A tourist's guide to visiting Anne Arundel County
A great range of tourist attractions await visitors to Anne Arundel County. Annapolis, the Anne Arundel county seat and state capital of Maryland, is the tourist hub of the county, which sits on the western shore of the expansive Chesapeake Bay.
/wedata%2F0018194%2F2011-06%2F1-Lightship-Chesapeake--Source--Taken-in-Baltimore.jpg)
The basics
Accommodation
A score of hotels are hosted by Anne Arundel County, reaching from Annapolis in the south 30 miles north to the southern suburbs of Baltimore.
Tourists wishing to stay in Anne Arundel County should choose to stay in Brooklyn Park, Pumphrey, Ferndale and Linthicum Heights, where travelers will find a string of chain hotels surrounding the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
A wide range of accommodations is also located in the south of Anne Arundel County, in and around Annapolis.
Here, guests are situated close to Chesapeake Bay, where a number of charming bay-front hotels can be found.
Transport
There are plenty of transport spots linking travelers to Anne Arundel County.
The Maryland Transit Administration's light railway system also runs through the county.
Anne Arundel County is also served by MARC and Amtrak trains, which call at BWI Airport.
Interstate 97 is the only mainline interstate in the county, while the Chesapeake Bay Bridge links Anne Arundel County with Queen Anne's County.
Natural points of interest
Chesapeake Bay
The most prominent natural feature of Anne Arundel County is Chesapeake Bay.
Here, visitors can take a refreshing walk, hike, run or cycle, sit and enjoy a family picnic.
Parks
Travelers can also take in some fresh air and stretch their legs in one of the county's spacious green parks.
Further information on parks can be found at Aacounty.org.
Cultural spots
Museums and Art Galleries
27 museums and art galleries await cultural tourists of Anne Arundel County, including Historic London Town and Gardens in Edgewater, Maryland State House and Mitchell's Art Gallery in Annapolis.
Shopping Centres
Three major shopping centers await Anne Arundel tourists, including 1.3 million square feet of retail at the Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover with over 200 stores.
Sports
The Anne Arundel Admirals are a semi-professional American football team that operates out of Annapolis, which is also home to the United States Naval Academy base.
Here, a circuit of sports courts and fields are available, with basketball, tennis and squash courts, American football and soccer pitches and track and field facilities.