Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business Annapolis packs an outsized amount of history and harbor life into a compact, walkable town.
This guide covers the best places to visit in Annapolis, from the State House and colonial mansions to Eastport's maritime corner and the bay beaches beyond town, with practical tips on timing, food, where to stay and how to get around without fighting for parking.
Few American towns preserve their colonial plan and buildings as completely as Annapolis. It was a wealthy port in the eighteenth century, and many Georgian mansions from that golden age still stand within the historic district.
History is only half the story. Annapolis calls itself the sailing capital of the United States, and on a summer evening the harbor fills with racing boats, schooners and paddleboarders. The presence of the U.S. Naval Academy adds pageantry, while Chesapeake blue crabs, oysters and rockfish fill local tables.
Crowning State Circle, the Maryland State House was begun in 1772 and is the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use. It is topped by the largest wooden dome in the country built without nails, with a lightning rod designed to Benjamin Franklin's specifications.
The Maryland State House, begun in 1772, is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use. Photo: Martin Falbisoner, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
At the bottom of Main Street, City Dock is the town's lively front porch. The narrow inlet known as Ego Alley earned its nickname from boaters who idle through to show off their vessels, and the benches along the bulkhead are perfect for watching the parade.
The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial at City Dock marks where Kunta Kinte arrived in 1767. Photo: Maryland GovPics, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
On Prince George Street, the home of William Paca, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and later governor of Maryland, has been carefully restored along with its terraced pleasure garden that slopes down toward a fish-shaped pond.
A short walk away on Maryland Avenue, the Hammond-Harwood House is often counted among the finest Georgian houses in America.
The Hammond-Harwood House was designed by William Buckland and built in 1774. Photo: National Trust Library Historic Postcard Collection, Special Collections, University of…, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Housed in the former Mount Moriah African Methodist Episcopal Church on Franklin Street, this is Maryland's official museum of African American history and culture, named for Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. Exhibits and events explore the long history of Black Marylanders, including in Annapolis itself.
Founded in 1845, the Naval Academy occupies a walled campus, called the Yard, beside the Severn River, and is a National Historic Landmark. Visitors enter on foot through the visitor gate, where adults must show a government-issued photo ID, and guided walking tours depart from the visitor center.
Do not skip the U.S. Naval Academy Museum in Preble Hall, which traces the history of American sea power through ship models, flags, paintings and artifacts, including a famous collection of intricate ship models. It is free, and an hour is enough for most visitors.
The domed Naval Academy Chapel is a focal point of both the Academy and the city. Photo: Preservation Maryland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Next door to the Naval Academy, St. John's College is one of the oldest colleges in the country, known for its Great Books curriculum. Its leafy front lawn, sloping down toward College Creek, is a favorite place to relax, and each spring it hosts the Annapolis Cup, a lighthearted croquet match between St. John's students and Naval Academy midshipmen that draws crowds in costume.
Across the Spa Creek drawbridge, the Eastport neighborhood is the town's maritime workshop, full of boatyards, sail lofts and waterside bars.
The Annapolis Maritime Museum occupies a former oyster packing plant on Back Creek in Eastport. Photo: Preservation Maryland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
You have not really seen Annapolis until you have seen it from the water. Classic schooners, harbor tour boats and sailing schools operate from City Dock and Eastport from spring to fall, offering short daytime cruises, sunset sails and beginner lessons.
South of town at the mouth of the South River, Thomas Point Shoal Light is the most recognized lighthouse in Maryland and the only screw-pile lighthouse in the bay still standing on its original site. Its hexagonal white cottage on iron legs dates from 1875.
Thomas Point Shoal Light is the only screw-pile lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay still on its original site. Photo: U.S. Navy, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
About twelve miles from downtown, just off US Route 50 at the western end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Sandy Point State Park has sandy beaches, picnic areas, fishing, crabbing and boat launches with big views of the twin spans of the bridge.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge runs from Sandy Point State Park across the bay to Kent Island. Photo: Acroterion, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Annapolis eats from the Chesapeake. The signature meal is a pile of steamed blue crabs dusted with spicy Old Bay-style seasoning, cracked open with mallets at a paper-covered table.
Main Street, Market Space and the streets around City Dock hold the densest mix of pubs, seafood houses and cafes, while Eastport has relaxed waterside spots popular with sailors.
Popular dishes to try in Annapolis
The historic district is ideal for first-time visitors, with historic inns and bed and breakfasts on quiet streets steps from the State House, City Dock and the Naval Academy.
Eastport suits sailors, couples and anyone who wants a quieter, more local atmosphere with marina views, a short walk across the bridge from downtown.
West Street and the Annapolis Towne Centre area near the edge of town offer larger, newer hotels with easier parking, good for families and travelers with a car.
Where to stay in Annapolis
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Late spring and early fall are the sweet spots. May and June bring blooming gardens, comfortable temperatures and the color of Commissioning Week, when the Blue Angels often perform over the Severn.
July and August are hot and humid, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, though they are prime time for crabs and evening sailing.
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is about thirty minutes away by car.
Downtown is compact and best explored on foot. Parking on downtown streets is metered and time-limited, and residential streets need permits, so park in one of the city garages, such as those near Gott's Court or Knighton, and walk.
Start at the visitor center on West Street for maps, then walk to Church Circle and State Circle and tour the Maryland State House. After lunch on Main Street, visit the William Paca House and Garden and the Hammond-Harwood House.
Spend the morning at the Naval Academy on a guided tour, including the chapel, John Paul Jones's crypt and the museum in Preble Hall. Stroll the St. John's College lawn on your way out, then cross the bridge to Eastport for lunch and the Annapolis Maritime Museum.
Looking for a crab house, a sailing charter, a bike rental or a historic inn?
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