Springtime in Annapolis
I apologize for posting this now in the summer, however, life got in the way for awhile. Annapolis is just as beautiful (and more lively) in the summer months as the spring.
Some people love the beach. I however love the coastline and visiting the old colonial towns, like Newport, RI and Portsmouth, NH. I recently had the opportunity to go to visit another, slightly closer city, Annapolis, MD for a few days this past April. This is a city I’ve been visiting for decades and keep returning to.
My wife and I stayed at The Maryland Inn, part of the Historic Inns of Annapolis, which also included the Governor Calvert House and the Robert Johnson House. I usually stay at the Governor Calvert House, however I decided to change things up this time. It was a perfect blend of old world charm and modern amenities. The only complaint I had was the small shower, being that I’m 6’2”. So if you’re tall, then the Governor Calvert House is for you. They’re not too far from each other, but The Maryland Inn really does put you even more in the center of everything. You’re right there on Main Street, but you’re also in Church Circle, with the Arts District right there a short distance away on West Street. The added convenience was really noticeable.
For dinner we ate at The Choptank, a new restaurant right on the water. Just a note, if you plan on partaking in whacking some blue crabs, request a table upstairs. We were told that the marble tables downstairs were not conducive to the hacking and whacking 🥲. They did offer to move our table upstairs, however we had such a great spot with an open window right on the water, that I chose instead to have the crab cake sandwich with the loaded crab fries on the side (an upcharge over the regular fries). It was the best crab cake sandwich I’ve ever had (as it should be for $30). Loaded with actual lump crab meat and no filler, it was filling and fulfilling. My wife had the local rockfish, with the ponzu shiitake mushroom sauce on top, which was tasty if a tad salty (and I love my salt). I definitely recommend this place, just bring an empty belly and a full wallet 😁. You can’t beat the food or the view, especially at sunset. That night we had a quick nightcap at the Galway Bay Irish Restaurant and Pub, a nice place for a pint to wind down the night. If you’re up for some walking, history, and spooky stories, you can always go on the ghost walk at night with Annapolis Tours & Crawls. They even have a haunted pub crawl that was fun the one time we went on a previous visit.
The next day we strolled around and saw some interesting houses with some funny decorations. A picture of a green army figure standing guard on a fire hydrant, which I call Standing Guard, will be available for purchase soon from my online shop. We had breakfast at the Iron Rooster, located in the heart of town right by the water. If you’re up for treating yourself to a great breakfast, definitely try the homemade RoosTarts. their homemade PopTarts. We then wound up taking a tour of the US Naval Academy. It’s free to visit, however to take a guided tour, it’s $14 per person and worthwhile. If you’re looking for a unique coffeeshop, try The Old Fox Books & Coffee. It’s a quaint bookstore with a coffeeshop contained within a garden that can only be described as magical, like something out of a book. There is even a small house for kids to play in, whilst you enjoy your coffee on the terrace.
Before dinner, and after quite a bit of walking around, we settled in at the Parley Room for a cocktail and their à la carte charcuterie board. The duck and tuna were a great addition. One order of whatever you wish to have was enough for two people. Later we strolled across the Annapolis-Eastport Bridge, which offers great views at sunset, to get to our dinner destination, The Boatyard Bar and Grill. It’s in Eastport, as the bridge name suggests, a part of Annapolis that has a charm unto its own. There you will find even more restaurants, off the beaten path, but close enough to downtown that you can walk there. I had an oyster shooter, which was definitely not for the faint of heart. They have local brews on tap, including some from the Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis. The Copperhead Ale is always a refreshing favorite of mine. We both had the crab cake dinner, which you should either bring a big appetite, a doggy bag, or both, should you order it. At market price, you get your monies worth. There was no filler, just delicious blue crab. After dinner we walked back and had a nightcap at Pusser’s, which can be found in the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel by Marriott. It offers great dockside views of the bay as well as a drink called The Painkiller using Pusser’s own Navy Rum recipe. It used to come in five levels of painkilling, however, it now only comes in levels 2 through 4 🙁. The dockside views are hard to beat though, watching the water at night and the glimpses of life upon it.
The next morning before departing, we ate breakfast at the Light House Bistro, on West Street. After touring Main Street and all it has to offer, West Street is part of the redeveloped Arts District, which offers coffee shops, restaurants, bars, hotels and sometimes street fairs. The Light House Bistro is a different kind of restaurant that offers employment opportunities to those who might otherwise have trouble finding gainful employment by training them in hospitality and the culinary arts. The French Omelette had all my favorites with bacon, shallots, and Gruyère and was exceptionally yummy and a great fuel for the road ahead and back home.
