Baltimore, Maryland

Since being established in 1729, Baltimore has played a key role in American history, first serving as a hub for trade to the Caribbean and then as a meeting place for the Continental Congress when Philadelphia was under threat.

Though the city has done a good job of preserving this history—listing more than 65,000 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places—it has also made a substantial effort to look toward the future, as you’ll discover in our guide.