Safest neighborhood for an overnight in Baltimore???

my husband and I will be driving to baltimore from northeast ohio (about 5.5 hours) for our Carnival Pride cruise and staying over the night before. Ive started to research some hotel options, but many people have different opinions on what is a "good neighborhood" in Baltimore. The last time i was in Baltimore I was about 15 years old, and I remember a lot of it being pretty sketchy.

I was wondering... what is a good neighborhood to stay in, and what are the bad ones in your opinion? We also have no problem even staying further away from the port, even 20-30 minutes from the port in a nice area with some shopping, etc. Any advice?

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What time of day do you arrive and what do you want to do? There are plenty of good neighborhoods in or around Baltimore. There are good hotels in neighborhoods that get a little "different" late at night where I'd have no problems staying, but would likely not wander outside late at night. It's all an awareness thing.

Are you looking to park and cruise, or spend the night and park at the pier? If the latter, someone else needs to help you as we really don't do that. I'm guessing you're coming in on I-70, or are you coming in on the Pennsylvania Turnpike? If you're coming from the north, the area around White Marsh is pretty nice. Courtyard/Holiday Inn Express types of properties that will generally have free parking and a suburban setting with a mall. One or two are mentioned in the forum as offering park and cruise packages. The area around BWI has all shapes, forms, and fashions of hotels. All are fine for an overnight stay, and some offer park and cruise packages.

If you're getting in town earlier and want to spend time in Baltimore proper, the Inner Harbor or Harbor East are both fine. There's a couple of Marriotts, a Residence Inn, a Hotel Monaco, Sheraton, and Renaissance near the water that are all fine. They're all probably going to be pricier, will charge for parking, and a park and cruise package will be more difficult. But, they're in the primary tourist area of downtown Baltimore.

Really depends on your interests, I'm afraid...

What time of day do you arrive and what do you want to do? There are plenty of good neighborhoods in or around Baltimore. There are good hotels in neighborhoods that get a little "different" late at night where I'd have no problems staying, but would likely not wander outside late at night. It's all an awareness thing.

 

Are you looking to park and cruise, or spend the night and park at the pier? If the latter, someone else needs to help you as we really don't do that. I'm guessing you're coming in on I-70, or are you coming in on the Pennsylvania Turnpike? If you're coming from the north, the area around White Marsh is pretty nice. Courtyard/Holiday Inn Express types of properties that will generally have free parking and a suburban setting with a mall. One or two are mentioned in the forum as offering park and cruise packages. The area around BWI has all shapes, forms, and fashions of hotels. All are fine for an overnight stay, and some offer park and cruise packages.

 

If you're getting in town earlier and want to spend time in Baltimore proper, the Inner Harbor or Harbor East are both fine. There's a couple of Marriotts, a Residence Inn, a Hotel Monaco, Sheraton, and Renaissance near the water that are all fine. They're all probably going to be pricier, will charge for parking, and a park and cruise package will be more difficult. But, they're in the primary tourist area of downtown Baltimore.

 

Really depends on your interests, I'm afraid...

Thanks for your help. We would like to arrive in the area around dinner time the night before, possibly a little earlier but would definitely like to find somewhere to eat! But you never know, we will have a 2 year old at the time who is staying at home with the grandparents so nothing is for sure, and we may get a late start.

Our worry is that we would possibly be getting in later in the day, and be arriving around 9 or 10 at night even, and didn't want to enter into a bad neighborhood. It looks like we will be coming in I-70. I will definitely check out the White Marsh area to see who is offering cruise packages. It would be nice to get a package if it's cheaper. However we had a bad experience with this before one of our cruises in Port Canaveral. (We waited hours in the lobby before the bus would actually leave to take us to the port... the outside company providing the transportation wanted to make sure he sold the return trip back ticket to about 50 people and we got to the pier LATE).

So either BWI or White Marsh will be a relatively short drive into the port. Both areas have places to eat. And both have the family/business friendly hotels plus or minus included breakfast. The hotels will likely be less expensive than downtown, so you can compare just paying for a hotel and paying for parking at the pier with doing a package.

If you're getting in late, there's no real reason to go downtown, IMHO. You're just looking for a comfortable place to crash.

So either BWI or White Marsh will be a relatively short drive into the port. Both areas have places to eat. And both have the family/business friendly hotels plus or minus included breakfast. The hotels will likely be less expensive than downtown, so you can compare just paying for a hotel and paying for parking at the pier with doing a package.

 

If you're getting in late, there's no real reason to go downtown, IMHO. You're just looking for a comfortable place to crash.

Even though White Marsh and the BWI are are close to the port on thing to factor in is this.

Since you are taking I#70 in you can add at least 30 or more minutes due to construction on Interstate 95 to get to the White Marsh area after you get off 70 as you would have to drive past the port and head north on Interstate 95 .Driving to the BWI you are about 10 mintues or so from the hotel district after you get off 70 and just south of the cruise terminal.

I would recommend the BWI area.

Yes the do have pleny of crusie and park pacakges

Even though White Marsh and the BWI are are close to the port on thing to factor in is this.

Since you are taking I#70 in you can add at least 30 or more minutes due to construction on Interstate 95 to get to the White Marsh area after you get off 70 as you would have to drive past the port and head north on Interstate 95 .Driving to the BWI you are about 10 mintues or so from the hotel district after you get off 70 and just south of the cruise terminal.

I would recommend the BWI area.

Yes the do have pleny of crusie and park pacakges

Yeah. I'd agree with that. I do know there are those who just don't like the BWI area for whatever reason, and White Marsh certainly has things BWI doesn't, but it would be a detour coming in on I 70.

Thanks! That's is great to know. There seem to be many nice hotels in the BWI area. I'm having a bit of a hard time finding which ones offer the cruise/parking packages, I'm looking on Expedia and such. But I can find which ones I like and then call. The Marriott, and Fairfield Inn look very nice.

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Thanks! That's is great to know. There seem to be many nice hotels in the BWI area. I'm having a bit of a hard time finding which ones offer the cruise/parking packages, I'm looking on Expedia and such. But I can find which ones I like and then call. The Marriott, and Fairfield Inn look very nice.

 

 

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Did you try these sites?

https://www.stay123.com/

http://www.parksleepfly.com/park-and-cruise

Try trinity reservations dot com

They offer great deals on cruise packages.

We always stay in the White Marsh area - Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn. All have park-n-cruise packages, are close to shopping and restaurants nearby.

We always stay in the White Marsh area - Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn. All have park-n-cruise packages, are close to shopping and restaurants nearby.

Agree completely coming south on 95. The OP is coming on 70, and as Tony stated, there's a mess right now on 95 from 895 and 695 to White Marsh from 70, and is a substantial detour from 70. I like White Marsh, and might do it myself (and originally suggested it), but I'd be hard pressed to recommend it to someone coming in from a long trip on I 70.

The last time we sailed out of Baltimore, i checked the chains for a park and cruise deal. We booked a room, the hotel staff dove us to the port yhr next morning and picked us up when we docked. There was no fee to leave the car at the hotel and we didn;t have to pay parking at the dock. It worked out great

Check the Arundel Mills area right off 100, 95 and 295. There is a huge outlet shopping mall, with tons of restaurants like Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn, Chevy's, Friday's, etc. And also, the casino is open 24 hours and has a Cheesecake Factory that's open until 2 am most nights.

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I live a few miles from BWI and highly recommend this area. I-95 is a NIGHTMARE from where 695 joins it either on the north or south side of the Beltway. Check out the Country Inn and Suites on West Nursery Road. A Chili's is right next door; Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, Ruby Tuesday, etc., are just up the road.

I live a few miles from BWI and highly recommend this area. I-95 is a NIGHTMARE from where 695 joins it either on the north or south side of the Beltway. Check out the Country Inn and Suites on West Nursery Road. A Chili's is right next door; Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, Ruby Tuesday, etc., are just up the road.

Hi. We just booked the Sleep Inn and Suites on Belle Grove Road. We booked there because of the park and cruise package. Is that in a good area??? And are there restaurants close by??

Thanks! That's is great to know. There seem to be many nice hotels in the BWI area. I'm having a bit of a hard time finding which ones offer the cruise/parking packages, I'm looking on Expedia and such. But I can find which ones I like and then call. The Marriott, and Fairfield Inn look very nice.

 

 

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go online and check stay123 the room includes free shuttle to pier and your car stays at the hotel secured parking.There are many hotels to choose from. I believe we stayed at a Best Western(next to a McDonalds)

We did this in 2011 and plan on doing it again next year.

We did the park in stay at Best Western on O'Donnell Street in Dec. It is 2 minutes off of 95, was $2 cheaper than parking at the pier and we had a nice room, good breakfast and wonderful free shuttle (5 minutes to the ship) to and from the door at the dock. Didn't have to wait at all for the shuttles.

We will definitely be staying there for our next 2 cruises out of Baltimore!

We did the park in stay at Best Western on O'Donnell Street in Dec. It is 2 minutes off of 95, was $2 cheaper than parking at the pier and we had a nice room, good breakfast and wonderful free shuttle (5 minutes to the ship) to and from the door at the dock. Didn't have to wait at all for the shuttles.

We will definitely be staying there for our next 2 cruises out of Baltimore!

I know it's personal preference where anyone would stay for the night and I respect their decision..

That said the Best Western O'Donell street would not be my choice .

This hotel is located across the strret from a truck stop and truckers hotel.On the premises is a truck washing facility and buildings that have not been complete in years. Also you have a closed bus depot located on the ground floor of the hotel and a nightclub that's now closed due to a shooting. Just up the street you have low income housing with police cameras mounted on the light poles. Also there is drug activity a few blocks away from the hotel.Others have posted here their cars have been broken into.

Hi. We just booked the Sleep Inn and Suites on Belle Grove Road. We booked there because of the park and cruise package. Is that in a good area??? And are there restaurants close by??

Stayed there several times and had no complaints. Their was a Comfort Inn right next store, but that's been closed for renovations and attached to that was a restaurant call the Rose, which I believe is till closed for renovations, but you're within a short drive of many restaurants and the area is pretty good.

Stayed there several times and had no complaints. Their was a Comfort Inn right next store, but that's been closed for renovations and attached to that was a restaurant call the Rose, which I believe is till closed for renovations, but you're within a short drive of many restaurants and the area is pretty good.

Thank You. Yeah on the Choice Hotels website it shows that the Comfort Inn will be re-opening on July 14th....they will also be offering a park and cruise package. I may call them after July 14th to see what the rate will be

We did the park in stay at Best Western on O'Donnell Street in Dec. It is 2 minutes off of 95, was $2 cheaper than parking at the pier and we had a nice room, good breakfast and wonderful free shuttle (5 minutes to the ship) to and from the door at the dock. Didn't have to wait at all for the shuttles.

We will definitely be staying there for our next 2 cruises out of Baltimore!

I know it's personal preference where anyone would stay for the night and I respect their decision..

That said the Best Western O'Donell street would not be my choice .

This hotel is located across the strret from a truck stop and truckers hotel.On the premises is a truck washing facility and buildings that have not been complete in years. Also you have a closed bus depot located on the ground floor of the hotel and a nightclub that's now closed due to a shooting. Just up the street you have low income housing with police cameras mounted on the light poles. Also there is drug activity a few blocks away from the hotel.Others have posted here their cars have been broken into.

I was thinking the same thing...Out of all the hotels I have researched in the area, the same thing said over and over is "don't stay at the Best Western on O'donnel street." The general opinion is that this is one of the worst areas one could pick.

We are going to do a hotel in the BWI area. Thanks for all of your help everyone! Still narrowing it down to a few but at least we have settled on an area, I hope this thread helps out more people!

Another area to consider if you want to check out the Inner Harbor without paying hotel and parking prices is Owings Mills. It is the start of the metro line and will take you downtown and back for only $3.20.

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We have had good luck booking a park & cruise package through Trinity Reservations at the Best Western Plus BWI on Dorsey Road in Elkridge, MD. This is not the sketchy one on O'Donnell St. It is located out of the city and is a nice quiet hotel with a pool and an adjacent pub. They have a shuttle van that can take you to nearby shopping and restaurants, as well as the port. We have stayed there twice and would stay there again if departing from Baltimore. It was cheaper going through Trinity Reservations than booking it on our own.

We stayed at Element Hotel in Arundel Mills about 25mins from the pier. Its a fantastic hotel with free internet and hot breakfast. It also has free dinner Mon - Thur nights. The hotel is very modern specializing in Green Technology. Its literally across the street from a massive mall and down the street from Wal-Mart and Costco.

Definitely worth research!

Carnival Glory 2007

RC Freedom of the Seas 2013

Carnival Breeze 2014

RC Grandeur of the Seas 2014

RC Oasis of the Seas ..... coming 2014

We're coming in from the North, crossing into the U.S. from Canada at Buffalo N.Y. for our November 2014 cruise.

For us it looks like White Marsh is probably closer than BWI, so I have booked the Hilton Garden Inn there. Am I going to get into the major construction slowdowns mentioned coming from the North? If so, is there a way to avoid this?

Any and all advice/comments welcome.