Located about 30 minutes from the venue and 45 minutes from BWI, Annapolis has many great sites to see. Go for a tour of the US Naval Academy, explore the historical downtown area, and enjoy the great food and drinks. Daniel's favorite places are Davis' Pub in Eastport (crab pretzels), Pusser's (signature painkiller cocktail), and ACME Bar & Grill (honey Chesapeake wings).
Washington D.C. is about an hour’s drive from BWI. The National Mall is a must-see, with the Lincoln Memorial (where we got engaged!), the Washington Monument, and of course the World War II, Vietnam Veterans, and Korean War Memorials. You can rent bikes at Capital Bikeshare and ride along the Mall. The Mall is lined with outstanding National Museums - Natural History, American History, Air and Space, African American History and Culture, American Indian, Holocaust Museum, and the National Gallery of Art. These museums are free, but many require timed entry tickets. Labor Day weekend is likely to be very busy, so best to book well in advance. Tours of the Capitol are available Monday through Friday and reservations are recommended. To tour the White House, it’s necessary to book well in advance through a member of Congress.
These two charming towns near Washington D.C. are filled with restaurants and shopping. The Navy Yard area in D.C., next to Nationals Park, is a vibrant riverside neighborhood with lots of restaurants and bars.
Shenandoah National Park and Mount Vernon (George Washington’s home) are easy day trips from D.C. Farther afield are Colonial Williamsburg, Monticello (Thomas Jefferson’s home), and civil war battlefields.