Living a Boating Lifestyle in Annapolis, Maryland

When you are home to the United States Naval Academy, you have a certain claim as a seafaring town. Annapolis is also the capital of the State of Maryland and one of America’s oldest and  most distinguished communities.  The city is situated on the Severn River near Chesapeake Bay, one of the finest boating areas in the world.

Annapolis, Maryland attracts residents because of its wonderful charm as an 18th century colonial capital, preserved in the Colonial Annapolis Historic District. If you are a history buff and you love antiques, this is the place for you. The community dates back to 1649 when some Puritan exiles from Virginia settled here. The community boasts that it has the largest collection of 18th century buildings of any other city in the U.S.

Where to Retire in Annapolis and Home Prices

Annapolis is a very desirable place to live for anyone, but particularly for active adults 55+ who have the time and inclination to live a slower lifestyle. Some say that the place has become too developed. Retirees can choose to live in an antique home in the downtown, or in a development nearby.
Real estate prices reflect the desirability of living here.  Zillow.com reported that the median home value in mid-2022 was $562,003 making this an expensive place to live.

What Is Special about Annapolis

You get to live in an 18th Century Museum, and the U.S. Naval Academy (since 1845) and St. Johns College are located here. Retirees also enjoy proximity to great boating on the Chesapeake Bay. Annapolis also offers many upscale housing opportunities for retirees, including many apartments and the town is also home to freat shops and hosts the nation's largest in-water sailboat and powerboat show.

What Is Not Special about Annapolis

Annapolis is so desirable that is has become quite expensive and there are crowds and traffic.

Climate and Physical Environment

Annapolis is just inland on the Severn River from Chesapeake Bay on the flat Atlantic Coastal Plain. The climate is a warm temperate climate - summers are hot and winters chilly. Here is our review of Leonardtown, MD as a retirement community.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

History buffs will find much to admire here. Resident ensembles include a chamber orchestra, opera, symphony orchestra, and ballet. In the historic district are the Colonial Players, a company with a small theatre-in-the-round stage. Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre presents three shows in the summer. Offerings from the student theatre group at St. John's College free and open to the public

Crime

Crime in Annapolis is above the national average.

Medical Facilities

Anne Arundel Medical Center is in town. Other hospitals are available in nearby Crownsville, Glen Burnie, and Baltimore (22 miles).

Transportation

Baltimore Washington International Airport, which has frequent flights and low cost carriers such as Southwest Airlines, is 18 miles away. That airport has an Amtrak station. Norfolk NS is 38 miles away.  Annapolis' walkability is about average when compared to other towns.

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