Customer Reviews

Insiders' Guide to Baltimore, 4th (Insiders' Guide Series)

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I believed that the Insiders' Guide to Baltimore was a travel guide when I bought it. Unfortunately, it is an odd hybrid of travel book, relocation guide, and general source of information about the Baltimore area. As is often the case with a book that tries to do too much, it doesn't excel at any of them.

All the basic information is here including entries places to stay, eat, and shop. Local attractions are also covered in addition to a chapter on day trips. One problem is that these entries tend to be shorter than you would find in most guides. I also would have appreciated more of a critique of the attractions. All the descriptions read like something out of a marketing brochure from the operators so it's very hard to know what is most worth your time. Similarly, I found no critical comments of any kind in the descriptions of restaurants and hotels when clearly some will be better than others.

The truth is that if you want a guidebook to Baltimore, you have very few choices. Still, I would probably recommend using the web to gather information on the few real tourist attractions (like the outstanding National Aquarium) and accommodations and save your money rather than purchase this book. If you want happy-talk that sounds like it came from the local Chamber of Commerce, you can always to the actual Chamber's web site and get it for free.

THE INSIDERS' GUIDE TO BALTIMORE is a great book, even if some of the radio station info is outdated. It features detailed information on where the best neighborhoods and dining are, as well as mentioning several great shopping malls. The only other problem, besides outdated radio station listings, is a lack of discussion of the planned Baltimore suburb of Columbia, which is really a city of its own. Other than that, though, this book is essential.