Should I visit Annapolis in March, April or May?

Hi all,

I live in Arlington, VA and I%26#39;m looking into making a weekend trip to Annapolis with my girlfriend sometime soon.

I%26#39;d love to take the trip in March, April or May, but I%26#39;m not sure which time would be best to see Annapolis. We%26#39;re looking for decent weather for walking around, somewhat reasonable hotel prices, and a time that it is not overwhelmed with tourists.

Could any of you offer some advice on when I should make the trip?

Thanks!

Should I visit Annapolis in March, April or May?

The Maryland legislature is in session until the first week in April and I would expect hotel rates to be fairly high throughout this period, but maybe weekends are different. March can be very cold and windy on the water - not so condusive to walking the beautiful streets unless you like cold. Couple other things to keep in mind - April 12 is Easter Weekend. Annapolis is beautifully decorated for May Day - May 1 - many of the doors are festooned with beautiful flower arrangements and wreaths. Weather in late April and early May is usually quite nice. Commissioning Week is May 12 - a fun time to be in Annapolis,but accomodations are hard to find.

Should I visit Annapolis in March, April or May?

I agree with the late April / early May recommendation. However, I think that Commissioning Week is 5/16 to 5/23. It is usually the week before Memorial Day weekend. Cool week, but crowded and hotels will be pricey.

My mistake - commissioning week is May 16-23. Blue Angels flying on Tuesday and Wednesday.

It sounds like that window of time between May 1 and May 15 matches exactly what I%26#39;m looking for.

I%26#39;ve never been to Annapolis before - are there any ';must see'; events/places that I should put on my list?

Thanks for the great tips!

May is nice in Annapolis or any part of Maryland. Not too hot, no longer cold. Make sure you visit the state capital - it%26#39;s the oldest one in continuous use. Annapolis is a walking town. Find a place to park (good luck) and then walk it. The best stores are all down by the harbor.

If you are going to choose early May for your visit, definitely wait awhile before booking. I have been researching some properties for family members and the advanced pricing on some of the hotels is absolutely ridiculous for the current economy. I don%26#39;t know if Annapolis thinks it is Teflon coated, but I would not pay the price they are advertising.

You%26#39;re from the area so you know how our weather can fluctuate. I%26#39;ve eaten outside in Annapolis in December and even late February. The good thing is, if the weather cooperates, the cafes and restaurants are quick to oblige. If you don%26#39;t have to plan way ahead, you may even want to wait and see what late March can bring. Prices are way lower and you should be able to book without too much advance notice and even negotiate a rate.

Downtown Annapolis is a compact, very walkable area with narrow old-world streets, many gift shops and art galleries selling nautical scenes, crafts, and Navy souvenirs, very charming. Driving into town, you can park your car for free at the Naval Academy Stadium and walk a short distance across the bridge into downtown. Or you can pay to park at the 2 or 3 multi-level parking garages downtown, if they%26#39;re not full. The busiest pedestrian traffic is around the City Dock. Be sure to walk inside the colonial-era State Capitol. If time allows, walk inside the Naval Academy gate to the visitors center and sign up for a walking tour of the Academy. There are also cruise boats (at the City Dock area) that give continuous narrated guided tours of the harbor area, and even longer cruises to the town of Saint Michaels on the Eastern Shore.

With so many great suggestions from you all, I am getting more excited about my Annapolis trip!

One add%26#39;l question on hotels:

I%26#39;d like to pay around $100/night, which I don%26#39;t expect to find in ';downtown'; Annapolis, but there seems to be a bunch of $100 hotels within 5 miles outside of downtown.

I%26#39;m thinking of staying in the Hilton Garden Inn (at 305 Harry S Truman Pkwy). Anyone had experiences there, or had friends/relatives stay there?

Alternatively, if you have any personal hotel recommendations in that $100 price range I%26#39;m open to suggestions!

Another good hotel site is www.kayak.com

Simply put in Annapolis MD for location and the dates you are looking for. What is nice is that all properties pop up at once with their rates for that time and you don%26#39;t have to keep going into separate windows. They also have ratings. You may want to check O%26#39;Callahan%26#39;s rates. I just plugged in a May weekend and it came up I believe $128.00 which is extremely reasonable for a downtown property. The rates may drop if you go even earlier. I%26#39;ve stayed here a couple times and it is a quality hotel.

If you have to drive into Annapolis and pay for parking, this may make up for it. Don%26#39;t know what O%26#39;Callahans charges. Please be aware that the best place to park in Annapolis is in one of the garages. But they fill up fast. Meter parking and street parking has a two hour limit and it means just that. You must move your car and can%26#39;t feed the meters, which can be distracting if you plan on spending the day.

May is the best time to visit Annapolis. Staying outside of Annapolis will be less expensive. It might be beneficial to call for rates and ask for deals. St. Michaels is a nice drive. If you like authentic spanish/mexican, go to Jalapenos , near the new Parole Town Center complex. Best crab cakes are Davis%26#39;s Pub in Eastport. Best Sushi is Tsunami.

Have fun!