The Annapolis Visitors Bureau provided complimentary meals and activities for my group.
As always, all opinions are my own. For more information see my disclosures here.
Last Saturday, Bryan and I visited Annapolis, Maryland with our friend Jonathan. Annapolis is just over two hours from the Philadelphia suburbs, so it was a great option for a quick day trip. Bryan and I had been to Ocean City and Baltimore before, but Annapolis was new for us. The best way to describe Annapolis is that it’s a mixture of Baltimore, Old City Philadelphia, and Jim Thorpe PA.
Although we only stayed for a day, we were able to accomplish a lot. If you’re interested in traveling to Annapolis, below are five things you can do during your day trip.
1. Tour the U.S. Naval Academy
Our first stop in Annapolis was the United States Naval Academy. When Bryan told me he wanted to tour the Academy, I didn’t think much of it. However, by the time we stepped foot on the grounds, I realized just how amazingly beautiful it is. We took a guided walking tour and learned so much about the history of the Academy. Here are some of the places we visited:
1. Lejeune Physical Education Center: holds the Athletic Hall of Fame, an Olympic-sized pool and wrestling arena
2. Bancroft Hall: the largest dormitory in the U.S. and home to all students (this place is HUGE)
3. Main Chapel: conducts both Catholic and Protestant services that are open to the public
4. Crypt of John Paul Jones: Jones was one of the greatest Revolutionary War naval heroes
5. Dahlgren Hall: great place to see ship and aircraft memorabilia
2. Eat Lunch at the Boatyard Bar & Grill
After touring the Naval Academy, we were beyond ready for some lunch. We stopped at the Boatyard Bar & Grill, located on the corner of Severn Ave. & Fourth St. It’s a casual restaurant that offers pub fare and raw bar selections.
For our appetizer, we split the Oyster Frites, juicy oysters dipped in buttermilk batter and fried, and served with a mango chili sauce. It was my first time trying oysters and I really enjoyed them. Of course a raw oyster will taste much different, but baby steps people!
Since Maryland is known for their crabs, I thought it was fitting to order the crab cake sandwich. Michelle Obama recently visited and said it was the best crab cake sandwich she ever had. I have to agree. Although it’s a very standard sandwich, 6 oz. crab cake served on a brioche roll with house-made tartar sauce, the freshness of the crab can’t be beat. Plus, there’s no fillers.
Bryan ordered Finley’s Fantabulous Fish Tacos, hand-cut codfish loin, dipped in beer batter and panko, fried golden brown and wrapped in soft tortillas with pico de gallo, tartar sauce, shredded pepper jack cheese and iceberg lettuce. It was served with Spanish rice, ranchero beans and guacamole. It was hands-down his favorite meal of the day.
Jonathan had the Ocean City Inlet Flounder BLT which was topped with creamy mango mayo and pepper jack cheese.
3. Ride the Harbor Queen
After lunch, we hopped aboard the Harbor Queen, a 40-minute narrated cruise of the Annapolis Harbor and the banks of the U.S. Naval Academy. It was so nice to get out on the water, because the weather was perfect. The ship has a full bar and concessions, so if you’re looking for a fun cocktail… this is the place. You don’t need reservations for the ride. Tickets are available for purchase from the ticket booth under the red umbrella at City Dock. The cruise leaves on the hour from 11am to 7pm from May 2 - September 7.
We had a great time on the cruise and were able to learn even more about Annapolis’ history. I also loved seeing the Naval Academy from the water. As you’ll see in the image below, the campus is huge!
4. Shop on Main Street & Maryland Avenue
Downtown Annapolis has some of the most unique boutiques where you can find anything you’re looking for including spices, teas, specialty olive oils, jewelry and souvenirs. Maryland Avenue and Main Street are two great locations to check out. Bryan loves purchasing shot glasses from every city we visit, so of course he picked up one in Annapolis. I purchased an Annapolis Christmas ornament that had Santa Claus on a ship anchor. Every year during the holidays, I wish that we had more ornaments - specifically ones from our travels. Our Annapolis ornament is the first of hopefully many more.
5. Enjoy Dinner at Galway Bay Irish Pub
Before driving home, we stopped at Galway Bay Irish Pub for dinner. Galway Bay is located at 63 Maryland Ave right in downtown Annapolis, and serves traditional Irish dishes such as corned beef and cabbage, shepherds pie and traditional lamb stew.
I ordered the baby spinach salad with blackened scallops. The salad consisted of spinach, crumbled feta cheese, sliced cucumber, chopped red and green peppers, and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and were so fresh and buttery. They basically fell apart when I cut them in half. I guess that’s what you get when you eat at a restaurant near water.
Bryan had the Irish Reuben, which was corned beef sauteed with sauerkraut, topped with Swiss cheese and a mustard dressing, and served on grilled rye bread. Bryan’s usually not a fan of Swiss cheese, but lately he’s been trying it more and more and he doesn’t mind it as much.
Jonathan’s favorite meal of the day was his entree at Galway Bay. He ordered the jerk marinated chopped pork sandwich, that was served on a ciabatta roll with spicy pineapple mustard BBQ sauce. Bryan tried some and he enjoyed it too!
If you’re having dinner at Galway Bay, I highly recommend saving room for dessert. We had the housemade chocolate cake that comes with coffee ice cream and whipped cream. It’s decadent, but not too heavy. We split it among the three of us, and it was the perfect way to end the meal.
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I think Annapolis is so lovely! I went with friends over the fourth of July and we just had the best time. It is also a super great place to get ice cream. 🙂 No shortage of options! Thanks for sharing! Your pictures look lovely.
Author
Thank you Amanda! We had a great time in Annapolis and can’t wait to go back.
I would love to visit Annapolis! It looks like a lot of fun!
Author
It was so much fun! It’s a pretty unique place!
I would add kayaking and/jetskiing along with a visit to ALL pubs/restaurants in Annapolis. #Annapolisrules
Author
If we had more time, we would have definitely done kayaking. We saw some people going down the bay. It was a perfect day for it!
As someone from Annapolis, I would opt for a sailing tour aboard the Schooner Woodwind over the Harbor Queen any day. It’s a much more authentic experience, plus it’s the sailboat they used in Wedding Crashers! Also, always grab a drink at Pussers, the only public dockside bar in Annapolis.
Author
Thanks for your suggestions, Allie! Glad to get feedback from a resident of Annapolis. Next time we are in town, we’ll have to check out Pussers.
Iron rooster is a MUST for breakfast.
Also you should see the WWII memorial (‘scenic overlook’ to us natives) that overlooks the academy. It’s stunning. Historical Middleton Tavern for shrimp shooters:) …I could go on. Glad you toured the naval academy, it is so beautiful.
Author
Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog, Heidi! We didn’t get there in time for breakfast, but next time we will have to check out Iron Rooster!
We LOVE Galway Bay Irish Pub! Have been there several times.
Author
They have some great choices! The scallops were probably the freshest I’ve ever had!
Definitely check out Iron Rooster; all food is delish but get the homemade poptart for sure. Also if you like seafood eat at Buddy’s! Great city and great people.
Author
Thanks for the recommendations, Shannon. Next time I’m in Annapolis, I’ll def have to check them out.
LOVE THIS BLOG! We were visiting for the weekend, and tried your suggestions. They were wonderful! Thank you so much. 🙂
Author
Hi Christiana, I’m so glad you found my site!!
The college of St Johns is a beautiful, small campus. So pretty, and, as long as you are polite, you can go all over. One of the oldest colleges in the USA
Wow great job! I want to go there just to eat, looks so yummy! I am moving to Severn MD to a community by D.R. Horton http://www.drhorton.com/Maryland/Maryland/Severn/Upton-Farm and i dont think this is too far away! I am totally going to do this! I cannot wait! Day trip here i come.
Author
Thanks for reading, Whitney!
What’s up,I read your new stuff named “Things to Do In Annapolis During a Day Trip” like every week.Your story-telling style is awesome, keep up the good work! And you can look our website about love spell.
My husband and I are visiting Maryland for vacation this year. This blog has been a great help!!
Author
Aw, I’m so glad! Thanks for reading!!
We love visiting Annapolis. Even if it’s just a walk down ego alley the town has such a fun atmosphere.
Author
yes! it’s been a few years since I’ve been to Annapolis, so I’m hoping to go back soon!!
Oh my gosh we loved visiting Annapolis. We went on a family weekend getaway and got to do so many things. The kids loved the Harbor Queen and visiting the Naval Academy. We also spent a lot of time at Galway Bay Pub listening to live music. Actually, we enjoyed a lot of live music with kids and just shared our favorite spots on our blog.
Author
Annapolis is so beautiful! We can’t wait to go back. This time with our little one!
Is Annapolis a good place to bike around? (Do they have rentals?) I’d love to do that with my teenagers.
Author
I’m not sure! We didn’t ride bike while we were there.
Hii ! I loved this, do you remember how much did you pay for taking a ride in the harbor queen??