by Nathan Bickell
(Story appears on page 52 of the October issue of Proptalk)
Even for an Annapolis lifer there are always new nooks and crannies of town to discover. So step outside the gates of the U.sS. Powerboat Show and go explore Annapolis
The Market House Returns
Since the 17th-century building was flooded a decade ago by Tropical Storm Isabel, Market House has gone through a series of renovations, re-openings, and other mishaps that have taken much longer than anticipated. Arguably the most desirable piece of real estate in Annapolis has been sitting dormant for years… But not anymore!
The first new Market House vendor to open was Amsterdam Falafel House. The carryout restaurant serves freshly-made falafels on light and airy pitas with a wide variety of toppings. We recommend the three-baller on wheat with plenty of hummus, yogurt dill, and garlicky parsley; then grab your pita sandwich to go and get back to the show!
Another good option for a lunch that you can take on the go is Sofi’s Crepes, located behind the Harbor Master off Dock Street. Nearly all of the ingredients in these thin French pancakes are prepared from scratch, with crepes falling into two categories: sweet and savory. We recommend the PropTalk Boater’s Special on page 51, as well as “The Classic,” a ham, gruyere cheese, and Dijon ketchup dream come true; in terms of sweet crepes nothing can beat Nutella and strawberries.
Party on the Dock
Pussers Caribbean Grille Restaurant acts as a gate entrance to the Boat Show, and as such the restaurant is home to a steady stream of show-goers looking to ease the sticker shock of the boat prices with a Painkiller cocktail or two (go ahead: get the Number Four). Bartender Jason Ptasnki describes them as two weekends of craziness on the Pussers dock, adding that the powerboat show-goers tend to party harder than the sailboat show. We all knew that, though.
The dock at Pussers can get crowded with Boat Show attendees, so don’t be afraid to head inside to the bar where multiple televisions will have both college and pro football playing (the Ravens play at one p.m. on Sunday, while Navy plays Air Force at 11:30 on Saturday).
See the Town
Downtown Annapolis can easily be covered on foot, so there’s no excuse for being lazy. The United States Naval Academy and the Maryland State House are must see sights and are free, but all adults need a photo ID to enter. For a great bird’s-eye view of downtown Annapolis and the Boat Show, hike up to the top of the State House. It’s the highest point in Annapolis, so don’t forget your camera.
On Church Circle in between Main Street and Duke of Gloucester, the Maryland Inn is the subject of a great bit of Annapolis trivia: The inn was built on this narrow corner because in Colonial times, the British would base property taxes on the size of the front of the building. The Maryland Inn stuck it to the man by having a ludicrously narrow front and then widening as the two streets diverged. You have to respect that.
For all the history buffs out there, Annapolis offers multiple guided tours of downtown (we especially love the two-hour Four Centuries
Tour). Meeting at the harbor master’s office, Watermark offers tours by guides dressed in full Colonial regalia. One of these guides is Frederick W. Taylor, II, or “Squire Frederick,” the officially-appointed town crier of Annapolis. Squire Frederick is your source for all of the latest town crier gossip. To really get him started, ask him what he thinks of the “official” British town crier.
To feel futuristic while experiencing historic Annapolis, try out a Segway tour from Segzone on Prince George Street. You can zip around town on a Segway for $55 an hour and $75 for two hours.
The Historic Annapolis Foundation at the bottom of Main Street has an excellent museum exhibit detailing the experiences of runaway slaves in Annapolis before the Civil War. The museum and tours are aimed specifically at families and are kept cost efficient with a $5 suggested donation.
If you are looking to see Annapolis beyond the confines of downtown all the while getting a little exercise consider:
Renting a Bike
Bikes can be rented from the Harbor Master on Dock Street for a mere $5 and you can keep the bikes until 8 p.m. no matter when you start your rental. If you’re antsy to get your legs moving, Quiet Waters Park is a terrific and scenic ride that will be about seven miles round trip. Getting to the park requires riding through some traffic but will be well worth it. At the end of the park is the South River overlook, which should not be missed under any circumstances.
Annapolis from the Water
The Schooner Woodwind offers a lighthouse cruise and a champagne brunch aboard its beautiful 74-foot wooden yacht, which was featured prominently in the movie “Wedding Crashers.” The captain will encourage passengers to help crew hoist the sails, and will even allow you to drive the boat on way back in, so again, bring the camera. The Schooner Woodwind departs from Annapolis City Marina, which is extremely convenient to City Dock.
If moving on the water via wind power sounds too easy, then go ahead and provide all the power yourself. You can rent a kayak or paddleboard from Annapolis Canoe and Kayak right across the bridge from the Powerboat Show, while Paddle or Pedal offers rentals of kayaks, stand up paddle boards, row boats, rowing shells, and bikes out of Quiet Waters Park. And for something different (and incredibly fun), check out experiencetheduffyboat.com to rent an electric boat with a ton of class. Boats seat up to 10 passengers and are great for sightseeing Annapolis from the water.
What would a trip to Annapolis be without a crab feast? Downtown, best bets for crabs are the Phillips Crab Deck on Dock Street and Buddy’s Crabs and Ribs at
100 Main St. However, if you can travel a couple extra miles you can buy crabs straight from the watermen who catch them.
Wild Country Seafood is located at 124 Bay Shore Drive in Eastport behind the Annapolis Maritime Museum. A small carryout restaurant with seating on picnic tables outside, Wild Country is as authentic as it gets. Opening time varies a little as owners Pat Mahoney and his sons are out on the water each morning fishing for what they sell in the afternoon and evening.
Cantlers Riverside Inn, owned by waterman Jimmy Cantler, is located at the end of Forest Beach Road over the Naval Academy Bridge. Cantlers offers indoor and outdoor waterfront seating and a full menu of seafood options including local steamed blue crabs.
A bit further outside of town, Mike’s Crab House in Riva gives you a great view of the South River while you bang some crabs on their huge deck.
So what are you waiting for? Annapolis is about way more than boats, so keep this guide close at hand and get out on the town. You won’t be sorry.
Even for an Annapolis lifer there are always new nooks and crannies of town to discover. So step outside the gates of the U.sS. Powerboat Show and go explore Annapolis
The Market House Returns
Since the 17th-century building was flooded a decade ago by Tropical Storm Isabel, Market House has gone through a series of renovations, re-openings, and other mishaps that have taken much longer than anticipated. Arguably the most desirable piece of real estate in Annapolis has been sitting dormant for years… But not anymore!
The first new Market House vendor to open was Amsterdam Falafel House. The carryout restaurant serves freshly-made falafels on light and airy pitas with a wide variety of toppings. We recommend the three-baller on wheat with plenty of hummus, yogurt dill, and garlicky parsley; then grab your pita sandwich to go and get back to the show!
Another good option for a lunch that you can take on the go is Sofi’s Crepes, located behind the Harbor Master off Dock Street. Nearly all of the ingredients in these thin French pancakes are prepared from scratch, with crepes falling into two categories: sweet and savory. We recommend the PropTalk Boater’s Special on page 51, as well as “The Classic,” a ham, gruyere cheese, and Dijon ketchup dream come true; in terms of sweet crepes nothing can beat Nutella and strawberries.
Party on the Dock
Pussers Caribbean Grille Restaurant acts as a gate entrance to the Boat Show, and as such the restaurant is home to a steady stream of show-goers looking to ease the sticker shock of the boat prices with a Painkiller cocktail or two (go ahead: get the Number Four). Bartender Jason Ptasnki describes them as two weekends of craziness on the Pussers dock, adding that the powerboat show-goers tend to party harder than the sailboat show. We all knew that, though.
The dock at Pussers can get crowded with Boat Show attendees, so don’t be afraid to head inside to the bar where multiple televisions will have both college and pro football playing (the Ravens play at one p.m. on Sunday, while Navy plays Air Force at 11:30 on Saturday).
See the Town
Downtown Annapolis can easily be covered on foot, so there’s no excuse for being lazy. The United States Naval Academy and the Maryland State House are must see sights and are free, but all adults need a photo ID to enter. For a great bird’s-eye view of downtown Annapolis and the Boat Show, hike up to the top of the State House. It’s the highest point in Annapolis, so don’t forget your camera.
On Church Circle in between Main Street and Duke of Gloucester, the Maryland Inn is the subject of a great bit of Annapolis trivia: The inn was built on this narrow corner because in Colonial times, the British would base property taxes on the size of the front of the building. The Maryland Inn stuck it to the man by having a ludicrously narrow front and then widening as the two streets diverged. You have to respect that.
For all the history buffs out there, Annapolis offers multiple guided tours of downtown (we especially love the two-hour Four Centuries 
Tour). Meeting at the harbor master’s office, Watermark offers tours by guides dressed in full Colonial regalia. One of these guides is Frederick W. Taylor, II, or “Squire Frederick,” the officially-appointed town crier of Annapolis. Squire Frederick is your source for all of the latest town crier gossip. To really get him started, ask him what he thinks of the “official” British town crier.
To feel futuristic while experiencing historic Annapolis, try out a Segway tour from Segzone on Prince George Street. You can zip around town on a Segway for $55 an hour and $75 for two hours.
The Historic Annapolis Foundation at the bottom of Main Street has an excellent museum exhibit detailing the experiences of runaway slaves in Annapolis before the Civil War. The museum and tours are aimed specifically at families and are kept cost efficient with a $5 suggested donation.
If you are looking to see Annapolis beyond the confines of downtown all the while getting a little exercise consider:
Renting a Bike
Bikes can be rented from the Harbor Master on Dock Street for a mere $5 and you can keep the bikes until 8 p.m. no matter when you start your rental. If you’re antsy to get your legs moving, Quiet Waters Park is a terrific and scenic ride that will be about seven miles round trip. Getting to the park requires riding through some traffic but will be well worth it. At the end of the park is the South River overlook, which should not be missed under any circumstances.
Annapolis from the Water
The Schooner Woodwind offers a lighthouse cruise and a champagne brunch aboard its beautiful 74-foot wooden yacht, which was featured prominently in the movie “Wedding Crashers.” The captain will encourage passengers to help crew hoist the sails, and will even allow you to drive the boat on way back in, so again, bring the camera. The Schooner Woodwind departs from Annapolis City Marina, which is extremely convenient to City Dock.
If moving on the water via wind power sounds too easy, then go ahead and provide all the power yourself. You can rent a kayak or paddleboard from Annapolis Canoe and Kayak right across the bridge from the Powerboat Show, while Paddle or Pedal offers rentals of kayaks, stand up paddle boards, row boats, rowing shells, and bikes out of Quiet Waters Park. And for something different (and incredibly fun), check out experiencetheduffyboat.com to rent an electric boat with a ton of class. Boats seat up to 10 passengers and are great for sightseeing Annapolis from the water.
What would a trip to Annapolis be without a crab feast? Downtown, best bets for crabs are the Phillips Crab Deck on Dock Street and Buddy’s Crabs and Ribs at
100 Main St. However, if you can travel a couple extra miles you can buy crabs straight from the watermen who catch them.
Wild Country Seafood is located at 124 Bay Shore Drive in Eastport behind the Annapolis Maritime Museum. A small carryout restaurant with seating on picnic tables outside, Wild Country is as authentic as it gets. Opening time varies a little as owners Pat Mahoney and his sons are out on the water each morning fishing for what they sell in the afternoon and evening.
Cantlers Riverside Inn, owned by waterman Jimmy Cantler, is located at the end of Forest Beach Road over the Naval Academy Bridge. Cantlers offers indoor and outdoor waterfront seating and a full menu of seafood options including local steamed blue crabs.
A bit further outside of town, Mike’s Crab House in Riva gives you a great view of the South River while you bang some crabs on their huge deck.
So what are you waiting for? Annapolis is about way more than boats, so keep this guide close at hand and get out on the town. You won’t be sorry.