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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