Baltimore offers a unique blend of historic charm and urban vitality. From the dynamic Inner Harbor to the rolling estates on the edges of the city, Baltimore is a community for people of all backgrounds and interests.

The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions are located one mile from the Inner Harbor on the fringe of the Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest tidewater bay. The Inner Harbor features a variety of shops, food stands, and restaurants at Harborplace, the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center, Fort McHenry, the Orioles and Ravens stadiums and other popular landmarks. Summer festivals highlight the many different nationalities and cultures in the area. The Inner Harbor is now easily accessible via the new subway station which connects to the hospital.

Hopkins students and faculty also can take advantage of a variety of cultural programs conveniently located at the Johns Hopkins medical campus. The Committee on Cultural and Social Affairs for The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions sponsors a ''Conversations'' series featuring informative discussions with experts in the humanities, social sciences, media, business, law and politics; a Midday Arts Forum; a Midday and Sunday Concert Series; The Johns Hopkins Chamber Music Society; Humanities seminars; and an annual Humanities Symposium with distinguished guest speakers.

Baltimore's entertainment and cultural attractions include the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, which performs in the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall; the Lyric Opera House; the Baltimore Museum of Art; and the Walters Art Gallery. The Morris Mechanic Theater presents traditional plays and musicals. The Peabody Conservatory of Music, now affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University, gives concerts throughout the year. Concerts at the Pier Six Pavilion, the Baltimore Arena, and the nearby Merriweather Post Pavilion run the gamut from swing to jazz, country music and rock. For those who like to eat out, Baltimore - famed for its seafood - offers many fine restaurants.

The Chesapeake Bay provides opportunities for boating and fishing enthusiasts, and the hills and mountains of Virginia and West Virginia welcome hikers and campers. The beaches of Ocean City, MD., Rehoboth, DE., and Cape May, N.J. are easy day trips from Baltimore. Nearby Washington, D.C. boasts world-class museums, monuments, and educational institutions. Historic Annapolis, the home of the United States Naval Academy, is only 45 miles away, and annually presents the largest sailing and motorboat show on the East Coast.

Sports fans enjoy Orioles baseball at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and professional football at Ravens Stadium. The Pimlico Race Course traditionally hosts the Preakness, the second jewel in the Triple Crown. Johns Hopkins University lacrosse and University of Maryland football also enliven the local sports scene.

In addition to the range of recreational activities in the Baltimore area, Hopkins employees can take advantage of facilities at the Denton A. Cooley Center, which is adjacent to the Medical Institutions. The Center includes a full gymnasium, indoor running track, racquetball and squash courts, exercise area, an outdoor pool and tennis courts.