Caroline Orth for The New York Times

Welcome to “The Land of Pleasant Living”

by Caroline Orth for The New York Times

Berger cookies

Over 2,000 delegates are converging on the city of Baltimore for the 2014 session of the Johns Hopkins University Model United Nations Conference (JHUMUNC). Though delegates will be spending their committee sessions within the Baltimore Hilton, breaks for meals and evening activities will allow them to become acquainted with the city.

Perhaps the first thing to be familiarized with is the city’s proper pronunciation. Though Baltimore is also known as “Charm City,” “B’more,” and “The Land of Pleasant Living,” visitors to the area may hear “Baldimore” spoken by locals and delegates native to the neighborhoods. And no, they didn’t just say “Voldemort,” though the sounds are similar. Heavier Baltimorese accents could even pronounce it as “Ballimore,” or “Bawlmer.” It is important to consider the variations in dialect.

Though Baltimore’s best-known dish is its delicious blue crabs, crabbing season does not begin again until April, so delegates will have to find other signature tastes of the town. One treat you don’t want to miss out on are Berger Cookies. A German recipe brought over in the 1800s, a generous layer of rich chocolate fudge is spread onto a tasty wafer to create this local treasure.

The desserts don’t end there. About a four minutes’ drive from the Baltimore Hilton, delegates can experience Vaccaro’s Italian Pastries, established here in 1956. Their menu consists of special coffee drinks like the smooth Mochaccino, a variety of biscotti cookies, and their famous cannoli, a shell of pastry dough with a creamy, chocolate chip filling. It’s the best that Baltimore’s Little Italy has to offer.

Would you rather hold the sugar and have a helping of sports culture instead? JHUMUNC delegates won’t have to go very far to see the home of the Baltimore Orioles: Oriole Park at Camden Yards. A perennial on the list of MLB’s Top 10 Ballparks, the Yard’s classic design is nostalgic of America’s favorite pastime. With great views of city buildings and the perfectly manicured lawn from every angle, there’s no such thing as a bad seat. Though the wait for Opening Day lasts until March 31st, delegates can tour the beautiful ballpark on Friday morning, or relive baseball’s best at the Sports Legends Museum, including Baltimore’s own Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken Jr.

Just across the way stands the majestic M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Super Bowl XLVII champions. Delegates to last year’s conference may remember the hype around the city, as JHUMUNC 2013 was held a weekend after the victory against the San Francisco 49ers.

Even though there’s no championship to be celebrated this year, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy all that Baltimore has to offer. JHUMUNC delegates have great opportunities to embrace the Baltimore’s culture downtown in the “Charm City.