Here’s What We
Did:
Hi, everybody! It's Andrea and Steve. This trip began as an idea to tour a bit of New England in
the spring before retrieving our daughter from boarding school in Maryland at
the end of the year. A week-long his and hers getaway. Good food. Good wine.
Good views. Good wi-fi so we could still work.
The original plan had us leaving Georgia on a Saturday, picking
up our daughter the following Saturday. We would begin our drive home the same
day to arrive home on Sunday, more than a week after our departure. So, the
trip would have been a total of 8 days, 7 nights. The schedule was squeezed as
the date neared due to work and family demands. We realized we weren’t going to
be able to leave until much later that week – Wednesday! We scrapped the New England leisurely drive
and chose a locale closer to the boarding school outside of Baltimore. We
settled on Annapolis because it has a charming and relaxed downtown area with great
shops and restaurants in easy walking distance. We knew we would have to complete
a marathon drive on the way up and back, but we would have two days in
Annapolis, and that was worth trying to make the effort. Following that, we
would proceed to Baltimore on Friday as planned, pick up our daughter on Sunday
morning and drive all the way home on Sunday. Our trip was 5 days and 4 nights,
and we managed to get in a few additional adventures in Pennsylvania and
Delaware!
Specs:
Who: Two adults
Where: Atlanta, Georgia –Annapolis, Maryland – Baltimore,
Maryland – Atlanta, Georgia
When: Last week in
May
How Long: 5 days, 4
nights
Transportation: Driving
Maximum All-Inclusive Budget: $2000
Special Purchases and Events: Christmas ornaments, silver bracelet charms, books
by local writers, a cruise on the Chesapeake, a museum or two, visits with
friends, try some good restaurants, side trip to Delaware, look at property
Day Plans:
Day 1: Atlanta, GA to Annapolis,
MD
Breakfast: At home
Lunch: Picnic in car
Dinner: McGarvey’s Oyster Bar and Saloon
Hotel: ScotLaur Inn
Day 2: Annapolis, MD
Breakfast: Hard Bean Coffee and Booksellers
Lunch: Buddy’s Crabs and Ribs
Happy Hour: Maria’s Sicilian Ristorante
Special: Woodwind Schooner
Dinner: Reynolds Tavern
Hotel: ScotLaur Inn
Day 3: Annapolis, MD to
Baltimore, MD
Breakfast: Hard Bean Coffee and Booksellers
Lunch: Picnic in car
Dinner: Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano
Hotel: Mount Vernon Hotel
Day 4: Baltimore, MD – Chadds Ford,
PA – Wilmington, DE – Baltimore, MD
Breakfast: Continental Breakfast at hotel
Lunch: Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA
Dinner: Bellafonte Café and Trading Company, Wilmington, DE
Hotel: Mount Vernon Hotel
Day 5: Baltimore, MD – Atlanta,
GA
Breakfast: Continental Breakfast at hotel
Lunch: Picnic in car
Dinner: Fast food
Hotel: none
Bottom Line:
We loved the ScotLaur
Inn. Mind you, it was super-budget friendly and left a lot to be desired in
the way of aesthetics and comfort. BUT! It is SO close to everything downtown. We
like to have our cocktails and wine at dinner, and being able to walk to the hotel afterwards is a big
plus because it saves us cab fare. The owners and staff were incredibly
friendly. It’s very close to parking with multiple entrances. AND it sits atop
Chick and Ruth’s Delly, an Annapolis legend. Chick and Ruth’s is a busy diner
with locals and tourists alike. You will actually check in for your room in the
diner. The really fun thing was the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in the
diner. We love our luxurious hotel
linens and 24-hour room service as much as the next person, but it was no big
sacrifice for the location and the charm. However, if you don’t like feeling you
are in a bed and breakfast, it’s definitely not for you. You can pay 300% more
and stay at the more modern, luxurious, and generic hotels down the street.
We also loved the Hard
Bean Coffee and Booksellers. Free and fast wi-fi, a small but eclectic
selection of used books, new books, and featured books by local authors.
Coffees. Quiches. Sweets. On the harbor. Just wonderful. Wonderful staff. We spent a few hours
there each day to work remotely. Also budget-friendly.
Aldo’s Ristorante
Italiano – Holy Cow. I can’t believe how many times I have been to
Baltimore and missed this treat! I am not even sure I have words for how good
the food was. It’s worth going to Baltimore to have dinner there. Recommending
the Colossal Lump Crab Cocktail appetizer, Shrimp Bisque, Lobster Saffron
Mashed Potatoes, and the Osso buco. Not even slightly budget-friendly but so completely worth the splurge.
The sunset cruise on the Woodwind Schooner with live music was by far our favorite thing. We
plan to do this every time we are in Annapolis. Great staff. Lovely
music. And toasting at sunset on the water was terribly romantic. Make sure you look at their calendar online, though. The nightly cruises are frequent, but the live music seemed to happen every week or so. You can reserve your spot online as well. If we hadn't booked ahead of time and taken our confirmation number to the dock with us, there would not have been availability.
We actually didn't have time to do this on this trip, but the Mount Vernon Hotel is around the corner from the Walter's Art Museum in Baltimore. We have been many times over the years, and we just love it. If you haven't been, it is a museum that is completely worth an leisurely visit. Stunning. The Archimedes Codex by R. Netz and W. Noel is a great read about one particularly special piece of antiquity that came their way. Mystery, history, science, and art rolled into one.
We actually didn't have time to do this on this trip, but the Mount Vernon Hotel is around the corner from the Walter's Art Museum in Baltimore. We have been many times over the years, and we just love it. If you haven't been, it is a museum that is completely worth an leisurely visit. Stunning. The Archimedes Codex by R. Netz and W. Noel is a great read about one particularly special piece of antiquity that came their way. Mystery, history, science, and art rolled into one.
The Numbers:
Our spreadsheet of what we bought, where, and how much it was. This includes everything from gas to souvenirs to hotels, meals, and replacing lost iPhone chargers. (Coming soon.)
Hotels:
http://www.scotlaurinn.com/
http://www.mountvernonbaltimore.com/
Restaurants:
http://www.aldositaly.com/
http://www.chickandruths.com/
http://www.mcgarveyssaloon.com/
http://www.reynoldstavern.org/
http://www.buddysannap.com/mainsite/
Activities:
http://www.schoonerwoodwind.com/
http://www.brandywinemuseum.org/
http://thewalters.org/
Happy Travels!
Andrea and Steve
Sharing at:
http://betweennapsontheporch.net
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/
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