Steeped in history, stepping into the future
I stayed at ROOST Baltimore, a new extended-stay hotel in the Baltimore Peninsula neighborhood. To my delight, the room included a full kitchen and laundry facilities (I returned to California with a suitcase packed with clean clothes!).
On site is a fabulous indoor/outdoor space called Vessel, which holds up to 150 people and is available Thursday through Sunday. You’ll find deep cozy couches, a pool table, a fireplace and a fully stocked bar with special ports. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, a swimming pool is also available.
On the ground floor, you’ll find a shop named Little Wing that sells baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, specialty coffee drinks and foodstuffs you can prepare in your room.
A Brand-New Neighborhood
The Baltimore Peninsula was once known as Port Covington and has seen some serious development, starting with the grand opening of the Under Armour global headquarters in November 2024. The building is LEED certified Platinum. The campus features a storefront, a football and track field, as well as basketball and pickleball courts. While these spaces are not yet available to meeting profs, the company does work with community organizations for special events.
At Camden Yards, the Baltimore Orioles faced off against the Los Angeles Dodgers for a three-game series. During the off-season, major renovations are underway at the ballpark, including a relocation and update of the press boxes. In their place will be new private suites, ideal for incentive travel or special meetings. Additionally, a new 300-person canopied venue called Scoreboard Social will be available for private rentals. Everything will go live for the 2026 baseball season.
At M&T Bank Stadium, where the Ravens call home, fans and meeting professionals should consider the Premium Suites and Legends clubs—The Champions Club, The Raven and The Trust—each providing field-level access and elevated dining and viewing experiences for attendees.
The Washington Mystics faced the Indiana Fever (guess who this native Hoosier rooted for) at CFG Bank Arena. Depending upon the event—whether it’s a live concert or a sports match—you can choose from a roster of premium upgrade experiences, including private clubs and suites.
A highlight of this jam-packed trip was the Maryland Cycling Classic, an event in its fourth year. The finish line was a block down from Phillips Seafood, a nearly 75-year-old seafood restaurant that also catered the VIP tents.
Grab Some Grub
Did I mention crab cakes? My first meal of the trip was at Rye Street Tavern, located just across the street from ROOST Baltimore. I had a sampler plate featuring crab cakes and ribeye, accompanied by roasted potatoes and green beans. Friend, let me tell you—that crab was a revelation. I returned a second night for some Maryland crab soup; the flavors were complex and layered, a hint of heat from chiles and sweetness from the crab.
At Camden Yards, I opted for a stadium dog smothered in crab AND macaroni and cheese from Stuggy’s. It. Did. Not. Disappoint.
At Prima Dopo Cucina & Cocktail House, located in the historic Fell’s Point neighborhood, I ordered the squid ink chitarra with lump crab meat and littleneck clams served in a wine and butter sauce.
The showstopper, though, was a night elsewhere in Baltimore Peninsula at Nick’s Fish House. The table of five ordered two-and-a-half dozen steamed Maryland blue crabs with a mix of sides. The server covered our tabletop with brown butcher paper, and ten minutes later those savory and sweet crustaceans were ceremoniously dropped from aluminum trays, creating piles of messy work to attend to—cracking and twisting to get all that crab meat.
If you’re coming to Baltimore, come for the sports, but stay for the crab.
This article appears in the November 2025 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
