Hello, yeah the community is big and very supportive! There’s a ton of non drinking activities and you can easily get engaged in tons of ways. I actually just recently started a blog/website with the aim of connecting the community of Baltimore and it outlines a bunch of social clubs, groups, volunteer opportunities and events and such that are available. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to learn more about the local community. The website is here if you want to check it out. It’s a work in progress and there’s way more to add to the various lists. B’More & Beyond

Wow I actually had no idea Patapsco Valley has that many trails! Growing up, my family would do the same trail pretty much every time, the one that leads down to the train tracks and river under route 40. Pro tip: even if you don’t hear any trains coming, you are taking a chance by walking through that tunnel. Saw my life flash before my eyes one time getting caught in the tunnel while a train came through. Luckily there was enough clearance but terrifying…

I’ll email this suggestion if commenting isn’t enough, but I think Baltimore should legitimately aim to mimic the V&A waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. I was there in 2020 and all I could keep thinking was how cool it was, even though it was fairly touristy, and how great the Inner harbor would be if it mimicked the style. It acts as an area that obviously aims to attract a lot of tourists but is also not so overly touristy that the local community can also enjoy it. Idk if there’s a way to study another cities successes like that, but I think it’s a great model to aim for

Depends on your definition of close.

In Baltimore: It’s not exactly a hike but walking along the entire waterfront promenade between canton and locust point with Fort McHenry tagged on is a really nice walk and might scratch the itch if you don’t feel like leaving the city

Within 30 minutes: Some nice but fairly short hikes at Patapsco State Park.

Within 1 hour: Billy goat trail along the C&O canal near DC is really nice.

If you’re willing to get up very early and make a long day of it or for an overnight trip, Shenandoah National Park is beautiful and has tons of trails to explore

Also, just in general, AllTrails.com is a great site to explore local hiking and find trails nearby