This year’s baseball trip was a bit different than our usual because this time we didn’t follow the Seattle Mariners. This year we followed our Arizona Diamondbacks to Baltimore and combined baseball with our desire to finish our map from our RV days.  

The first destination was to fly to Baltimore via Charlotte. When we boarded the plane in Phoenix, the pilot told us that they would do their best to land in Charlotte but they may have to divert to Raleigh.  Weather concerns in the eastern part of the US made air travel a bit of a mess on our travel day.

Fortunately, the weather cooperated enough that we were able to land in Charlotte and then make our connection to Baltimore.  Living in Phoenix, we are most often able to fly direct, but not this time.

When we arrived in Baltimore, we both thought it was the cleanest airport we have ever seen!

Even the restrooms were exceptionally clean and  nice.

The airport’s official name is Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. 

We saw an exhibit about former associate Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall but didn’t have the opportunity to explore. Born in Baltimore, Marshall was the first African American justice, serving from 1967-1991.  He was nominated by John F. Kennedy.

We arrived at our downtown hotel where we had booked a room with a field view of Camden Yards. 

Well, kind of….Initially disappointing, we did grow to enjoy our view over our days in Baltimore.

We took a walk and saw the Emerson Bromo-Seltzer Tower.  The tower was built in 1911 as part of the business’ downtown offices and factory.  

The clock faces on each side of the tower are ringed by letters spelling out Bromo-Seltzer.  Their primary product was a brand of antacid.  Bromo-Seltzer’s original formula had to be reworked over time  when two of the ingredients were found to be highly toxic.

We saw The Old Otterbein Church.  It was established in 1771- quite old by American standards! The church began as United Brethren and went through several denominational changes over the years. It is currently a United Methodist church.

Next we saw the mast for The Pride of Baltimore.  This ship was a reproduction of a 19th-century Baltimore Clipper.  These vessels were made famous by successes as small privateer warships in the War of 1812.  Following the war, Baltimore Clippers were sometimes used in the opium and slave trades.

The Pride of Baltimore was commissioned in May 1977 as a good will vessel.  She logged 150,000 miles, and visited 125 cities around the world. After sailing for nine years, the Pride of Baltimore was lost at sea in the Caribbean on May 14, 1986.  Her captain and three crew perished.

It surprised both of us that we did not know, or did not remember, the Pride of Baltimore.

Next, we take an Inner Harbor cruise , explore the Historic Ships in Baltimore – and go to a baseball game at Camden Yards!

We were in Baltimore in May, 2024.