Maryland
Annapolis is the rare American town where a working naval academy, a colonial capital and a sailing harbor share a single walkable square mile: the Maryland State House where Washington resigned his commission, brick lanes lined with eighteenth-century houses, midshipmen marching across the Yard, and City Dock where yachts parade down Ego Alley.
Add Chesapeake blue crab, historic taverns, ghost walks after dark and cruises past Thomas Point Lighthouse, and you have one of the East Coast's most rewarding short trips.
United States Naval Academy Visitor Center and Tours
The Navy's undergraduate college on the Severn River: a visitor center with a film and exhibits, guided walks through the yard, Bancroft Hall and the Tecumseh statue, and on academic days the midshipmen's noon formation.
Maryland State House
The oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, where Washington resigned his commission in 1783 and the Treaty of Paris was ratified, topped by the largest wooden dome built without nails.
Annapolis Harbor and U.S. Naval Academy Cruise
A narrated boat trip from City Dock past the Naval Academy seawall, Spa Creek, Eastport's yards and the mouth of the Severn, giving the view of Annapolis that sailors have loved for centuries.
Naval Academy Chapel and John Paul Jones Crypt
A domed chapel with Tiffany windows over the Severn, and beneath it the marble crypt of John Paul Jones, the Revolutionary War naval hero whose body was brought home from Paris in 1906.
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
The Navy's undergraduate college on the Severn River: a visitor center with a film and exhibits, guided walks through the yard, Bancroft Hall and the Tecumseh statue, and on academic days the midshipmen's noon formation.
FreeA domed chapel with Tiffany windows over the Severn, and beneath it the marble crypt of John Paul Jones, the Revolutionary War naval hero whose body was brought home from Paris in 1906.
The oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, where Washington resigned his commission in 1783 and the Treaty of Paris was ratified, topped by the largest wooden dome built without nails.
The heart of Annapolis: a bustling harbor basin where yachts parade down Ego Alley, the Market House anchors the square and the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial tells a story of arrival and memory.
A small-group guided stroll through the brick lanes of colonial Annapolis: the harbor, the State House, grand Georgian houses and the stories of the patriots, merchants and tradespeople who built them.
A guided walk through the history of Black Annapolis, from the slave-trade port and the story of Kunta Kinte to Thurgood Marshall, Frederick Douglass and the Black community that built the town.
The Georgian mansion of a Declaration signer and Maryland governor, with a restored two-acre pleasure garden of terraces, a fish-shaped pond and a Chinese Chippendale bridge.
A Georgian masterpiece by architect William Buckland, famed for its carved doorway and its rare, intact eighteenth-century rooms, and now a museum of colonial decorative arts.
A narrated boat trip from City Dock past the Naval Academy seawall, Spa Creek, Eastport's yards and the mouth of the Severn, giving the view of Annapolis that sailors have loved for centuries.
A cruise out into the Chesapeake Bay to see Thomas Point Shoal Light, the last screwpile lighthouse in its original location, plus Annapolis skyline views and the Bay Bridge in the distance.
An evening sail-past of the harbor as the sun drops behind the State House and the Severn turns gold, a romantic favorite for couples, anniversaries and visitors who want Annapolis at its most beautiful.
A longer cruise up the Severn River past waterfront estates, the Naval Academy and sailing creeks, for visitors who want to see the quiet, wooded side of Annapolis beyond the harbor.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$West Street / Historic Downtown
A lively college-and-navy themed hotel on West Street, a short walk from City Dock, the State House and the Naval Academy gate, with a local restaurant and bar and room to spread out.
Check rates →Church Circle / Main Street
A trio of colonial-era inns around State Circle and Church Circle, the Maryland Inn, Governor Calvert House and the Robert Johnson House, with a historic tavern, traditional rooms and the State House on the doorstep.
Check rates →City Dock / Waterfront
A harbor-front hotel at the head of City Dock with water views, a large lobby and every attraction in the historic district within a short walk.
Check rates →Westgate Circle / West Annapolis
A large, modern hotel just outside the historic core with a pool, a fitness center, ample parking and easy road access, a good choice for families and drivers.
Check rates →Prince George Street / Historic District
A small historic inn on Prince George Street, a short walk from the Naval Academy gate, the Paca House and City Dock, for travelers who prefer a personal welcome to a big lobby.
Check rates →West Annapolis / Route 50 Corridor
A reliable chain hotel outside the historic core with free-flowing parking, suites for families and quick road access to Route 50 and the Bay Bridge.
Check rates →Annapolis Outskirts
A business-friendly Marriott hotel a few minutes by car from the historic district, with a restaurant, fitness center and easy road access.
Check rates →Annapolis Outskirts
A modern Hilton hotel for drivers and families, with a restaurant, fitness facilities and quick road access to the harbor and the Bay Bridge.
Check rates →Stevensville / Kent Island
A beachside resort across the Bay Bridge in Stevensville on Kent Island, with water views, a beach and a relaxed holiday feel, within about half an hour of Annapolis.
Check rates →Ready-made pairings: a top sight and a hotel that suits it. Add both to your trip and book each when you are ready.
Do
United States Naval Academy Visitor Center and ToursStay
Graduate AnnapolisWest Street / Historic Downtown
Do
Maryland State HouseStay
Historic Inns of AnnapolisChurch Circle / Main Street
Do
Annapolis Harbor and U.S. Naval Academy CruiseStay
Annapolis Waterfront HotelCity Dock / Waterfront
A practical first-visit guide to Annapolis: the Naval Academy, the State House, City Dock, which tours to book, how to get around and how to avoid the crowds.
A three-day plan for Annapolis that balances the Naval Academy and State House with cruises, historic houses, Eastport, a food tour and an evening ghost walk.
A guide to choosing where to sleep in Annapolis: the historic inns on State Circle and Church Circle, the waterfront hotel, a themed hotel on West Street, bed and breakfasts and a full-service hotel outside the center.
A guide to eating in Annapolis: Maryland crab in every form, oysters, casual crab houses, waterfront dining, historic taverns, breakfast and the best ways to taste the town.
How to get out on the Chesapeake from Annapolis: harbor cruises, sunset trips, the Thomas Point Lighthouse, the Bay Bridge, a day to St. Michaels, sailing culture and the Maritime Museum.
When to go to Annapolis: what each season offers, how graduation week, the boat shows and the legislative session affect crowds, and the best months for walking, cruising and value.
