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 The U.S. Navy has been protecting more than the United States.
For years, they had us believing Annapolis was entirely the U.S. Naval Academy campus, and we might have believed them until we saw it for ourselves!
Right under our noses and minutes away from Baltimore and Washington D.C., Annapolis & Anne Arundel County have become a perfect getaway destination on their own merits; Annapolis with its charming specialty shops and cafes, art galleries, bricked streets and alleyways and immaculately preserved colonial homes, and Anne Arundel County with its Chesapeake Bay views, scenic pastoral vistas, boating and shopping opportunities.
Annapolis and Anne Arundel County have a rich history dating back to 1649, when Puritans settled the area near the Severn River. Known as "America's Sailing Capital," the capital city of Annapolis is the oldest incorporated city in Maryland. Maryland was named for Queen Mary and Annapolis for Queen Mary's daughter, Princess Anne. Over the course of 3 centuries, Annapolis' vitality has always been tied to the water, first as a tobacco trading settlement, then as an oyster exporter and now in yacht building and sailing events.
While the county is best traveled by car, the city of Annapolis is extremely navigable on foot. Jaded big-city types will need to get over themselves and adjust to the kinder, slower pace here. In Annapolis, all cars must stop at any intersection where pedestrians are present to let them pass.
In 2 days of walking around Annapolis, I waved to, thanked and smiled at more strangers than I had in all my life - that's a good thing!
| THINGS TO DO |  | See more info on these activities and businesses
With so much to do and see, you may need to make a few trips to see all of Annapolis and Arundel County. Essentially the county is split into four regions: Annapolis to the East, West County to the West, BWI Gateway to the North, and South County to the South. Each has its own character and flavor! EAST-- Y ou'll first want to get your bearings in Annapolis, at the Visitor's Center. The main location is halfway down West St. set back from the street and a smaller annex is located at the City Dock. If you drive in, you'll want to park at the Gotts Court Garage on Calvert St, adjacent to the main Visitor's Center or the Hillman Garage off Main St. - it's closer to the City Dock but fills up quickly. There are number of walking tours, specialty tours and boat tours depending on your interest. Boat charter companies multiply by the minute in Annapolis, but noteworthy contenders include: Pirate Adventures, a kid-friendly swashbuckling cruise for all ages and Watermark Cruises, half day and full day narrated cruises departing from the City Dock. The best way to learn about Annapolis is on walking tour or on a trolley tour. Discover Annapolis Trolley Tours depart from the main Visitor's Center on West St. and are offered year round. (Tours are daily April- November, Winter varies). Trolley tours make stops at the more popular sites like the U.S. Naval Academy and the Maryland State House (above); the oldest state capital building in continuous legislative use, with the largest wooden dome in the U.S!
 Three Centuries Tours offers fascinating walking tours of Annapolis. Departing from the City Dock and the Visitor's Center on West St., the year-round historic tours are given by costumed characters of the 18th century. Our tour guide, Mistress Olsen, knew the origins of many well-known phrases, the many ways to wear an apron, and the sinfulness of exposed ankles and elbows in colonial America. During our tour she showed us a paper dollar as well as a tobacco switch, both used for trade in the 18th century. Although the paper dollar would not have been accepted in other cities, it was used locally and printed by local printsmiths like Anne Catherine Green - but more on her later.
Peruse the many gift shops, art galleries and haberdasheries of Main St. and Maryland Avenue on your way to visit the U.S. Naval Academy (left), the centerpiece of Annapolis. Start at the Armel-Leftwich Visitor's Center for your navy paraphernalia needs and then tour the chapel, museum and academy grounds. Enjoy the breathtaking views along the Severn River. You'll feel patriotic as ever watching cadets saluting superiors hello and goodbye, and observing the midshipmen line up in the daily formation every day at 12pm. In season, cheer on a Navy football game at the Stadium.
Annapolis is also home to St. John's College, founded as King William's School in 1696. Steeped in tradition, this 3rd oldest school still teaches its "great books" curriculum. If you're a free spirit, City Dock, (at the base of Main St.) is an excellent place to start. There you'll see the Kunte Kinte - Alex Hailey Memorial, that memorializes Kunte Kinte the enslaved African who arrived at this site in 1767. In fact, the Historic Annapolis Foundation offers an African American Heritage Walking Tour taking you past historical sites of significance like the Banneker-Douglas Museum for African artifacts and the Thurgood Marshall Memorial outside the State House.  History and architecture buffs should get their fix with a visit to Annapolis, especially since it has the largest concentration of 18th-century buildings in America! Annapolis is also where George Washington resigned his commission as commander in chief of the Revolutionary Army. Can you blame him? Who could bare to keep fighting in such a beautiful place?
Four signers of the Declaration of Independence ‚ Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll, Samuel Chase and William Paca thought so too and built their homes here - 3 of the 4 homes are open to the public. On your own, tour the William Paca House and Garden (left), as well as the Charles Carroll House and the Chase Lloyd House. The Historic Annapolis Foundation identifies buildings of significance with color-coded markers so you can tell the style and period of each building.
Recreational opportunities in Annapolis are plentiful. Amateur sailors can sign up for a 2-day lesson with Annapolis Sailing School or Womanship, a sailing school for women whose motto is "No one Yells!" Fisherman can contract with numerous fishing charter companies or just cast their rod off City Dock.
Kayaks can be rented from Amphibious Horizons Kayaking at Quiet Waters Park. On the peninsula of Eastport, you'll find a few city marinas and plenty of boating enthusiasts. Eastport is quickly becoming known for its new trendy restaurants and bars. Biking enthusiasts should stop in at NetPedallers on Randall St. for bike and scooter rentals. From there they can ride along the Baltimore & Annapolis trail, extending from Annapolis to Glen Burnie along an old railroad bed. Further east of Annapolis, Sandy Point State Park offers swimming, fishing, boating and lighthouse views along the Chesapeake Bay. And after a long day of touring, the least you could do for yourself is stop in at one of Annapolis' many day spas like J. Stevens Salon, for a massage and some pampering!  WEST-- Best traveled by car, West County has a potpourri of quirky attractions appealing to everyone from wildlife enthusiasts to trivia buffs. Crack a code at the National Cryptological Museum off Rt. 295, pick your horse at the Laurel Park Racetrack or pick up a stuffed toy replica of "Socks, the Cat" at the Presidential Pet Museum in Lothian. Bird-watchers should flock to the The Patuxent Wildlife Refuge, a 12,750-acre sanctuary with trails for hiking next to the Meade Military Reservation. Perfect for long country drives, West County's rural rolling hills are speckled with working farms and scenic barns. Pastoral vistas and serene ponds (left) are around every bend. Don't miss the annual Anne Arundel County Fair which takes place in Crownsville.
 NORTH -- Best transversed by car, the BWI Gateway Community offers plenty of shopping opportunities from local shopping malls to Arundel Mills (left), a 1.3 million sq. ft. entertainment complex, complete with retail stores, movie theaters and the Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. Allow 2-3 days to shop the entire mall - its huge!
Home to the Historical Electronics Museum, the historic Benson-Hammond House in Linthicum and the active and inspiring Chesapeake Arts Center, the area serves as a convenient central hub to both the BWI airport as well as Annapolis attractions. It is also home to a 12.5 mile trail around the airport - perfect for biking and hiking!
 SOUTH-- Chockful of historical watertowns and boating communities, South County is a trip in itself.
Ready for a long scenic drive? Routes 468, 256 and 261 make excellent roads to explore. Edgewater and Historic London Town, Mayo, Galesville, Shady Side, Churchtown, Friendship, Deale (left) , and Herrington Harbour , recipient of the "Best Harbor in America" award; these are but a few of the well-known spots along the route where you can cast your rod into the sea, find a cute little antique shop or a crab shanty along the coast.
Historic London Town in Edgewater , a 22-acre colonial site and National Historic Landmark, boasts Maryland's longest running archeological dig - open to the public to participate! In Shady Side, you'll find the Captain Avery Salem House, a preserved colonial commercial waterman's home.
Also in Edgewater, you can rent half or full day boats at South River Boat Rentals. Golf is also a favorite pasttime in South County. With an unusual course featuring carefully crafted replicas of 18 holes that have defined the game, it's easy to see why Renditions calls themselves "Golf's Grand Slam Experience!" See more info on these activities and businesses
 | | | | LODGING | |  Lodging in Anne Arundel county ranges from quaint bed and breakfasts to larger resorts and hotels.
We stayed at the Days Inn Glen Burnie (left), in the BWI Gateway section of the county to the north. Our room was equipped with a microwave and mini-fridge. They also offer an outdoor pool, meeting space, fitness room, a great continental breakfast and easy access to shopping. There is even a bowling alley right next door! Other options in the area include Spring Hill Suites BWI and the 1908 - William Page B&B Inn.
In the city of Annapolis, you'll find a plethora of accommodations in the historic
district, including the Sheraton
Annapolis. The Loews Annapolis and O'Callahan's
Hotel, both full service hotels, are just a short
walk from the Visitor's Center on West St. The Marriott
is right on the waterfront located next to the City Dock.
With over 30 hotels and over 25 bed and breakfasts in
the Annapolis area, you are sure to find accommodations
to match your needs.
 The Jonas Green House (left) has been in innkeeper Randy Green's family since 1738 (the kitchen dating from the 1690's). When Jonas Green (a master printer and cousin of Benjamin Franklin) died, he left his children and widow Anne Catherine, a rented house and a failing printing and publishing business.
At age 45, Anne Catherine had already given birth to 14 children (only six survived). In 3 years, she turned the failing business around, (becoming the first woman in America to run a print shop), continued publishing The Maryland Gazette, and bought the house, as well as some other properties in town. She was eventually named the official printer for the colony of Maryland. Randy Green is happy to share historic tales and trivia about antiques throughout the house.
"In books, history is told by men, and that is why this has been called the 'Jonas Green House,' but we know whose house this really is and that's why we know it as the Anne Catherine Green House! We don't have Jacuzzi tubs in the rooms here, but what we offer is the chance to experience a real bit of history," he says. "Ceramic" the resident black Labrador Retriever says the inn is also pet-friendly!
 In the southern part of the county you'll find seaside resorts such as the Pirates Cove in Deale and the Herrington Harbor Resort (left) in Friendship. With beachfront cabana style cottages and uninteruppted water views, it's easy to see why they call themselves "The Caribbean on the Chesapeake Bay!"
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| DINING | | The dining options in Anne Arundel County are amazing but extensive, so we focused on the options closer to Annapolis proper.  Lunch: The Reynold's Tea Room and Tavern is located directly across from St. Anne's Church in Church Circle. The restaurant serves a mean selection of teas as well as a delectable array of tasty salads, sandwiches and pastries as prepared by chefs, owners and ex-British pats Jill and Andrew Petit. Opening a tea room in any northeastern American harbor town must be sweet revenge! And how sweet they are! Above the tea room are 3 exquisite suites adorned with period antiques, four poster beds and all modern amenities.
Breakfast: Chick and Ruth's Delly on Main St., is a little slice of Americana. Every morning the Pledge of Allegiance is recited without fail (weekdays at 8:30am and weekends at 9:30am). Uncle Teddy Levitt does magic tricks for patrons as he serves up a mean pancake breakfast. A trip to Chick and Ruth's is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and in your stomach!
Dessert: So what's the deal in Deale? Dessert. Nothing can beat a hand-dipped ice cream cone from the West River Market in Deale at sunset!
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| NIGHTLIFE | | For the greatest concentration of theatre, pubs and live entertainment, stick to Annapolis proper. On the otherhand if you are a film buff, movie theaters abound in the surrounding county.
With the U.S. Naval Academy and St. John's College on site, Annapolis becomes a college town on weekends if there ever was one - and especailly during Navy games! Down a pint at the Fordham Brewing Company and the Ram's Head Tavern on West St. Dance through the various West St. nightclubs or crawl throught the taverns down around City Dock. Local bands and musicians perform nightly at venues all across the city. For those seeking culture, Annapolis won't disappoint. From the ballet to the sympony to the opera to dinner theatre at Medieval Times at Arundel Mills in Hanover, there's never a dull moment. Throughout the year the city plays host to a number of festivals, art gallery openings, concerts at area venues and special events like "Annapolis by Candlelight," "First Night Annapolis," and the"Annapolis Film Festival." Be sure to check our event calendar. See more info on nightlife
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| TRANSPORTATION | | CAR: To Annapolis: I-95 South to I-895 South (Harbour Tunnel) to I97 South. I-97 will end at Rt. 50. Go east to Exit 24, Rowe Blvd. Follow signs for the Visitor's Center on West. St.
Parking is located at the Gotts Court Garage on Calvert St., adjacent to the Visitor's Center and the Hillman Garage, off Main St. The Hillman Garage is closer to the City Dock but fills up quickly.
TAXI: Arundel & Colonial Cab, 410-263-2555.
BIKE: There are bike rentals next door to the bus station at Capital Bicycles at 410-626-2197 on Chinquapin Round Rd. Net Pedallers at 410-263-2344 near the City Dock in Annapolis, also rents bikes and scooters for the day. Bike Peddlers at 410-761-7675 in Glen Burnie is just 50 feet from the Baltimore & Annapolis bike trail. This shop rents mountain bikes and helmets.
AIR/CAR RENTAL: BWI Airport is just outside the Anne Arundel county lines. Various car rental companies offer rentals at that location.
| Public transportation to the Annapolis area is a bit clunky but once you get there it's
easy to get around!
TRAIN: Amtrak operates from New York City and Baltimore, from there you can catch a "Sky Blue Bus" to the Chinquapin Round Rd. station in Annapolis. 1-800-USA-RAIL. BUS: You can take a Greyhound (800-231-2222) or Trailways (800-343-9999) bus from New York City directly to Annapolis. The Annapolis bus station however, is slightly on the outskirts of town on Chinquapin Round Rd. -- so transfers to the city bus system are a bit complicated. If you arrive at the station on Chinquapin Round Rd., you have 5 options:
1. If you arrive at the station Monday through Friday, and various times on the weekends, you can notify the station supervisor on duty and they will have the Annapolis Transit Brown line bus detour to come pick you up to take you into the city. The basic one-way fare is .75 cents.
2. You can walk 1/4 mile up to the intersection of Chinquapin Round Rd. and West St. The Brown Line has a stop on West St. The Brown Line will take you into the Historic District of Annapolis.
3. You can call Arundel & Colonial Cab at 410-263-2555. If you've got bags, take the cab.
4. There are bike rentals next door to the bus station at Capital Bicycles at 410-626-2197
5. 1/4 mile up at the intersection of Chinquapin Road and West St. is Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
If you rent a car from them they'll come pick you up at the station. Call 1-800-ENTERPRISE. Once you are in the heart of Annapolis, it's extremely walkable and the Annapolis Transit color coded bus lines will take you to various points within the city. Most of the "buses" are actually motorized trolley cars, giving a "San-Francisco-esque" feeling to the streets.
The Navy Blue shuttle is free and has stops at the U.S. Naval Academy, the City Dock, the Visitor's Center, West Annapolis and the Stadium parking. (Monday- Friday 5:30am-8pm, Saturday and Sunday May-September 10am-6pm.) Pick up a bus schedule at the station or Visitor's Center.
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| TRAVEL TIPS | |
Bring your fishing gear and your tackle! And we're not just talking about the fish!
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| WEATHER | | |
