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Annapolis, Maryland travel guide: Colonial State Circle, City Dock and Ego Alley walks

Laid out in 1695 on a baroque radial street plan around two hilltop circles, Annapolis preserves more 18th-century brick architecture than almost any other small city in America right beside the working slips of the Chesapeake Bay. Once you park your car or arrive by shuttle from BWI, the entire historic peninsula from State Circle down Main Street to Ego Alley is a 10-minute walk.

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  1. Annapolis, Maryland (Approximate city location)

Location coordinates: Annapolis, Maryland.

Arrival and getting around in Annapolis, Maryland

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is the closest major airport, sitting 42 kilometres northwest of Annapolis (about 35 minutes via I-97 and US-50).

  • Regional commuter buses, airport shuttles and rideshares connect BWI and New Carrollton (Washington Metro Orange Line / Amtrak) to Annapolis, though a car is convenient for regional Chesapeake Bay drives.
  • Inside the Historic District, park once at the Calvert Street Garage (free on evenings and weekends), Gott's Court Garage or Park Place and ride the free Annapolis Magenta Shuttle down to Main Street and City Dock.
  • For getting across Spa Creek to the maritime restaurants of Eastport, hail the seasonal Annapolis Water Taxi directly from the slip at City Dock.

Sources: Visit Annapolis: Landmarks and neighbourhoods, Visit Annapolis: Walkable downtown

Where to stay in Annapolis, Maryland

Choose between historic inns right on the colonial circles or slightly modernised hotels along West Street within a 10-minute walk of the harbour.

  • Historic District (State Circle, Church Circle and Market Space): puts you in historic brick inns steps from the Maryland State House, Main Street shops and morning coffee overlooking Ego Alley.
  • Upper West Street (Arts District) or Eastport across Spa Creek: Upper West Street offers easier garage parking and contemporary dining, while Eastport has a quieter, nautical neighbourhood feel across the drawbridge.
  • Avoid visiting without advance hotel reservations during the US Naval Academy Commissioning Week in late May or the October Sailboat and Powerboat Shows, when the entire peninsula sells out.

Sources: Visit Annapolis: Walkable downtown, Visit Annapolis: City Dock and current construction

Two-day route for Annapolis, Maryland

Cover the hilltop baroque circles and brick colonial gardens on Day 1, then focus on the waterfront dock, Market House and maritime heritage on Day 2.

  • Day 1: begin on State Circle at the wooden-domed Maryland State House (the oldest US state capitol in continuous legislative use, dating to 1772; bring photo ID for entry), walk over to Church Circle to see the brick rotunda and Tiffany glass window inside St. Anne’s Church, then stroll down brick-paved Main Street and tour the terraced 1760s William Paca House and Garden.
  • Day 2: spend the morning along the waterfront at City Dock and Ego Alley watching sailboats navigate the narrow channel, pause at the bronze Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial at the head of the slip and grab crab cakes or oysters at the historic Annapolis Market House before taking an afternoon harbour cruise or water taxi to Eastport.
  • Note that the City Dock Resiliency and Park Project involves phased shoreline construction; pedestrian access to Main Street, Market Space and the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial remains open via marked walkways.

Sources: Visit Annapolis: Landmarks and neighbourhoods, Visit Annapolis: Walkable downtown, Visit Annapolis: City Dock and current construction, Visit Annapolis: William Paca House and Garden

Seasonal timing and practical rhythm

Annapolis has a humid subtropical maritime climate shaped by the Chesapeake Bay, with hot, muggy summers in July and August (30 to 33 degrees Celsius) and chilly, breezy winters.

  • Late April to early June and September to early November bring crisp 18 to 25 degree Celsius days, steady sailing breezes on the bay and colorful autumn trees around State Circle.
  • Summer weekend afternoons bring heavy recreational boat traffic into Ego Alley and occasional bay thunderstorms, so plan walking loops of the historic circles in the morning and harbour views after 16:00.

Sources