Today skippers tend to their boats tied along the wharf at Market Square and Dock Street where Chesapeake Bay watermen have docked for generations. Visitors, townspeople, and the smartly dressed midshipmen from the U. S. Naval Academy mingle on historic city streets. The aroma of fresh-baked breads and Chesapeake Bay seafood fills the air. At the waterfront, seagulls swoop to catch bits of bread children toss into the air. Annapolis is brimming with opportunities to explore.
Several organizations offer tours on foot, by boat, or on wheels.
Old homes, museums, the City Dock, State Circle, seafood restaurants, shops, and the scenic waterfront are fine places to poke about by oneself, too. At the waterfront, book a fishing charter, rent a sea kayak or powerboat, or climb aboard a sailing schooner, cruise boat, or yacht to tour the Chesapeake Bay. On the campus of St. John s College is the Liberty Tree, so named because it served as a meeting place for the Sons of Liberty prior to the Revolutionary War. St. John s College, which traces its origins to King William s College founded in 1696, is one of the nation s oldest colleges. Most of the nightlife at Annapolis is in or near the historic district.