Annapolis is the capital of the State of Maryland and the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It is a city with a population of 36,217 according to the 2004 census estimate. The city is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, It is situated at the mouth of the Severn River which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, 26 miles south of Baltimore and about 22 miles east of Washington D.C. It is also home to the United States Naval Academy and St. John's College.

Annapolis is located at 38°58′23″N, 76°30′4″W (38.972945, -76.501157)GR1, 28 miles east of Washington DC, and is the closest state capital to the national capital, Washington, DC.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.7 km² (7.6 mi²). 17.4 km² (6.7 mi²) of it is land and 2.3 km² (0.9 mi²) of it (11.70%) is water.

The city is a part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and is relatively flat, with the highest point being only 50 feet above sea level. The climate is a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and cool winters.

West of downtown at the junction of routes 2 and 665, this shopping center is laid out like a maritime village, with more than 40 stores, services, and fast-food eateries, as well as nine movie theaters. Open daily.

This place offers a variety of live entertainment -- jazz, blues, funk, classic rock, acoustic rock, and oldies -- every night except Monday. Music usually starts at 9:30pm.

Tucked behind Annapolis's historic district, standing proudly on the shores of the Severn River, the U.S. Naval Academy has been educating future naval officers for more than 160 years. Visitors to "The Yard" can tour the grounds, see a sample midshipman's room, and view the newly restored crypt of John Paul Jones in the chapel undercroft.

Enter the Naval Academy on foot at Gate 1, at Randall and King George streets (the only cars allowed are those with handicapped or DOD stickers). Start your visit at the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center, just beyond the Halsey Field House. Here you can see exhibits about midshipman life, watch an orientation film, and browse the gift shop. Look for exhibits on USNA graduates in space, including the Freedom 7 space capsule flown by alum Alan Shepard. Sign up for a tour to see Bancroft Hall, the largest dorm in the world, and the magnificent chapel that is graced with unusual windows -- blue on the outside, stained glass inside. Security is tight, so guided tours are the only way to get around. These end at the naval history museum in Prebel Hall. Please note that the museum will be undergoing renovations in mid-2007.

Try to visit during noon formation -- held in Tecumseh Court at 12:05pm Monday through Friday, weather permitting -- when the midshipmen line up in front of Bancroft Hall before marching in for the midday meal. Commissioning Week, usually held the third week in May, is a colorful time of full-dress parades, parties, and a demonstration by the Blue Angels. (Plan well in advance for housing during Commissioning Week).