Annapolis is best understood in smaller pieces. Around State Circle and Maryland Avenue, the Maryland State House and the legislative complex put state government into the downtown street scene. Main Street and Market Space draw you toward the waterfront, while Eastport opens another side of the city.
The Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park is a useful Eastport landmark. Its museum is at the Back Creek end of Second Street; its separate park campus is on Edgewood Road across the creek. Choose the correct campus before leaving, because two waterfront locations can be close across the water and require a different trip by road.
Forest Drive and Bay Ridge Avenue are part of the road approach to this side of Annapolis. Downtown, the city’s trolley information helps you compare garage locations and the streets served. Construction can change the route, so use the city’s current map when planning that leg of a visit.
Leave room to learn one area at a time. An errand near Maryland Avenue, a walk around downtown and a visit to Back Creek need not all be the same outing.