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Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, sits on the Severn River where it opens into the Chesapeake Bay. Its colonial street plan and eighteenth-century brick buildings make it one of the best-preserved historic towns in the country, and it briefly served as the capital of the United States under the Articles of Confederation. Sailing is a central part of local life, and the city calls itself a sailing capital.
The Maryland State House, still in use, is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use and the place where George Washington resigned his military commission. From the State House, streets slope down to City Dock and the narrow inlet known as Ego Alley, where boats parade past the waterfront. Several restored eighteenth-century homes, including the house of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, open their rooms and gardens to visitors, while a state museum tells the story of Black Marylanders. Visitors can tour the grounds of the United States Naval Academy, with identification, and stroll past St. John's College. Across Spa Creek, Eastport has the Annapolis Maritime Museum, and harbor cruises or sailing trips head out toward the hexagonal Thomas Point Shoal Light.
Annapolis suits weekenders who enjoy history and being on the water. Spring and fall are pleasant, and the autumn boat shows draw large crowds.
WiserMap travel guideAnnapolis Maryland Naval Academy and Chesapeake CrabsPlan your Annapolis trip: the Maryland State House, Naval Academy, City Dock, Eastport, colonial homes, Chesapeake crabs, sailing cruises and Sandy Point.Read the guide
The Maryland State House is the oldest state capitol still in legislative use, topped by the largest wooden dome in the country built without nails. In 1783 to 1784 it served as the US capitol, and George Washington resigned his commission here. Visitors can tour free on weekdays and weekends with photo ID.
The US Naval Academy trains officers for the Navy and Marine Corps on its waterfront campus. Guided walking tours leave from the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center and show the chapel, John Paul Jones' crypt and Bancroft Hall. Visitors over 18 need photo ID at the gate. The noon formation is worth seeing.
St. John's College is one of the oldest colleges in the United States, tracing its roots to King William's School of 1696. Its historic campus has McDowell Hall and a lawn that hosts the yearly croquet match against the Naval Academy each spring. The grounds are open to stroll. The Mitchell Gallery shows art.
Thomas Point Shoal Light, built in 1875, is a white hexagonal cottage-style lighthouse on screw piles in the Chesapeake Bay off Annapolis. It is the last screw-pile lighthouse in the bay still on its original site. Guided boat tours in summer allow you to go inside. It can also be seen from Thomas Point Park.
The William Paca House is the restored Georgian mansion of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, built in the 1760s. Guided tours show period rooms, and behind it lies a two-acre terraced garden with a fish-shaped pond and a summer house. Historic Annapolis runs the house. Check seasonal hours.
The Hammond-Harwood House is a Georgian home of 1774 designed by William Buckland, known for some of the finest colonial woodcarving in America, especially its front doorway. Guided tours show furniture and paintings, including works by Charles Willson Peale. It is a short walk from the State House.
The Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum is Maryland's official museum of African American heritage, set in the former Mount Moriah AME Church in downtown Annapolis. Exhibits cover Black history and culture in Maryland, with changing art shows. Admission is free. Check opening days before going.
Eastport is a waterfront neighborhood across Spa Creek with marinas, bars and seafood restaurants. The Annapolis Maritime Museum, in an old oyster packing plant, covers the Chesapeake's oyster trade and maritime life, and runs boat trips to Thomas Point Shoal Light. Walk over the Spa Creek drawbridge.
City Dock is the heart of downtown Annapolis, a historic harbor with shops and restaurants. Its narrow inlet, nicknamed Ego Alley, is where boaters parade their yachts. The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial stands at the head of the dock. Sit on the bulkhead with ice cream and watch the boats go by at sunset.
Annapolis calls itself America's sailing capital, and many boats offer short trips from City Dock and Eastport. Choose a narrated harbor cruise past the Naval Academy, a two-hour schooner sail on the bay or a sailing lesson. Wednesday evening sailboat races are fun to watch. Book ahead on summer weekends.
Sandy Point State Park sits on the Chesapeake Bay beside the Bay Bridge, about 20 minutes from Annapolis. It has a sandy swimming beach, boat launches, fishing and views of ships passing under the bridge, and the old Sandy Point Shoal Light is offshore. Summer weekends fill up and the gates can close early.
Quiet Waters Park is a county park of about 340 acres on the South River just south of downtown Annapolis. It has paved trails through woods, formal gardens, a dog beach, kayak and paddleboat rentals, and an outdoor ice rink in winter. Concerts are held in summer. A small entry fee per car applies.
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