New Attractions Sailing Into Baltimore's Inner Harbor

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Just in time for the summer months, new attractions are sailing into the Inner Harbor.

They're all part of a big transformation to bring more visitors into town. Old attractions will be taken out to make way for something brand new.

The Chessie dragons are an Inner Harbor staple.

"I love the Inner Harbor. I love the paddle-boats. My family is out on the paddle-boats now," said Baltimore resident Ulrica Crawley.

But soon, there will soon be a new way to sail Baltimore's high seas.

As dozens of electric pirate ships raise the jolly Rodger on a brand new dock near the trade center.

"It's another opportunity to make it more accessible," said Chris Rowsom of the Living Classroom Foundation.

Rowsom says the $300,000-investment is part of a transforming harbor.

"It's part of a larger effort to actually improve the inner harbor and make everything look much better, so people say 'wow, this is a really beautiful place and I want to come back,'" he said.

Attractions don't just drum up tourists, they also give plenty of teenagers their first summer job; all part of keeping the Inner Harbor afloat.

The Inner Harbor has changed drastically in the last 40 years. It's now a bustling center for dining, shopping and tourism.

"We go to a lot of different stores that we don't have at home, and we like the many restaurants here," said visitor Sierra Winner.

"Well, we just went boating and we really liked that. We went a few years ago, too," said visitor Peyton Hruska.

New cafes, updates at McKeldin Plaza and upgrades to Rash Field are also in the works.

The goal is to bring more visitors into the Charm City.

"All the really great food was awesome. We love seafood," Patricia Hruska said.

And find new ways to enjoy Baltimore's Famous waterfront.

The new boats are expected to be up and sailing near the end of June. They bring in about 50 part time jobs.

Proceeds from the paddle boats in the Harbor go toward helping preserve ships on display, like the U.S.S. Constellation.

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