the wire guided tour baltimore

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The Wire-themed tour of Baltimore

If you you are a fan of the hit TV show The Wire, this tour is for you! You'll explore the various important filming locations of this acclaimed HBO TV series including The Pit, Hamsterdam,Kavanaugh's Tavern, Marlo's Hangout, Westside, Bubbles Soup Kitchen, Orlando's, and many more.

Important info

Explore the spots where the Tv series was filmed. Take some photos of The Pit and Hamsterdam. Stop at the Bubbles Soup Kitchen.

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If anyone knows any other filming locations recommended to see except for what is mentioned in:

https://wikitravel.org/en/The_Wire_Tour

Specific question:

We need a place to stay for two nights. When Omar shoots Brother Mouzone, he says they're in room 221 of what today is Motel 6 on North Ave. Is this reasonable considering how the motel looks like? The staff at the motel didn't really understand what I was talking about upon calling them.

Restaurants, what dishes and places should we go to (other than what's mentioned on Wikitravel of course)? Can anyone give me the location of the "Lake trout carry-out" appearing when Chris shoots Avon?

I confess, The Wire is still on my “planning to watch” list, but I can tell you, there is no place with an address on North Avenue where I would want to stay or feel comfortable walking after dusk.

I'm not sure about your question about the Motel 6. I think it looks similar to its Wire days.

While you can get Lake Trout all over the city, not sure about the specific one you are asking about.

Chap's for pit beef is a can't miss.

Check out Lexington Market as well.

OP here with new account:

The motel looks the same after Motel 6 took over. My question was more referring to room 221, if that room is at a reasonable location within the motel to believe this is actually the room where Lamar was sitting outside watching..

I don't think I would stay at that Motel Six for TWO nights. If you do and need a bite to eat, check out Joe Squared across the street. The pizzas and other food items there are great, as are the craft beers and cocktails. It is a great place, and I take my wife and kids there. Also nearby, although I might be tempted to drive the short distance, is Clavel (an upscale and highly rated taco spot).

In terms of other Wire-related spots to check out, you might take a look at the two links below. Some of these places are closed down (e.g. Sterling's), but most are still open. And, as noted above, make sure you get to Chaps Pit Beef.

https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2013/02/the-25-best-food-moments-in-the-wire/mom-brings-lunch-to-the-pit

https://www.baltimoresun.com/citypaper/bcpnews-a-bar-crawl-through-the-wire-20150602-story.html

Hotels in Bmore are cheap. Stay in the Harbor or Mt Vernon. The flower store is across from the motel you want to see. Bodie's corner and Greenmount cemetary are close too. ONLY during the day (you'll be fine). HMU when you get here. I don't work (much) and can point you in the right direction. Good bars are Charles Village Pub near Hopkins. Mick Osheas in Mt Vernon. Owl Bar. Brewers Art. Fed Hill is for 20s crowd. Blarney Stone and Maxs in Fells. Matthews Pizza.. And go to Chaps for sure. Beef run baby. The good stuff. Pulaski.

To answer my own question here.

1. We stayed at Motel 6, it was better than I expected and the area better than I expected as well, no problem. Room 221 is only for two people and as we were three we couldn't stay there but we stayed in 219 which was only two doors away. It makes sense that 221 was the actual location of the filming so someone doing The Wire tour should definitely stay there!

Unfortunately we didn't find any restaurants to eat at (the Greeks place nor the Lake trout carry out) so can't give any advice there unless you would go to any of the mentioned in the guide at Wikitravel.

Overall a great tour to see a different part of America. More people than I expected didn't know much about the series at all, but the people who did enjoyed talking about it. Some of the locations look different now compared with in the series, for example Bodies corner and Hamsterdam. The flower shop next to the motel doesn't have any "secret back room" but the florist was happy to tell about the filming. Orlando's is slightly changed on the upper floors, I wasn't able to find the room where Barksdale inner crew usually had their gatherings nor the make up room for the girls.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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clock This article was published more than  9 years ago

‘The Wire,’ the burning of Baltimore and the limits of art

As clashes between the police and Baltimore citizens escalated Monday following the funeral for Freddie Gray, who died on April 19 after a spinal cord injury he seems to have suffered while in police custody, I kept one eye on broadcasts from the city and another looking out for something that seemed inevitable: the first mention of “The Wire,” David Simon’s HBO drama about crime and corruption in Charm City, to scroll across my social media. By my count, it came at 4:49 on Monday afternoon, when a friend retweeted the sour sentiment “Season 6 of The Wire is awesome so far.”

Soon after, other sites started circulating a call from Simon himself , asking readers to back down from throwing rocks, looting convenience stores and burning cars. “If you can’t seek redress and demand reform without a brick in your hand, you risk losing this moment for all of us in Baltimore,” he wrote. “Turn around. Go home. Please.” A number of actors from the show joined him .

Pleas from Simon, Andre Royo and Wendell Pierce, among others, are an acknowledgement of the real-world authority we’ve granted to “The Wire,” one of the most venerated shows ever to air on American television. But while I believe passionately that culture alters the way we see the world and what we expect from it — that idea is literally the foundation of my writing — the conflagration in Baltimore is a reminder that art’s power can work both in service of change and against it. Watching a fictional story is not precisely the same thing as bearing witness. And when consuming that story becomes a substitute for action or an argument that action is futile, fiction can paralyze us just as surely as it can inspire us.

Plenty of shows from the new Golden Age of Television have won obsessive fans: People are still trying to figure out whether Tony Soprano is dead . But it’s hard to think of a series that has become a fetish object and a signalling device in quite the way “The Wire” has. In 2008 when Barack Obama was running for president, he named Omar Little , the gay stickup man played by Michael K. Williams, as his favorite character on the show; earlier this year, President Obama called Simon and asked to talk drug policy with him . ESPN’s Jason Whitlock even told Simon in 2012 that “The Wire” had helped cleanse him of his former homophobia, claiming that “Nobody has more influenced me and brought me to a healthier understanding of homosexuality and just the character of homosexual people than the character Omar.”

Part of what’s funny about this tendency to treat Simon like some sort of Pope of Urban Policy, and about his own call to organize yesterday, is the profound pessimism of the work that earned him that stature. His blog is called “The Audacity of Despair,” a thrown elbow at the president who seeks his affirmation (though it’s true that when Obama called, Simon came; a real nihilist might have rejected the invitation).

“We undertook to tell those stories as best we could in the hope that they would be honest and relevant to the whole of our city, to our divided American society and to the fundamental necessity that is our shared future,” he wrote in a post last year , addressing a charge that his work reflected poorly on Baltimore. “We even operated with some hope that such storytelling might help lead to redress and reconsideration of certain policies and priorities.” But that hope often flickers dimly in Simon’s work; it’s not that he would be pleased to see the world careening on toward disaster but that he’d be surprised if it truly changed course in any substantial, sustainable way.

“The Wire” is a show that steadfastly rejects any hope its audience might have about the possibility of reform. Roland Pryzbylewski (Jim True-Frost), who begins the series as a dangerous, abusive cop, reinvents himself as a caring teacher. But if his removal from the streets is a net benefit, there’s little he can do as a teacher: One of his students descends into addiction, while another drifts into crime. When Major “Bunny” Colvin (Robert Wisdom) experiments with a free zone, where cops promise not to arrest residents for the sale, possession or use of drugs, his freelancing costs him not just his job, but also a position he’d been offered in campus security at Johns Hopkins University. Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), who suffers from a severe allergy to authority, becomes so disgusted by the established order in Baltimore that he commits an act of grave malpractice that ends up denying the city his talents as a police detective and discrediting his arguments for change. The Greek (Bill Raymond), Simon’s version of a super-villain, is operating with relative impunity at the end of the series: The characters have been so preoccupied by more pressing threats that they generally failed to even notice how the Greek’s far-flung organization was driving crime in Baltimore.

Part of Simon’s appeal is that he’s a gifted diagnostician, a dark and funny analyst of how failed sets of public policies lock together and create greater human misery together than they ever could separately. But as a physician, his prognoses are almost unfailingly terminal, and his prescriptions are palliative rather than curative. People like former convict Cutty Wise (Chad L. Coleman), who manages to found a modest boxing gym, may carve out small accomplishments in Baltimore. But their efforts are small pockets of healthy flesh in a necrotic body.

It might be heresy for a critic to say this, but as Baltimore tries to recover from Monday’s convulsions, I wonder if the fundamental fatalism of “The Wire” might be part of its appeal to some part of Simon’s audience.

Television allows us to look without either letting us touch or requiring us to touch, and “The Wire” has a particular ability to sell a sense of enlightenment without a program for change or engagement. As Christian Lander, who wrote the scabrous, very funny blog Stuff White People Like, noted on the occasion of the series finale of “The Wire” in 2008 , “It all comes down to authenticity.” “The Wire” indeed pays obsessive attention to detail: Brett Martin, author of the television history “ Difficult Men ,” noted that Simon and his colleagues incorporated traditional rituals of gang assassinations into one scene and recreated a police wake in another.

But while plenty of self-guided tours of relevant locations from “The Wire” have been published online since the show’s debut, and a tour company that focuses on African American history incorporates some shooting locations into its itinerary , there’s no “Wire” equivalent of the infamous “Sex and the City” tour . It’s one thing to want to observe and judge Baltimore through glass and another to actually visit the city that is the basis for such powerful and appealing fiction.

When “The Wire” was still airing, sociologist Sudhir Venkatesh, who studies the economics of drug dealing and sex work, wrote a series for Freakonomics about watching episodes of the show with gang members from New York, giving readers the transgressive thrill of sharing an enthusiasm with people they’d never invite over for a Sunday-night viewing party. In an Internet-age twist on radical chic, fans of “The Wire” could claim credibility from loving the show without actually having to socialize with the criminals or addicts they had become so interested in.

Tellingly, more privileged fans of the show actually stuck with it longer; the show’s grinding perspective was entertainment, rather than added burden. Shine, one of Venkatesh’s sources, ultimately dropped out of the series , telling Venkatesh that “This is fun if you work all day behind a desk, or you’re sitting in some suburb. But for us, it’s like watching somebody make a movie about you — someone who doesn’t really know all that much about your life.”

None of this makes me enjoy the show any less, though it is a useful check against the impulse to succumb to the lure of clickbait and wave my box set like a set of credentials while typing headlines about Five Ways “The Wire” Explains the Freddie Gray Protests.

“The Wire” doesn’t explain Baltimore. Enthusiasm for “The Wire” helps explain how fans of the show would  like to feel about Baltimore, cities like it, and the people who inhabit them. We want to believe we have deep sympathy for and understanding of people whose lives bear the marks of institutional racism, decades of dreadful criminal justice policy, hopelessly inadequate educational systems and a profound lack of legitimate economic opportunity. And then we’d like to feel like there’s nothing we really  can do, and so there’s nothing we are required  to do.

Focusing on looping footage of impudent looters and burning cars lets us feel hopeless, while a less-circulated picture of a little boy handing out bottles of water to Baltimore police officers might actually compel us to act in his defense and in support of his hopeful attitude. And “The Wire” helped prepare us for this, to feel that our own sense of surrender is actually sophistication. The Greek and global capitalism will never die, but at least there will be Jameson at the bar.

Baltimore, 15 years after The Wire – in pictures

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Photographer JM Giordano revisits the Baltimore locations so familiar to fans of the revered TV series

• ‘Progress is painfully uneven’: life in The Wire’s Baltimore

JM Giordano

Sat 27 May 2017 19.00 BST Last modified on Thu 26 Mar 2020 14.34 GMT

Janet Worsley and her granddaughter walk by the building used as ‘Butchie’s Bar’.

A member is pictured outside the Dios Es Amor church which was used as the campaign headquarters of Mayor Tommy Carcetti played by Aidan Gillen.

The ruined remains of the boxing gym in East Baltimore that was run by the character Dennis ‘Cutty’ Wise.

Pamela Alford, 52, looks out of her window in the Station North area where season four of The Wire was filmed.

The building that was used as headquarters for wire-tapping operations by McNulty, Freamon and Greggs.

A busy night at The Sidebar, a punk rock club that featured as the police bar ‘Kavanaugh’s’.

The area famously known as ‘The Pit’ which lies in a low-rise housing project of McCulloh Homes. This is where D’Angelo Barksdale’s crew hung out on a discarded couch.

A Baltimore City Police car whizzes by the exterior of The Sidebar, more famously known as police bar ‘Kavanaugh’s’.

A mural pictured in the ruined interior of Cutty’s boxing gym in East Baltimore.

Now a design school for local children, pictured is the location where the younger kids told each other ‘zombie’ stories about the bodies found in derelict vacant houses.

The Ritz Cabaret club in Baltimore’s Fells Point neighbourhood. The strip club featured as Avon Barksdale’s club ‘Orlando’s’.

Green Mount Cemetery which was featured in most seasons of The Wire as the body count piled up.

Pearson’s Florist where Bodie went to purchase a floral arrangement for a fallen comrade. The area has now gentrified with a new theatre and dance clubs.

Local boy D’Angelo Preston, eight, outside the Honey Carry-Out store that was used as Bodie’s hangout. Bodie was killed here and, in another episode, young student Randy bought candy to sell at school.

The copy centre that featured as the business location of Stringer Bell, memorably played by Idris Elba.

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The Wire Locations

Take your own self-guided tour of some of the most iconic filming locations from The Wire.

This is a list of filming locations that were used in HBO's crime series The Wire.

The show, which ran between 2002 and 2008, was based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Although hundreds of locations were featured in The Wire, we've only included the most iconic places, as most people don't have the time to spend eight hours looking at obscure street corners that they don't even remember.

Below, you'll find a map, addresses, directions, and short guides that will help jog your memory.

Baltimore, Maryland

The Pit is probably one of the most iconic locations in The Wire. In real life, it is called the McCulloh Homes. In Season 1, D'Angelo "Dee" Barksdale is demoted to "the Pit" after he shoots a rival gang member in public. From that point on, he has to supervise three young drug dealers called Bodie, Poot, and Wallace.

Orlando's strip club

The scenes for Orlando's strip club were filmed at a gentlemen's club called "The Ritz Cabaret", which is situated on South Broadway. In Season 1, it serves as the main headquarters of the Barksdale organization.

Kavanaugh's bar

Kavanaugh's bar is situated in downtown Baltimore. This is the "cop bar" where members of the Baltimore Police Department like to hang out and drink after work.

The location where Kima was shot

In the episode "The Cost" (S01E10), detective "Kima" Greggs is shot during a failed buy-and-bust operation at this location off North Warwick Avenue.

The basketball court

The basketball court in Collington Square Park is featured in Episode 9 of Season 1. It was here that the Eastside and Westside played each other in their annual basketball game.

The Rim Source II

The "Rim Source II" is situated at 1870 North Gay Street in Broadway East. This store serves as a meeting point for drug kingpin Marlo Stanfield and his crew. This is the place where Marlo bullied Old Face Andre into selling him his ring.

The location where Stringer Bell and Omar negotiated a truce

This is the location where Stringer Bell and Omar Little held their "peace talks" in Season 1. The scene was filmed beside the fountain at Market Place in the downtown area of Baltimore. Although the pair agree to a truce, Omar quickly realizes that it's just a ploy to draw him out into the open. Not long after, he decides to get on a bus and move to New York.

Hamsterdam was situated on Eareckson Place and North Broadway. This was the "safe zone" where Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin allowed drug dealers to openly ply their trade. Colvin's program successfully lowered crime rates by containing drugs in specific areas that could be easily monitored. However, it was quickly shut down after the mayor's office learned about its existence. Although city officials saw the benefits of Colvin's initiative, they eventually decided that an open-air drug market was far too politically damaging to support.

Bodie's corner

In Season 4, Bodie sets up shop on the corner of Barclay Street and East Lanvale Street. Although it is considered an "off-brand" spot, he eventually manages to build up its reputation and increase its foot traffic. At that point, Marlo Stanfield pays him a visit and forces him to start selling his "package."

The Greek's diner

The scenes for the Greek's diner were filmed at a disused property that is situated beside 1910 South Clinton Street. During the series, the diner serves as a headquarters for the Greek and his crew. This was the place where the shady criminal organization held meetings with figures such as Frank Sobotka and Marlo Stanfield. Judging by Google Street View images, it has been boarded up since 2009.

Brother Mouzone's motel

In Season 2, Brother Mouzone rented room 221 at this motel on West North Avenue. It was here that Omar Little shot the feared drug enforcer in the stomach. At the time, Omar wrongly believed that Mouzone was responsible for killing and mutilating his boyfriend, Brandon. However, before he can finish the job, Mouzone convinces him that he has been fed false information. At that point, Omar calls 911 and leaves.

Edward J. Tilghman Middle School

Edward J. Tilghman Middle School is situated at 1600 Guilford Avenue. This location appears in Season 4, when the series focuses on the city's education system. During the season, we witness the trials and tribulations of four students named Duquan "Dukie" Weems, Namond Brice, Randy Wagstaff, and Michael Lee. We also get to see Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski begin his new career as a teacher.

The bridge where Frank Sobotka was killed

Dundalk, Maryland

In Episode 11 of Season 2, Frank Sobotka meets with the Greeks on the eastern side of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Dundalk. He reluctantly agrees to attend this meeting after he learns that they can sway a witness in his son's murder case. However, as he is walking towards them, the Greeks receive a phone call from a corrupt FBI agent, who warns them that Sobotka has agreed to become an informant. This is the last time Sobotka is seen alive. In the season finale, his body is found floating in the harbor.

Barksdale's funeral parlor

The Barksdale organization starts using this funeral parlor on McCulloh Street at the end of Season 1. Previously, they had used Orlando's club as their headquarters. However, they had to abandon it after it was raided by the police.

Marlo's court

Marlo Stanfield and his crew hang out at this park in Faith Lane. This is the place where they hold court. If someone needs to speak to Marlo, they are searched at the entrance on North Bond Street and then escorted down to the skate park.

The location where Jimmy McNulty crashed

In Episode 8 of Season 2, McNulty gets blind drunk at a local bar. Afterwards, he crashes into this overpass on South Haven Street.

Monk's apartment

In the episode "React Quotes" (S05E05), Omar and Donnie are ambushed at Monk's apartment on Druid Park Lake Drive. During the attack, Donnie is killed, and Omar runs out of ammo. Realizing that he has no other options, Omar decides to leap off the balcony, which is on the fourth floor. Miraculously, he manages to survive the fall and escape.

The location where William Gant was killed

William Gant testifies against D'Angelo "Dee" Barksdale during his murder trial in Season 1. Although Dee is eventually acquitted of the crime, the Barksdale organization decides to make an example out of Gant. Not long after, an enforcer named Marquis "Bird" Hilton shoots him in this courtyard off McCulloh Street.

New York Fried Chicken

This is the "New York Fried Chicken" restaurant that appeared in the first episode of The Wire. It is situated at 1301 West Baltimore Street. It was here that Wee-Bey had to remind D'Angelo Barksdale that they weren't allowed to talk business in the car.

Werner's diner

Werner's diner is situated at 231 East Redwood Street. This is the place where ambitious councilman Tommy Carcetti holds important political discussions over lunch.

The Major Crimes Unit HQ from Season 2

This is the location where the Major Crimes Unit set up their headquarters in Season 2. It is situated on Leland Avenue.

The Wire Tour Travel Guide

Where to stay & best hotels in the wire tour - updated apr 2024, save up to 75% on last minute deals search for discount the wire tour hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. book now and pay at the hotel. instant email confirmation, where to travel next in 2020, europe | asia | north america | africa | south america | oceania | all destinations.

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If anyone knows any other filming locations recommended to see except for what is mentioned in:

https://wikitravel.org/en/The_Wire_Tour

Specific question:

We need a place to stay for two nights. When Omar shoots Brother Mouzone, he says they're in room 221 of what today is Motel 6 on North Ave. Is this reasonable considering how the motel looks like? The staff at the motel didn't really understand what I was talking about upon calling them.

Restaurants, what dishes and places should we go to (other than what's mentioned on Wikitravel of course)? Can anyone give me the location of the "Lake trout carry-out" appearing when Chris shoots Avon?

I confess, The Wire is still on my “planning to watch” list, but I can tell you, there is no place with an address on North Avenue where I would want to stay or feel comfortable walking after dusk.

I'm not sure about your question about the Motel 6. I think it looks similar to its Wire days.

While you can get Lake Trout all over the city, not sure about the specific one you are asking about.

Chap's for pit beef is a can't miss.

Check out Lexington Market as well.

OP here with new account:

The motel looks the same after Motel 6 took over. My question was more referring to room 221, if that room is at a reasonable location within the motel to believe this is actually the room where Lamar was sitting outside watching..

I don't think I would stay at that Motel Six for TWO nights. If you do and need a bite to eat, check out Joe Squared across the street. The pizzas and other food items there are great, as are the craft beers and cocktails. It is a great place, and I take my wife and kids there. Also nearby, although I might be tempted to drive the short distance, is Clavel (an upscale and highly rated taco spot).

In terms of other Wire-related spots to check out, you might take a look at the two links below. Some of these places are closed down (e.g. Sterling's), but most are still open. And, as noted above, make sure you get to Chaps Pit Beef.

https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2013/02/the-25-best-food-moments-in-the-wire/mom-brings-lunch-to-the-pit

https://www.baltimoresun.com/citypaper/bcpnews-a-bar-crawl-through-the-wire-20150602-story.html

Hotels in Bmore are cheap. Stay in the Harbor or Mt Vernon. The flower store is across from the motel you want to see. Bodie's corner and Greenmount cemetary are close too. ONLY during the day (you'll be fine). HMU when you get here. I don't work (much) and can point you in the right direction. Good bars are Charles Village Pub near Hopkins. Mick Osheas in Mt Vernon. Owl Bar. Brewers Art. Fed Hill is for 20s crowd. Blarney Stone and Maxs in Fells. Matthews Pizza.. And go to Chaps for sure. Beef run baby. The good stuff. Pulaski.

To answer my own question here.

1. We stayed at Motel 6, it was better than I expected and the area better than I expected as well, no problem. Room 221 is only for two people and as we were three we couldn't stay there but we stayed in 219 which was only two doors away. It makes sense that 221 was the actual location of the filming so someone doing The Wire tour should definitely stay there!

Unfortunately we didn't find any restaurants to eat at (the Greeks place nor the Lake trout carry out) so can't give any advice there unless you would go to any of the mentioned in the guide at Wikitravel.

Overall a great tour to see a different part of America. More people than I expected didn't know much about the series at all, but the people who did enjoyed talking about it. Some of the locations look different now compared with in the series, for example Bodies corner and Hamsterdam. The flower shop next to the motel doesn't have any "secret back room" but the florist was happy to tell about the filming. Orlando's is slightly changed on the upper floors, I wasn't able to find the room where Barksdale inner crew usually had their gatherings nor the make up room for the girls.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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what does your son like? depending on when in April, there will be baseball.

The B&O train museum is fun. May be too old for the pirate ship boat ride.

of course, you may have heard we have an aquarium which is pretty nice.

Fort McHenry.

There are a number of ships and a submarine that you can tour around the harbor area. And definitely stop in at the visitor center at the inner harbor.

They will know if there are any special events going on and very helpful.

Sorry can't help with the film tour, I never watched the shows.

I love the Wire too! Unfortunately, a lot of the scenes were shot in rough areas that aren't very safe, and some of the buildings have been demolished, etc...,with that said, here is a map that someone put together a few years ago.

http://tinyurl.com/3ej9esw

A few of the spots that are in safe neighborhoods:

The Wire Western Police Station (where the cops would throw beer bottles on the roof) is in Canton on Robinson and Hudson

All the season 5 downtown shoots, city hall, etc. are perfectly safe.

you can also see "orlandos" from season 1 in Fells Point - Broadway ave between Fleet and Eastern. It's called Ritz Cabaret. Stringers copy shop is a couple doors down.

Hey, I didn't know the Western Div HQ was filmed on Hudson and Robinson! I just moved about 3 block away from that last week. Now I gotta go check it out.

When I moved to Baltimore in '06 I Netflixed the first 4 seasons (They were still filming season 5) and toured Baltimore. Meeting folks of Baltimore and watching the Wire was the best tour guide a guy could have.

Good luck on your tour. I've been wanting to do something like this for a while now. It's not that great for locals because we pass by this stuff every day but it could be a cool thing to take outta towners on a tour. All we need now is a black Escalade to tour in.

I was surprised no enterprising soul had thought to organise a tour, at least I couldn't find one online?..... A black Escalade would certainly enhance the experience!! And I''m sure my son would be only too pleased with a visit to Orlando's in the name of tourism, but probably will have to give it a miss this time!!! One further question, if I may, the Oriels appear to have a home fixture whilst we are in town, are tickets readily available, once they go on sale?

We usually buy the cheap seats and make our way down near 3rd base by the 3rd inning. There's a lot of space once you get in.

If you have time and like baseball in general I'd suggest taking a tour of Camden Yards. They do tours daily and they go from 9am till 3 hours before the 1st pitch. People fall in love with the Yard after they go on a tour.

Thought you might be interested, "Snoop" was sitting behind us at the Ravens-Texas game yesterday. All the "Wire" fans around us waved and clapped ...she even smiled (who knew she could?) and waved back. Someone said she was wearing a red and black gang hat!

For your walk, the Carousel with the red horse is next the Science Center. The Woman DA's house is a block south on 200 block of Montgomery next to park(friend lives there)

Also on corner of William and Montgomery is a nice row house used in "Homicide" for a cyber crime. There are lots more safe and interesting locations, but they aren't walkable.

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Baltimore Hotels and Places to Stay

The Best Sightseeing Tours in Baltimore

Explore the city’s history, culture and food with these tours offered by foot, by trolley or by sea..

Baltimore is a city comprised of one-of-a-kind neighborhoods, all of which offer glimpses into history, beautifully-preserved architecture and people watching galore. What’s the best way to see it all for yourself? Take a walk or ride led by an expert tour guide who can show you everything Charm City has to offer, ranging from history-themed excursions to food-focused feasts.

Wheels to Water

Out-of-the-box, sip and grub, explore baltimore's neighborhoods on foot with cultural walking tours., baltimore black heritage tours.

Founded by Baltimore native Lou Fields, Baltimore Black Heritage Tours is a go-to for planning your ideal trip to the city of Baltimore. Through every walking tour and itinerary plan, Fields and his team aim to preserve, protect and promote Maryland’s African American history and culture. You’ll see sites that are integral to Baltimore’s roots on each tour, such as Douglass Place, a row of houses in Fell’s Point built by Frederick Douglass for African American renters, the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum and so much more.

Baltimore National Heritage Area Walking Tours

The Baltimore Heritage Area Association is dedicated to promoting, preserving and enhancing the city of Baltimore’s cultural legacy and natural resources. One way the organization is able to stick to that mission is by providing residents and curious visitors alike with self-guided walking tours that uncover local stories and surprises on every corner. Along the Historic Fell’s Point Trail , you’ll get to walk in Frederick Douglass’s footsteps and hear about the bombardment of Fort McHenry , while the Mount Vernon History Tour introduces you to some of the nation’s foremost cultural institutions – from the Walters Art Museum to the Peabody Institute . You can also learn more about Baltimore’s Native American community by taking a self-guided tour of East Baltimore’s Historic American Indian “Reservation.”

The Washington Monument stands in the center of Mount Vernon and offers sweeping views of the city.

I Love Baltimore Personal Tours

Led by born-and-raised Baltimorean Ira Cunningham, I Love Baltimore Personal Tours give you the chance to see Baltimore through the eyes of a local. Pick from several tour options—Baltimore Civil War Tour, Cathedral Tour, Harriet Tubman Tour, Johns Hopkins Tour, Black History Tour and more—to receive an in-depth look at the city’s culture, historic sites and local spots.

Pennsylvania Avenue Heritage Tour

This monument to the Royal Theater stands where the original building once stood.

Immerse yourself in Baltimore’s civil rights legacy along Pennsylvania Avenue on this tour led by the Baltimore National Heritage Area. Designated an official arts and entertainment district in 2019, Pennsylvania Avenue boasts some the city’s—and the nation’s—richest African American artistic and cultural history . The Royal Theatre, for example, provided a stage for legends like Duke Ellington, Etta James, Cab Calloway, The Temptations and the Supremes. Plus, you’ll stroll by Sharp Street United Methodist Church, home of the first African American congregation, the Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum and so much more.

By land or by sea, these traveling tours will give you a different perspective of Baltimore.

Baltimore cruises by watermark.

Baltimore is recognized for its maritime history, so what better way to get to know it than from the waterway itself? Watermark offers a Baltimore sightseeing cruise with a 45-minute recorded narration to give you historical facts and information about what you’re seeing. You can also book more in-depth cruises to get even more knowledge about Baltimore.

Get views like this from an Inner Harbor tour.

Baltimore Rent-A-Tour

Whether you’re interested in taking an evening boat cruise through the Inner Harbor or would rather explore the city by foot, the talented guides of Rent-A-Tour are here to help. With decades of combined experience as historians and storytellers, the esteemed team will provide you and your group with an informative and entertaining exploration of the city. Plus, you have the option of choosing a transportation method like a bus or van, that will take you to famed sites such as the birthplace of baseball legend Babe Ruth , the resting place of Edgar Allan Poe and America’s first Roman Catholic cathedral. Can’t make it in person? Owner Chris Riehl has you covered with virtual tours , telling Baltimore stories about everything from Frederick Douglass to the Baltimore Orioles .

Inner Harbor Kayak Tours

Offered by the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks and Waterfront Partnership , this tour experience of the Inner Harbor is unlike any other, as you’ll be taking in the views of the city from your very own kayak. Once the group departs from the Maryland Science Center Water Taxi landing, you’ll have the chance to check out famed sites like the historic USS Torsk submarine, the USS Constellation and Mr. Trash Wheel —a vessel that removes trash from the Jones Falls as it empties into the Inner Harbor. Please note, this tour is recommended for experienced paddlers only.

Photo courtesy of Waterfront Partnership

City Cruises Baltimore

Seeking the perfect venue for your next company outing or family reunion? Look no further than City Cruises to take you and your party on an excursion through the Inner Harbor. Once on the boat, you’ll find a newly designed dance floor, live music from an esteemed DJ, several bars and a chef-made buffet meal for everyone to enjoy, all while surrounded by the city’s remarkable skyline.

Try something different from the usual sightseeing tour and get to know the city from a pirate ship, segwey or a helicopter.

Baltimore ghost tours.

Join Baltimore Ghost Tours for creepy walks through Baltimore’s haunted history. Experience the macabre as you’re introduced to the ghosts of Fell’s Point, hear the tales of missing sailors and walk by buildings where guests went in…and never came out. There’s even a haunted pub crawl worth joining, if you dare.

Discover Charm City’s spooky side on a Baltimore Ghost Tour. You never know what spirits you may encounter on the way…

Baltimore Wicked History Tours

Wicked History Tours , the sister company to Baltimore Ghost Tours , will take you back to a time when Fell’s Point was seen as a risky and bold place to visit, full of privateers, sailors and ladies of the night. Through the various tour programs, you’ll meet the nasty, the naughty, the wicked and the depraved who walked the streets. From speakeasies (did you know that Baltimore refused to cooperate during Prohibition?) to underhanded villains to celebrated personalities, this award-winning tour is different than any history lesson you’ll find in school.

Bike and Brunch Tours

Want to stay active and also love food? Then you’re in luck with these Bike and Brunch Tours ! Join the group on your own bike or a rental and see Baltimore’s waterfront neighborhoods and Black Arts District . Learn about the history, legacy and culture of Baltimore’s historically Black communities and enjoy a delicious brunch designed exclusively for your tour group.

Charm City Helicopters

See Charm City from new heights with this one-of-a-kind tour experience.

Check out Baltimore from the sky with Charm City Helicopters , the only helicopter tour company in the city. Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary, honoring a birthday or are simply looking for an unforgettable experience, this helicopter ride will take you around the Inner Harbor and its neighboring communities, giving you a bird’s eye view of the action below. Booking is available all-year round with special seasonal options, including the Fall Foliage Package or Christmas Lights Package.

Urban Adventure Quest

Get to know the city through this interactive, three-hour scavenger hunt along the waterfront, among museums and around famed historic buildings. All you have to do is take out your smart phone and prepare to embark on a journey through the city solving Urban Adventure Quest clues, completing challenges and working as a team to unravel hidden secrets of Baltimore. Along the way, you’ll see recognizable spots and hidden gems and get to know Charm City’s personality. To have the most entertaining experience, break up your large group into several teams and see who can make it to the finish line first.

Urban Pirates

Ahoy, matey! Climb aboard Fearless, a modern-day pirate ship that sails out of the Ann Street Pier in Fell’s Point from early summer to late fall. Urban Pirates ‘ lively crew can guide families, private events, birthday parties or adults over the age of 21 for a ‘B.Y.O.G.’ (bring your own grog) affair, all for a few hours along the city’s edge. With every tour option, you’ll be entertained with pirate-themed dances, games and treasure hunts galore.

Knock out two things at once and enjoy a meal or a drink while you tour Baltimore.

Accent on baltimore.

Sometimes the best way to experience a new city is through its food scene, which happens to thrive in Baltimore. With Accent on Baltimore , you can give the dining scene a taste, as the company offers fully guided food tours and pub crawls for groups of all sizes, either just for one day or for an entire weekend. In addition to the cuisine-focused tours of Baltimore’s best eateries and bars, Accent on Baltimore offers a driving tour for newcomers, as well as custom tours where you can choose exactly how you want to experience everything Charm City has to offer.

Bite of Baltimore

Enjoy bites from local pubs in Fell’s Point. Photograph by Justin Tsucalas.

In addition to boutique shops and historic sites, Baltimore is home to a diverse array of cuisine you’ll most definitely want to indulge in when visiting. And, if you’re itching to try it all in one fell swoop, Bite of Baltimore is the way to do it. This one-of-a-kind offering gives you the chance to try four plates of food from various local restaurants, and also learn historical fun facts about the culture and community of Fell’s Point, Mount Vernon or Federal Hill along the way.

City Brew Tours

Since 1892, when the bottle cap was patented in Baltimore, our city has been perfecting its role in the beer industry. Today, its home to over a dozen brewpubs and beer co-ops you won’t want to miss on your next visit. Thanks to City Brew Tours , you won’t have to, as you’ll get VIP, behind-the-scenes access to the top breweries, brewpubs and beer pubs of the city. All you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the drive as you make stops along the way, tasting more than 15 different local craft beers and learning a little history about the industry between sips.

More things to do in Baltimore

More places to go in Baltimore

Visit Baltimore Merch

Show off your Baltimore pride in style with t-shirts, hats and hoodies featuring the Visit Baltimore logo. Plus get your hands on our one-of-a-kind posters.

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The Wire Tour

• 3 Get around
• 5.2 North Central
• 5.4 Far East
• 5.5 Southeast
• 5.7 Central
• 6.1 Northwest
• 9 Stay safe

The Wire Tour is a grand tour of Baltimore , taking you past various important filming locations for the highly acclaimed HBO TV series, The Wire . It is a driving tour 54 miles long (87 km) past 54 filming locations. It would take about 3½ hours without stopping at the sights, but to properly do the tour, you'll want to make stops for photos, food, and general gaping. It's wise to plan for a full day.

Prepare [ edit ]

First, watch The Wire . The whole thing. Otherwise do not read beyond this section, as major spoilers follow! If you haven't watched it yet, many major news organizations and arts and entertainment journals have called it the greatest TV series of all time, on par with great literature. Entire classes devoted to studying the TV series are offered at top U.S. universities. You likely won't regret watching the full five seasons.

There's really only one thing you need to bring along (aside from a printout of the itinerary): a car with a full tank of gas. There is a surprising dearth of gas stations in the city, so fill up first! The only other thing you might find useful to bring is a camera to capture some of the more interesting surprises you'll find along the way.

Get in [ edit ]

The tour begins on Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, heading north from I-395 off I-95. To get there from Downtown or the Inner Harbor , take any major road and head west, then turn right (north) onto the boulevard.

If you want something to eat before you start, Lexington Market is just east of MLK Jr Blvd on the western edge of Downtown. On the Paca St Entrance you'll find Faidley's (M-Sa 11AM-5PM), which serves magnificent crabcakes—the virtues of which are extolled by every food review, everyone in Baltimore, and of course McNulty, who brings some for a couple cops on a stakeout. They liked them too—"Faidley's? You all right, McNulty." They run about $18 each, so for a cheaper Bawlmer option, you could try a coddie , a $2 codcake sandwiched between saltines with mustard.

Get around [ edit ]

Bring your car. This is a driving itinerary , as there simply is no other realistic way to tour the various filming locations—Baltimore's system of public transport is lacking, and furthermore there are parts of this trip where it is safer and more comfortable to avoid traveling on foot, particularly in West and East Baltimore, as well as the eastern portion of the North Central section. Granted, chances are fairly slim that anything bad would happen to you, but if you are unfamiliar with the city and walking around snapping photos in areas that wouldn't dream of being a tourist destination, prepare to feel extremely visible, stared at, and uncomfortably out of place!

Portions of this tour are easily visited on foot, particularly those Downtown and by the Inner Harbor , but this will leave you picking and choosing among a select few of the filming locations, and you will not be able to complete the grand tour.

This is a meandering and complicated itinerary through many of the city's lesser known streets. You'll have a much easier time if you bring a friend along, who can be your navigator and read the itinerary as you go!

Eat [ edit ]

There are lots of great places to eat filmed in The Wire , all of them dripping with local character and a real sense of place. Look for them in the following sections of the tour, and plan to finish on a full stomach!

The tour [ edit ]

West [ edit ].

West Baltimore is where it all begins, right on Lexington and Fulton Ave where Snot Boogie , the man of unfortunate name and unfortunate life laid dead in the street. While nearly the whole of the drug gang plotlines theoretically take place in West Baltimore, only the first season was extensively shot here. The directors found East Baltimore's relatively treeless streets much easier to film in, as they could film throughout at least three of the seasons without losing seasonal continuity. To reach the series opening scene, head up MLK Jr Ave, turn left onto W Fayette St, then after going a ways, right on Fulton Ave and up two blocks to Lexington . The scene was filmed on Lexington on the block just to the left. As you drive through West Baltimore, keep a lookout for the famous horse cart fruit vendor in good weather—he's very much real, and quite the living legend.

Turn right on Lexington and turn right onto Mount St. Go about four blocks and look for the Viva House (44 S Mount St) soon after crossing Hollins St, where Bubbles cooked and served at the soup kitchen . Turn left on Lombard and left again onto Gilmor St to get back to Lexington St. You will pass by beautiful Union Square on the right, with the HL Mencken Fountain in the center. Mencken, the "Sage of Baltimore" lived at 1524 Hollins St at the north of the square for 67 years, and to this date, despite the surrounding urban decay, this remains one of West Baltimore's best kept, wealthiest, and safest neighborhoods.

Turn right on Lexington to go back east towards MLK Jr Blvd. Once you reach Amity St, look left—the second building on the right is the famous Poe House . In the show, a lost tourist asks a local kid where the Poe House is. The local accent pronounces Poe and poor the same way, so the perplexed boy responds, "uh, take your pick!" Fortunately, you brought your Wikivoyage map, so you won't have to reenact this silly scene. While closed for winter, the house of Edgar Allen is open for a small fee and tour from April to early December, Th-Sa noon-3:30PM. Just go up to the front door and knock. Street parking right on Lexington couldn't be easier.

Continue east on Lexington and turn left onto Fremont . You are now in the thick of The Terraces, a mixed use public housing complex that replaced the once blighted and now demolished Lexington Terrace high rise public housing projects, which served as inspiration for Franklin Terrace , the high rises controlled by the Barksdale Organization.

Make a left on Saratoga St and then a right onto Arlington Ave. When you reach Lafayette Ave, turn right and look immediately on your right for the church where Bubbles attended AA Meetings . You can't miss the brightly painted red doors. Continue east on Lafayette, turn left on Fremont, after following Fremont for several blocks, turn right on Presstman St and then right down Pennsylvania Ave . While not a filming location, it's worth a short drive down this street to get a sense of history. This stretch of Pennsylvania Ave was once the heart of African-American culture and commerce in the city, but still has not quite recovered from the devastation of the 1968 riots following the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. In the 21st century, though, things have improved.

Turn left on Preston St to enter the McCulloh Homes , the low rise housing projects that served as location for much of the drug trade in Season One. It's hard to see from the street, but The Pit , where D'Angelo plied his product is just behind the fourth building on the right.

Turn left on McCulloh St to continue your tour through the McCulloh Homes and look left in the middle of the first block for the harmonica and dance statues of a boy and girl, featured several times throughout the series.

Continue up McCulloh to Lanvale St and turn left . On the second block look right for Bethel Church , which was home to one of the prominent and politically powerful church groups throughout the series. At the end of the block turn right onto Division St, then turn right back onto Lafayette, then left back onto McCulloh . Right on the corner with Wilson St is Carlton C Douglas Funeral Services , which served as the West Baltimore headquarters for the Barksdale organization throughout the first three seasons.

Time to turn around to get back to Lafayette— make a left on Wilson, a left on Druid Hill Ave, and then a left back onto Lafayette Ave . This will take you into the relatively small neighborhood of Bolton Hill , which while not featured on TV, is undoubtedly Baltimore's most beautiful old neighborhood and a great place for a little aimless drive.

North Central [ edit ]

At the north end of Bolton Hill is Mt Royal Ave. Turn right and head back east into Midtown until you reach Maryland Ave. Turn right, then left on Chase St, and then left again onto N Charles St . This section of Charles St has as good a claim as any to being the hippest stretch of Baltimore, largely unknown to anyone but locals. Immediately on the left is the Brewer's Art , quite possibly the best spot for dinner and drinks in the city, and the swanky place where Marlo was seduced by Devonne. Mark this place down for a later point in your trip—it's a true local favorite and for good reason.

Head north on Charles past Penn Station , where Herc made his abortive arrest of Marlo, and its giant Male/Female Statue. Once you reach North Ave, look right for Pearson's Florist , where Bodie headed into "the back room" to get his gangsta flower arrangement for D's funeral.

Turn left on North Ave and then right into the parking lot of the distinctive North Avenue Motel , where Omar shot Brother Mouzone. Head back out to North Ave and make a u-turn to start heading back east .

This is a good time for a side trip: You're near another fine food establishment that, while not a filming location, was referred to several times in the first season as a favorite place among the gangsters for their delicious coddies, Sterling's Seafood (401 W 29th St). To get there, turn left off North Ave on to Charles St to 29th, turn left again, and drive eight blocks . Here it's time to hop out and get yourself some delicious food. The coddies may be an obvious choice, but there's a whole long list of seafood items worth your while. (To get back to North Ave, just turn left, then left again onto 28th, right on Maryland, and then left on North Ave.)

Continue east on North Ave until you reach Guilford Ave and turn right . Look right down the alley for Bubbles' garage in the later seasons. Keep going and once you pass Lanvale, the Tilghman Middle School from Season Four will be on your right, now a Montessori school .

Turn left on Federal St, then turn right on Greenmount Ave to get to the entrance of Greenmount Cemetery on your left. This was the setting for many scenes in The Wire , some of the more memorable of which include D's funeral and the fateful meeting between Stringer and Colvin, where the former betrays Avon by giving up the safehouse location. It's certain to be open for cars M-Sa 9AM-4PM (other times are unreliable).

Coming out of the cemetery, turn right up Greenmount, left back onto Federal St, and then right on Barclay St . The northeast corner of Barclay and Lanvale should be instantly recognizable as Bodie's Corner , where he ultimately met his end. Head straight back up to North Ave, and turn right and that's all for North Central!

East [ edit ]

Several blocks down at 1268 E North Ave on the left you will pass by a location of the oft-filmed New York Fried Chicken franchise. NYFC begs a bit of background. It started in New York, run by Afghan immigrants, under the name Kennedy Fried Chicken, looking to impersonate both the initials and the look of the giant Kentucky Fried Chicken chain. KFC objected to this, and has tried, rather unsuccessfully, to stamp out all instances of that name. Owing to the Afghan connection, the franchise found itself in the early years of the 21st century investigated for terrorist connections, but fear not the chicken—the investigation was baseless and yielded nothing.

Continue up to Caroline St and turn right . This area of East Baltimore , especially Bond St two blocks east, was the actual filming location for much of the whole show, including many locations supposedly in West Baltimore. After about ten blocks, turn left on Chase St, then left on Bond St. Look immediately on the right for Marlo's Hangout . Hop out of the car and into the square (Faith Ln) to take some pictures if you like, but bear in mind that this is a legitimately rough neighborhood.

Continue way back up Bond to Lafayette Ave , and admire the familiar scenery along the way. Turn right at Lafayette and look left just before Bethel St for Hamsterdam , where Maj. Colvin legalized drugs! Turn right on Bethel Alley , and once past Federal St, look left into the alley at the end of the block. This was the location of the infamous Bodymore Murdaland graffiti . The city decided this was bad press and, alas, removed the graffiti. We'll see how long it takes for someone to put it back!

A left on Oliver St takes you to Broadway, turn right . In about ten blocks, you'll be in the thick of Johns Hopkins Hospital and its Medical School. Why is this relevant? Because this is where you get patched up if you catch a bullet! Turn left when you get to Orleans St, left on Washington St, then right onto Monument Ave . On the right just after Chester St is Northeastern Market , where McNulty had his kids shadow Stringer, then lost track of them... The market is less of a market and more of a Johns Hopkins Hospital crowd food court. There is far superior food coming up, though, at Chaps Pit Beef, so better to wait until you get there.

Make a left onto Patterson Park Ave to reach Collington Square Park , where the big East-West Basketball Game went down. Continue north on Patterson Park Ave for two blocks . The Saveland Food Mart on the left was used in a particularly disturbing scene, where Marlo stole a lollipop in plain view of the security guard, just to show that he could. The guard went to talk to him outside, asking him why he had to do that, to put his job in jeopardy for no reason. And for that act of bold honesty, Marlo later had him killed.

Turn left here onto Federal St , and you will see a very distinctive and beautiful building just behind the Saveland—the American Brewery Building . Just behind the building is an abandoned area where the school kids hung out and played throughout Season Four. Turn right onto Gay St to head northeast. Turn left back onto North Ave and look left for the building that used to house the Rim Source , Marlo's store. (The Rim Source has since relocated to the northeast of the city .) At the end of the block, turn left onto Patterson Park Ave .

Far East [ edit ]

Head way down Patterson Park Ave all the way past Patterson Park and turn left onto Eastern Ave . Look left for that crazy pagoda. At the end of the park, turn left onto Ellwood Ave . Just past Gough St, on the left a little ways into the park is the spot where Vondas would meet up with Prop Joe and later Marlo to discuss business. The benches face away from the street, but they had rotated them to face eastwards when filming. This is a nice time to hop out of the car and stretch your legs. Afterwards, keep heading up Ellwood all the way to the Pulaski Hwy (US-40) and turn right to head to the far east of the city .

Just past Conkling St on Pulaski is the Executive Inn , where the Co-op would meet up under Prop Joe's aegis to organize their now peaceful drug trade. You have got to be hungry by now, so it's time for some Chaps Pit Beef , which will be on Pulaski on the right shortly after the second overpass . If the interior looks familiar, it should, as there was a great little Baltimore scene at the main picnic table, where Wee-Bey piled the potent horseradish on his pit beef sandwich. His friends told him he was in for a world of hurt, but the ever tough Bey responded, "the trick is not to give a shit." Bad move—he cried from the pain! Chaps is generally considered to have Baltimore's best pit beef, a sort of local "barbecue" producing a very soft roast beef sandwich, which begs for onions and horseradish. It is properly ordered rare. There are plenty of other good dishes, though, so make sure to eat here!

Head back down Pulaski to Conkling St and turn left. Just past Eastern Ave , look on the right for the old Carcetti Campaign Headquarters , which proudly displayed the campaign signs long after David Simon's film crew had moved on. There's a Vaccaro's on the right, a famous local Italian pastry chainlet, which should make for a decadent dessert if you so choose.

Southeast [ edit ]

Turn left on Eastern Ave, then right on Haven St to head south into Southeast Baltimore . Once you get to O Donnell St, you'll see an overpass. Yes, this is the location where McNulty, drunk driving , to the tune of the Pogues' Transmetropolitan , somehow managed to crash his car twice in the same place. Do not reenact this scene.

Turn around and then turn left on Dillon St (since you can't turn onto O Donnell here). Turn left on Conkling and go down to O Donnell . Look just left and up for one of Baltimore's most famous icons, the neon Brewer's Hill Natty Boh guy ! If you wait a little at night, he'll wink at you (the frequency of the winks seems linked to consumption of the beverage). Anyway, turn right and keep going west through the split around Canton Square , a gentrifying area full of crowded bars. Near the end of the split, St Casimir's Church is on the left, where the police and the stevedores' über-Polish feud over the stained glass window began at the outset of Season Two.

At the end of O Donnell St, turn left to go south and then left again onto Boston St. Turn right on Clinton St to head south along the harbor , into the territory of The Greek. Past Holabird Ave , start looking on the right for The Greek's Diner (Johnny's Restaurant). Just past it, you'll come to the so-called Port of Philadelphia (remember that all scenes were in fact filmed in Baltimore), a.k.a. the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, where Sergei (with Spiros' help) relieved a Turk ("Sailor" Sam) of head and feet. This place has great spooky, abandoned atmosphere at night. The big Liberty Ship, the SS John W. Brown , is today actually a museum ship , offering several living-history cruises throughout the year.

Just before the end of the road, turn left onto a little side street to find the ramshackle Major Crimes Unit HQ , used starting at the beginning of Season Two. Get back onto Clinton St and turn left, then bear left onto Haven St, which will turn into Keith Ave . To the right is Seagirt Marine Terminal , a giant port where the Sobotkas and the stevedores union worked throughout Season Two. Good luck getting into the complex, though!

South [ edit ]

Time for a good 20 minute drive to South Baltimore . Backtrack back up Clinton St to Boston St and turn right towards I-95, and get on southbound towards the Fort McHenry Tunnel. This guide apologizes in advance for the toll and any potential tunnel traffic. Get off at I-395 and stay in the right lane. Turn right onto Conway St and then right again onto Light St . Look right for the Intercontinental Hotel , where the Greek narrowly evaded capture at the end of Season Two.

Turn left on Warren Ave to go to Federal Hill Park , a green space full of history both real and fictional from The Wire. If you can find a parking space, and that's a big if, this is another great place to get out of the car. The views from the top of the hill are probably the best in the city. Carcetti loved to take strolls around the place to get away from politics and clear his head. McNulty's strolls were less successful, as he fell down the hill drunk while failing to exercise his police authority by stopping some kids from vandalizing public property.

(A slight detour to 1400 Jackson St at the corner of Clement and Jackson will put you at a house that served as the location for Delores' Bar frequented by the longshoremen.)

Turn right down Riverside Ave, left on Cross St, and then right onto the Key Hwy. Follow the Key Hwy to Webster St and turn right, then left onto Fort Ave. Just before going over the Key Hwy again, turn right onto Ludlow St to reach the Wine Market . Part restaurant and part wine store, this is a great place for an upscale, but reasonably priced dinner. Senator "sheeeeiiiit" Clay Davis and Stringer Bell agreed with this assessment, and met up for some lunch to discuss real estate.

Go back up to Fort Ave and turn right to get into Locust Point , home to the Sobotkas. Turn left on the side street just past Andre St (Reynolds) to catch a glimpse of Nick Sobotka's house. Please do not disturb the residents. At the end of the street turn left on Clement and then immediately right on Andre St . Coming up on the right is the gigantic Grainery , which Nick remarked would soon be turned into upscale harbor-side condos to mark the end of blue collar Locust Point. And indeed, today it is condos.

Now take a left on Beason St, a right on Hull St, and then a right on Nicholson St to get over to Fort McHenry . You can't quite get to the filming location, but the very southeast of the fort area is where Vondas wised up to the fact that his texts were being monitored by the police, and then flung his cell phone into the harbor.

Central [ edit ]

You're nearing the end of this long, grandiose tour of the city. Go back to Fort Ave and turn left, heading all the way to Light St, and turn right . Past the Intercontinental, as you are getting into the Inner Harbor , look left for the Hyatt Regency , where Beadie stalked Vondas to room 520 on her reconnaissance mission. Light St will turn into Calvert St and take you into Downtown .

Look right down Redwood—it's a one way street so you won't be able to turn right, but note that at the end of the block is the one-time location of Werner's Diner , a famous old Art Deco Downtown diner, and a recurring filming location to show the politicians meeting up to talk shop.

Now turn right onto Baltimore St . At the end of the first block on the right is The American (now occupied by a 7-11, Edible Arrangements, and other boring businesses), the interior of which was used as Kavanagh's Irish Pub , where the police would have wakes for slain officers Keep going straight, and between Commerce St and Gay St (really, those are the names of the streets by accident, not irony) is The Block , the infamously seedy one-block stretch of Baltimore St filled with nothing but strip clubs. Despite the look and the business, it's actually quite safe because, as you will see on the corner of the next block, the city put the real Police Headquarters right next to it. It's not clear that any scenes were shot right here, but rest assured that the spirit of The Block made its way into the series.

Turn right onto the small one-way Frederick St and go one block to Water St . Just left is the Ruth's Chris Steakhouse that former Maj. Colvin takes Namond, Zenobia, and Darnell to as a prize for doing well in class. It doesn't go so well, as the students feel uncomfortable and have no idea how to act in this new environment.

Turn right on Water St, and then right onto Gay St up to a left on Lexington St . On the right is the exceptionally famous Hollywood Diner (which is closed), known to The Wire fans as the diner where drunken McNulty could, um, "get anything he wants." But it is even more famous as the principal location for Barry Levinson's (a co-director for The Wire , no less) classic 1982 Baltimore movie, Diner .

Take a left on Commerce St to find City Hall , used extensively on the show. Turn right on Fayette and go down all the way past Charles St to find the fictional location of the Police Headquarters on the right, which is an office building.

One last stop! Turn right on Park Ave, go up to Saratoga St, turn right, and follow it back to Calvert St and turn left again. After going under the US-40 overpass , you will see the Baltimore Sun Building , of Season Five fame, on the right.

End [ edit ]

Your grand tour is over! If you still haven't eaten dinner, remember the Brewer's Art from the North Central Portion of the tour? It would be hard to do better, although if you are in the mood for something else, there are a lot of good options right on Charles St nearby . Head north on Calvert past the Baltimore Sun building, then turn left on Madison St. You will turn right on Charles St , but first look left down Charles to see the beautiful Washington Monument square (this one predates the big monolith in Washington, D.C. ). Anyway, turn right onto Charles and head north back to the Brewer's Art.

Further out [ edit ]

A few scenes from the series were filmed outside of the Downtown area.

Northwest [ edit ]

Further out of the downtown area covered by the tour but still very much within the city limits is Reservoir Hill . Forming most of its northern border is Druid Lake. At 901 Druid Park Lake Dr, at the corner of Linden Avenue, is the Riviera Apartments building, the site of Monk's residence and the exterior shooting location of the infamous Season 5 gunfight between Omar and his accomplice Donnie (played by Donnie Andrews who was the inspiration for the character of Omar Little) and the forces of Marlo Stanfield, namely Chris Partlow, Snoop Pearson, and their protege, Michael Lee. The southeast corner of the building on Linden is where Omar made his spectacular leap from the balcony when his ammo ran dry and improbably disappeared from sight to the utter astonishment of his attackers. Please remember this is a private residential building — don't anger those who live there by trying to enter the building!

Drink [ edit ]

This tour purposefully ends in Central Baltimore. You've completed a tour around much of the city, including some of its more interesting and decidedly less visited neighborhoods. Pat yourself on the back and reward yourself with a drink by the Harbor, at the Brewer's Art, or in historic Fells Point ! A couple rounds at a Fells Point faux-Irish pub would be a classic McNulty-esque end to the day. Just don't take a page from his drinking and driving handbook—not only is it immoral, but also rest assured that the police look hard for this type of thing in bar-heavy neighborhoods. If you do choose Fells Point, be sure to look for The Ritz , which was the filming location for Orlando's strip club, on Broadway just south of Eastern Ave.

Respect [ edit ]

This part is crucial. The hand-wringing associated with the terribly distasteful and offensive term "ghetto tourism" is a bit overwrought and contrived, but there are pitfalls to be aware of. This tour will take you through examples of some of the more impoverished and alienated urban communities in the United States, and if your purpose is to "gawk at poverty," you are here for the wrong reasons. These are real neighborhoods with a vibrant culture that the locals are proud of in spite of the obvious social problems, and as a sophisticated traveler you should accept them on their own terms. You should be here to reconnect with your favorite scenes from the TV series and to better appreciate that which is Baltimore.

Note that it is highly inappropriate to photograph people without their express permission.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Don't worry. Yes, you are touring some high-crime areas (although the vast majority of the areas on the tour are actually quite safe), but no one is going to bother you in your car. Period. As noted above , walking on foot around the East and West Baltimore sections of the tour could be more risky, but even then the dangers commonly warned about in the U.S. are grossly exaggerated. Yes, they are high violent crime areas, and a nighttime stroll would be ill-advised, but no one is likely to bother you beyond asking you what you're doing there, or possibly advising that it's not safe for you to visit. People here are used to minding their own business.

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The 32 Characters From The Wire Who Appear In The Most Episodes

From McNulty to Dukie, here are the characters that show up the most in HBO's The Wire

HBO's The Wire was a slow burn in every way. It never reached the popularity of other HBO shows at the time, like The Sopranos , but over time, it has become one of the most beloved shows in television history. Like the show's popularity, the storytelling was a slow burn as well, evolving over 60 total episodes to tell one remarkable story about the City of Baltimore and the workers, police, and criminals that call it home. 

The Wire 's character arcs are likewise patient in their development and with a huge cast, it was very satisfying watching many of them evolve, change, and grow. Here are the 32 characters that appeared the most throughout The Wire's five seasons. 

Jimmy McNulty - 60 Episodes

It's no surprise that Jimmy McNulty, played by Dominic West , appeared in all 60 episodes of The Wire . In a show with dozens of characters from all walks of life, the homicide detective is more or less the main character. McNulty is the through-line for the show, creating havoc wherever he goes, but proving in the end he's one of the best "murder police" in the department. 

Bill Rawls - 60 Episodes

When the series began, Major William Rawls was the commanding officer of the Baltimore police homicide unit. By the end of the show, he had climbed the ladder to become head of the Maryland State Police. Bill Rawls, played by John Doman, surprisingly appeared in every episode of the show, and there were very few times he was likable. Both are quite the achievement.  

Rhonda Pearlman - 60 Episodes

Rhonda Pearlman (Deirdre Lovejoy) was in every episode of The Wire , which is a bit surprising, but she was critical to almost every court case throughout the show. Pearlman served as the Assistant States Attorney for the major case squad on the drug and murder cases and was a love interest for both McNulty and later Cedric Daniels. 

Bunk Moreland - 60 Episodes

Detective William "Bunk" Moreland (Wendall Pierce) was a fan favorite and one of the best characters on the show. He was McNulty's original partner in homicide. While he was never officially part of the major case squad headed up by Daniels, he was an important ally of the team and helped with many of the murder investigations. He was also by far the best-dressed character on the show. 

Cedric Daniels - 60 Episodes

Lieutenant Cedric Daniels, played by the late, great Lance Reddick , was the head of the first head of the unit responsible for the wiretaps and was known for his loyalty and honesty, despite his sketchy past during the "bad old days." His wife Marla was politically ambitious and that eventually led to their divorce, but he landed on his feet in a relationship with Rhonda. He also appeared in all 60 episodes. 

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Kima Greggs - 60 Episodes

Sonja Sohn plays Detective Kim Greggs, another fan favorite who makes it all 60 episodes, though that was somewhat in doubt after the Season 1 cliffhanger that almost found Greggs dead from a botched sting operation. In fact, the original plan was for her to be killed , but her character and Sohn's performance were so good, that she stuck around. 

Ellis Carver - 60 Episodes

Another original member of the unit, Ellis Carver (Seth Gilliam), appeared in all 60 episodes of The Wire . Originally a member of the drug squad, Carver and his partner Herc were often comic relief on the show. In the early days, Carver, like his partner, was a hot head By the end, he was one of the most respectable and competent officers in the BPD. 

Herc Hauk - 60 Episodes

One of the original members of Daniels' team whom he brought over from narcotics was Thomas "Herc" Hauk, played by Domenick Lombardozzi. Herc was the classic hot-head drug cop who eventually got more serious about his job and getting promoted. He worked for a time on the mayor's protection unit before eventually getting fired from the department and going to work for the shady attorney Maurice Levy. He appeared in all 60 episodes. 

Lester Freeman - 59 Episodes

"Cool" Lester Freeman (Clarke Peters) is one of the best cops on the force. "Natural police" is how Bunk describes the dollhouse furniture-building detective. Freeman finds a second life in the department when he is re-assigned to Daniels' special case squad in the second episode. His line, "All the pieces matter," became the tagline for the show and Freeman appeared in 59 of the 60 episodes. 

Bubbles - 52 Episodes

Everyone's favorite addict Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins (Andre Royo) has one of the best character arcs on The Wire. When audiences first met him, he was as low as an addict could be, living on the streets and barely living at all. By the end, he's cleaned himself up and working his way back into his family's life. 

Omar Little - 50 Episodes

Perhaps indicative of how dangerous it is to be a criminal, the legendary Omar Little, played by the late Michael K. Williams , is the criminal who appeared in 50 or more episodes of the show. The gay stick-up man was an incredible part of the show, one who no less than former President Barack Obama called the best character on The Wire.

Roland Pryzbylewski - 50 Episodes

Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski (Jim True-Frost) appeared in 50 Episodes. He was great at putting the pieces together with Lester in the complicated cases, but terrible at everything else as a police officer. Eventually, he found his true calling as a teacher. The role was inspired by co-creator Ed Burns' time as both a cop and a teacher . 

Ervin Burrell - 47 Episodes

The great Frankie Faison played Ervin Burrell in 47 episodes of the show, eventually rising to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Operations. He was constantly playing the political game within the department, always reaching for the brass ring, and he was not always successful and was more often a hindrance than not to his subordinates. 

Leander Sydnor - 45 Episodes

It's pretty surprising that Detective Leander Sydnor appeared in 45 Episodes, as he always seemed like more of a side character. He was, looking back, almost always around after joining the unit in the second episode. Played by Corey Parker Robinson, Sydnor often had dangerous jobs, like going undercover to make buys. 

Jay Landsman - 44 Episodes

Sargeant Jay Landsman (Delaney Williams) was a jerk for virtually all 44 Episodes he appeared in. As Rawls's right-hand man in running the homicide unit, he was often great comic relief. Yeah, he was a jerk, but he was at least funny about it. 

Bodie Broadus - 42 Episodes

Preston "Bodie" Broadus, played by J.D. Williams over 42 Episodes is easily one of the most tragic stories on the show. A low-level dealer first in the Barksdale crew then later with Marlo, he is street-smart and likable. He has a complicated relationship with McNulty that eventually gets him killed, breaking the audience's collective heart.

Avon Barksdale - 42 Episodes

Wood Harris plays the diabolical Avon Barksdale, who, along with Stringer Bell, runs the Barksdale drug crew. He is the first target of the wiretap investigation in Season 1 and eventually appears in 42 episodes before landing in prison for good in Season 3. He later appears briefly in Season handing over his connection to "the Greeks" to Marlo. 

Stringer Bell - 37 Episodes

Russell "Stringer" Bell ( Idris Elba ) is one of the best characters on the show. He is Avon's number two and the defacto head of the Barksdale crew after Avon is locked up. He has designs on going legit, but he is killed before he can. 

Tommy Carcetti - 35 Episodes

Mayor Tommy Carcetti appears in 35 episodes, despite not being introduced until Season 3 when he was a councilman. Eventually, he becomes mayor of Baltimore, but soon learns the institutional issues that plague the city aren't easily fixed. Carcetti is played by Aidan Gillen, an actor who also appeared in many episodes of Game of Thrones as Littlefinger. 

Marlo Stanfield - 32 Episodes

Jamie Hector's Marlo Stanfield first appears in Season 3 of The Wire as the heir to the Barksdale throne. He's a no-nonsense leader of his crew and one of the most ruthless dealers in Baltimore. He also has the rare distinction of getting out of the game before he's killed or arrested. Or does he?

Chris Partlow - 27 Episodes

Chris Partlow (Gbenga Akinnagbe) terrified audiences for 27 Episodes as one of Marlo's main lieutenants and enforcers. He, along with his partner Snoop Pierson, are responsible for dropping more bodies than anyone else on the show. He also shows he has a heart at times, but it's behind a very frightening exterior. 

Bunny Colvin - 27 Episodes

Howard "Bunny" Colvin was one of the most pragmatic members of the Baltimore Police Department on the show. That pragmatism led to his eventual downfall after his "Hamsterdam" was discovered and he was fired. In total, Colvin, played by Robert Wisdom, appeared in 27 episodes. 

Slim Charles - 26 Episodes

Slim Charles (Anwar Glover) shows over 26 episodes that he is among the most loyal of lieutenants, first for Avon, then later for Prop Joe after the Barksdale crew falls apart. By the end of the show, he's one of the most powerful figures in the drug trade in Baltimore. 

Dennis "Cutty" Wise - 26 Episodes

Cutty Wise, played by Chad L. Coleman, is a man who at first doesn't have a place in the world. After he was released from prison in Season 3 he tries to get back into the game but finds he doesn't have the heart for it. Soon he discovers he has a talent for teaching kids boxing and becomes a role model for the kids on the streets. 

Maurice Levy - 25 Episodes

Every criminal organization needs a good lawyer with questionable ethics and morality. On The Wire that lawyer is Maurice Levy. Across 25 Episodes he served as a lawyer for both the Barksdale and Stanfield crews, getting them out of tight jams and prison. He was played brilliantly by Michael Kostroff. 

Poot Carr - 24 Episodes

Malik "Poot" Carr (Tray Chaney) was, at first, a low-level dealer working in the low-rises with Bodie and D'Angelo Barksdale. It's easy to see throughout the show that his heart was never really in the game. It was gratifying to learn in Season 5 that he found his way out of crime into a legit job at a shoe store. 

Clay Davis - 23 Episodes

Corrupt politicians are ubiquitous everywhere and in Baltimore, Maryland, this is personified by Clay Davis (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.). There was no more slimy character on the show than Davis, who appeared in 23 total episodes, taking bribes from anyone willing to give them to him. He also had one of the most iconic catchphrases on The Wire , but we'll avoid writing here in case children are reading. 

Snoop Pearson - 23 Episodes

One thing The Wire often did was cast local actors from Baltimore on the show, and the most famous was Felicia Pearson who played a character named after herself, but went mostly by "Snoop." Pearson was an enforcer for Marlo and one of the most ruthless people on the show for the 23 episodes in which she appeared. 

Prop Joe - 23 Episodes

Robert F. Chew's performance of "Proposition Joe" Stewart was a fan favorite throughout most of the show. As the leader of the rival gangs of both Avon and Marlo, Prop Joe had his fingers in everything and was the main conduit for all the gangs of the drugs brought into Baltimore by the Greeks. 

Norman Wilson - 23 Episodes

Norman Wilson (Reg E. Cathey) showed up in 23 Episodes as Tommy Carcetti's right-hand man first on the campaign trail and later in his administration. A no-nonsense politician who understood Baltimore politics better than anyone. Without Norman, there is no way Tommy gets elected. 

Dukie Weems - 23 Episodes

Dukie Weems played by Jermaine Crawford for 23 episodes is one of the kids introduced in Season 4. Dukie comes from a very poor family, even by The Wire standards, but shows promise as a math student. Tragically, he was last seen doing drugs in the final montage of the show, implying he would become the next Bubbles. 

Michael Lee - 23 Episodes

Introduced in Season 4 as one of the middle school kids in Baltimore, Michael Lee (Tristan Wilds) evolves over 23 episodes into a cold-blooded killer. At first, it seemed like there would be hope for Michael, but eventually, the system chewed him up and in the final episode's closing montage, he was seen sticking up some dealers and becoming the next Omar. 

The Wire has gone down in history as one of the best shows of all time, and certainly one of the best on HBO . Many of these actors, and a few that didn't show up in enough episodes to make this list, have gone on to new heights of fame , like Michael B. Jordan , for example, but they will never be forgotten for the incredible roles they played on the show. 

Hugh Scott is the Syndication Editor for CinemaBlend. Before CinemaBlend, he was the managing editor for Suggest.com and Gossipcop.com, covering celebrity news and debunking false gossip. He has been in the publishing industry for almost two decades, covering pop culture – movies and TV shows, especially – with a keen interest and love for Gen X culture, the older influences on it, and what it has since inspired. He graduated from Boston University with a degree in Political Science but cured himself of the desire to be a politician almost immediately after graduation.

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