Madison Park - Baltimore, MD

Madison Park began as a small, turn-of-the-century Jewish community with a sprinkling of Romanesque Revival, Second Empire and Queen Anne style homes. Over time, the area developed into a thriving, African-American middle-class community with notable civil rights activists Parren J. Mitchell, Tom Smith and Thurgood Marshall calling this neighborhood their permanent home.

Learn more about the state's rich history by visiting the Maryland Museum of Military History on Division Street. Here, you find a wealth of information regarding the people, places and sites where Marylanders had the most impact on American history.

Madison Park does not host any festivals, but you can take in the local arts scene with a visit to the annual Artscape Festival held in the nearby Midtown Belvedere neighborhood. Offering free children's entertainment and a vast assortment of arts and crafts, this festival stands out for its yearly arts car exhibit and gourmet food trucks.

The mostly residential neighborhood of Madison Park is almost completely void of restaurants. In fact, the only eatery in daily operation, the O'Conor Building Coffee Shop located within the O'Conor State Office Building, provides just a few coffee, snack, salad, and sandwich choices. However, excellent dining options are found right outside of the neighborhood limits.

Venture out into the nearby Charles North neighborhood for a taste of Bottega, an intimate 15-seat Italian eatery known for its frequently changing, Tuscan-inspired menu. Expect hearty, filling dishes such as lamb shank with roasted fennel, boar pappardelle and butternut squash tortelli in sage butter in addition to a few daily salad and soup specials. Bring your own bottle to sip on your favorite wine while you enjoy a casual evening out in the restaurant's small, candle-lit dining room.

Tavern on the Hill in the Mount Vernon neighborhood is a great place to take a visiting business associate or an old friend. The hip, modern décor relaxes everyone in your party, while the kitchen does a pretty good job of transforming ordinary bar and grille fare, such as burgers, wings and BLT sandwiches, into memorable meals that are enhanced perfectly by the eatery's vast assortment of scotches and house-specialty drinks.

When in the Midtown Belvedere neighborhood, stop in at City Cafe for brunch. This weekend midday-meal hotspot features the Hangover burger, a masterpiece of grilled meat, a sausage patty, an over-easy egg and hollandaise sauce on a toasted English muffin. Other brunch must-try menu items include the Angry omelet filled with blackened shrimp and housemade tasso and the pumpkin pancakes topped with to-die-for cinnamon apples.

When the need to hear a really good band overtakes you, head out to the Metro Gallery in the Charles North neighborhood. This spacious, laid-back live music and comedy show venue houses a near-perfect acoustic sound system that makes virtually each show a must-catch event. The stunning art that hangs on the walls enhances the feel of this in-the-know entertainment venue.

Madison Park lies south of Maryland Route 129 and just west of U.S. Route 1, making your access in and out of the neighborhood an easy daily feat. Since parking is extremely limited in this area, you'll want to keep an eye out for free parallel parking along the residential streets or take the subway from the State Center Metro station on West Preston Street to enjoy a full day of shopping without worrying about moving your vehicle each time you leave a store. The daytime and early evening hours are prime cab-hailing times, however, use your smartphone's Uber app if you know you're going to need a ride home late at night. Six bus stops, including ones on Druid Hill Avenue and McCulloh Street, are almost continuously serviced throughout the area.

The downtown Baltimore streets of the Madison Park neighborhood are laid out to accommodate walkers and bikers, although no pedestrian or bike lanes exist. That being said, the streets of the area are wide enough for you to bike or walk through the neighborhood safely and efficiently.

The absence of a park in Madison Park makes venturing out of the neighborhood to visit Druid Hill Park in northwest Baltimore a health-elevating necessity. This free 745-acre urban park houses a bicycling and hiking trail, a disc golf course, and several free elliptical, leg press, and rowing machines. Tennis courts and an impressive sprinkling of kids' playgrounds are also found on the park's grounds. Pay admission to the on-site zoo to experience an energizing, all-day outing.

From June through September, check out the Druids Hill Farmers Market located at the Howard P. Rawlings Conservatory in the park. This free weekly event features art and plant workshops, children's activities, 4-H workshops and other themed events. The park also hosts the annual Stone Soul Picnic, a free event that pays homage to the local African-American community, and the Caribbean Carnival Festival, honoring the food and traditions of the islands' indigenous peoples.

Expect to experience a higher-than-average cost of living while you are a resident of Madison Park neighborhood. An average one-bedroom residence runs you about $978 a month, while the area's gas prices are generally about 1 percent below the national average.

Although no pubs are present in Madison Park, grabbing a pint at a pub in the neighboring Upton or Bolton Hill areas sets you back about $6. Taking the Metro to the city center costs $1.60.

Although the mostly residential Madison Park neighborhood does not provide shopping options other than a Munchie's Jr. convenience store on West Preston Street, several retail and grocery shopping centers are easily accessible from the neighborhood.

The Gallery at Harbor Place in nearby Mount Vernon satisfies your retail shopping craving. Here, stores such as Michael Kors, Pandora, and Banana Republic are situated next to mall staples such as Claire's, ALDO, and Bath & Body Works.

When you're in the mood to shop at independently-owned establishments, head out to North Charles Street in the downtown/Inner Harbor area. This central shopping hub houses the Women's Industrial Exchange, a store featuring handmade items from local women who are undergoing a new beginning in life. While there, grab a tasty bite from the on-site cafe.

While downtown, pick up groceries for the week at the Baltimore Farmers' Market and Bazaar at Holliday & Saratoga Streets. The vast assortments of just-picked produce, pre-made soups and sandwiches, goat cheese and fresh fish are the best the downtown Baltimore area has to offer. Pick up hard-to-find Indian, Jamaican and Thai delicacies at nearby Big Boy World Wide Food Market on North Paca Street.