For the past decade, ever since my husband and I moved to the rural mountains of New Mexico, I told anyone who would listen that I could never live Back East again. Too crowded. Too gray. Too conservative. A true blue New Mexican convert I am.

So, I had to chuckle when, during a recent stay in Baltimore, I caught myself thinking, I could live here. Truth told, this infatuation happens more than I’d care to admit. I’m prone to falling fast and easy for a place. And Baltimore, in all its springtime glory, had me at hello.

My action-packed 48-hours in Baltimore revealed a vibrant city overflowing with outdoorsy energy, oodles of green space, innovative eateries, indie coffee and teahouses and historic neighborhoods that march to their own Baltimorean beat. Sure, the city’s tourist-ready staples – fresh seafood, bustling Inner Harbor, historic Fell’s Point, Camden Yard, to name just a few – still assure visitors a great time. But beyond the crab cakes and paddleboats lurks a refreshingly authentic and creative city.