A Toast to the Greats

General information

Destination	Category
Baltimore, United States	Attractions/Entertainment

Program details

Baltimore has a secret obsession with the written word. The city has inspired countless authors and artists over the years, all of whom seem to share one thing in common: they all were a bit rebellious. From muckraker journalists to revolutionary feminists to advocates for workers’ rights, Baltimore has a proud history of producing rebel rousers.


Head to the historic Mt. Vernon, where you can walk in the footsteps of Baltimore’s literary past while learning about the bars and brews that fuelled the city’s great free-thinkers. After meeting at the George Washington Monument, we’ll get to take in the beauty of Mt. Vernon Plaza while learning about some of the great Baltimoreans honoured there.


From there, we’ll walk through the neighbourhood and stop at the former homes and haunts of some of Baltimore’s literary giants. We’ll discuss how these notable residents pioneered new artistic movements, spurred revolutions in industry and civil rights, and challenged the status quo in America.


Along the way, we’ll have a chance to walk inside Baltimore’s greatest literary and art institutions and learn how they are continuing to create influential thinkers today. We’ll wander past some of the great shopping areas of the neighbourhood and stop for our first beer at a local bar. We’ll learn a little about Baltimore’s influence on film and television and the new generation of screenwriters who have gotten inspiration here. As we continue on our Baltimore tour, we’ll look at some of the sites frequented by revolutionary local musicians and some of the notables from the “Jazz Age” of Baltimore. We’ll talk about the secret life of the city’s speakeasies during the prohibition era en route to our second stop for another beer at a historic bar.


Finally, we’ll look at some of the wealthy patrons of Baltimore’s arts scene as well as some of the critics who pointed out the discrepancies between the city’s rich and poor. We’ll end the tour by tasting a local Baltimore beer of modern times while discussing the rich history of Baltimore’s favourite drink. From here, you can either wander the shops and sights of historic Charles Street or take a brief walk back to the tour start. Don’t worry if you’re not sure where to go next — your guide can share lots of Baltimore tips!



Meeting/pick-up point: Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, on the corner of Charles St. and Mount Vernon Place, across from the Washington Monument. Ending point: Brewers Art at 1106 N. Charles Street.

Duration: 2 hours.

Start/opening time: At 5pm.

Languages: English.

Others: Children must be 6 years of age to 11 years inclusively. Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour. Tour includes: a beer or beverage at each of the three stops, food tasting at one stop.