Annapolis Market HouseWhether you sit on a bench gazing at the many boats that make their way to its thriving harbor, or whether you stroll the quaint streets window-shopping and admiring the 18th century architecture, you’re bound to enjoy your time at Annapolis’s City Dock, the heart and soul of the town’s Historic District.

The City Dock has been a central part of Annapolis’s history since the 1700s. Through the centuries, Annapolis’s harbor has seen trading vessels from around the world, international yachtsmen, and working Chesapeake Bay watermen. Make your way to the hub of town and you’ll see the various work boats, pleasure boats, and tour crafts that make the harbor such a vital part of Annapolis life. Of course, you don’t have to be heading on to the water to enjoy the City Dock. Shops and restaurants line the waterfront and offer a scenic spot for a snack or a meal, or the opportunity to buy a memento of your trip to what has been called the “sailing capital of the East Coast.”

In addition to boating, dining, and shopping, the City Dock is also home to many Annapolis activities, including Navy band concerts, the annual sailboat and powerboat shows, the holiday parade of lighted boats, First Night in Annapolis on New Year’s Eve, fireworks on the Fourth of July, and much more.

At the foot of City Dock, you’ll also find the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley memorial, which marks the site where the character of Kunta Kinte, the young African at the center of Alex Haley’s book, “Roots,” was sold into slavery in the 18th century. The life-size sculpture depicts the author reading to a group of young children.

A visit to Annapolis’s City Dock will give you a glimpse of both the town’s historic past and its vision toward the future.