DC Trip Recap – Day 3 (Friday)

Today was a great day of learning as we visited two areas outside of Washington.  The day started with us driving north to Annapolis, the capital of Maryland.  (I have always enjoyed adding this stop to our DC trips to show the students a different capital city other than Madison. Annapolis is unique to me because it has such a “colonial” character.)  We started our tour at the Maryland State House (what they call their capitol building).  Built in the 1790s, it is the oldest State House in continuous use in the country..  In fact, this building once served as the US Capitol for a time and was also the location where George Washington resigned his military commission (we got to visit the “room where it happened” - and even stand in the exact spot Washington did!).

After learning about the history in the State House, we walked through some of the nearby neighborhoods.  With narrow, stone-paved streets that have been around since the mid-1700s, we learned about social class, economy, and architecture during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

We ended our time in Annapolis touring the United States Naval Academy, learning about its history, some of its famous alumni, and some of the traditions that the Midshipmen participate in each year.  We visited some of the biggest buildings on campus (none of which compare to the single dorm building where all 4,100 Midshipmen live under one roof!), including the Naval Academy Chapel.

After lunch and a little bit of shopping at a mall in Annapolis, we headed towards downtown Baltimore where we explored the National Aquarium.  I am probably biased from visiting this so many times, but I think it’s one of the best aquariums in the country.  We saw stingrays and sharks, learned about the aquatic life of the Chesapeake Bay area, and even visited a rainforest with sloths (yes, there is a rainforest on the top level of the Aquarium).  A highlight for many students was watching dolphins in their own special part of the building.

We then had dinner at Phillips Restaurant, then had some time to explore the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore with “tall” sailing ships, submarines, and military boats.  Some people joined me on a quick visit to Camden Yards – the home of the Baltimore Orioles.  

After returning to the hotel a little early compared to the previous nights, we had a chance to swim in the hotel pool, play cards, and just hang out. 

We’re checking out of the hotel in the morning and getting ready for one more day downtown in DC.