Urban Retirement
Ahh....Where?
12 Cities in 12 Months - Living the Life of a Local
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Why Annapolis?
Now I am wondering why I really picked Annapolis... I had been looking for somewhere between North
Carolina and Boston but not too far north (for the weather). My Boston friends said they LOVED it when
they visited here. I did want a place on the water. The Naval Academy seemed "romantic". Anyway, I guess
those are the reasons but I knew from the first day (when I got a $100 parking ticket) that it was probably
not the place for me.
Walkability & Biking (2)
Annapolis is certainly very walkable in the sense that you can walk all over the town but....there's not
really much to walk to! You can't get to a grocery store on bike or foot or really any other shopping
other than the tourist traps. I did ride to Quiet Waters park, not risking my life too much but for the
most part, it's not very bikeable.
My Temporary Digs
The Annapolis house is a great little place right off of City Dock. There could not be a better location. It has
a great outdoor space and my favorite spot is a little sun room with an alcove bed. Of course the bedroom
and bath are upstairs but I guess that gives me my exercise (since biking is not real convenient here). It's
another VRBO rental (highly recommended)! Annapolis Rental
Transportation (5)
Since I did a lot of traveling, I really appreciated the BWI airport. If for some reason, that wouldn't
have worked, there was still Dulles and Washington National. Other than that....there's a free trolly in
Annapolis?? Actually, there is not much need for any transportation in the city itself because it is so
small. A car is necessary for shopping though. All in all, the air travel makes it great!
Weather, Culture, Food & Amenities (3)
The weather here in June was, shall we say, interesting?? I did love the thunderstorms and the
excitement of the tornado warnings. It was generally hot and humid, not very comfortable. Other
than the Naval Academy (which was VERY cool), there was not much culture. Restaurants were scarce
and loaded with tourists. (The one pictured here is Pussers.) I didn't really find anything local or of
special interest.
Real Estate (2)
I honestly didn't look at a lot of real estate in Annapolis. It was pretty expensive because of being on
the water and within commuting distance of DC. By the time I got here, I had pretty much decided on
living farther south and I didn't want to waste a lot of time looking.
Real Estate (2)
I honestly didn't look at a lot of real estate in Annapolis. It was pretty expensive because of being on
the water and within commuting distance of DC. By the time I got here, I had pretty much decided on
living farther south and I didn't want to waste a lot of time looking.
Real Estate (2)
I honestly didn't look at a lot of real estate in Annapolis. It was pretty expensive because of being on
the water and within commuting distance of DC. By the time I got here, I had pretty much decided on
living farther south and I didn't want to waste a lot of time looking.
The People (1)
OK, I know that a "1" seems rather harsh but I just could not find my way in with the people in this
town. I didn't do the yachting scene and I'm sure that's where many of them hang out. The
restaurants and bars seemed to have only tourists (a bit like Savannah) so I didn't really meet or get to
know anyone here!