Mount Vernon

Baltimore's arts and cultural center, Mount Vernon is home to the Walters Art Museum and the Peabody Institute conservatory—one of the country's top music schools—as well as some of the city's grandest architecture.

The Walters and nearby Mount Vernon Place, a wonderfully designed park, are two of the neighborhood's must-sees. There are plenty of restaurants on or near Charles Street, the neighborhood thoroughfare. From the Inner Harbor, you can walk up Charles Street into the heart of Mount Vernon in about 15 minutes. You can also drive or take the free Charm City Circulator (Purple route) or No. 3 bus.

The area was named for the nation's first significant monument to George Washington, erected at the neighborhood's center in Mount Vernon Place. In the 19th century Mount Vernon was home to some of Baltimore's wealthiest residents, including Enoch Pratt, a wealthy merchant who donated funds for the first public library; Robert Garrett, of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad; and Henry and William Walters, who founded the art gallery that bears their names. Though some of the grand houses here remain single-family residences, many have been turned into apartments or offices.