Free & Cheap Things to Do in Annapolis

History & Culture

The Maryland State House is the oldest state capitol building in the United States still in continuous legislative use, and one of the most historically significant buildings in the country. It was here that George Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in 1783, and where the Continental Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War. The distinctive wooden dome — built without nails using wooden pegs — is the oldest wooden dome on a state capitol in the US. Free self-guided and ranger-led tours are available throughout the day.

Address: 100 State Cir, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: Free guided tours run Monday–Friday at 11am and 3pm, and weekends at 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm. No reservation needed — just show up. The building is an active legislative seat so some areas may be restricted during session. The view of the dome from State Circle is one of the most-photographed scenes in Maryland.

Parks & Nature

Annapolis City Dock — affectionately known as "Ego Alley" for the parade of gleaming sailboats and powerboats that cruise slowly past the dock to be admired — is the lively heart of this sailing capital. The surrounding waterfront is free to stroll, with historic 18th-century brick buildings, open-air restaurants, boat-watching, and direct access to the charming streets of the Maryland Avenue Historic District. The dock sits at the base of Main Street, which climbs up through one of the best-preserved colonial streetscapes in America.

Address: City Dock, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: Weekend afternoons in summer are the liveliest — sailboats queue up to cruise Ego Alley and the dock fills with locals and visitors. The short walk up Main Street to the State House is one of the best free walks on the East Coast. Free parking is available at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium with a free shuttle to the dock on busy weekends.

History & Culture

The grounds of the United States Naval Academy in the heart of Annapolis are open to the public and offer one of the most impressive free walks in the mid-Atlantic. Visitors can explore the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center (free), view the crypt of John Paul Jones beneath the Chapel, and walk the historic Yard — 338 acres of grounds with Beaux-Arts buildings, monuments, and views over the Severn River. The Academy also hosts free Brigade parades on most Friday afternoons during the academic year, which are open to the public.

Address: 52 King George St, Annapolis, MD 21402

Tip: Note: Guided public tours are currently suspended due to increased security measures — check the USNA website before visiting for the latest access policy. The grounds remain open: visitors with a valid REAL ID-compliant driver's license or passport can walk in through Gate 1. The view of the Severn River from the seawall is worth the walk alone. Brigade parades typically occur Friday afternoons during the academic year when open to the public.

History & Culture

The William Paca House is a stunning five-part Georgian mansion built in 1765 by William Paca, one of Maryland's signers of the Declaration of Independence. The two-acre pleasure garden behind the house — restored to its original 18th-century design with terraced parterres, a Chinese Chippendale bridge, and a wilderness garden — is one of the finest examples of a Colonial American garden surviving in its original form. Together the house and garden offer an immersive window into the life of a wealthy Maryland patriot on the eve of the Revolution.

Address: 186 Prince George St, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: The garden is the real highlight — allocate at least 30 minutes to wander it fully. Open Tuesday–Sunday. The house is a short walk from the City Dock and State House, making it easy to combine with a full downtown walking day. Check the website for special events including evening garden concerts in summer.

History & Museums

Maryland's official museum of African American heritage, with free admission and rotating exhibits on Black history in the Chesapeake region. Housed in the historic Mount Moriah AME Church just off Church Circle.

Address: 84 Franklin St, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: Open Tuesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday. Pair with the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial at City Dock for a Black history walking afternoon.

History & Museums

A 1774 Georgian mansion considered one of the finest examples of Colonial American architecture, with hourly guided tours of period rooms and decorative arts. Children under 12 are always free.

Address: 19 Maryland Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: Open noon–5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, April through December (closed Tuesdays and the entire winter). Free with SNAP/EBT through the Museums for All program. Free parking on weekends at the Bladen Street Garage.

History & Museums

Free tours of the colonial-era home of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. The waterfront garden overlooks Spa Creek.

Address: 107 Duke of Gloucester St, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: Public tours run weekends only, June through October, noon–4 p.m. Free for individuals and groups up to 6. Larger or off-season groups by appointment ($10/person).

Memorials & History

A free outdoor memorial at City Dock marking the actual arrival point of Kunta Kinte and other enslaved Africans. Includes life-size bronze sculptures of Alex Haley reading to children, the Compass Rose, and the Story Wall.

Address: 1 Dock St, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: Always open and accessible. The only memorial in the U.S. that commemorates the actual name and place of arrival of an enslaved African — a moving stop on any Annapolis waterfront walk.

History & Museums

A small waterfront museum in a historic Eastport oyster-packing plant covering the Chesapeake Bay's working watermen, oyster trade, and local boatbuilding. The companion 12-acre Park Campus across Back Creek is free, with hiking trails and a public paddle-craft launch.

Address: 723 Second St, Annapolis, MD 21403

Tip: Museum Campus open Tuesday–Sunday 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free with SNAP/EBT through the Museums for All program. The Park Campus at 7300 Edgewood Rd is open daily dawn to dusk and always free.

Parks & Waterfront

A 340-acre Anne Arundel County park between the South River and Harness Creek with miles of paved trails, three playgrounds, an off-leash dog park, kayak rentals, and waterfront picnic spots. One of the cheapest waterfront escapes in the Annapolis area.

Address: 600 Quiet Waters Park Rd, Annapolis, MD 21403

Tip: Open 7 a.m. to dusk daily. Per-vehicle pass covers everyone in the car — split it across a family or carpool to keep the per-person cost near zero. Free for active military.

Parks & Gardens

A free 5-acre public garden and arboretum on the grounds of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, with landscaped sections representing the state's distinct ecosystems — Western Maryland forest, streamside wetland, and Eastern Shore peninsula.

Address: 580 Taylor Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: Open daily dawn to dusk. Enter through the Tawes State Office Building courtyard. Best for birding in spring — over 100 species have been recorded here.

Parks & Waterfront

Annapolis's largest free city park — 70+ acres along Spa Creek with 12 tennis courts, basketball, baseball fields, a skate park, hiking trails, two playgrounds, and a public boat ramp. Named 2025 Public Park of the Year by Racquet Sports Industry Magazine.

Address: 273 Hilltop Ln, Annapolis, MD 21403

Tip: Park is free; the seasonal pool and Pip Moyer Recreation Center charge separate fees. Skate park, courts, and trails are all open dawn to dusk.

Shopping & Strolling

The cobbled spine of historic downtown Annapolis runs from Church Circle down to City Dock — eight blocks of preserved 18th-century brick buildings now housing restaurants, ice cream parlors, an independent bookstore, art galleries, jewelry shops, and souvenir stores. Look in any direction from Main Street and you'll see something — Naval Academy midshipmen in dress whites, the harbor, four centuries of architecture all on one street.

Address: Main Street between Church Circle and City Dock, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: Park at the Hillman Garage or Knighton Garage and walk down — the Main Street curb is metered and crowded. Best photo angle is from the City Dock end looking up the hill toward the State House dome. Combine with the Maryland State House (already in this directory) and the Annapolis City Dock for a half-day downtown loop.

Markets & Food

The county's largest year-round farmers' market, held under a covered pavilion on Riva Road about 10 minutes' drive from downtown Annapolis. Maryland farmers and watermen bring Chesapeake Bay seafood, produce, dairy, eggs, baked goods, jams, pickles, coffee, and prepared foods. The covered pavilion makes it a rare year-round Maryland market that runs even in January cold.

Address: 275 Harry S Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: Saturday hours: 7am-12pm, April 4 through December 31, 2026. Sunday hours: 9am-12pm year-round. Get there before 9am for the best seafood — the watermen sell out fast on weekends. About a 10-minute drive from Main Street; free parking on site.

Arts & Culture

An eight-block walkable arts neighborhood stretching from Church Circle along West Street and Maryland Avenue. Maryland Avenue's brick-paved blocks are lined with independent galleries — Annapolis Collection, Gallery 57 West, Maria's Picture Place, Maryland Federation of Art Circle Gallery, Nancy Hammond Editions — alongside antique shops, framing studios, and small boutiques. Free to wander; many galleries host openings on First Sunday Arts Festival days.

Address: Maryland Avenue & West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401

Tip: First Sunday of every May-October the West Street stretch closes to traffic for the First Sunday Arts Festival — outdoor artist booths, live music, and street food. The arts district website maintains a downloadable walking-tour map with every gallery's hours. Maryland Avenue's slope toward the Naval Academy makes a natural walking loop with Main Street.

Beaches

Just north of Annapolis at the foot of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Sandy Point has a calm sandy swimming beach with the best front-row view of the bridge anywhere. Beachcombing, crabbing, kite-flying, and birding fill an easy budget day on the bay.

Address: 1100 E College Pkwy, Annapolis, MD 21409

Tip: Go early on summer weekends — the lot fills and the park closes when full. The beach is calm and shallow, good for young kids. Off-season is cheap and quiet, with great bridge photos.

History & Museums

Eight miles south of Annapolis in Edgewater, this riverside archaeology park preserves the lost colonial tobacco port of London Town, anchored by the 1760 William Brown House and 10 acres of woodland gardens along the South River. Costumed-history tours reveal the lives of colonists and the enslaved.

Address: 839 Londontown Rd, Edgewater, MD 21037

Tip: The gardens and grounds are the highlight; guided house and archaeology tours are included. Free with an Anne Arundel library family pass or an EBT card (Museums for All). Closed Sundays and Mondays.