Packer Fan Here

**packfntk** · 05-13-2013, 10:28 AM

Hey peeps!

I am a Packer fan and I thought I would pop in here to chat. Three buddies and I take a road trip every year to support our team and this year we have picked your city and stadium to come visit. The choice was pretty obvious this year, as we greatly appreciate your franchise and respect your fanbase.

I am here to talk football, but also get some pointers. Does anyone have any suggestions for hotels to stay at? Any suggestions to the cool bar areas? Restaurants? Things to do around town? We are all about 30, so young enough to handle clubs, but we do enjoy a lot of sports bars to go hang out at and enjoy good food and talk football, etc.

Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

**HoustonRaven** · 05-13-2013, 10:43 AM

I think you're going to find, as this thread progresses, lots of people are loyal to a particular part of town.

I always tell friends who go to Baltimore for the first time to stay in and around one of the better neighborhoods of Baltimore, Fells Point (my particular favorite), Canton, Mt. Vernon, etc. Try to avoid Harborplace if at all possible. While nice and safe, it's a bit of a tourist trap and will not really offer you anything in terms of charm, good places to eat and drink, etc.

Since you're right around 30 and you want a mix of good bars and good food, I'd highly recommend Fells Point. I called Fells my home for many years and you will not have a problem finding a great bar, places to eat and there are great hotels just a few blocks away in Harbor East. When I fly back, I stay in any of the Hilton properties along Presidents Street (Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Courtyard Marriott, etc). It's within walking distance of both the stadium (to the west) and Fells Point (to the east). I also sometimes stay at The Inn at Henderson Wharf. It's a B&B but right in the middle of Fells Point and VERY nice.

If you're into a more casual, art-like scene, than Mt. Vernon is the place for you. They too have an eclectic mix of bars, cool restaurants and great museums and other cultural events.

Let me know if you want specific bars / restaurants based on your tastes. I have a lot of friends who are owners / managers of the bars / restaurants in the Fells Point area and can steer you away from the iffy ones.

**packfntk** · 05-13-2013, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

I think you're going to find, as this thread progresses, lots of people are loyal to a particular part of town.

I always tell friends who go to Baltimore for the first time to stay in and around one of the better neighborhoods of Baltimore, Fells Point (my particular favorite), Canton, Mt. Vernon, etc. Try to avoid Harborplace if at all possible. While nice and safe, it's a bit of a tourist trap and will not really offer you anything in terms of charm, good places to eat and drink, etc.

Since you're right around 30 and you want a mix of good bars and good food, I'd highly recommend Fells Point. I called Fells my home for many years and you will not have a problem finding a great bar, places to eat and there are great hotels just a few blocks away in Harbor East. When I fly back, I stay in any of the Hilton properties along Presidents Street (Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Courtyard Marriott, etc). It's within walking distance of both the stadium (to the west) and Fells Point (to the east). I also sometimes stay at The Inn at Henderson Wharf. It's a B&B but right in the middle of Fells Point and VERY nice.

If you're into a more casual, art-like scene, than Mt. Vernon is the place for you. They too have an eclectic mix of bars, cool restaurants and great museums and other cultural events.

Let me know if you want specific bars / restaurants based on your tastes. I have a lot of friends who are owners / managers of the bars / restaurants in the Fells Point area and can steer you away from the iffy ones.

Thanks a bunch, so Fells Point is right near the stadium too? I usually like to get a hotel very close to the stadium, and I mean VERY close. Usually I like to see it from the window.... Just love the view of a new football stadium. Is Fells that close or no?

**HKusp** · 05-13-2013, 10:54 AM

Fells point is a longish walk to the stadium, but Houston is right, it'll be your best bet. Having been to your town for the Monday Night game in 2009, I will warn you, people here aren't nearly as friendly as your fine fan base. Still decent but not as good as you guys, so be prepared.As for bars/restaurants to check out, go to Max's Taphouse. 120 different beers on tap and very good/different bar food.

My neighbor designed and maintains the taps. You can check the virtual tour on the website. It's a thing of beauty.

http://www.maxs.com/

**HoustonRaven** · 05-13-2013, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by packfntk

Thanks a bunch, so Fells Point is right near the stadium too? I usually like to get a hotel very close to the stadium, and I mean VERY close. Usually I like to see it from the window.... Just love the view of a new football stadium. Is Fells that close or no?

No. Fells Point is to the east of the stadium on the other side of the harbor. Baltimore is very walkable though. If you stayed on the east side of the harbor (Fells, Canton, etc) you're still a short walk from the stadium (15-20 minute walk). If walking isn't your thing, there's also the Charm City Circulator. It's free and will drop you off right by the stadiums.

If you prefer to stay right near the stadium, there's a few hotels right next to the stadium complex (Hilton, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn). I would caution you that the neighborhoods to the west (of MLK Blvd.) and south of those hotels are a bit dicey. There is a neighborhood close by to the east, Federal Hill, that has many bars, shops and places to eat but it's a younger crowd and, IMO, has a frat boy feel to it.

**packfntk** · 05-13-2013, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by HKusp

Fells point is a longish walk to the stadium, but Houston is right, it'll be your best bet. Having been to your town for the Monday Night game in 2009, I will warn you, people here aren't nearly as friendly as your fine fan base. Still decent but not as good as you guys, so be prepared.As for bars/restaurants to check out, go to Max's Taphouse. 120 different beers on tap and very good/different bar food.

My neighbor designed and maintains the taps. You can check the virtual tour on the website. It's a thing of beauty.

http://www.maxs.com/

Thanks a ton for that! Will surely visit.

We are used to fanbases as we have visited 9 away stadiums this far. Every one is different in it's own way, and we expect to get some crap but thanks for the heads up! Lambeau is good to opposing teams fans.

**Shas** · 05-13-2013, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by packfntk

Thanks a bunch, so Fells Point is right near the stadium too? I usually like to get a hotel very close to the stadium, and I mean VERY close. Usually I like to see it from the window.... Just love the view of a new football stadium. Is Fells that close or no?

baltimoredowntown.jpg

If you look at this map, M&T Bank Stadium is the red #2 (Camden Yards is #3). So that's the western side of the harbor. Fells Point is at the purple C on the eastern side. About a mile apart. The President Street hotel are where I83 dumps into the harbor. There are hotels along Light Street (purple A) and Pratt. Also along Pratt. The closest you can get is probably the Hilton Baltimore, which is visible just beyond the left field fence of the baseball stadium if you ever check out Orioles games. You can get from the western to the eastern shore of the inner harbor (ie, to Fells Point) via water taxi.

(EDIT, sorry, not very helpful map at that size. Loaded at half the original size. Here is a link to the original.)

**Paintballguy** · 05-13-2013, 11:12 AM

It's around a 2 mile walk from Fells Point to Ravens Stadium.

I'll echo Houston and HK here in that Fells Point is the place to go. Max's Tap House is one of my favorite spots.

**Captain Offense** · 05-13-2013, 11:29 AM

Hope you have a good time when you visit. I went to GB in 2009 and had a great time (even though my battery for my camera froze before the kickoff).

If you have any desire to tailgate before the game, feel free to PM me at some time for the details. You would have to hike on the other side of the stadium.

I think that getting to away games is always an experience worth the time and effort.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 05-13-2013, 11:37 AM

I'll echo Harbor East and Fells Point. It's where I live and hang out most of the time. Safe. Walkable. Fun. Easy to get a cab.

As a first timer, I think you'll find the walk over to be pretty cool... and you guys will be juiced-up so it won't seem too long at all. No doubt you'll see a few hundred of your GB brothers walking over from the same vicinity.

**PurpleApocalypse37** · 05-13-2013, 02:33 PM

Go to Chap's pit beef!

**nickh0801** · 05-13-2013, 02:42 PM

As a Ravens fan who went to a game from out of State (NC) the only thing I can tell you is the Harbor area and Aquarium is nice (I parked at the parking deck down there and walked to the game) it wasn't a bad experience at all. That's the only area I'm familiar with though... Sorry I'm not much help but I figured I'd share my 2 cents worth. lol

We did get a bit "lost" looking for the Edgar Allen Poe museum. lol The sign kept turning us around the block so we said forget it, because it wasn't a nice looking neighborhood and it was a tiny crack house looking building that the sign was at. lol We did check out a comedy show at a little bar down by the mall (harbor area) that was okay. Didn't have any problems with the fans there of course since we were also in Ravens gear. The stadium is one of the best I've been to but I haven't been to many. (Carolina, Tenn. and Jax are the others) At Tenn, we had to park in what seemed to be a trash dump, and Jax was lacking fans. Carolina was okay the couple of times I went there, but nothing beats Baltimore experience yet...of course I'm a biased fan. lol