Car Rental - Baltimore

 

Baltimore car rental makes getting around Maryland’s largest city simple, from the top of Federal Hill down to the historic Inner Harbor waterfront.

Charm City has undergone a recent regeneration, with many older Downtown buildings converted into hip hangouts that retain an air of authenticity. This has created a thriving cultural scene – nowhere else will you find a larger public collection of works by Matisse - alongside the port city’s rich history.

Pick up your rental car in Baltimore at the airport – just a 25-minute drive from Downtown, with Washington DC, only an hour to the south.

Choose from a wide range of vehicles to suit your itinerary. Sedans and hatchbacks are great for city driving, while SUVs offer extra space for the whole family.

Rent a car in Baltimore to fully appreciate its important place in US history and dive into its new lease of life. 

Baltimore Locations

A Quick Guide to Baltimore

Federal Hill Park

Federal Hill Park

Get your bearings in Baltimore at the top of this historic hill that helped defend the city in the War of 1812. Park your holiday car rental at Marina Garage (21230) then climb the 99 steps to reach its summit, overlooking the Inner Harbor waterfront and Patapsco River. The grassy banks are popular for picnics, while there’s a playground and miniature historic icons signifying Maryland’s heritage.

Baltimore Museum of Art

Baltimore Museum of Art

Ten minutes north of the city center in the Charles Village neighborhood, you can admire the world’s largest Matisse collection in the Baltimore Museum of Art. More than a thousand French master’s works are on display, alongside pieces by Picasso, Van Gogh, and Andy Warhol. Entry to the museum and sculpture garden is free, with the building’s six elegant Doric columns making it a work of art itself. If you become a BMA Member, you can get a discount on parking your Baltimore car rental at the museum.

National Aquarium

National Aquarium

One of the city’s most popular attractions is the National Aquarium with its pyramid-topped building on the edge of the Inner

 Harbor. Explore ocean environments, including Atlantic and Pacific coral reefs and Amazon River forests, and see more than 20,000 animals at play. It’s not all underwater. The Tropical Rainforest is five storeys high, with the forest floor to treetop canopies filled with birds, sloths, and monkeys. There’s no on-site parking, but you can leave your Baltimore rental car at one of three parking partners close by – Parkway Lockwood Place, LAZ Inner Harbor, or Harbor Park Garage.

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

It was at Fort McHenry where Francis Scott Key penned The Star-Spangled Banner in 1814 as he watched a flag flying in triumph after the British’s failed attempt to capture Baltimore. Today, the visitor center shows movies detailing the fort’s history, alongside exhibits and ranger talks. Wander along the sea wall and through the park that juts into the harbor. 

Bygone

A staggering 29 floors up with floor-to-ceiling glass windows help Bygone boast some of the best views of Baltimore. The velvet dining room exudes luxury, reflected in the menu. Lobster salad, smoked mussels, and chocolate truffles for dessert mean you can dine like royalty.

Rye Street Tavern

Seafood is big in Baltimore thanks to its coastal location. Rye Street Tavern specializes in cuisine from the Chesapeake Bay, so prepare to tuck into local East Coast oysters, shrimp, wood-grilled Maryland rockfish, and tuna poke. A 15-minute drive in your Baltimore rental car from Downtown, the restaurant overlooks Winans Cove for an atmospheric backdrop as you order.

Sagamore Pendry

A prime example of Baltimore’s rejuvenation is the Sagamore Pendry. This 100-year-old building at the heart of the Inner Harbor has transformed into a glamorous waterfront hotel with an incredible infinity pool. The original facade and industrial design retain plenty of character in one of the city’s coolest hotels. The closest parking lot for your Baltimore car rental is at 906 Fell Street.    

Admiral Fell Inn

Also near the harbor’s edge is Admiral Fell Inn – a former YMCA and bottling factory. It offers a much more comfortable stay today, with quirkily designed rooms and the traditional exposed brick and wooden style harking back to its 18th-century roots. Perfect for cozy rooms and warm accommodation in a central location. Rent a holiday car with Hertz and treat yourself to a valet parking and breakfast package at the Admiral Fell Inn.

Oriole Park

Baseball is big in Baltimore, and Oriole Park is home to the city’s beloved MLB team – the Baltimore Orioles. Catch a game if you’re here during the season (March to late September). Outside the season, you can take a guided tour around the ballpark. Oriole Park is easily accessible in your car rental from Baltimore – booking a parking spot in advance is highly recommended on game days.

Babe Ruth Museum

One of Baltimore’s most famous sons may have made his name in New York, but you can visit his birthplace just three blocks from Oriole Park. Along with famous items and exhibits from Babe Ruth’s career, it’s expanded to become the official museum of the Baltimore Orioles. While there is no dedicated on-site parking lot, there are plenty of places to leave your Baltimore rental car close by, including metered street parking and garage parking.

Driving In and Around Baltimore

  • There are more than 4,000 single-space and 900 multi-space parking meters for on-street parking across Baltimore.
  • Pull up, enter your license plate and desired parking time, and pay by card or coins.
  • In Downtown Baltimore there are many private lots and garages, with more than 700 spaces at Weinberg Garage, 900 spaces at St. Paul Plaza, and room for 600 vehicles at Charles Center Garage (21202). 
  • Parking is popular around the Inner Harbor, but there’s 24-hour parking available for 1,300 cars at Harbor Park Garage and 960 spaces at Lockwood Garage (21202).

Rush hour in Baltimore starts early, from 6:30am to 9:30am throughout the week. In the afternoon, your Baltimore rental car is most likely to encounter heavy traffic from 3:30pm to 6:30pm.

  • Interstate 695 (I-695) is a 51-mile beltway that circles central Baltimore and connects to all major routes in and out of the city.
  • Interstate 83 (I-83) has its southern terminus in central Baltimore, running north through the city past Baltimore Zoo and eventually reaching its northern end near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
  • Interstate 95 (I-95) is the East Coast’s main highway. It passes through Baltimore’s eastern side, directly connecting the Charm City with Washington in the south and Philadelphia to the north.

Baltimore to Washington DC

The nearly 40-mile drive from Baltimore to Washington DC takes just under an hour. Head south down the I-95 before joining the Capital Beltway and turning onto 16th Street NW.

 

Baltimore to Philadelphia

Driving your rental car from Baltimore to Philadelphia can take just under two hours to make the 106-mile route. Take the I-95 going north and use Exit 22 to reach downtown Philly.