Anniversary trip - Annapolis?

[CMW0021]

My husband and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary this September. We haven't been away withou the kids since before we had kids. We want to do something realtively close to home (southwest Pa) and only for 2 nights. We love fresh seafood and love to spend time on the water. I have never been to Annapolis but it seems like that might fit the bill perfectly. Any suggestions on where to stay and restaurants not to miss? I have done some research on tripadvisor and most of the bed and breakfasts get fantastic reviews as well as the hotels. help me narrow it down! Thanks in advance!

 

[jambo5564]

Check out alexandria Virginia. Beautiful old city. Right on the potomac.

 

[hlg22]

My husband and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary this September. We haven't been away withou the kids since before we had kids. We want to do something realtively close to home (southwest Pa) and only for 2 nights. We love fresh seafood and love to spend time on the water. I have never been to Annapolis but it seems like that might fit the bill perfectly. Any suggestions on where to stay and restaurants not to miss? I have done some research on tripadvisor and most of the bed and breakfasts get fantastic reviews as well as the hotels. help me narrow it down! Thanks in advance!

Just outside of Annapolis is Cantler's Riverside Inn, my favorite place for crabs and they've got a deck right on the water.

If you're open to nearby destinations, there are lots of very cute little inns and B&Bs on the Eastern Shore of Maryland that are adorable and very romantic. I know this is the budget board, but if you're able to splurge (10th anniversary!), the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels is a-mazing. I haven't been, but I also have friends who really like the Bartlett Pear Inn in Easton, which is also supposed to have a fantastic restaurant.

 

[Schmoodle]

Annapolis is a great place to visit. There's lots to see and do. Go to historicinnsofannapolis.com and sign up for their mailing list. They do the booking for several old B&Bs downtown and often offer specials via email. O'Callaghan's is also nice and within walking distance of downtown area. I'm local so haven't spent much time in the hotels but our visitors have liked these places. It's a great town for walking around enjoying the scenery. Check out the U.S. Naval Academy Museum and John Paul Jones crypt. O'Leary's in Eastport is great for seafood. See who is playing at Ram's Head - fun place. There are some good walking tours and you can get a charter and get out on the Bay.

The only problem with fall is Navy football games start, Renaissance Festival in Crownsville opens (you might want to check this out), the Seafood Festival at Sandy Point (ditto) and the Sailboat and Power Boat shows (October). When two or more of these things overlap, there can be a perfect storm nightmare of traffic. So be sure to check out what else is going on in town while you're there.

 

[bmraar]

We just made a very quick visit to St. John's College in Annapolis last month, and the town was gorgeous! So historic and charming... you will love it!

Kim

 

[Zhoen]

Hiya,

I'm a local... come on out! The PP who talked about the traffic is right, but there are tricks to getting around even on the worst of days.

I wanted to suggest Chick N' Ruth's Deli. aka-Chickenruth's. It is *NOT* classy, romantic, or any of those things... but it *IS* the most "authentic" little dive left on Main Street. We see a lot of places come and go... but this place is a classic. It's also kind of loud and crowded and brightly painted in garrish colors... but that's what I like about it. The walls are covered with pictures of all the famous people who have been there over the years, and menu items are named for the people they like-- or don't. My life goal is to get a menu item named for me there someday... just preferably not the baloney or chicken sandwiches... those are not compliments...

I'd second what the others have said about going to a B&B, there are several good ones. There's only one or two big hotels in the historic district (which is really what you want, from the sound of it) and they are chain-places... no real character. Consider a harbor cruise-- they do a good job of pointing out the little bits of local color you might otherwise miss and aren't expensive for an hour or two on the water.

OH! And I always like to tell anyone who likes the "quaint and charming" atmosphere to imagine the inner harbor and outer anchorages as they really were... Warehouses and Wh-rehouses Remember the slaves being taken from the ships there-- not trying to ruin it for you, trying to give you a better idea of the "real" Annapolis... it's even cooler if you look under the whitewash! And if you stop in to Middleton's Tavern for a snack or a drink, go upstairs... that's where the "working girls" had their rooms... ;D

If you're physically able, there's a great volksmarch (ava.org) that starts at the Visitor's Center and points out all sorts of little tidbits... just an idea.

Have fun, and Happy Anniversary!

 

[wiigirl]

Check out alexandria Virginia. Beautiful old city. Right on the potomac.

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

If you love the water you will love Annapolis. And it is a very walkable city.

 

[vicki_c]

Hiya,

I'm a local... come on out! The PP who talked about the traffic is right, but there are tricks to getting around even on the worst of days.

I wanted to suggest Chick N' Ruth's Deli. aka-Chickenruth's. It is *NOT* classy, romantic, or any of those things... but it *IS* the most "authentic" little dive left on Main Street. We see a lot of places come and go... but this place is a classic. It's also kind of loud and crowded and brightly painted in garrish colors... but that's what I like about it. The walls are covered with pictures of all the famous people who have been there over the years, and menu items are named for the people they like-- or don't. My life goal is to get a menu item named for me there someday... just preferably not the baloney or chicken sandwiches... those are not compliments...

I'd second what the others have said about going to a B&B, there are several good ones. There's only one or two big hotels in the historic district (which is really what you want, from the sound of it) and they are chain-places... no real character. Consider a harbor cruise-- they do a good job of pointing out the little bits of local color you might otherwise miss and aren't expensive for an hour or two on the water.

OH! And I always like to tell anyone who likes the "quaint and charming" atmosphere to imagine the inner harbor and outer anchorages as they really were... Warehouses and Wh-rehouses Remember the slaves being taken from the ships there-- not trying to ruin it for you, trying to give you a better idea of the "real" Annapolis... it's even cooler if you look under the whitewash! And if you stop in to Middleton's Tavern for a snack or a drink, go upstairs... that's where the "working girls" had their rooms... ;D

If you're physically able, there's a great volksmarch (ava.org) that starts at the Visitor's Center and points out all sorts of little tidbits... just an idea.

Have fun, and Happy Anniversary!

Hilarious because I was going to post and tell the OP to not bother with Chick and Ruth's (or Buddy's now that I think of it). I just find it overhyped when we have so many better (and friendlier) places in town. Just funny since we have such opposite opinions.

 

[TiggerTails57]

We saw John King (CNN) at Chick and Ruth's two weeks ago.

 

[mikehn]

September is the peak of the blue crab season, when they are huge and tasty. And Cantlers has some of the best crabs.

 

[Soulsearching]

 

[CMW0021]

Thank you all so much! Cantlers looks great, love those blue crabs! And the inn at perry cabin does look amazing. We are going the first week of August. Only Sunday-Tuesday. Don't want to go to far or to long as our first trip away from the kiddos. I definitely will check out Alexandria as well. My coworker just came back from a girls weekend and loved it. Excited!!

 

[Eureka]

Check out alexandria Virginia. Beautiful old city. Right on the potomac.

Lots of great restaurants in and around Old Town.

 

[Malibustyle23]

Just outside of Annapolis is Cantler's Riverside Inn, my favorite place for crabs and they've got a deck right on the water.

If you're open to nearby destinations, there are lots of very cute little inns and B&Bs on the Eastern Shore of Maryland that are adorable and very romantic. I know this is the budget board, but if you're able to splurge (10th anniversary!), the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels is a-mazing. I haven't been, but I also have friends who really like the Bartlett Pear Inn in Easton, which is also supposed to have a fantastic restaurant.

Wow. It is so weird to see a recommendation for a little town so close to me that I frequent often. No one ever mentions "my side" of the shore unless it's about Ocean City, MD.

OP if you take this advice also check out Oxford, MD. St. Michaels and Oxford are both wonderful places to stay at small bed and breakfasts but they will be very different from Annapolis. Annapolis is a city these are very small quaint towns. These will be romantic, peaceful trips away. You can rent a bicycle to get around town, do some window shopping, etc and dine right on the water. It will be very peaceful not city overwhelming.

 

[smga1]

Cantler's is awesome for crabs. Harris Crab House is over the bay bridge too. I love Maria's restaurant in downtown Annapolis. St Michael is beautiful. A town that cant be beat.

 

[vicki_c]

Cantler's is awesome for crabs. Harris Crab House is over the bay bridge too. I love Maria's restaurant in downtown Annapolis. St Michael is beautiful. A town that cant be beat.

Maria's is one of my favorites.

 

[englishteacha]

Annapolis is nice. My friend used to live there and I had a great weekend visiting her. We went to the MD Renaissance Festival while I was there which was a ton of fun. It's something different that I wouldn't have normally done, but it was really cool. It wasn't far from Annapolis.

 

[CMW0021]

Wow. It is so weird to see a recommendation for a little town so close to me that I frequent often. No one ever mentions "my side" of the shore unless it's about Ocean City, MD.

OP if you take this advice also check out Oxford, MD. St. Michaels and Oxford are both wonderful places to stay at small bed and breakfasts but they will be very different from Annapolis. Annapolis is a city these are very small quaint towns. These will be romantic, peaceful trips away. You can rent a bicycle to get around town, do some window shopping, etc and dine right on the water. It will be very peaceful not city overwhelming.

Thanks for this information. So you wouldn't consider Annapolis peaceful, when you say city, do you mean skyscraper city? That's not what we are looking for. I know there is a more historic district of Annapolis, is that similar to St. Michaels or Oxford. Any ideas on places to stay in the areas you recommended?

 

[Malibustyle23]

Thanks for this information. So you wouldn't consider Annapolis peaceful, when you say city, do you mean skyscraper city? That's not what we are looking for. I know there is a more historic district of Annapolis, is that similar to St. Michaels or Oxford. Any ideas on places to stay in the areas you recommended?

I don't know I guess it just depends on where you come from. I am from a rural area so when I think of Annapolis it is a city even in the historic area. No it is not a skyscraper NYC area but it is a city none the less. When I am within minutes of a mall, tall commercial buildings, a highway that gets atleast 16+ mile beach traffic backup every Friday afternoon I don't consider it peaceful. Both towns I had mentioned are small quaint TOWNS both have become popular with tourists in the summertime but you will still never be at the mass of people in Annapolis. To me more people equals less peace. But again I think that is a personal difference between people. Annapolis is going to have more variety, nightlife, etc.

I would just check out pictures and links online and see which you would prefer personally.

As far as accommodations in this area there won't be a large amount of choices but you can find options for Oxford here http://portofoxford.com/business.php and St. Michael's here http://historic.stmichaelsmd.org/list/category/hotels-resorts-121

If you do choose Annapolis over anywhere on the Eastern Shore side of MD I would recommend taking a day to visit the shore and the waterfront towns. This cruise to the area for the day would be a great way to great here and back http://cruisesonthebay.com/annapoli...ises/annapolis-cruises/cruise-to-st-michaels/ Whatever you choose enjoy your trip.