the wire 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.

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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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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.

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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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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Baltimore Hotels and Places to Stay

20 years later, ‘The Wire’ still has fans…

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20 years later, ‘the wire’ still has fans buzzing about baltimore.

Kim Hairston / Baltimore Sun

Jamie Hector first gained fame playing Marlo Stanfield on HBO's "The Wire." He has since starred in the Amazon series "Bosch" for seven seasons. More recently, he returned to Baltimore to take the role of Baltimore homicide detective Sean Suiter in the HBO miniseries "We Own This City."

PAUL SCHIRALDI / Associated Press

Michael K. Williams, plays Omar Little, Baltimore's most-feared stickup artist, on the HBO cable television series, "The Wire."

Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Michael K. Williams, who played the beloved character Omar Little on "The Wire," passed on in 2021. New York City police say Williams was found dead Monday, Sept. 6, 2021, at his apartment in Brooklyn. He was 54. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Loic Venance / AFP / Getty Images

The British-born West (Det. Jimmy McNulty) played Lord Richard Croft in the reboot of "Tomb Raider." He also starred in Showtime's "The Affair."

Marvel Studios / Disney via AP

Jordan (Wallace) starred as compelling villain Erik Killmonger in Marvel's "Black Panther" (pictured here). He played Oscar Grant in 2013's critically acclaimed "Fruitvale Station." He has also starred in "Creed" and "Fantastic Four."

Daniel Kucin Jr., For The Baltimore Sun

Jermaine Crawford, who played Duquan "Dukie" Weems, performs. Cast members of "The Wire" shared stories of Baltimoreans during the unrest following the death of Freddie Gray.

Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images for Samsung

Andre Royo recently starred as Charlie Shannon in Interrogation, a CBS All Access show centered around a cold case. Royo is also known for his role as Thirsty Rawlings in "Empire."

Jermaine Crawford (left), Maestro Harrell, Tristan Wilds and Julito McCullum star in "The Wire."

Photo by Peter Andrews/AP

Sonja Sohn has starred in several roles including with Kyle MacLachlan, left, in Netflix's "High Flying Bird." She also directed an HBO documentary, "Baltimore Rising," about the Freddie Gray aftermath. (Peter Andrews/Netflix via AP)

Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images

Actress Felicia Pearson starred as a character of the same name, Felicia 'Snoop' Pearson, on the TV series 'The Wire' and has since appeared in Spike Lee films including "Chi-Raq" amongst other acting jobs. Pearson pleaded guilty to drug charges in Baltimore in 2011. She received a suspended sentence. In 2021, Variety reported she was working on a series about her life. This year she hosted an episode of "Black Market" on Vice TV after the death of Michael K. Williams, who was the show's original host.

Marcus Ingram / Getty Images for NAACP

Tristan Wilds (Michael Lee) starred for several years on "90210" as Dixon Wilson. More recently, he played Deputy Joshua Beck in "Shots Fired." Wilds — who's been going by the name Mack Wilds — released his debut album, "New York: A Love Story," in late 2013 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album. He also appears in Adele's music video for the song "Hello."

Sun photo by Algerina Perna

Felicia Pearson plays Snoop on "The Wire."

Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Pablo Schreiber has starred in several series since "The Wire," including roles in "American Gods," "Orange is the New Black," "Defending Jacob," "Halo," and the recent mini series "Candy," on Hulu.(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Barbara Haddock Taylor, Baltimore Sun photo

Tray Chaney, who played Malik "Poot" Carr on "The Wire," is deeply engaged in community service. This picture was taken after he gave an anti-bullying talk at Central Elementary School in Anne Arundel County.

JOHN MAKELY / Baltimore Sun

David Simon , creator of HBO's 'The Wire' in East Baltimore.

Larry Busacca / Getty Images

In addition to being named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2018, Elba (Stringer Bell) has gone on to star as Heimdall in the films in the popular "Thor" franchise. He has had roles in "Beasts of No Nation," "Molly's Game," and "The Dark Tower." He may be best known recently for starring in the crime drama "Luther."

“A guy sitting on his stoop at the other end of the block had been watching us film the scene,” said Hector, 46, “and someone drove by and shot him.”

The actor realized the shooting might been carried out by someone not unlike his character on “The Wire,” the ruthless, young drug kingpin Marlo Stanfield.

“On the set, we were somewhat protected and isolated,” Hector said, “but this still happened. I thought: ‘This is the show we were putting together to try to address those ills.'”

Twenty years ago today when “The Wire” debuted on HBO, few people outside of Baltimore noticed. Though critics applauded, “The Wire” struggled initially to find its audience and narrowly avoided cancellation.

But over the years, the show gained traction. Now, “The Wire” is a cultural phenomenon. It routinely makes lists of the greatest TV shows of all time.

“The Wire” became those things in large part because creators David Simon, a former police reporter for The Baltimore Sun, and Ed Burns, a former Baltimore homicide detective and middle school teacher, aimed to do more than just tell a riveting human story.

The unforgettable characters they created — Stringer Bell, who ran meetings of his drug cartel based on procedures set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order; Omar Little, the stickup man with a strict moral code; Bubbles, the heartbreakingly gentle heroin addict — were the conduit for a larger message.

Burns summarized it like this: “The war on drugs and the disinterest in this country in people who are poor is a Holocaust in slow motion, and it burns through generation after generation.”

In the show, Baltimore functions as a microcosm of the problems afflicting urban America.

“We set the series in Baltimore because that’s what we knew,” Simon said. “But we were addressing issues that are national in nature. We could have told similar stories in Philadelphia or Chicago.”

Each season took an in-depth look at what the creators believed to be the fractures, fault lines and failures of key institutions from police policy to the schools.

“We had the sense that our institutions in many cases were measuring the wrong things and attending to problems that weren’t actual problems,” Simon said.

“When Ed was in the school system, he saw how the metrics they were using to measure progress were flawed. In the police department, the metrics of success were guns and dope on the table. If we arrest everybody, we make the city safer. That kind of logic was rewarded politically.”

Simon and Burns acknowledge that many people have disagreed — some vehemently — with their analysis of Baltimore’s social ills, including former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, who also served two terms as the city’s mayor. “The Wire” is a work of fiction that represents the point of view of two white, middle-aged men.

Nonetheless, from 2002 to 2008, “The Wire” painted a portrait of Baltimore that for better or worse, stuck in a lot of people’s minds, not just in Maryland but internationally. So on the series’ anniversary, it makes sense to take a look at how the critical Baltimore institutions that the series illuminated are faring in 2022.

What has changed?

Season One (2002), The Baltimore Police Department

It’s difficult to interpret the headlines about the Baltimore Police Department during the past two decades in any way that isn’t unrelentingly grim.

In 2002, the year “The Wire’ debuted, Baltimore recorded 254 homicides. There were 338 homicides in 2021, the seventh year in a row that slayings have topped 300. And violence in the city is trending to hit that figure again this year.

During the past two decades, relations between police officers and the community hit their lowest point during the unrest that followed the death of Freddie Gray in 2015.

And just two years later, federal racketeering charges were filed against members of the police department’s elite Gun Trace Task Force, who stole drugs and money while searching the homes and cars of drug dealers and innocent civilians. Numerous officers either were convicted or pleaded guilty to crimes. The case gave rise to another HBO series, “We Own This City,” which debuted in April .

University of Baltimore President Kurt Schmoke said these issues have the same root cause: treating drug addiction as a crime instead of a public health crisis. As Baltimore’s mayor from 1987 to 1999, Schmoke was vilified when he urged Congress to decriminalize drugs. Now, he believes the national conversation is starting to change.

“More people are starting to talk about taking a public health approach to drugs,'” he said. “Because of opioids, they know individuals like themselves who have become addicted. Their response is ‘Don’t lock up my neighbor. He or she has a medical problem.’ I believe that ultimately is going to lead to significant changes.”

Season Two (2003), The decline of the working class

The series explored the hardships endured by blue-collar workers in Rust Belt cities like Baltimore as manufacturing declined. As their paychecks shrink, the dockworkers in “The Wire” turn to dealing drugs.

“In the late 60s, early 70s, when the industries that were the backbone of a city like Baltimore got up and left, the solutions offered by the government were unemployment insurance and welfare,” Burns said. “That’s when drugs began spreading out of the ghettos.”

Last November, President Joe Biden toured the Port of Baltimore to tout the passage of his $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. Maryland expects to see an influx of funds over the next five years for projects ranging from bridge replacement to public transit improvements. Biden predicted that would result in the creation of well-paying union jobs.

Joshua Harris, vice president of the Baltimore chapter of the NAACP, would like to see some of the federal funds dedicated to improving the city’s water and sewer lines and housing stock.

“We could create apprenticeships and work to renovate and rehab our housing stock,” said Harris, a former Green Party candidate for mayor in 2016 and for the state legislature in 2018. “This is an opportunity to create jobs and to put a city of blue-collar employees back to work.”

Season Three (2004), City Hall

During the past two decades, one scandal after another has roiled Baltimore City Hall. In this season, “The Wire” followed the career trajectory of a young politician who sacrificed his ideals to his ambitions as he became Baltimore’s mayor and, later, governor of Maryland.

Since 2004, two former Baltimore mayors — Sheila Dixon and Catherine Pugh — have been convicted of financial crimes.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott thinks that politicians will stay out of trouble if they devote their energies to their current job instead of plotting their next career move.

“That’s a lesson I preach to young elected officials across the country,” said Scott, who worked as a young legislative aide in City Hall during “The Wire’s” final season.

“I tell them, you will only get where you want to go if you focus on the job you have today. We need officials who will do the right thing, not the popular thing, even if it means that they get unelected.”

Season Four (2006), Baltimore City schools

This season — in many ways the heart of the series — reflected Burns’ experience as a teacher at Hamilton Middle School from 1994 to 2001. It follows four eighth-grade boys at the Tench Tilghman Middle School as they make decisions that will determine whether they go to college or end up dealing drugs.

“The Wire” contended that kids were being failed by federal laws that tied funding for schools to student outcomes on standardized tests. That forced educators to “teach to the test” instead of allowing them to align their approach to students needs.

Mayor Scott thinks the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, which will become law this year, has the potential to be a game-changer. The law will provide nearly $4 billion more per year in education funding statewide over a decade and launch programs intended to make Maryland schools some of the best in the nation.

Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Sonja Santelises declined an interview request. In an email, a district spokesman said he doesn’t think “The Wire’s” depiction of city schools is wholly accurate.

The television series “used drama and characters to illustrate some authentic challenges we continue to face as a school district and a community,” schools spokesman Andre Riley wrote in an email, “including the historic underfunding of education in Baltimore City, health and safety, student wellness, and equity.”

But Riley said the show did not offer a “holistic” picture of city schools, past or present.

“Despite the barriers that exist,” he wrote, “the experiences of students and families in Baltimore City are rich and robust.”

Season Five (2008), the news media

By 2008, when the fifth and final season of “The Wire” debuted and took a hard look at the news media, the loss of journalism jobs nationwide was accelerating.

Newsroom employment in the U.S. dropped by 26% between 2008 and 2020, according to a 2021 report by the Pew Research Center. That represented not just a loss of 30,000 jobs, but all the stories those reporters would have covered.

“I remember a time when Baltimore had The Sun and The Evening Sun and the Baltimore News-American,” said Peter L. Beilenson, who was Baltimore City’s Health Commissioner from 1992 to 2005 and now teaches a course on “The Wire” at Johns Hopkins University.

He thinks that decrease has had “a negative impact on Baltimore.”

“It’s like when a tree falls in a forest,” he said. “If you don’t know about it, you never know what you’re missing.”

But the biggest impact of “The Wire” might be the most difficult to measure. Across the U.S., viewers came to sympathize with and even root for characters who might terrify them in real life. That suggests that the show might have contributed, however incrementally, to the overall level of empathy in society.

“If ‘The Wire’ had a hand in that,” Simon said, “that makes me proud.”

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They Conflated ‘The Wire’ With Reality

A Baltimore photographer considers the HBO drama’s impact on the city where he was raised, 20 years after the show’s debut.

Photographs and Text by Gioncarlo Valentine

I was born and raised in Baltimore. I was in middle school when “The Wire” was made — it filmed near McCulloh Homes and also sometimes near Harlem Park, where my school was located. Back then everybody thought, wow, this is Baltimore’s moment. It was a very exciting experience for the city.

I was too young to watch “The Wire” in middle school. When I saw it in college, I thought the acting was really wonderful. Wendell Pierce, who played Bunk Moreland, is one of my favorite actors, and as a queer person, I thought Michael K. Williams’s Omar was really beautiful — how gentle he was with his partner in contrast to how ferocious he seemed in the world. That kind of stuff was stellar.

But there was very little about the interior life of Baltimore, and little celebration of any aspect of the city. It showed only this flattened idea of Baltimore as: drugs, poverty, criminality, corruption, violence. When you’re watching television, as a Black person, you want to see Blackness rendered with humanity, rendered as you know it in the world. I don’t believe that the show succeeded in showing that.

But I was curious about how the community felt. Who liked it, and why? What has it been like for you 20 years after the show was filmed in your neighborhood? What did “The Wire” do — or not do — for Baltimore?

I know what I think, but I wanted to know what other people thought.

Michael Turner Jr., an adult day care worker who grew up in West Baltimore : I definitely feel like it was being honest about Baltimore. We have a ratchet, raw-ass city, and they gave ratchet and raw in “The Wire.”

Terry Elliott Lamont, a hair stylist who grew up and lives in Baltimore : It’s the same hood, the same location, still giving the same thing from “The Wire,” 20 years later.

Carnell Burrow, the owner of Everything Auto Repair, in West Baltimore : “The Wire,” it brought back memories of the early ’80s. The East Side and the West Side, the reality of people being killed and putting them in the vacant buildings. The truth is the truth — “The Wire” didn’t do it. I think it made a lot of other cities kind of look up to Baltimore.

Gilda Bain-Pew, a resident of the Reservoir Hill neighborhood of West Baltimore: I definitely see out on Pennsylvania, people sell drugs. The cops sit on the corner in a car, like it’s perfectly OK. I don’t understand that. You know the repercussions of what drugs do to the community, and you sit there and allow it to happen? I don’t get it. I don’t get it.

I think if you grow up and you watch “The Wire,” you’re like: “My city got it going on. They did a whole show about us.” So you figure, OK, those people showed you people who were famous within their communities because of the drug dealers that they were. So if you can’t get fame doing something else, and that’s how you are big-time in your community, that’s what you do.

Peggye Butler, a retired elementary schoolteacher who taught for 18 years for Baltimore City Public Schools : The positiveness of the show, for me, was that there was life after all of the drug addiction, after all of the deaths. And if people could have just grabbed hold of that — that there was life after that. But nobody could grab hold of that.

Selena Noble, who lives near the locations used as “Hamsterdam” in the show: I thought it was great that they were doing something. I mean, I didn’t like the way people were going to portray Baltimore. But it was nice that the people decided to do it here and, you know, make something for our town.

Wendell Blaylock, who is from Northeast Baltimore: It’s positive in the sense that this city brought to the forefront one of the greatest scripted television shows ever, in my opinion. The bad side is a lot of people see that as a depiction not only of Baltimore, but urban America overall. Like that’s all we do. And it’s not the case.

Leslie Davis, who didn’t watch “The Wire” until recently: I didn’t want to watch “The Wire” because I’m from here. Everything that they portraying on TV, I literally see every day. So I just didn’t want to see it portrayed to the masses the way that they did.

Jacob Marley, who was in elementary school when the show came out : It created a template for media to come.

I feel like there’s almost like a popularity contest with, like, the most violent and dangerous cities in America. We definitely have a little bit of an edge on us that kind of overshadows everything else going on because of shows like this, and because of the things that the show’s based on.

Cheyanne Zadia on the character Snoop, played by Felicia Pearson: I can’t name too many shows that, from a real relatable Baltimore perspective, showed a lesbian in that way on television during that time.

James Scott Sr., a West Baltimore resident who watched “The Wire” when it aired : It was the best thing that ever happened to this city. Because people could relate to the different characters: the tough guys, the weak guys, the down-low guys, all of that. I just had to see it every week, and I wasn’t really a TV man. But when that came, I loved it.

Benjamin Warner, a writer and lecturer at Towson University who has volunteered in Baltimore schools: It remains a kind of voyeuristic place of danger to people outside the city. Particularly for educated, middle-class white people, it’s a strange point of pride — sort of in a negative way. It’s a way to say that you come from a place that is sort of “tough” or “dangerous” without actually having to engage with that community.

Having worked in a couple city schools now, one of the things “The Wire” did was humanize students or young people who are in public schools in West Baltimore .

Some of those characters have stuck with me for 20 years, particularly the kids .

Maurice Braxton, who lives in West Baltimore : A lot of people spend time in Chicago and know that Chicago is not what you see in, say, “Chicago P.D.” “The Wire” has been different for us. Because no matter where I’ve gone, when I tell people I’m from Baltimore, they immediately think of “The Wire.”

The fact that there is the legacy — that’s the unfortunate thing. It should have just been a TV show, and people say it was a great show and moved on. But they conflated “The Wire” with reality. It’s not Baltimore’s reality.

Tamira Hall, who lives in West Baltimore: The game hasn’t changed; the players have changed.

Rob Ferrell, who moved to Baltimore for art school around the time “The Wire” debuted : It feels almost predatory. Yeah. Because crime exists all over the country. Selling drugs exists all over the country. Corruption exists all over the country. Corrupt policing exists all over the country. Why is this the dominant narrative of this city, and of Black life in this city? This doesn’t happen to Seattle, right? Or to more majority white cities. This is the majority Black city. It just doesn’t sit right on my spirit.

It was great TV. But it can’t be divorced from the fact that it’s painting a picture of a city and real life for real people. That’s the rub for me, the tension that I struggle with. The impact is regrettable.

Tiffany Fuller, a mental health counselor in Columbia, Md., outside Baltimore : It was exciting. Because initially when it started, it was telling the story of the inner city. And of course, there were horrendous acts that occurred within it. But it was telling the story. It was a hard truth, but it needed to be told.

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How Has Jackson Holliday Been Doing Since Baltimore Orioles Demotion?

Brad wakai | may 9, 2024.

• Baltimore Orioles

There was a lot of buzz surrounding the Baltimore Orioles this offseason and heading into the start of the year.

Much of that had to do with their winter acquisition of 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes to put at the top of their rotation alongside Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez. But the other attention grabber was how loaded their farm system continues to be.

With former No. 1 overall prospects Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson taking Major League Baseball by storm, the expectation was that the current top guy, Jackson Holliday, would do the same.

He got his opportunity when called up on April 10, but things did not go as planned.

The 20-year-old got two hits out of his 34 at-bats and struck out 18 times.

The Orioles ultimately decided that he wasn't quite ready to face MLB competition and sent him back down to Triple-A where he started out the year.

But, without all the attention and fervor surrounding Holliday like before, it's been quiet about how he's done down in the minors since his demotion.

So, how is he doing?

In 11 games he has gone 11-39 with a homer, five extra-base hits, four RBI, and a staggering number of 15 walks compared to nine strikeouts.

Prior to his call up, Holliday had a slash line of .333/.482/.595.

That has decreased a bit to .309/.482/.531, but it's a great sign that he hit his first home run since getting optioned and has increased his walk rate compared to strikeouts.

How long he stays down in the minors before getting the call back to Baltimore is unknown, but general manager Mike Elias was pretty clear with their assessment of what they saw following his first tenure that ended in a demotion.

"He needs repetitions ... We felt Triple-A and steady playing time in Triple-A was the place for that," he said according to Joe Trezza of MLB.com .

He'll certainly get that for as long as he's with their Triple-A affiliate.

Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he did work at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad currently covers the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros for Sports Illustrated/FanNation. He is also the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continues to cover Penn State athletics. Brad is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, discussing topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai

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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Biles’ long-term apparel partner, Athleta, returns as the title sponsor supporting the brand’s “ Find Your Movement ” rally cry and mission to build confidence, strength and belonging through movement. Gold sponsors include SPIETH and GK; Spieth is the global leader in gymnastics equipment with over 190 years of tradition, innovative design and athlete-proven performance. GK is the largest gymnastics apparel brand in the world and has been crafting the best fitting apparel for more than 40 years. Supplier sponsor K18 is a biology-first haircare company with clinically proven, high-performance results that transform hair routines and lives. The sponsors represent a commitment to excellence and innovation and reflect the tour's dedication to empowering athletes and fans alike.

The Athleta Presents Gold Over America Tour will visit 30 U.S. arenas this fall including stops in Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston. Presales begin May 15 and 16, and tickets are on sale to the general public beginning May 17; group tickets are available now. For more information, visit www.goldoveramericatour.com .

The tour schedule is as follows (subject to change):

For more information, visit www.goldoveramericatour.com and follow @goldoveramericatour on Instagram and Facebook ; #GoldOverAmericaTour.

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About MagicSpace Entertainment

MagicSpace Entertainment, a LiveCo Company, is a boutique producing and presenting firm focused on first-class properties and productions. Based in Park City, UT, the company has produced and presented national tours, Broadway shows, concerts, museum exhibits and sporting events worldwide for over 40 years with a powerhouse producing team focused on providing creative, marketing, and general management expertise. www.magicspace.net

About Concerts West & AEG

Concerts West and AEG Presents are world leaders in the music and entertainment industries. Operating across five continents, CW + AEG have an unparalleled commitment to artistry, creativity, and community, and their tentpole festivals set the bar for the live music experience: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, British Summer Time Hyde Park, and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and more. Global tours include The Rolling Stones, Roger Waters, Celine Dion, Justin Bieber, and more. With a wide network of clubs, theaters, arenas, and stadiums, CW + AEG caters to artist development and audience satisfaction.

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A certified B Corporation, Athleta is a premium performance lifestyle brand with a purpose of inspiring and empowering women and girls to find confidence, strength, and wellbeing through movement. Athleta’s versatile performance apparel is designed for women by women, with inclusivity at its core. Founded in 1998, Athleta integrates performance and technical features across its collection to support women across their entire lifestyle—from yoga and training to travel and recovery. In 2016, the company launched Athleta Girl mirroring its signature performance in styles for the next generation. Based in San Francisco, CA and a Gap Inc. brand (NYSE: GPS), Athleta apparel is available at its more than 250 retail stores across the United States and Canada and at Athleta.com.

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Simone Biles, Fred Richard, and other star gymnasts leap into action at arenas around the country in the Athleta Presents Gold Over America Tour

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Charm City Tour - The Wire - Baltimore Forum

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http://www.charmcitytour.com/

It offers a minibus tours of places associated with "The Wire". Has anyone had experience with this company's tours?

$100 per person?! Minibus? All signs point to NO! This forum gets questions about Wire tours often. This is the first advertised tour I've seen. First off. $100 is basically robbing a tourist. A minibus rolling down Hamsterdam is a bad idea (also the whole street is closed for construction right now). Half of the stops have nothing to do with the Wire. They've thrown in sights of the Freddie Gray riots?

I've given Wire tours and a proper one takes a good 3-4 hours and there is no guarantee for your safety. There's no guarantee for my safety.

I love The Wire and I love Baltimore and I've given a few tours but its not something that should be for sale. Its not a zoo. Even though the TV show stopped filming years ago The Wire is still playing out right before your eyes.

That being said. If you are interested in a tour and will be in town send me a private message. I might be able to help. Or I might not. This is not for everybody.

That being said. If you are interested in a tour and will be in town send me a private message. I might be able to help. Or I might not. This kind od tour is not for everybody.

Thank you for your response.

We were concerned about the price, as well, but the website says the tours take about 5 hours which seemed a reasonable length to us. And places like Edgar Allan Poe's house, which appears to be in a dicey neighborhood, was an attractive option for us to go with a tour group instead of on our own.

That being said, however, we do have safety concerns. We are also suspicious that there seems to be no online reviews of this company and either of their (2!) tour options...the other of which seems to be a Baltimore to DC trip (which seems weird). So we are worried that they might not be a reputable company.

Then again, we would hope Baltimore's tourism site would vet those companies it links to on its site...

Seems like a fun tour to me and I would hope the city tourism site would have vetted it. Many people ask for this, why not give it to them. Also no one will target a bus of out of town tourists, I think the safety concerns are overinflated

Baltimore has no official Wire tour for this very reason.

And if you ask me 5 hours is too long. That tour needs to be tightened up.

And safety is always a concern. I seriously doubt your safety would be guaranteed by a tour group. I can't guarantee my own safety and I walk the dog through some of these areas.

I lived on Bodies corner for a few years and had to walk through groups of corner kids to get to the bus daily. The Wire is Baltimore and if you really want to see it there's no choice but to be in it.

That being said I've never had any real safety concerns but I have had to negotiate my way through areas with cigarettes and cash for pan handlers. That's part of the tour. There WILL be times when people come to your car window asking for money. If you are going to hand over $100 to someone to show you this what are you prepared to give at the car window? If you say "nothing" than this is not the tour for you. Your respect for the surroundings will be put in check.

Many foreign countries have township tours or tours that go into places which are not nice or the location of deaths and crimes including battlegrounds, red light district tours or even villages. The purpose of these tours is the educate people and often expose them to the plight of people who do not live like them. Honestly, many communities are the initiators of these tours because they often bring economic opportunity to areas which would not generally benefit from tourism. In cases where children are exploited like orphanage tours, I am jagainst them but for adults showing their history or way of life I think they should have the opportunity to tell their story and make money. Also in terms of safety, I do not consider being approached by a beggar as being the victim of a crime

Did you ever go on this tour? Would love to know if it was worth it...

I would really want to see some of the sights of THE WIRE. Wich is the best way then ?

Tripadvisor staff removed this post because it did not meet Tripadvisor's forum posting guidelines with prohibiting self-promotional advertising or solicitation.

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Hans Zimmer 2024 tour schedule

• How to buy tickets
• How much are tickets?
• Who is opening?

Will there be international tour dates?

How to buy hans zimmer tickets: where to see the dune 2 composer live.

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The 2024 tour for legendary composer Hans Zimmer is well underway, but tickets for his international and United States concerts this year are still available. While seats are going quickly to see one of his ongoing orchestral concerts, there are a few ways to buy Hans Zimmer tickets for his remaining shows this year.

The German-American composer is best known for his award-winning film scores, having composed well over 150 throughout the past four decades. Movies he's scored for include "Interstellar," "Gladiator," the "Pirates of the Caribbean" film series, "The Lion King," Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" trilogy, and "No Time to Die." More recently, Hans Zimmer provided the score for Denis Velleneuve's hit 2024 movie "Dune: Part Two." So far, Zimmer has won three Oscars and four Grammy awards for his work.

Hans Zimmer Live 2024 is the sixth official touring production in which the famous composer performs live onstage. The European leg of the concert series has already been completed for this year. After a few more shows in the Middle East, Hans Zimmer is bringing his world tour to North America this fall. The production has 17 concerts lined up for the tour's North American leg, which kicks off on September 6.

We've got you covered if you're looking for how to get tickets to Hans Zimmer Live 2024. Here's our breakdown of Hans Zimmer's tour schedule, purchasing details, and original and resale ticket price comparisons. Of course, you can also browse ticket and concert specifics on StubHub and Vivid Seats .

Hans Zimmer has 17 shows confirmed for the North American portion of his 2024 tour, taking him across just as many cities in the United States and Canada. The composer's first US show in 2024 will be in Duluth, Georgia on September 6, with this leg coming to a close on October 6 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. For a fun surprise, Zimmer's New York City performance on September 12 is also on his birthday.

All concert times are listed in local time zones.

How to buy tickets for Hans Zimmer 2024 concert tour

You can buy standard original tickets for Hans Zimmer Live 2024 on Ticketmaster. Since tickets for his North American concert dates have been on sale since March, the amount of original tickets remaining is limited. Many of the remaining original seats are platinum instead of standard admission tickets; you may find better luck with seating variety and availability on verified ticket resale sites.

Tickets for Hans Zimmer's 2024 concert tour can be purchased through verified resale vendors such as StubHub and Vivid Seats . These sites offer plenty of seating locations for Hans Zimmer's upcoming shows.

How much are Hans Zimmer tickets?

Frankly, tickets are fairly expensive to see Hans Zimmer Live for his 2024 US concerts, though prices vary depending on the date, location, and demand for each show. On Ticketmaster, the least expensive standard original tickets start at $105 for Zimmer's Raleigh, NC show on September 10. Standard tickets for Hans Zimmer Live on verified resale sites are generally comparable to or less expensive than original ticket prices.

On StubHub , the cheapest available tickets for Hans Zimmer's 2024 tour range from $97 for his Raleigh, NC, show on September 10 to $394 for his performance in Las Vegas, NV, on September 29. Vivid Seats has similar prices for this year's Hans Zimmer Live shows, with the least expensive tickets going from $90 to $393 for the same concert dates. However, tickets for most Hans Zimmer concert dates on these sites begin between $100 and $200.

Hans Zimmer Live 2024 also offers a few VIP packages for some of his concert dates, though most original VIP tickets have already been sold out. The options include the Diamond VIP Package, Ruby VIP Package, Emerald VIP Package, and Sapphire VIP Package, the latter of which starts at $275. Check out full details of what each Hans Zimmer Live VIP package entails on Ticketmaster .

Who is opening for Hans Zimmer's tour?

So far, no opening acts are scheduled for Hans Zimmer's 2024 concert tour.

Rather, the performers will be Hans Zimmer himself, his 20-piece band, "The Disruptive Collective," and the Odessa Orchestra & Friends and Choir on stage throughout the night.

Hans Zimmer Live 2024 has already completed its European leg, and the tour is currently finishing its stint in the Middle East. Before he comes to the United States, Zimmer's tour will perform two shows in Dubai on May 31 and June 1. Following his tour in North America, Zimmer also has a show lined up in Dortmund, Germany, on November 1 —a n extension of his The World of Hans Zimmer 2024 - A New Dimension concert series.

Three international dates for Hans Zimmer Live 2024's North American leg are also confirmed. The composer will play three shows in Canada: Montreal on September 17; Toronto on September 19; and Vancouver, British Columbia, on October 6, 2024.

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Explaining Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle’s chances of European qualification

All the usual twists and turns have made the battle for the Premier League ’s European places particularly intriguing heading into the final few days of the season.

The top four looks all-but sewn up; Arsenal , Manchester City and Liverpool will definitely play Champions League football next term and Aston Villa may not need even another point to join them.

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Tottenham Hotspur looked to be providing the sternest challenge to Unai Emery’s side but four consecutive defeats have left them staring at a place in the Europa League instead — especially after English sides botched their chances to secure an extra spot in next season’s Champions League .

To secure that, though, Spurs need to fend off the three teams chasing them from below — Newcastle United , Chelsea and Manchester United . Two of the four will earn a Europa League spot, one will play in the Conference League and one will miss out on European football entirely.

How does Europa League qualification work?

There are two places given to English sides in each season’s Europa League. One is given to the FA Cup winners and the other is given to the team that finishes fifth in the Premier League.

In the instance that the FA Cup winners finish in the Premier League top five, the Europa League position is given to the sixth-placed team.

Tottenham are fifth in the table heading into the penultimate gameweek of fixtures and, with Burnley and Sheffield United still to play, will be expecting to finish the season in that position. As for the FA Cup, the final will be played between Manchester City and Manchester United for the second successive year.

If City win it, the sixth-placed team in the Premier League will qualify for the Europa League. If United win the FA Cup, they will play in the Europa League next season.

What about the Conference League?

Only one English team plays in the Conference League each season.

The rules state that the Carabao Cup winners are given that Conference League spot. But, in every season since Europe’s third-tier club competition started in 2021, that place has been deferred to the Premier League table because of the Carabao Cup winners finishing in the top six, and therefore securing a spot in the Europa League or the Champions League via their league finish.

This season’s FA Cup final therefore presents a potentially interesting twist. If Manchester City win on May 25, the Conference League spot will go to the team which finishes seventh in the Premier League.

But if Manchester United win, and finish outside of the top six, the sixth-placed team will get the place. If United win the FA Cup  and  finish in the top six, it will again go to the team in seventh.

The state of play

Despite their awful form, Tottenham are still strongly fancied to finish fifth. Six more points will guarantee them a Europa League place while four will be enough if Manchester City win the FA Cup.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have 19th-placed Burnley and already-relegated Sheffield United left to play, either side of the visit of Manchester City to north London.

Newcastle’s run of four wins in their last five games has put them back in the mix for a Europa League place and three victories in their final three games will guarantee them sixth place, at worst. Their two-point cushion to Chelsea and Manchester United below leaves them very well set to finish sixth before they cheer on Pep Guardiola’s men in the FA Cup final.

As for the aforementioned pair beneath Newcastle in the table, it is a case of needing the teams above to drop points in the final eight days of the season and making sure they capitalise. Despite being level on 54 points, Chelsea’s superior goal difference gives them the advantage over Manchester United, whose torrid campaign is perhaps best illustrated by their -3 goal difference.

Erik ten Hag’s side face the very real possibility of missing out on European football completely next season. They need an upturn in form and slip-ups from the teams above to make it into either the Europa League or Conference League.

Manchester United and the double-edged sword of qualifying for the Conference League

Remaining fixtures

Wednesday’s match at Old Trafford could be crucial in this European battle…

Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12

• Newcastle vs Brighton
• Tottenham vs Burnley
• Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea
• Manchester United vs Arsenal (Sun)

Tuesday, May 14 and Wednesday, May 15

• Tottenham vs Manchester City
• Brighton vs Chelsea (Weds)
• Manchester United vs Newcastle (Weds)

Sunday, May 19

• Brentford vs Newcastle
• Brighton vs Manchester United
• Chelsea vs Bournemouth
• Sheffield United vs Tottenham

Predictions

In their model for how the Premier League table will finish, Opta actually do not expect much to change between now and next weekend.

(Top photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

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Ed Mackey is an Explainer Journalist for The Athletic, based in Leicester. He is a Football Journalism graduate from the University of Derby.