Welcome back to Annapolis!
We at SpinSheet love welcoming visiting sailors to our capital city of Annapolis. We have put together a quick guide to make your trip easier, more fun, and interesting. If you have more questions about what to do in Annapolis, stop by the SpinSheet booth at the U.S. Sailboat Show (October 13-17) at Land Space 19. We’d love to meet you and tell you about our favorite places:
Acqua Al 2
If you go up Main Street Annapolis to the very top and look right where there used to be a bank, you will find the new Italian restaurant Acqua Al 2. Boasting an authentic Tuscan dining experience, the restaurant offers a wide array of vegetarian pasta, hand-carved steaks, and fresh seafood, and an extensive Italian wine list. It’s only open for dinner, with reservtions on Open Table.
The ChopTank
Now open on Ego Alley along downtown Annapolis’s City Dock, The Choptank is a classic fish and crab house serving Maryland cuisine, including steamed hard-shell blue crabs. Find live local musicians on the indoor stage as well as a spacious waterfront deck and rooftop overlooking the U.S. Sailboat Show. Right before opening their doors this summer, The Choptank gave a $10,000 grant directly to the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis so that their community pool at Harbour House could open and be operational for families. What a nice way to become part of the community!
For history buffs
Annapolis is a city with origins dating back to the 1650s. George Washington definitely slept here. After the signing of the Treaty of Paris—in Annapolis—in 1793 to end the Revolutionary War, our city became the temporary capital of the country. General Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in this very city later that year. Sailors who are also history buffs should start at the Museum of Historic Annapolis at 99 Main Street (only steps away from the Sailboat Show). There you will learn some history and insights about how to see the significant sites in town, including: Annapolis Maritime Museum, Banneker-Douglass Museum, Hammond-Harwood House, Maryland State House, The Mitchell Gallery at St. John’s College, U.S. Naval Academy Museum, William Paca House and Garden, Hogshead Waterfront Warehouse, and James Brice House. Click to annapolis.org.
What's being built?
While traveling up Main Street and looking left, you might have noticed a huge hole in what used to be the Hillman Garage. The parking garage rebuild began in April, with an expected completion date of June 2023. According to the City, the reimagining of City Dock will begin shortly after the new Hillman reopens and is expected to take up to 24 months. The City’s work will be connected to and coordinated with the resilience work being conducted by the Department of Defense at the United States Naval Academy.
Welcome from Mayor Buckley
"Annapolis is a city with a long and proud maritime history,” said Mayor Gavin Buckley, who came to this town by sailboat years ago and made it his home. “We appreciate the industries borne out of our proximity to the Chesapeake Bay, and we have been active and engaged in helping the industry to continue to be as vibrant as possible and to be a real and connected part of our community.”
Under wraps
Why, you may ask, is the beautiful State House Dome wrapped up to look like something between a tall, awkward wedding cake and a space station? Paint! It fades and chips. As with boats, old buildings require fresh paint. Work is expected to be complete by the year’s end. We’d like to thank the state for putting decorative lights on the wrapping, as it’s fun, festive, and photo-worthy.
Where does the purple bus lead?
To make sure that locals and visitors have plentiful and easy parking options during the renovation of the Hillman Garage, the City of Annapolis has improved free shuttle access as well as offered “Annapolis Go” bikes and “Bird” scooters. If you have parked at an uptown garage or walked there and want a ride downtown (or vice versa), look for a black and magenta (purplish) sign to mark shuttle stops and a magenta bus. It’s free and will take you uptown, downtown, or all around. Find details about routes and stops.
