Mosey down Main Street from Church Circle to City Dock and you'll discover dozens of unique, locally-owned fashion boutiques and specialty gift shops tucked in between art galleries, pubs, restaurants and historic inns. Many of these small shop owners import their hand-crafted goods from far-off lands, just as town merchants have been doing for the past 350 years.
Distinguished as a National Historic Landmark, the Maryland State House is a treasure in the city of Annapolis. From the laying of its cornerstone in 1772 to the present-day meeting place of Maryland’s General Assembly, the building and grounds tell the story of four centuries of state and national history. The Maryland State House is especially notable for being the oldest continuously used legislative building in the country, the place where George Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief after the American Revolution, and the place where the Treaty of Paris was ratified. You will also hear about significant Marylanders like Thurgood Marshall, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman.
For the history buffs, This five-part Georgian mansion was built in the 1760s by William Paca, one of Maryland’s four Signers of the Declaration of Independence and the state’s third Governor. Carefully restored by Historic Annapolis beginning in 1965, today it is recognized as one of the finest 18th-century homes in the country and a National Historic Landmark. Guided tours of the house, which features period furnishings and paintings, reveal the inner workings of an upper-class household in colonial and revolutionary Annapolis.
Naval Academy tours are a must-do! Wander the Yard’s scenic walkways by foot or cover more ground quickly by electric car. Either way, you’ll enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a midshipman and the rich and tumultuous history of one of the greatest fighting forces on Earth!
Great spot for happy hour or a night cap!