Columbus/ Health & Lifestyle
Published on July 02, 2019
Festival travel: Baltimore hosts Artscape, with cheap flights from ColumbusPhoto: iStock

Planning an escape to Baltimore this summer? You still have time to build your trip around Artscape, the largest free arts festival in the nation.

Scheduled for July 20-22 this year, Artscape brings together visual and performing artists, along with food, crafts and kids' activities. It averages 350,000 attendees each summer in Charm City. While you're there, check out the rest that Baltimore has to offer, from nightlife and history to sports and museums.

Thankfully, there are plenty of regular, relatively inexpensive flights between Columbus and Baltimore. We pulled from travel site Skyscanner to provide you with a short list of flights and hotels handpicked for the occasion. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.)

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Cheapest Baltimore flights

The cheapest flights between Columbus and Baltimore are if you leave on July 19 and return from Maryland on July 22. Delta currently has roundtrip, nonstop tickets for $242.

There are also deals to be had earlier in July. If you fly out of Columbus on July 18 and return from Baltimore on July 21, Southwest Airlines can get you there and back for $261 roundtrip.

Top Baltimore hotels

To plan your accommodations, here are some of Baltimore’s top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction.

The Baltimore Marriott Waterfront (700 Aliceanna St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. The hotel has a 4.8-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $179.

Set in the heart of Baltimore, this hotel is close to the Pier Six Concert Pavilion and the National Aquarium in Baltimore, as well as the American Visionary Art Museum. Additional attractions include the USS Constellation, the Fell's Point pub district and the shops at Harborplace.

The Hilton Baltimore (401 W. Pratt St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

There's also the 4.4-star rated The Hilton Baltimore. Rooms are currently set at $135/night.

This downtown Baltimore hotel is located adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards and very close to the USS Constellation, the Hippodrome Theatre and M&T Bank Stadium. The hotel is directly connected to the Baltimore Convention Center via an indoor walkway.

The Home2 Suites by Hilton Baltimore Downtown (8 E. Pleasant St.)

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, there's The Home2 Suites by Hilton Baltimore Downtown. The 4.4-star hotel has rooms for $71/night.

Featured Baltimore restaurants

If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, Baltimore has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started.

The Food Market (1017 W. 36th St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

One of Baltimore's most popular restaurants is The Food Market, which has an average of 4.8 stars out of five reviews on Skyscanner.

The Food Market's website says it specializes in "approachable, serious comfort food," with a menu offering small plates such as tacos and fried oysters and large plates of crab cakes, shrimp, duck and roast beef.

"Chef Chad's menu is, to say the least, stunning," wrote visitor Charles. "The service is great."

G&M Restaurant (804 N. Hammonds Ferry Road)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Another popular dining destination is G&M Restaurant, with 4.7 stars from 11 reviews.

The restaurant features a complete selection of seafood, sandwiches, Greek specialties and authentic Italian and American cuisine.

Reviewer RAWarren wrote: "This family-style restaurant is humongous. The full service bar has a decent selection of beer and cocktails, but most people are here for the crab cakes, day and night."

Nick's Fish House (2600 Insulator Drive)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Also worth considering is Nick's Fish House.

Located on the water offering spectacular views, Nick’s Fish House and Grill has indoor and outdoor seating and serves steamed-to-order blue crabs, fresh sushi, grilled steaks and burgers, seafood, including jumbo lump crab cakes,  and bountiful sandwiches.

"If the weather’s nice, try to get a table outside. The crab cakes and cream of crab soup were amazing," wrote Laura. "I’ve always received excellent service."

Faidley Seafood (203 N. Paca St.)

Finally, there's Faidley Seafood.

Founded in 1886, Faidley Seafood, located in Lexington Market, is one of the oldest purveyors of fresh and prepared seafood in the Chesapeake region.

"Faidley sells the perfect crab cakes," wrote visitor @_Mick_E. "Their lump crab cake balls are jam-packed with real meat, unlike other places that [are] all covered with nothing but batter. It's seriously one of the most authentic crab cakes I've ever tasted without the frills. It's cheap and delicious."

What to see and do in Baltimore

Baltimore is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings.

Wockenfuss Candies (6831 Harford Road)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The top-rated visitor attraction in Baltimore, according to Skyscanner, is Wockenfuss Candies.

Wockenfuss Candies marked a century in business in 2015. The family-owned business is now in its fifth generation of candy-making.

"Expect dark chocolate Oreos, dark chocolate pretzels and dark chocolate everything," wrote visitor John.

Maryland Science Center (601 Light St.)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

The Maryland Science Center is another popular destination with interactive exhibits that focus on physics, marine biology and astronomy. 

"Great interactive and educational place to bring the family out to," wrote visitor Justin. "They have some of the coolest hands-on installations here."

The American Visionary Art Museum (800 Key Highway)

Photo: Trip by Skyscanner

Finally, consider checking out The American Visionary Art Museum, which is a unique and critically acclaimed art venue.

The museum hosts shows organized by theme rather than by artist and strives to step out of the accepted art canon displayed at many American museums. The U.S. Congress unanimously voted the American Visionary Art Museum "the official national education center, repository and museum for self-taught, intuitive artistry." 

"This museum constantly showcase inventive and daring art from local and international artist alike," wrote visitor Kelly.


This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.