As a girl raised in Annapolis, I believe it is the East Coast’s hidden gem. A short drive between Baltimore and Washington D.C., Annapolis has all the resources of a big city with the charm of a small town. Downtown Annapolis is home to the Naval Academy and many other historical places and is located on the Chesapeake Bay so it is accessible by both land and water. I love my city and want to show it off, so here are 10 things for tourists to expect when the visit Annapolis.

1. Naval academy

Annapolis is the home to the United States Naval Academy. Locals are very proud to have this prestigious academy in their backyard and proudly display all of their Navy flags and posters saying "Go Navy Beat Army." Tours of the Academy are available and they have great athletic events going on year round. Definitely the most popular are football and lacrosse games.

2. Chesapeake Bay

Marylanders love the Chesapeake Bay and in Annapolis life is centered around the bay. It is our pride and joy and while you are in town you will more than likely see more than a few things with "Save the Bay" written on it. While in town you may be able to go out on an authentic SkipJack and best of all, taste the fresh seafood the Bay, and Annapolis, is famous for.

3. Boats

Since one of the main features of Annapolis is the Chesapeake Bay it would almost seem weird to not have an abundance of boats. Ego Alley is famous for the mega yachts that dock there and boat tours of the area are as popular (if not more) as tours on land. With all this boating activity it just makes sense that riverside service is available at certain restaurants.

4. Food!!!

Maryland is famous for its blue crabs and you can see why in Annapolis. Home to the best restaurant in Maryland, Cantler's Riverside Inn. While almost every restaurant does serve fresh seafood, not every restaurant is a seafood place. Chick and Ruth's Delly is one of the best diner-style restaurants you will eat at, and French and Sushi places line Main Street, with authentic Latin American restaurants not far.

5. Ice Cream

In Annapolis, ice cream is as plentiful as crabs. Downtown has four major ice cream shops, Storm Brothers, Kilwins, Annapolis Ice Cream Company, and Main Street Creamery & Cafe. Locals definitely have their favorite between the four and each has its own specialty that will try to sway you in their favor. An honorary mention needs to go out to the Five Pound Milkshake at Chick and Ruth’s, if you are with a group of people this is definitely worth the challenge.

6. Uniforms

If you visit anytime during the school year there is a very good chance you will see two different uniforms scattered around Downtown Annapolis. The first is the midshipmen from the Naval Academy. You might see them running along sidewalks or in their dress clothes out for a walk in downtown. The second is the students from St. Mary’s elementary and high school which is only a block from Ego Alley. As soon as school gets out the downtown area becomes infiltrated with students meeting their rides or just hanging out at Starbucks after school.

7. The history

Annapolis was at one point the nation’s capital and is filled with history. You can visit the Maryland State House, the oldest state house in continuous use. The homes of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Charles Carroll and William Pacca, are open for tours. You can visit the crypt of John Paul Jones, a Revolutionary War hero, located at the Naval Academy. And waking tours led by historical reenactors are popular.

8. The flag

It’s no secret that Marylanders love their flag and nowhere is this more evident than in Downtown Annapolis. Not only is Main Street lined with the Maryland flag but every store you go into will proudly display something with the Maryland flag pattern on it.

9. Preppy style

Annapolis is preppy. That becomes a plain and simple fact as soon as you set onto Main Street, lined with stores selling Lilly Pulitzer and Sperry’s Topsiders. But the biggest event of the year is The Annapolis Cup in April when all residents come in their favorite Lilly dress and biggest floppy hat to watch the Naval Academy vs St. John’s College croquet match.

10. Boat show

If you visit in late September/early October you might run into either the sailboat or powerboat show that completely takes over downtown Annapolis for two weeks. These are two of the largest boat shows in the world where the newest models of boats are shown off to the crowds. And even though downtown may never be more crowded than it is for the boat shows, it is worth going down to see because everyone from Annapolis comes out to help and show people just how much we love our city.