1. Mount Vernon - home of the Peabody Conservatory, Mount Vernon is a wonderful place to get food, coffee, or even to walk around.

2. Waverly - I love walking around here on a saturday morning/afternoon. Not only is the farmer's market right here, but there's also a series of shops and foodstores where I can stock up as well.

3. Music music music. Baltimore has a lot of great venues for live music, and they're usually pretty cheap. Plus, D.C. is only 45 minutes away by train, so that opens up even more venues!

One thing that I'll miss about Baltimore once I leave is the people here. I've met some locals here who are somewhat rough around the edges, and I've met some locals who are downright rude--but I will say as a broad generalization that more often than not, people from the area interact with you in a neighbor-next-door kind of way if you're friendly to them as well. There's also a very Baltimorean way in which people carry themselves and talk here that I can't quite describe, but that you would notice if you come here and interact with the locals.

Baltimore is so artsy, especially if you love photography! All the little houses that line St. Paul Street make for a great back drop! In addition, you can find murals anywhere. They're just really nice to look at! (Keep an eye out for a Baltimore Love Project mural! They're all over B'more! http://www.baltimoreloveproject.com/the_walls.html)

I can't believe I've never commented on this thread. I love Baltimore and now I am fully converted city girl! :)

I love:
-the food
Baltimore has some seriously underrated restaurants. They also have a really great variety of restaurants (a lot of Eclectic or American style)- and seriously they have a great option in each cuisine. They also are a lot of new trendy styles of food (lots of farm to table places). It's seriously a super delicious town :). Check some of the restaurants out here: http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/katet/2011/12/kates-ideal-menu/.
-the museums
Baltimore probably has a collection of some of the most unique museums. Where else could you find the National Museum of Dentistry, the Museum of Industry, the largest pentagonal building in the world, or a museum all about the flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner. They have great art museums (the BMA, the Walter's Art Museum, the Contemporary Museum, and the American Visionary Art Museum) where you'll definitely see great collections of art (and at the Contemporary and American Visionary Art Museum, really awesome stuff that's indescribable).
-the transportation
Baltimore has GREAT transportation. They have the Charm City Circulator (which is a FREE way to get around the city), the light rails, the buses, and the taxis (whose drivers are always a delight to take to :)).
-the location
Baltimore is really close to other major cities on the East Coast. I love going to visit my friends in DC for under $15 or taking the bus to NYC for under $20 each way. It's pretty awesome.
-the people
Baltimoreans are super friendly and it kinda feels like a neighborhood city.

I have some more reasons why I've been charmed by the Charm City here:
http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/katet/2011/10/baltimore-and-me/

Food is definitely the first thing that comes to mind.  There are a ton of places in Baltimore (some within a few blocks of campus) where you can have a really good lunch/ dinner for relatively cheap.  You'll never be short on ideas for places to take your friends for birthday dinners or to take your parents when they come to visit.  And as Kate said it's really easy to get anywhere because the transportation system here is very easy to use.  I don't think I've ever paid for a bus in my three years here - the Hopkins shuttle goes to lots of different areas of the city for free!

1. I know this has been said before, but FOOD. Around campus, there are a bunch of eclectic and nom-worthy cafes, like Chocolotea, One World, Carma's, and Donna's. Fell's Point has the BEST gelato ever, and a few blocks away there's Little Italy and the Inner Harbor. The Inner Harbor has everything from Spanish tapas to upscale seafood to just plain old Five Guys when all you want is a good burger.

2. You will never run out of things to do. On any given weekend (or weeknight!), there's such a strange and interesting mix of events going on, from bellydancing at Cazbar in Mt. Vernon to the Charm City Fashion Show to seeing some of your favorite celebrities (DJ Pauly D was at Power Plant Live! this past fall, and David Sedaris is coming in the next month).

3. The history. The more I get to know about Baltimore's history, the more I love it. Did you know that F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald used to live in Wolman Hall when it used to be an apartment building? Or that we are currently celebrating the War of 1812 Bicentennial? And the bicentennial of Edgar Allen Poe's life and death? Or that, every year, Fell's Point hosts something known as "Privateer Day" to celebrate privateers/pirates?

I recently wrote a blog about my favorite aspects of Baltimore that you can check out here. However, in addition to the art, music, and abundance of things to do, I must say that the people really are a part of what makes Baltimore so special. You meet some really caring and interesting people here and they're really what gives the city its charm.

I absolutely love the art here in Baltimore. There are many museums and there is definitely an artsy vibe around here. If you take a stroll in Charles Village, you're bound to see brightly colored painted houses (check out these photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hopkins-interactive/sets/72157626004579878/). One of the major events that takes place in Baltimore is Artscape, which is in the summer. It's the biggest arts festival in the nation and it's amazing! I wrote a blog about it last summer: http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/allysa/2011/07/charm-citys-artscape/. Definitely check it out!

And I definitely agree with Jacqueline - I love how Baltimore is close to D.C. and Philly. Especially D.C. - I love that area! I also wrote an entry about it: http://blogs.hopkins-interactive.com/allysa/2011/09/the-district/. Enjoy!

I love how accessible the city is to my friends and family! The trip to New York is so convenient, so I can go home whenever I like. My older brother goes to school in DC, so it's super easy (and cheap) for me to visit him, or have him come see me. I love that having a car is not at all a necessity, but the Zipcars are a great option if you need one.