The Perfect Day Trip to Annapolis

Spending one day in Annapolis? Well, I will be too in October. Having dated a midshipman in high school, moved there as a young single, met and married there, and lived there for almost ten years, I am now planning the perfect trip back. I am meeting an old friend from the United States Naval Academy who is coming back for Navy’s homecoming game against Duke. As a Duke graduate, the first thing I did was buy the tickets online for the DUKE section. After all, it is I that am planning the trip. Going to a Navy game is always fun, so check out the NavySports.com website to see what is playing and when.

After the tickets were under control, I focused on the perfect number of activities to fit into one day to highlight Annapolis but not overload either of us. So, here it is, my perfect day trip to Annapolis:

I’d start the day off at City Dock Café. This coffee shop has been there for years and is locally owned. It is under new ownership, but still has that “local” feel. If the weather is cool, as it might be in October, you can still sit outside here. The building is dark brick and the morning sun beats down and warms the walls to help radiate heat and keep you warm while the rest of the world is chilly. Since it is tucked behind the Market House on City Dock, you are completely protected from all but the worst winds. It can be at least ten degrees warmer here and Annapolis is perfect if you can be outside. There is also the “Hard Bean Café” which is also locally owned. It is a book store and coffee shop and has gained significantly in popularity over the years. It’s not quite as protected, but on a gorgeous day, you have a better view of the harbor. For the die-hard Starbuck’s fan, there is one only minutes from these other two coffee houses. You have your pick.

After coffee, I plan to walk with my friend around the City Dock and Harbor area. There are always interesting boats and interesting people. You may see the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s skipjack, one of the exquisite wooden Trumpy yachts made in Annapolis starting in 1947 and continuing through 1974, kayakers, or one of the other myriad sail and power boats that fill the harbor at most times of the year. In the dead of winter the yachts might be gone, but you will see the working boats that still ply the waters of the Chesapeake Bay for oysters tied up for safe harbor.

We will stroll through the Naval Academy where we can tour the Chapel where John Paul Jones is laid to rest. We might look into Dahlgren Hall or the old gym where we heard Chicago, Bob Hope, and others so many years ago. We’ll walk the sea wall and watch the boats glide by, filled with happy people. We’ll see the Navy’s sailing fleet of small vessels with names like Endeavor, Courage, and the like, ready for Midshipmen to venture out. (I sponsored a Mid many years ago who said that the worst part of taking one of these boats to the Bahamas was the smell of your fellow Mid’s socks.)

From there, it will be time for an early lunch before the football game. Cantler’s is our destination – it’s hard to find so visit their website or punch it into your navigation system, but it is worth the short trip. It is an authentic crab house and is located on a picturesque Mill Creek just off the Severn. They have served fresh seafood there since 1974 . When I moved to Annapolis in 1988, National Geographic had already published an article on Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn extolling its charm and virtues. Don’t expect anything fancy, though. You will get overcooked, but delicious, corn and fabulous steamed blue crabs served on the brown paper they roll over the tables. Steamed clams, oysters, fresh fish, shrimp and crab cakes all are available depending on the season and the local availability. Beer is served in cans and wine is served in plastic glasses. I love it here when the weather is warm enough to sit outside and enjoy the view. When my kids were little, they loved to go down the stairs to see the peelers and other Bay creatures swimming around in the tanks. If you don’t know what a peeler is, then go to Cantler’s and see for yourself. They usually have a good supply and you won’t be disappointed if you order a soft shell crab sandwich for lunch.

After washing all the Old Bay and crab off our hands, it will be time to head to the stadium to watch the United States Naval Academy beat Duke. OK, so I’m not optimistic about my team, but at least I will be rooting for the Blue Devils and my friend will be surrounded by a sea of blue, Duke blue that is.

After the game, it will be time for a stroll back to downtown Annapolis. The stadium is located on Rowe Boulevard which is a nice walk on a pretty day. As you head towards Annapolis from the stadium, head towards the old Severn River bridge and then turn right on King George Street. You will pass St. John’s boat house with its floating docks and stroll along the side of this gorgeous and very historic campus. I would include a stroll around their grounds if I wasn’t with a Midshipman. There is a long rivalry, croquet to be exact, between these two schools. It is quite something to see the costumes the two teams from the two schools come up with for the event. It’s a lovely day with picnicking and humor, but it is in the Spring, not Fall. You will also be walking along the wall that separates the USNA from the rest of Annapolis and behind the William Paca House Museum and Gardens.

I think the Ram’s Head will be our next destination. This unique bar/brewery is well worth the trip on its own. The Ram’s Head was a small brick bar in an historic building in the first block of West Street, just off Church Circle when I first moved to Annapolis in 1988. Today, it’s in the same location, but the bar is much larger, serves its own beer as well as more varieties than any bar I’ve ever encountered, and houses a brewery and music center for the capital city. Great acts rotate through this location so if you like the Birchmere in Alexandria, many of the performances are the same.

That should be enough walking, eating, cheering and soaking up the ambience that Annapolis has to offer for one day. It will bring back memories, make new ones, and refresh my love for Maryland’s capital city and one of the most beautiful and historic towns in the United States.

Breakout:

City Dock Café
Stroll around the harbor and United States Naval Academy
Lunch at Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn
Game at the USNA Stadium on Rowe Boulevard
Stroll by St. John’s College Boat House and Campus
Ram’s Head Tavern