On The Yard

If you’re looking to spend a summer day on the Yard, we hope you try one of our favorite spots!  Whether it’s brimming with stunning scenery, historical treasures, or front row tickets to the history that’s happening right here at USNA, these five spots are some of the best places to take in the unique atmosphere that is the Naval Academy. 

Enjoy These United States Naval Academy Summer Spots

So much of the Yard’s 338 acres is full of grand architecture, beautiful walkways, and the bustle of Plebe Summer, so you’ll be able to savor the flavor of the Annapolis Naval Academy no matter where you go. Take a stroll and see all the spots or even just one. You can use this Naval Academy map to find your way around and experience all of the beautiful views!

The Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center: The Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center is the perfect spot to start your summer visit. You can explore USNA history leading up to current “Day in the Life” stories from the midshipmen who make this place so special. Directly outside is a beautiful area along the Spa Creek waterfront, where you can catch the seabreeze and wander over to the Bill the Goat statue and N* flagpole. You can also see some of the festive Annapolis harbor from this vantage point, and experience how the two worlds meet. Take a walk along the water and soak in summer at its best. Don’t forget to check out the USNA Gift Shop for a souvenir!

Levy Center and Jewish Chapel: The breathtaking Levy Center and Jewish Chapel were completed in 2005 as a welcoming and inspiring USNA spiritual home, serving as both a Jewish synagogue and a training center for midshipmen to hone their moral education. It is named after Commodore Uriah P. Levy, one of the most famous Jewish military officers in the U.S. Navy. 

While the outside architecture is whitewashed and constructed in the classical style to strongly reference Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, the inside pays homage to the Holy Land with many thoughtful and meaningful references and materials. Stone from Hebrum decorates the interior, and an oculus in the entryway opens up to the heavens. Seven different entrances also represent the seven openings of Abraham’s tent, in a gesture meant as warmly inclusive. Even the location opposite Farragut Field and the seawall along Spa Creek was intentional, providing midshipmen with a respite—a place to reflect and pray among the pressures of their many commitments. You can enjoy this sanctity too.

Triton Light: This beacon of hope that waits patiently for all who head out to sea is a beautiful spot to savor where the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay come together. It is dedicated to the safe return of all who go out to sea on ships and is the only navigational light on the Yard. The light is meaningful in many ways. Its orb holds water from 22 seas taken during the first submerged global circumnavigational trip in 1960. The three sides represent the three pillars of a sailor’s life: God, Country and Ship. Built atop “new soil” that portends Navy’s future and growth, Triton Light also has rough base edges that show how the toughness of Navy life is contrasted with the smooth pedestal representing job fulfillment. It’s a great place to watch the waves, see the ships go by and reflect on the missions of the Naval Academy.

RELATED: The History of the Noon Meal Formation

T Court: The front of Bancroft Hall is guarded by an impressive bronze statue, a piece of art modeled off peace-loving Delaware Indian Chief Tamanend who watches over the midshipmen. Salvaged around 1868 from USS Delaware, which was destroyed so it would not be discovered during the Civil War, this Indigenous American statue with a quiver of arrows is actually Tamanend 2.0, installed in 1920. The original wooden version is on display in the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center to keep it preserved. 

Tamanend is important to the Brigade. Midshipmen give a left handed salute and throw pennies to “The God of 2.0,” who can grant them the 2.0 GPA they need to remain at the Academy. During the summer at this spot, you’ll most likely see the plebes and staff coming and going as they head to King Hall for meals, use the variety of shops and services housed here (everything from the USNA Midshipmen Store to the post office to their dry cleaning services), and go to their dorms. This sacred area is where generations of midshipmen have trained to serve their country, performing their physical training as well as mustering for Noon Meal Formation, celebrating big events, and many more. It’s a place where history happens.

The Zimmerman Bandstand: Right across from one of the most famous spots on the Yard, the USNA Chapel, is the beautiful historic Zimmerman Bandstand, built in 1922. Named for USNA’s most famous band leader, Charles A. Zimmerman, this spot has hosted countless USNA Band and other band concerts, as well as recent festive Christmas tree lightings. It’s the perfect place to linger on a summer day, offering up 360-degree views of the large quadrangle. 

USNA Architect Ernest Flagg designed the buildings in this section as a cross with the points all symbolically representing the important tenets of midshipmen training. You can see Mahan, Carter, and Sampson Halls (representing academics), the Chapel (standing for moral and spiritual teachings), the Annapolis Harbor (nautical life), and of course, Bancroft Hall (the home of the midshipmen), which is one of the world’s largest dormitories, and a stunning masterpiece of the Beaux Arts architectural style. Right next to the bandstand is the Herndon Monument, built to honor Commander William Lewis Herndon, and the scene of the plebe’s impressive scramble to the top during the Herndon Climb, in May when they become “plebes no more.” You’re also bound to see some of the newly inducted plebes themselves as they go about their intense training in the Annapolis summer, bringing military precision and sheer grit and determination to these hot and hazy days. 

Come Visit the U.S. Naval Academy this Summer!

Summer is a quieter time at the Academy. If you’re looking to take a tour, you’ll find the crowds have subsided, and you can get a more intimate look at the architecture and the midshipmen as they train to become naval leaders. Your trip here benefits them greatly. When you take a USNA tour, dine at the U.S. Naval Academy Club or 1845 Coffee, or shop at the USNA Gift Shop, or (Navyonline.com), the proceeds help fund extracurricular and club activities at the Brigade. No other place directly supports the midshipmen this way. We welcome you onto the Yard this summer to explore for yourself. Summer at the Yard is something to be savored.