I recently went on a day trip to Annapolis with the #DCTravelBlogger crew. While I’m from Baltimore and have been to Annapolis before, I must admit, I have never really explored the whole city. However, after my day trip, I have a new appreciation for what Annapolis offers.
I know what you’re thinking. Annapolis is sort of out of the way from Baltimore and D.C. It’s not a major city. There’s nothing to do or worth seeing. Guess what? You’re wrong!
I enjoyed my day trip to Annapolis so much that by the end of this post, you’ll want to go visit for yourself. For real! Here’s why:
1. You’ll learn lots about American History.
Upon arrival, we took a trolley tour around the city and learned so much about the history of both Annapolis and Maryland. Here are some fun facts I learned:
- The Naval Academy has its own zip code and Jimmy Carter is the only President who has graduated from there.
- 4 signers of the Declaration of Independence were from Maryland.
- Maryland has the only state flag with a coat of arms on it.
- Annapolis is in its 366th year of recorded history.
- The Banneker-Douglass Museum is located here and it’s Maryland’s official museum of African American heritage.
- Annapolis was used as a stop during the slave trade. There’s a statue of Alex Haley reading to children to commemorate his book Roots. The book tells the story of his lineage, which began with his ancestor, Kunta Kinte, being brought from Africa to Annapolis (I knew this but I’m glad it was mentioned on the tour, so I’m making sure you know now too!).
Pretty cool, right? I highly suggest the trolley tour not only for history nerds (like me), but for people who want to see the city in its entirety. Pick up the trolley right at the Visitors Center and you can map out your day once you get the lay of the land.
2. The neighborhoods are charming.
The neighborhoods are so quaint and charming. Because I live in D.C., Annapolis was a nice change of pace from the every day hustle and bustle. I was able to stroll at my leisure and enjoy the scenery. Main Street is filled with various shops and restaurants to explore. And while Annapolis is filled with tons of history, you aren’t overwhelmed with feeling like you’re back in 1776.
3. There are plenty of amazing places to eat…
For lunch, we ate at Galway Bay Irish Pub, famous for their egg nog imported straight from Ireland. We sampled it and honestly, it’s probably the best egg nog I’ve ever had. And I am an egg nog connoisseur. Their food menu offers not only traditional Irish foods but plenty of seafood dishes. After all, you are in Annapolis.
Between lunch and dinner, I stopped by Annapolis Ice Cream Company. When I spotted it on Main Street, I couldn’t believe there was a line outside the door! My friend has raved to me about it before so I knew I had to try it for myself. Fortunately, the line moved quickly. And their homemade chocolate-chocolate chip ice cream was worth the wait.
I highly recommend Carrol’s Creek Cafe for dinner. It offers an amazing view of the harbor, the food was delicious and the service was impeccable, even with our large group.
4. …and plenty of places to drink, too!
If you want to sample the local wines, Great Frogs Winery is a great place to do it. We tried their estate and dessert wines that were perfectly paired with cheese (one even from a local producer), dried fruit and almonds.
How beautiful is the property? We took a tour of the vineyards as well as their storage areas. I love a good winery tour!
A friend told me to also stop by Red Red Wine Bar. I didn’t get a chance to go during this trip, but there’s always next time.
5. There’s water, water everywhere.
Water is the city’s best backdrop. It’s everywhere and you can’t help but to feel relaxed near it.
I suggest taking a water cruise, which gives you more city history (and there’s full bar service!). But if you don’t have an hour for that, make sure you at least take a water taxi. The taxi doesn’t have a set route, so it will take you wherever you want to go – everywhere that’s water accessible, of course, which is pretty much everywhere.
6. It’s family-friendly…or not.
I saw plenty of families spending the day in Annapolis. But I also saw lots of singles and couples. Spending the day in Annapolis makes a great day date with friends or overnight stay for significant others.
Whether you want to make it a day trip or an overnight stay, Annapolis is a great way to learn more American history and to get a reprieve from city life. If you’re visiting Baltimore or D.C., make time for Annapolis only 45 minutes away. I thoroughly enjoyed my day trip and plan on spending more time there in the very near future.
Now, don’t you wanna go?! Told ya! Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
By the way, I took the picture above with my new Pocket Click Stick. I finally gave in to the selfie stick craze and it definitely comes in handy! It extended up to 26 inches so I could get the perfect picture, but fit right back into my bag when I was finished. You know you want one. You’ll need it during your visit to Annapolis! Get yours here.
Photo Credit: Ashlee Tuck, Susan Steckman