Camden Yards (to see the Red Sox).