Things to Do in Parole

Chesapeake Bay is 200 miles long, but that’s not the only reason it’s the United States’ largest estuary. The Bay also serpentines off into hundreds of rivers and creeks, accessible with South River Boat Rentals’ vessels. Seafarers explore the estuary’s fringes in the powerboats and sailboats, cruising past historic sites, such as Jamestown and Tangier Island. Alternatively, fishing parties set sail for piscatorial hot spots, casting from the boats’ decks. To teach newbies the ropes before they hit the water, the company’s team hosts sessions on boating basics, from steering to stopping at fish crossings.

In October, representatives from regional, local, and national craft breweries gather inside the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to pour samples of geek-lovers brews. Visitors sip on signature standards from breweries such as Oskar Blues, Union Craft Brewing, Old Dominion, Starr Hill, Heavy Seas, and Flying Dog Brewery, along with special varieties of bourbon-barrel-aged stouts, whiskey-barrel-aged ciders, and hearty IPAs.

When not enjoying beer-related activities, festival-goers can check out one of the eight live bands playing all afternoon on two stages or take in the display of antique and exotic cars. The stadium catering company serves local delicacies such as Maryland crab cakes, shucked oysters on the half shell, and crab-and-cheese pretzels. More than 60 merchandise vendors offer artisan crafts and specialty food items.

For the last two years, runners from across Maryland have gathered for the Be Great 5K Run & Fun Walk to benefit the Annapolis Boys & Girls Scholarship Trust. The trust has provided financial support to more than 25 students to help them attend college over the last 10 years, and proceeds from the race go toward the scholarship fund. Before the race, runners are given a bib that tracks their time and pace better than an hourglass taped to their torso. After crossing the finish line, racers are rewarded with refreshments, and a lucky few are awarded prizes.

In one of the nation's most storied rivalries spanning more than a century, the Navy Midshipmen and the Army Black Knights have met on courts, fields, mats, and tracks and in pools more than 1,700 times. Though the fierce rivalry will always take priority among students, fan bases, media, and aliens debating whether to invade America by land or by sea, the Midshipmen have excelled against other competition, as well. The Naval Academy boasts NCAA Division II championships in women’s indoor track and women’s swimming, as well as 40 NCAA Division I individual championships, including 10 fencing champions, nine men’s gymnastics champions, and eight men’s swimming champions.

Inspired by visits to museums and amusement parks with their own kids, Thrill-O-Rama's owners Buki and Bibie mustered together an array of activities that entertain youngsters without skimping on education. Each of the facility's nine play zones features its own creative pastime, such as science experiments, educational computer games, age-appropriate reading, and a video-game lounge stocked with a Wii and an Xbox 360. A semi-enclosed toy-filled play space boosts toddlers' motor skills, and a multilevel indoor playground lets older kids shed their wiggles in a bounce castle or on a 15-foot inflatable rock mountain, which formed when an air mattress was stored under tectonic plates. Staff members guide kids through exercise, cooking, and filmmaking classes and adhere to strict safety guidelines to yield a secure play setting. The on-site café fuels romps with a selection of finger foods, drinks, and desserts.

A phosphorescent Frankenstein stands guard over a legion of glowing ghouls that loom throughout the black-lit corridors of Monster Mini Golf's 18-hole course. Framed by neon-green rails, the course's pitch black putting surfaces give the impression that luminescent orbs are either somersaulting in far-reaching pockets of space or rolling across the darkened cellar of your boss's punishment office, a murky abyss populated only by gothic tropes and the presumably undead. A live DJ soundtracks each birdie-hunting expedition with bone-chilling beats as players read putts or meander around the flashing lights of the adjacent arcade, where guests can wager a month's rent in games such as skee ball, air hockey, and Guitar Hero.