One of the most attractive neighborhoods in all of Annapolis to stay in during your vacation is right in the heart of downtown. Beautiful brick townhouses, quaint tree-lined streets, and an amazing mixture of architectural styles, including classic Beaux-Arts, Greek Revival, Italianate and Federal style architecture combined with nearly 400 years of history make it easy to enjoy the sights, solitude, and style of this waterfront city. At Home Annapolis is proud to offer a selection of Annapolis vacation homes located smack in the middle of this historic district, ranging from quaint 3-bedrooms to stylish and historic 5-bedroom townhouses, and everything in between. No matter what brings you to Annapolis, if you want to stay in the downtown area, we have the perfect downtown Annapolis rentals for you.
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Home with History
Annapolis was founded in 1649 and even served as the first peacetime capital of the U.S., albeit briefly (1783-1784). The downtown district reflects this at every turn with elegant avenues, colonial-era buildings, and cobblestone streets. The architecture reflects a melting pot of many styles, including the popular Beaux-Arts style so common at the turn of the 19th century, and numerous historical (and beautiful) churches dot the blocks. The Maryland Statehouse, our nation’s oldest state capital, is a historic site very close to all of our downtown rental properties, and it is well worth a visit. The statehouse is one of the few buildings in the city in the Greek Revival Style, its Greek temple look complete with columns and architrave.
If you’re a fan of Georgian style architecture, you’ll want to plan a trip to the William Paca House and Garden, also right downtown. This beautifully restored home and 2-acre garden was built in the 1760s by William Paca, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and Maryland’s third governor. Another beautiful Georgian residence in downtown is the Chase-Lloyd House, home to yet another signer of the Declaration of Independence and Supreme Court Justice, Samuel Chase. This mansion later served as a retirement home for older, gentile ladies and the residence hosted the wedding of Francis Scott Key to Mary Taylor Lloyd in the front parlor. The Hammond-Harwood House, an Anglo-Palladian mansion with intricate woodcarving and plasterwork detailing and a collection of colonial furniture, is worth a visit too.
And of course, any visit to Annapolis isn’t complete without a tour of the U.S. Naval Academy. Start with a tour of the museum, then take a guided tour of the campus with its beautiful Beaux-Arts architecture and lovely gardens. And it’s not all ancient history here in Annapolis, either. While you’re strolling the Academy grounds, take a look across the river for the Maryland WWII Memorial. Facing the Severn River and the Academy, the memorial’s amphitheater is surrounded by columns and granite slabs etched with the names of the 6,454 Marylanders who died in WWII.
Comfortable, Convenient Annapolis, MD Vacation Homes
If you choose to stay with us in one of our downtown rentals, you will be conveniently located near numerous attractions, shops, and fabulous restaurants. And, you’ll be within walking distance to the William Paca House and Gardens, St. John’s College, the U.S. Naval Academy, the Annapolis Harbor, and many more historical sites in downtown Annapolis.
Of course, with your own modern kitchen (most of our units are newly renovated) and comfortable living spaces, you may not ever feel the need to venture out. It will be easy to fix delicious meals (or warm up take-out meals) to keep your hungry crew satisfied. Many of our historic downtown homes feature outdoor brick-walled courtyards complete with dining areas too, so you can dine al fresco under the stars when the weather is nice.
Whether you choose one of the Southern-style plantation Annapolis vacation homes with dramatic wrap-around porches and expansive, shaded grounds, a typical wood-sided vernacular style townhome or a charming brick townhouse, all of our vacation rental offerings feature modern amenities and creature comforts (things you don’t like to think about on vacation, but are nice to have like an on-site laundry, ample parking, gas grills, and supplied linens). Finishing touches like interior fireplaces, quartz and natural stone countertops, stainless steel appliances, built-in wet bars, Brazilian cherry wood floors, spiral staircases, and covered courtyards perfectly blend the history of the area with modern design, and all of the bedrooms are spacious, bright, and cozy. Entertain your family and friends in cavernous great rooms, formal dining rooms, or casual outdoor eating areas – the choice is yours! When it is time to relax, kick your feet up on comfortable and tasteful furnishings and enjoy the decked-out entertainment center and included Wi-Fi all in our homes for rent in downtown Annapolis, Maryland!
And not all of our downtown vacation homes are located on historic cobblestone streets either. We also have several detached historic homes facing the water. Book one of these historic vacation homes, and not only are you still just a quick walk from downtown with all its energy and fun, but you’ll also enjoy a quieter vacation stay and lovely waterfront views. When you don’t feel like walking to one of the many downtown restaurants to dine on delicious Maryland crab cakes, just catch your own! Throw your crab pot over the edge of your vacation home’s private dock in the morning, and by lunch you’ll have fresh caught crabs. You can make your own crab cakes to eat out on the deck while you watch the sun go down over the water.
History Doesn’t End at Home
History doesn’t end at home here in Annapolis, it begins at home and spreads out into the city. You’ll find that many of our downtown homes and townhomes are on the National Historic District Registry and are an important part of the city’s historic fabric. These homes have been lovingly restored, and feature original wood floors, windows, and moldings.
As we mentioned earlier, the history of Annapolis goes all the way back to 1649, and because we are proud of our place in America’s history, our preservation efforts allow you to feel as if time hasn’t passed at all, especially when you first step outside our vacation rentals in downtown Annapolis and inside some of the homes of our forefathers. The Annapolis Historic District was established over fifty years ago, and over 260 historic residences and public buildings have color-coded markers on their facades to make their architectural styles easier to identify. Just pick up a Historic Marker Brochure at the Visitor’s Center and you’ll be an expert on Annapolis architectural history in no time.
Listen carefully when you visit the home of James Brice, acting governor in 1792, and you may hear the laughter of one of his seven children sliding down the wood banister. As you stroll down the sidewalks in front of the Patrick Creagh House and see the curtain moving aside for just a quick second, it could be today’s caretaker checking the weather and nothing more. But when your mind turns to fanciful thoughts of a woman dressed in the period clothing of 1741 peeking out to see if her husband was home yet, you won’t be blamed; the ghosts of history walk amongst us every day and the most sensitive of us have learned to live with them in harmony!
In fact, ghost tours are the most popular of Annapolis’s nighttime activities, and Annapolis Tours and Crawls has offered award-winning tours for longer than we remember! The walking ghost tours take you to the spots that bring goosebumps to your arms and raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Costing $18 for adults and $12 for children (The 7 PM ghost walks are child-friendly; the later times can be a bit scary!), it’s a fun and spooky way to fill up some vacation hours and takes place pretty much right outside the door of your At Home Annapolis apartments in the downtown area.
Historic Restaurants
One of the best things about staying right in the heart of downtown, is that you can literally be steps away from delicious restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bakeries, and ice cream parlors. Choose from fine dining in five-star restaurants, casual dining spots with live music and plenty of action, sports bars, sushi bars, wine bars, breathtaking waterfront views or bistro tables next to historic cobblestone streets where people watching is as much fun as eating those fresh caught crab legs. You’ll find there are plenty of establishments serving the best in fresh seafood, from those delicious crab legs to raw oyster bars, and almost every establishment has their own version of a mouth-watering Maryland crab cake. And if you’re in the mood for something different, don’t worry. Pretty much every type of cuisine you can imagine can be found on these historic streets, from Mexican, Chinese, Caribbean, Cajun, Italian, American, and more. And of course, if you’re tired of crowds, call ahead for carry-out and dine in comfort in your downtown vacation home.
The historic theme near our downtown Annapolis rentals continues with a visit to the Treaty of Paris Restaurant, located at 16 Church Circle. Located inside an inn built in the 18th century, stone walls, wide-planked wood floors, and a brick fireplace whisper at the history of the building, while the food served loudly proclaims itself to be thoroughly modern and absolutely American!
Renovated to its former 1747 glory, the Reynolds Tavern, and 1747 Pub was once the home and business space of American businessman William Reynolds; George Washington was rumored to have fallen for Mr. Reynold’s wife, Mary, when visiting The Beaver & Lac’d Hat, Reynold’s original tavern and hat shop. Today’s menu is quite similar to what you might have expected to find in the 18th century, with a few modern adaptations.
When Only the Best Will Do
All of our Annapolis rentals offer privacy, comfort, and convenience right in the heart of Annapolis, making them perfect for romantic getaways or large gatherings. Each rental is cleaned thoroughly. No matter what brings you to Annapolis, we invite you to use our website search engine or browse our listings to book Annapolis rentals for your next trip. If you’d like help in finding the perfect historic vacation home close to the waterfront, the Naval Academy, Art District, or with a quiet water view, just give us a call! We’d love to help.
