In the surprisingly diverse city of Baltimore, Maryland, what some people describe as a "gritty working-class vibe" is tempered by rich history and many optimistic new multiuse retail and real-estate developments. This is the long-time hometown of Edgar Allan Poe and home of the Poe Museum. It's where Francis Scott Key penned "The Star-Spangled Banner" after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore. The Johns Hopkins University campus is beautiful, and the Inner Harbor and Fell's Point areas are picturesque and touristy. Everyone loves the National Aquarium, which is considered to be among the country's best. The Preakness leg of the Triple Crown races here every May.

Yet all this pales in comparison to Baltimore's most famous draw: blue crabs, particularly those from Chesapeake Bay (in season during summer). Recommended by absolutely everyone, this delicacy is Baltimore's mascot and claim to fame.