Assateague Island – Baltimore Magazine

America in Miniature

Aaron Hope — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 17:07:57 +0000

From the sands of Worcester to the mountains of Garrett, the retro Maryland slogan remains truer than ever!

By Ron Cassie

Illustrations by Ryan Duggan

Travel & Outdoors

From the sands of Worcester to the mountains of Garrett, the retro Maryland slogan remains truer than ever!

By Ron Cassie
Illustrations by Ryan Duggan

At Maryland’s narrowest point, it’s less than a two-mile walk from the West Virginia border through the small town of Hancock to the Pennsylvania border. Wedged between the Mason-Dixon line to the North and the Potomac River to the South, it is said to be the smallest straight-shot state border-to-border distance in the country. With 1,500 residents tucked in just 2.75 square miles, Hancock has always offered plenty of reasons to visit. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal towpath—the well trafficked 184.5-mile national park—cuts through the town. The verdant 28-mile Western Maryland Rail Trail also runs between Hancock and nearby Fort Frederick, which held British and German prisoners during the American Revolutionary War and held off Confederate raiders on Christmas Day 1861. And Hancock’s Woodmont Lodge—situated now on a natural resource area open to hikers, mountain bikers, birders, and equestrians—once served as a favorite hunting destination for presidents.

A vintage Maryland travel postcard

As far as notable residents, General Douglas MacArthur’s chief of staff during World War II, Richard Sutherland, hailed from Hancock. So did former Congressman Charles Rowland and former big-leaguer Ike Powers.

More local history: William Dorsey Swann, who endured childhood slavery and became a gay liberation activist and America’s first self-described drag queen was born here. (A surely not-to-be-missed biography, House of Swann: Where Slaves Became Queens, is in the works.) Today, Hancock is home to a popular bicycle shop/bunk house for C&O Canal bike campers and the Blue Goose Fruit Market & Bakery, one of the most remarkable gourmet pie makers in the state.

Hancock is to Maryland as Maryland is to America—chock full of history, outdoor adventure, and a little bit of everything in between—in other words, the kind of stuff day trips and weekend getaways are made of.

W e all know Maryland is not a large state. With roughly 12,400 square miles, nearly a quarter of which is water, we check in at number 42 out of the 50 states in terms of size. Fittingly, it was the first fulltime editor of National Geographic, Gilbert Grosvenor, who dubbed Maryland “America in Miniature.” Grosvenor, naturally, was touting our varied topography. From the sandy shores of Ocean City and Assateague Island and the marshes of the country’s largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay, to the farms of Frederick County and the Allegheny Mountains, nearly every kind of terrain can be found in Maryland.

A throwback state pennant. A motel postcard from U.S. Route 40. Courtesy of Maryland Pennant. Photography by Kristoffer Tripplaar Photography

In between, you’ll find the sunflower fields, rolling hills, and horse country of northern Baltimore County; the incredibly diverse neighborhoods, museums, and history of our great port City—and more quirky fun stuff in the Greater Washington suburbs than you might expect.

The legendary Grosvenor, a key supporter of the effort to create a National Park Service, may have been the first to coin Maryland “America in Miniature,” but it was former reporter, public relations professional, and civic activist Paul Welsh who gets credit for turning the phrase into a state slogan in 1939.

By the summer of the 1940, the Maryland Publicity Commission was authorizing the production of 20,000 tourism booklets—complete with illustrations and road maps—with the new nickname in hopes of drumming up interest in the state’s vacation attractions. Later that year, the same commission issued a series of 25 stamps with the slogan, along with more illustrations of Maryland’s natural beauty, history, and sporting opportunities.

Main Street, Belair vintage postcard.

The following February, state officials took thousands of America in Miniature-themed pamphlets and built an exhibition around the theme at the annual National Sportsman’s Show in New York City, further cementing Maryland’s new nickname. Naysayers might have noted the state doesn’t have freshwater lakes (they’re all man-made), snow-capped peaks, or Spanish moss. But the professional New York model hired by the Maryland Publicity Commission to host their booth told a reporter she was so impressed by the glories of the state that she intended to spend her summer vacation in Maryland.

At one point in 1965, two Washington businessmen pitched the idea of building a $20,000,000 America in Miniature theme park—literally 2,500 replicas of U.S. and Maryland landmarks—on a 100-acre site off I-70 in Gaithersburg.

That it was the peripatetic Welsh who proved the key player in the making of the Maryland slogan remains fitting. His life’s story spans the entire state. Born in Cumberland, he grew up in Baltimore, attended the University of Maryland, and then the University of Maryland School of Law. He worked at various times for institutions such as The Baltimore Sun, the Orioles, and McCormick & Co. Active in a wide range of community affairs, he served as president of the Wine and Food Society of Baltimore and chaired a committee for the preservation of Babe Ruth’s birthplace. He enjoyed debating about where one could get the best oysters in the city, and his Maryland clam chowder recipe won a 1967 contest and was subsequently included in the New York Times Heritage Cookbook.

A 1949 copy of the state's “America in Miniature” booklet; retro Ocean City boardwalk postcard.

In 2017, the Maryland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America named its annual award after Welsh, who passed away in 1991. A coincidence perhaps, the America in Miniature catchphrase receded from public usage shortly thereafter. When Robert Ehrlich and Martin O’Malley served in Annapolis, Maryland road signs read, “Enjoy Your Visit.” In 2015, Gov. Larry Hogan replaced those with the even less poetic, “We’re Open for Business.”

That said, the lost slogan remains as true as ever, and Marylanders’ pride in their state’s rich beauty remains intact, as our ongoing obsession with the state flag demonstrates.

There’s another cultural phenomenon that outsiders don’t understand but binds Marylanders together, and that’s the Maryland accent, of course. Paradoxically, it’s an expression of both our diversity and proximity to one another. It is different on the Eastern Shore than in Baltimore, and different still in Carroll County. Yet, no matter where a Marylander may travel in the state, they always know a newcomer or tourist from a native—even in Hancock, where different states knock at their front and back doors.

“We can tell right off what state people live in around here,” a Hancock woman named Virginia Stanley told an out-of-state, big-city newspaper years ago. “By their accents. People living in Hancock have a Maryland accent.” Pennsylvanians have a Pennsylvania accent, she noted. “The West Virginians have their own peculiar way of speaking.”

Below, we highlight more than 75 places to visit in Maryland. Some are destinations worth a weekend, while some may merit a week, and others are the kind of unique roadside attractions that are the stuff of spontaneous daytrips. Enjoy the return of travel this summer.

With its deep and historical roots, Maryland’s eastern shore retains a rural charm and pristine beauty unlike almost any other place in the country.

ASSATEAGUE ISLAND

NATIONAL SEASHORE

One of the last big Mid-Atlantic barrier islands largely untouched by development, Assateague Island is a truly unique escape. Ironically, when a brutal Ash Wednesday storm in 1962 destroyed a real estate project, it provided an “unexpected opportunity,” as the National Park Service puts it, for the Department of the Interior to acquire the remaining unprotected portion of Assateague. They set it aside as a national seashore. Today, it’s best known for its wild horses, pristine beaches, and 142-foot-tall lighthouse on its southern end near the coast of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Large populations of birds inhabit the 37-mile island, including the American oystercatcher, great blue heron, and snowy egret, plus seagulls and brown pelicans.

About the horses. According to the NPS, Assateague’s “wild” horses are, in truth, feral horses— meaning they descended from domestic horses and have reverted to an undomesticated state. Local folklore has it, the NPS explains, that the original horses were survivors of a shipwreck off the coast of Virginia. More likely, but not quite as good of a yarn, the horses were brought to the island by late 17th-century mainlanders.

Go for: the camping and swimming.

Don’t miss: the nearly century- old annual “Pony Swim” from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island each July.

BLACKWATER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Established as a sanctuary in 1933 for waterfowl along the critical Atlantic Flyway migration route, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge has been called one of the “Last Great Places” by The Nature Conservancy. The Dorchester County treasure consists of more than 30,000 acres of brackish tidal marshes, open fields, and mixed evergreen and deciduous forest. The visitor-friendly refuge is also home to one of the largest breeding populations of American bald eagles on the East Coast, this side of Florida. In June, ospreys hatch—by September, they will begin migrating to Central and South America— and eaglets learn how to fly and forage. In July, local goslings take to the air, and by August, the numbers of wading birds increase.

Notable: The refuge is fed by the 25.8-mile saltwater Blackwater River and Little Blackwater River tributary. The name “blackwater” derives from the slow-moving, tea-colored channels, which become darkened as the water drains through marshy peat soil.

Go for: the birding and bicycling.

Don’t miss: the 25-mile, multipurpose path around the refuge, where there’s a good chance of spotting great blue herons.

LOCAL TREASURES

Chesapeake Bay Balloon Festival

Bridge Branch Rd., Cordova

The biggest hot air balloon festival in Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay Balloon Festival is held every summer at Triple Creek Winery in Talbot County. The three-day event, held over the last weekend in July, features more than a dozen hot air balloons, live music, and crafts, art, and food vendors—and shade tents. HOT AIR BALLOON: CSA IMAGES

OCEAN CITY

Each summer, Maryland’s quintessential Atlantic resort—population 7,000—expands into the second largest city in the state, teeming with some 325,000 vacationers on the weekends. Roughly two-thirds of the annual eight-million visitors are from out of state, arriving from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., for the beach, boardwalk, amusement parks, deep-sea fishing, 17 area golf courses, and, now, a casino. For the adventurous, Ocean City offers everything from surfing lessons to skateboarding— the Ocean Bowl Skate Park has attracted the national Dew Tour several times—to the world’s largest billfish tournament, the White Marlin Open.

Back story: With the construction of the Wicomico & Pocomoke Railroad in the late 1860s, investors began laying out the streets, with the town officially named Ocean City in 1875 when the first major hotel opened.

Go for: water sports, seafood, and boardwalk fries.

Don’t miss: the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. Housed in an 1891-built former U.S. Coast Guard building, it captures Maryland’s seaside history like none other.

SMITH ISLAND

For centuries, Marylanders on the Eastern Shore have battled erosion and rising sea levels caused by the slow subsidence of the land along the Chesapeake Bay. But with climate change driving more powerful storms and melting glaciers, the issue has taken on an existential threat for Smith Islanders. The population, which once peaked at 800, is below 200 today, and the island is projected to erode completely by 2100. Which is to say, don’t miss the opportunity to visit this genuine throwback to a slower time and place. The last of Maryland’s inhabited bay islands is not accessible by car, and it’s a 45-minute passenger ferry from Crisfield. The main modes of transportation on the island are golf carts, bicycles, boats, and walking.

What’s in a name? British explorer John Smith mapped this island, but it takes its name from Henry Smith, of Jamestown, Virginia, who was granted 1,000 acres of the island in 1679.

Go for: Smith Island Cake and soft crab sandwiches from Drum Point Market.

Don’t miss: The Martin National Wildlife Refuge on the northern half of Smith Island.

ACADEMY ART MUSEUM

106 South St., Easton

Founded in 1958, the permanent collection includes works on paper by the likes of Goya, Cezanne, Chagall, Picasso, Diebenkorn, Motherwell, and Rauschenberg.

ANNIE OAKLEY HOUSE

28 Bellevue Ave., Cambridge

This private home was built in 1913 for the famed sharpshooter of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show after Oakley and her husband retired. The bungalow is notable for its roof, which was designed so she could step out from the upstairs windows to shoot game off the Choptank River.

BEN CARDIN C&D CANAL TRAIL

Lock & Bank Streets, Chesapeake City

This 17-mile, multipurpose path stretches to Delaware City on the shores of the Delaware River.

OLD TRINITY CHURCH

1716 Taylors Island Rd., Woolford

Built around 1675, the historic red brick church is one of the oldest church buildings in continuous use in the U.S.

HARRIET TUBMAN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

4068 Golden Hill Rd., Church Creek

Walk the landscape that helped shape the Maryland freedom fighter’s life and tour the 16,000-square-foot Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, which houses a museum dedicated to her life.

OXFORD-BELLEVUE FERRY

27456 Oxford Rd., Oxford

In 1683, Talbot County authorized the historic ferry operations, said to be the oldest privately owned ferry service still in operation in the U.S.

THE MERMAID MUSEUM

4 Jefferson St., Berlin

The new museum hosts a curated collection of mermaid art, myths, and “artifacts,” including scales, hair, nails, and a timeline of mermaid sightings dating back to the 1800s. MERMAID: CSA IMAGES

FREDERICK DOUGLASS STATUE, TALBOT COUNTY COURTHOUSE

11 N. Washington St., Easton

The abolitionist’s acclaimed autobiography begins: “I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot County, Maryland.”

TRANSPENINSULAR MIDPOINT MARKER

Maryland Route 54, Delmar

Both Lord Baltimore and William Penn believed parts of today’s Delmarva Peninsula was bequeathed to them. This marker connotes the southernmost point of the Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware border that Mason and Dixon surveyed to settle the dispute.

TURKEY POINT LIGHTHOUSE

Elk Neck State Park, North East

The 35-foot tower, first lit in 1833, stands atop 100- foot bluffs, and is known for the large number of women who once served as lightkeepers. Fannie Salter was the last woman lightkeeper in the U.S. when automation forced her into retirement in 1947. Chesapeake City photo (left) courtesy of Jon Bilous/Shutterstock

The national capital counties aren’t just suburbs. They offer an endless array of art, history, and recreation destinations—and quirky attractions.

C&O CANAL TOWPATH

Sometimes referred to as the “Grand Old Ditch,” the C&O Canal began as a transportation route for products from the West. The first stone was laid in Washington, D.C., on July 4, 1828, the same day as the launch of the B&O Railroad in Baltimore. The 184.5-mile canal reached Cumberland in 1850. For a long time, the canal carried Western Maryland and West Virginia coal, as well as limestone, wood, lumber, agricultural products, and flour. In operation for nearly a century, the C&O Canal was a lifeline for Potomac River towns and communities. Today, the crushed stone towpath situated between the canal and river endures as a recreational path for discovering Maryland’s historical and natural treasures from Montgomery County to Frederick, Washington, and Allegany counties. In 1954, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas organized an eight-day hike up the towpath to help save the canal from being converted to an automobile parkway. In 1971, the canal became a National Historic Park.

Go long: The canal’s towpath connects directly with the Great Allegheny Passage Trail in Cumberland, creating a continuous 334.5-mile trail from the Nation’s Capital to Pittsburgh.

Go for: bicycling, kayaking, and camping.

Don’t miss: the 4.7-mile Billy Goat Trail between the canal and Potomac River in Montgomery County.

CUNNINGHAM FALLS STATE PARK

Nestled on picturesque Catoctin Mountain in Frederick County, Cunningham Falls State Park is home to a 78-foot cascading waterfall, the largest in the state, and a manmade lake spanning more than 40 acres. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, Native Americans used the Catoctin Mountain area for hunting and fishing, as well as mining it for rhyolite, a volcanic rock, to make sharp projectile points. The state park is divided into two separate and unique areas. The William Houck Area includes the falls, the lake area, the most popular hiking trails, and a camping area. You can also swim at the lake’s beach and rent boats at the dock during the summer months. The highlight of the Manor Area is the historic Catoctin Iron Furnace, constructed in 1774 by four local brothers.

Wide ranging: Catoctin Mountain forms the easternmost ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which themselves are part of the Appalachian range.

Go for: hiking, swimming, and camping.

Don’t miss: Chubby’s Barbeque in nearby Emmitsburg, one of the great roadside BBQ restaurants anywhere.

LOCAL TREASURES

Glen Echo Park

MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo

For decades, Glen Echo, a half-dozen miles northwest of Georgetown, was a popular amusement park. Part of the National Park Service since 1971, today it’s known for its Art Deco architecture, historic Spanish ballroom, and antique carousel and serves as a visual and performing arts center that oversees art, music, dance, and theater programs.

GREENBELT HISTORIC DISTRICT

Once hailed as a utopian alternative to the increasingly overcrowded American cities of the 1930s, the Prince George’s suburb was one of three planned communities designed by FDR’s federal government during the Great Depression. Today, 86 years after its construction began, the historic Greenbelt district maintains its small town vibe with its cozy parks, family playgrounds, schools, old-timey movie theater, cooperative grocery store, and the cooperatively owned New Deal Café, one of the best local live music venues for the past two decades.

Test of time: The Greenbelt Historic District is the best preserved of the three Depression-era built “greenbelt” towns—Greenhills, Ohio, and Greendale, Wisconsin, are the other two—holding onto much of its green space despite the subsequent real estate and highway developments. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1997.

Go for: walking, historical architecture and cultural artifacts.

Don’t miss: the original Art Deco-style Roosevelt Center, which remains the hub of the historic area.

SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN

The peak of this low mountain in northern Montgomery County is just 800 feet, but it’s considerably higher than the surrounding farmland, and Union and Confederate troops took turns posting lookouts here. This is what Christoph von Graffenried, the Swiss 1st Baron of Bernberg, wrote after visiting the mountain in 1712: “From there we went further back upon a mountain of the highest in those parts, called Sugar Loaf, for it has the form of a loaf of sugar. We took with us Martin Chartier, a surveyor we also had with us, and there came with us several Indians. From the mountain we viewed an exceedingly broad extent of country, a part of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Carolina, used the compass, [and] made us a map.”

Food and supplies: The Dickerson Market in nearby Dickerson is the closest general store for breakfast and lunch.

Go for: hiking, birding, and wildlife.

Don’t miss: historic Strong Mansion and formal gardens.

F.SCOTT AND ZELDA FITZGERALD’S GRAVESITE

520 Veirs Mills Rd., Rockville

This is the somewhat obscure second grave of the acclaimed writer (1896-1940, Fitzgerald died in his lover’s apartment) and wife Zelda (1900-1948, she died in a fire). In 1975, the Baltimore Catholic Diocese finally allowed the remains to be reinterred from a nearby cemetery. Chiseled into Fitzgerald’s tombstone is the last sentence of The Great Gatsby: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

NATIONAL SHRINE GROTTO OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES

16330 Grotto Rd., Emmitsburg

The oldest known replica of the famous French shrine in the U.S., including devotional gardens, is located at Mount St. Mary’s University.

HAND & OWL TREE CARVING

Northeast branch of Anacostia Tributary Trail, College Park

Part of a natural arts program on the Prince George’s County trail network, the massive, surrealist wood carving was created by local artist Joe Stebbing and his chainsaw.

JIM HENSON STATUE AND MEMORIAL GARDEN, ARBORETUM AND BOTANICAL GARDEN

University of Maryland, College Park

This 450-pound bronze statue features Kermit the Frog perched on a red granite bench with Muppets creator and Maryland alum Jim Henson.

LAUREL DINOSAUR PARK

13100 Mid-Atlantic Blvd., Laurel

In 1858, African Americans toiling in open-pit iron mines were the first to discover dinosaur fossils in Maryland.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CIVIL WAR MEDICINE

48 E. Patrick St., Frederick

The museum’s three-story, 19th-century brick building was home to a furniture maker/undertaker during the Civil War.

NASA GODDARD ROCKET GARDEN

9432 Greenbelt Rd., Lanham

Featuring decommissioned rockets outside of the NASA facility, the garden here includes many types of real rockets, mock-ups, and flight hardware. ROCKET: CSA IMAGES

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CIVIL WAR MEDICINE

48 E. Patrick St., Frederick

The museum’s three-story, 19th-century brick building was home to a furniture maker/undertaker during the Civil War.

THE PEACE PARK

18400 River Rd., Poolesville

The heart of the 65-acre park of walking trails and meditation gardens is a golden Buddhist stupa, a 35-foot sacred structure representing enlightenment.

USDA RAMMED EARTH HOUSE

6532 75th St., Cabin John

Harry Humphrey, chief plant pathologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, built the house as a pilot for the USDA.

VANADU ART HOUSE

3810 Nicholson St., Hyattsville

A retired Hirshhorn Museum art conservator, A. Clarke Bedford began filling his time making art cars before turning his home into a giant mash-up of the Industrial Revolution and Victorian age on this otherwise quiet street in the suburbs of D.C.

Home to one of the first permanent British settlements, Southern Maryland offers a unique maritime heritage and rich outdoor opportunities.

CALVERT CLIFFS STATE PARK

Formed more than 15 million years ago, the massive and renowned cliffs, for which Calvert Cliffs State Park was named, dominate roughly 24 miles of Chesapeake Bay shoreline in Calvert County. At the time, the whole area was covered by shallow sea. Today, the slowly eroding cliffs reveal the remains of more than 600 prehistoric species, including sharks, sea turtles, whales, rays, crocodiles, and giant seabirds called pelagornithids that were the size of small airplanes. The 1,079-acres of preserved land within Calvert Cliffs State Park has 13 miles preserved for foot trails, including one hike that reaches the Chesapeake Bay, as well as a service road for cyclists and equestrians. The park also features a sandy beach, recycled tire playground, fishing, and marshland.

Shark-infested waters: Actually digging into the cliffs in search of the famous fossil shark teeth found here is illegal, possibly dangerous, and completely unnecessary. You simply need to comb the beach for fossils that wash ashore—sieves and shovels are allowed.

Go for: fossil hunting, hiking, and swimming.

Don’t miss: the Calvert Marine Museum, which hosts exhibits, displays, and aquariums that focus on local maritime history, estuarine biology, and paleontology, and nearby Drum Point Lighthouse.

POINT LOOKOUT STATE PARK

The southern tip of St. Mary’s County is home to gorgeous Chesapeake Bay views and an incredible amount of Maryland and American history. The peninsula here was formed by the confluence of the Bay and the Potomac River and first witnessed by Europeans when Captain John Smith explored it in 1612. Later, British ships raided the Southern Maryland peninsula during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Point Lookout State Park itself was once an early resort for the well-to-do and then a Union prisoner- of-war camp for captured Confederate soldiers.

Peaceful paddle: In terms of outdoor recreation, there are three paddling trails at the state park—Point Lookout Creek, Lake Conoy, and a route along the edge of the Chesapeake Bay. Canoe rentals are available from the park store on a first-come basis. The park boasts a nature center, fishing pier, beach, and the Point Lookout Lighthouse as well.

Go for: paddling, fishing, camping, and history.

Don’t miss: The Civil War Museum and still-remaining earth works of a Civil War fortification on the Potomac River shore near Cornfield Harbor.

LOCAL TREASURES

Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay

Wilson Landing Rd., Nanjemoy

Declared a National Marine Sanctuary nearly two years ago, Mallows Bay is home to what has been described as the “largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere.” Mallows Bay Park is the primary access point to the somewhat spooky ship sanctuary and surrounding marine habitat. Local amenities include a boat ramp, soft launch for kayaks—guided tours are available—a walking trail, and interpretive signs.

ST. MARY’S CITY

The first expedition from England to the planned Maryland colony, undertaken by Cecil Calvert, the 2nd Baron Baltimore, consisted of two ships—the Ark and Dove—with roughly 150 settlers, Jesuit missionaries, and indentured servants aboard. They arrived in what is now St. Mary’s County in 1634 and made permanent settlement upon a bluff overlooking the St. Mary’s River. The land had been home to the Piscataway people, who allowed the British settlement, and initially the settlers and Native Americans coincided peacefully. For the next six decades, St. Mary’s City served as the capital of the new colony.

Living history: Since 1969, St. Mary’s has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The city’s landmarks and living history museum commemorate North America’s fourth permanent English settlement.

Go for: the history, farmers’ market, and Chesapeake Bay.

Don’t miss: The Maryland Dove, the full-size replica of the early 17th-century expedition ship to the then-colony, which was constructed for the state’s 350th anniversary in the mid-1970s.

SOLOMONS ISLAND

Inhabited since colonial time, Solomons Island gets its name from Isaac Solomon, a 19th-century Baltimore businessman who established a cannery here after the Civil War. His house still stands on the entrance to the island. Shipyards eventually developed to support the island’s watermen and fishing fleet. Schooners and sloops were constructed here, as well as the more famous bugeyes, forerunners of Maryland’s iconic skipjacks. The deep harbor has remained a hub for watermen and boaters ever since.

Art for art’s sake: The Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center in Solomons is an award-winning arts nonprofit and features a Smithsonian-affiliated, forested sculpture garden. The sculpture garden and one-quarter-mile walking path hosts permanent works and pieces on loan from the Smithsonian Institution and the National Gallery of Art.

Go for: hiking, birding, and kayaking.

Don’t miss: “On Watch,” Antonio Tobias Mendez’s sculpture commemorating the World War II U.S. Naval Amphibious Training Base.

CAPTAIN AVERY MUSEUM

1418 E. West Shady Side Rd., Shady Side

The southern Anne Arundel County museum features three centuries of Chesapeake Bay history. The quiet town, beaches, and restaurants in Shady Side are worth a trip.

THE COMMEMORATIVE TO ENSLAVED PEOPLES OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND

47777 Mattapany Rd., Lexington

The haunting “ghost frame” architecture of a replica slave quarters offers visitors a place for reflection on the nature of slavery and linkages to today’s society.

DRAYDEN AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCHOOLHOUSE

18287 Cherryfield Rd., Drayden

The one-room schoolhouse, one of the best preserved African-American schoolhouses in the country, was built around 1890 and remained in use until 1944. COURTESY OF ST. MARY'S COUNTY MUSEUM DIVISION

MARYLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

27861 Budds Creek Rd., Mechanicsville

This drag strip in St. Mary’s County has a capacity of 12,500 fans and hosts weekend races of all stripes, as well as car and truck shows. RACE CAR: CSA Images

FORT FOOTE RODMAN GUNS

Fort Washington

The 15-inch diameter, Civil War-era cannons weigh in at nearly 50,000 pounds, and required 300 to 400 Union soldiers to move them up from the nearby river bluff to the fort. The balls fired by the massive guns weighed more than 500 pounds.

PATUXENT RESEARCH REFUGE

10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel

The National Wildlife Visitor Center here is the largest center for environmental science operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND BLUE CRABS

11765 St. Linus Dr., Waldorf

Minor league baseball is one of the summer’s great pastimes, and the independent Blue Crabs play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

ST. CLEMENT’S ISLAND

St. Mary’s County

Uninhabited St. Clement’s Island State Park features a 40-foot stone cross commemorating the beginnings of religious freedom in the country. It also is home to a reconstruction of the historic Blackistone Island lighthouse, which was a target of a Confederate raid.

SURRATT HOUSE MUSEUM

9118 Brandywine Rd., Clinton

The farmhouse for the family of John and Mary Surratt, the 1852-built home, now museum, was one of the dramatic settings in the conspiracy behind John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of President Lincoln.

UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS MEMORIAL MONUMENT

21550 Willows Rd., Lexington

Dedicated to African-American Union troops of St. Mary’s County, the monument specifically honors Sgt. James Harris and Pvt. William Barnes, who were each awarded the Medal of Honor. More than 600 U.S. Black troops, including freemen and slaves, from St. Mary’s joined the fight against the Confederacy.

Rediscover Baltimore’s Own History, World-class Museums, And Trails—not To Mention A Diverse Visual Arts And Music Scene That’s Second To None.

PATAPSCO VALLEY STATE PARK

The beautiful valley that surrounds the 39-mile Patapsco River was once a major mill hub, and part of the original western route created by the B&O Railroad when it was constructed in 1829. In fact, several of the old railroad bridges survive, including the arched, stone Thomas Viaduct, the largest railroad bridge in the U.S. when it was built, and the Patterson Viaduct, whose ruins remain in the park. Maryland’s first state park extends across 32 miles of the river and spans over 16,000 acres in total, including eight recreational areas and 70 miles of maintained trails. Patapsco Valley State Park is also known as one of the top mountain biking destinations on the East Coast, in particular the McKeldin and Avalon areas, with dozens of trails for riders of all abilities.

How it got started: In 1907, Catonsville’s John Glenn planted the seeds for the state park when he donated 43 acres to the Maryland Board of Forestry. In the 1930s, it became a state park and the Civilian Conservation Corps, one of FDR’s New Deal initiatives, built campgrounds, cabins, and pavilions.

Go for: hiking, mountain biking, camping, and swimming holes.

Don’t miss: the park’s two swinging bridges that cross over the Patapsco River.

ANNAPOLIS

Sometimes we forget that one of the best small towns in America is just a 35-minute drive from Baltimore. Or, if you are up for a more vigorous trek, a 13-mile bicycle ride from Glen Burnie via the popular Baltimore & Annapolis Trail. The historic City Dock area lies at the foot of Annapolis’ Main Street, which slopes down from St. Anne’s Episcopal Church. It was founded in 1692 and is one of the original 30 Anglican parishes established in the Maryland province. At the head of City Dock sits a small park with the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial, which commemorates the arrival point of the Roots author’s African ancestor.

Step back in time: The array of seemingly endless historical sites within walking distance of downtown Annapolis includes the entire Colonial Annapolis Historic District, Maryland State House, U.S. Naval Academy, and St. John’s College, which opened in 1789.

Go for: sailing, shops, seafood, and art galleries.

Don’t miss: the Banneker-Douglass Museum, located in the Mt. Moriah African Methodist Episcopal Church and dedicated to preserving the state’s African- American heritage.

LOCAL TREASURES

“America’s Sailing Capital”

Annapolis

Annapolis bills itself as “America’s Sailing Capital” and why not? The city has hosted the U.S. Sailboat Show, scheduled again for October, for the past five decades. Even more fun are Annapolis’ Wednesday Night Sailboat races, a long-time summer tradition, which can be watched from many places, including over cocktails.

GUNPOWDER FALLS STATE PARK

A diverse topographical corridor, Gunpowder Falls State Park stretches from Harford County to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Eastern Baltimore County. Established in 1959 to protect the Gunpowder River, as well as the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls, the park’s 18,000 acres range from rugged, hilly slopes to tidal marshes. It features more than 120 miles of trails, including the nearly 20-mile Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail (official name for the Northern Central Railroad walking and bicycle trail)—a local gem. The park also includes Prettyboy Reservoir, the Jerusalem Mill Village, Hammerman Area swimming beach, and Dundee Creek Marina.

What’s in a name? No one is sure, but the best guess is that it’s related to the saltpeter—a gunpowder ingredient—found along the rivers’ banks.

Go for: hiking, fishing, and horseback riding.

Don’t miss: cozy Loch Raven Fishing Center, which rents boats for fishing or paddling.

SUSQUEHANNA STATE PARK

Captain John Smith, who explored the Susquehanna River in 1608, wrote [of it]: “Heaven and earth seemed never to have agreed better to frame a place for man’s commodious and delightful habitation.” The river is named for the Susquehannock tribe, whom Smith met on his travels. For thousands of years, Native Americans thrived around the river, building farms and communities, and to this day, their petroglyph carvings survive in the river’s rocks. Situated along the Susquehanna Valley, amid its thick forest and often rocky terrain, the park offers hiking trails with river views and some excellent mountain biking opportunities.

Bring a camera: the picnic area around the Conowingo Dam offers one of the most popular places anywhere to photograph bald eagles and their high-speed fishing dives. October through February is the best time to go, but bald eagles do nest here year-round.

Go for: hiking, birding, and fishing.

Don’t miss: the restored Rock Run Historic Area.

BABE RUTH BIRTHPLACE MUSEUM

216 Emory St., Baltimore

Three blocks west of Camden Yards, the Bambino’s birthplace and childhood home tells the story of the rags-toriches life of America’s first superstar. It’s a must for any fan of the National Pastime. BASEBALL PLAYER: CSA IMAGES

BILLIE HOLIDAY HOME

217 Durham St., Baltimore

Known as “Lady Day Way,” the Upper Fells Point block where Holiday lived pays homage to the iconic jazz singer with colorful murals and works of art.

CLARK’S ELIOAK FARM

10500 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City

The family-friendly farm and petting zoo is home to beloved recovered attractions from Route 40’s famed Enchanted Forest.

DIVINE’S GRAVESITE

701 York Rd., Towson

Peaceful Prospect Hill Cemetery is the resting place of Harris Glenn Milstead, John Waters’ collaborator and the film star also known as Divine.

ELIJAH BOND’S OUIJA BOARD GRAVE

1501 Greenmount Ave., Baltimore

Green Mount Cemetery is renowned for the prominent Baltimoreans interred here, including Elijah Bonds, who patented the Ouija board—a stone replica serves as his headstone.

KING AND QUEEN’S SEAT

3318 Rocks Chrome Hill Rd., Jarrettsville

The big attractions at Rocks State Park are Kilgore Falls and the spectacular King and Queen Seat rock formation, once the site of Native American ceremonial gatherings.

LADEW TOPIARY GARDENS

3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton

Described as one of the “10 incredible topiary gardens around the world” by Architectural Digest, the 22 acres of award-winning gardens are just 30 minutes north of Baltimore.

NATIONAL GREAT BLACKS IN WAX MUSEUM

1601 E. North Ave., Baltimore

The one-of-a-kind museum is dedicated to the study and preservation of Black history.

HUBERT V. SIMMONS MUSEUM OF NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL

10302 Grand Central Ave., Owings Mills

Hosted inside the Owings Mills branch of the Baltimore County Public Library, the museum celebrates Negro League baseball and specifically, the great history of Baltimore’s Black Sox and Elite Giants.

UNION MILLS HOMESTEAD AND GRIST MILL

3311 Littlestown Pike, Westminster

A rural cultural and Civil War history landmark with a blacksmith shop and functioning grist mill, this year Union Mills celebrates its 50th annual Corn Roast Festival in August.

WHETHER HIKING, BIKING, CAMPING, OR WHITEWATER RAFTING, WESTERN MARYLAND’S LAKES AND MOUNTAINS ARE MADE FOR WANDERERS AND ADVENTURE SEEKERS ALIKE.

DEEP CREEK LAKE

The largest inland body of water in the state is, in fact, manmade, the result of a 1920s hydroelectric project on Garrett County’s Deep Creek. The Pennsylvania Electric Company created Deep Creek Lake by constructing a dam out of earth and rocks that stretched across a tributary of the Youghiogheny River. The state of Maryland officially purchased the lake two decades ago. Today, Deep Creek Lake State Park—a mountain resort tucked in the Alleghenies and a long way from the heat and humidity of Baltimore summers—provides access to the lake, which covers 3,900 acres and nearly 70 miles of shoreline, including two swimming beaches. The state park is also home to 20 miles of hiking and biking trails. The area hosts a variety of aquatic life and fish—from largemouth bass to northern pike and rainbow trout.

Adventurous: Try the guided whitewater rafting and kayaking while in Western Maryland for the kind of exhilarating fun that will make you think you’re in Colorado. And check Wisp ski resort for summer climbing courses, archery, mountain biking, and disc golf.

Go for: boating, swimming, and whitewater rafting.

Don’t miss: the nearby old-growth forests of Swallow Falls State Park, which hosted Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone, who camped there together in 1921.

APPALACHIAN TRAIL

The Appalachian Mountains stretch from Georgia to Canada and through Maryland, offering some of the most scenic vistas in the state. Encompassing 41 manageable miles from the West Virginia line to the Pennsylvania border, the Maryland section of the Appalachian Trail includes the gentlest terrain on America’s iconic hiking trail. It also cuts through Boonsboro’s Washington Monument State Park—home to the first U.S. monument to our first president— and Gathland State Park, which includes the National War Correspondents Memorial Arch, the first war correspondents monument in the United States. There are lots of places to access the trail, at Pen Mar Park, for example, on the PA line, and along the C&O Canal Towpath near the Potomac River.

Formative years: The Appalachian peaks were created some 270 million years ago when the ancestral continents of North America and Africa collided, thrusting masses of rocks that had been on the ocean floor upward and west—to what is today the eastern United States.

Go for: hiking and camping.

Don’t miss: the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in nearby Harpers Ferry.

LOCAL TREASURES

Delfest

Allegany County Fairgrounds, Cumberland

Fourteen years ago, York, Pennsylvania-born bluegrass pioneer Del McCoury brought his band and some friends together to do some playing in the heart of the Maryland mountains. Today, the annual multiday DelFest—music and camping set against a stunning Appalachian backdrop in Cumberland— is a must for bluegrass fans.

GREAT ALLEGHENY PASSAGE

From its start in Cumberland, the Great Allegheny Passage heads through Frostburg to the Mason- Dixon line and the Eastern Continental Divide. There is historical drama along the way, too, including the Cumberland Bone Cave—an archeological site containing bones of saber-toothed cats and other extinct species—and the 914-foot Brush Tunnel. You might also catch a glimpse of the working steam railroad that still operates between Cumberland and Frostburg. Ultimately, the Great Allegheny Passage, completed in 2013, runs 150 miles to Pittsburgh. The route follows former rail beds and traverses alongside rivers and streams amid landmarks from the French and Indian Wars and the Midwestern expansion.

Hall of Famer: The GAP was the first rail-trail in the country to be inducted into Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame.

Go for: bicycling, camping, and scenic views.

Don’t miss: the Allegany Museum, whose exhibits center on the region’s prehistoric life, local folk art, and Cumberland’s industrial history. A Crossroads of America exhibition, which will trace the history of human movement through the area, is in the works.

ROCKY GAP STATE PARK

This Allegany County state park originated in large part from a donation of land by Edward Habeeb, a local florist and turn-of-the-century Lebanese immigrant. His donation, along with those of some 40 other local landowners, led to the construction of a dam built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1970 and the formation of the 243-acre Lake Habeeb. Officially opened in 1974, the day-use area of the 3,000-plus acre state park is situated on the former Clover Hill dairy farm. The Rocky Gap Casino Resort here is privately owned and operated.

Blue is the warmest color: Rocky Gap Run, which winds its way through a mile-long gorge of cliffs and dense hemlock forest, feeds Lake Habeeb, which is known for having the bluest water in the state. Evitts Mountain, named for one of the first European settlers in the area, overlooks the lake.

Go for: Mountain biking, hiking, and boating.

Can’t miss: The Rocky Gap State Park Aviary.

ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD

5831 Dunker Church Rd., Sharpsburg

Seventy-two miles west of Baltimore is the site of the 12-hour Battle of Antietam, where some 23,000 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded, or lost on September 17, 1862. The epic Civil War bloodbath ended Gen. Robert E. Lee’s first foray into the North and prompted President Lincoln to pen his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

CRYSTAL GROTTOES CAVERNS

19821 Shepherdstown Pike, Boonsboro

The only “show cave” in Maryland, these Washington County caverns were discovered in 1920 and opened to the public two years later. Good news: The passages are generally high, if narrow. Also: bring a jacket for the 30-35 minute tour, the temperature remains in the 50s all year round.

CRANSVILLE SWAMP PRESERVE

Lake Ford Rd., Garrett County

The unique swamp—one of the coolest and wettest places in the state—is similar in landscape to the habitat in northern Canada’s bo-real forests due to its “frost pocket.” There are five trails here, including a quartermile boardwalk.

EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH

16 Washington St., Cumberland

The tunnels under the 1850-built Emmanuel Parish Church were the last Underground Railway stop in slave territory for African Americans headed north past the Mason-Dixon line.

FORT FREDERICK STATE PARK

11100 Fort Frederick Rd., Big Pool

The large, restored stone Fort Frederick served as an active frontier fortification during the French and Indian War and prisoner-of-war camp during the American Revolutionary War.

LEFTY GROVE MEMORIAL PARK

2 Union St., Lonaconing

The statue and mini baseball diamond here honor the Hall of Fame pitcher from Western Maryland.

LOVER’S LEAP

Wills Mountain, Cumberland

According to lore, a white hunter and the daughter of a Native American chief jumped to their deaths after her father refused to approve their marriage.

HOYE-CREST SUMMIT

Backbone Mountain, Garrett County

Maryland’s highest point is named for Capt. Charles E. Hoye, founder of the Garrett County Historical Society, and at an elevation of 3,360 feet is a remarkable, accessible hike from Route 219.

PAW PAW TUNNEL

Oldtown

One of the most notable landmarks on the C&O Canal Towpath, the Paw Paw Tunnel—named after the Maryland fruit—has a colorful history, including fistfights between boatsmen who sometimes refused to yield the right-of-way. It’s also said to be haunted.

WASHINGTON COUNTY MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

401 Museum Dr., Hagerstown

Situated in City Park, this is one of the most remarkable and comprehensive smalltown art museums in the country. By itself, it’s worth a trip to Washington County from Baltimore.

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Wild Wonders

Aaron Hope — Mon, 02 Sep 2019 08:30:00 +0000

Six stunning places to experience the East Coast’s greatest great outdoors this fall.

By Lydia Woolever

Travel & Outdoors

Wild Wonders

Six stunning places to experience the East Coast’s greatest great outdoors this fall.

By Lydia Woolever.

Pristine beaches. Towering cliffs. Cascading waterfalls. Big, blue-hued mountains as far as the eye can see. Baltimore is a stone’s throw from some of the East Coast’s greatest great outdoors, many of which happen to be located inside state and national parks. This fall, pack up the car, put away your cell phone, and consider yourself a good Samaritan for getting outside and supporting these natural treasures. Your mind, body, and spirit will thank you, too.

maryland

Hop on the highway and drive east as far as Maryland will take you, and hopefully you’ll end up on the white sandy beaches of Assateague Island. It’s hard to believe that the national seashore and coastal barrier island is in our state, especially in fall, when the cool winds off the Atlantic Ocean contrast the almost desert-like landscape and both the seaside goldenrod wildflowers and salt bush shrubs are in bloom along the dunes. The protected terrain is perfect for biking, beach-combing, surfing, and spotting the island’s wild horses, which are said to have first arrived in the region after a Spanish shipwreck in the 1600s. If you’re lucky, you might see a newborn foal, but be careful if you’re camping—the ponies have been known to bite, break into coolers, and cause a general ruckus. Still, we highly recommend bringing your own tent. With campfires allowed on the beach, there are few better ways to toast some marshmallows and see the stars.

SISTER CITY

If you keep walking south down the beach, or take the hour-long detour drive, you can find yourself in Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, where the wild ponies also roam, and the Pico Taqueria offers an unexpectedly delicious array of gourmet tacos.

WILD THINGS

In addition to the wild ponies, Assateague is home to a host of flora and fauna.

Ghost Crab: These swift-footed crustaceans blend in with the sand but can commonly be spotted scurrying sideways down the beach.

Prickly Pear: This eastern cactus is a native succulent to these seaside sands, with bright yellow blooms lasting until late summer and edible fruit appearing in the fall.

Dolphins: From May through October, bottlenose dolphins are often spotted swimming in pods in the open water before heading south for winter.

maryland

On the wide-open waters of the Chesapeake Bay, it can be easy to forget that our state estuary is actually the outpouring of the great Susquehanna River. Running from New York through Pennsylvania to Maryland, this ancient waterway was created at the end of the last Ice Age as the earth warmed and melting glaciers carved out the majestic river valley. Eventually, the Susquehannock Native Americans would call these waters home, with some evidence of their existence still surviving on the rocks of the riverbed. The best way to experience the Chesapeake headwaters, which provide nearly half of the brackish bay’s fresh water, is to launch a kayak, canoe, or boat from Susquehanna State Park in nearby Havre de Grace and explore the shorelines and multiple uninhabited islands, said to have once been visited by Captain John Smith. Back on the mainland, quiet trails also offer a respite in the deep woods, with popular mountain biking paths and scenic river views.

Go Fish With a state fishing license, anglers can catch a bounty of fins here come fall, from rockfish and catfish to carp and perch.

NATIVE LAND

Not long ago, the Susquehanna River was riddled with Native American petroglyphs, most of which have been archeologically preserved in museum collections or submerged by the river’s multiple dams. But across the Pennsylvania line into Lancaster County, one series of nationally protected examples still exists in the wild at the Big and Little Indian Rocks in Conestoga. Take the extra hour’s drive with a water vessel to witness this prehistoric art for yourself.

WORTH A DAM

There’s plenty not to like about the Conowingo Dam, especially after the recent releases following heavy rainfall that have forced Pennsylvania’s trash into the Chesapeake Bay. But we can forgive them their sins this time of year, when the dam’s overlook affords some awesome views of bald eagles swooping down to catch southbound fish.

Go Fish With a state fishing license, anglers can catch a bounty of fins here come fall, from rockfish and catfish to carp and perch.

CAMPING 101

A few tips and tricks for first-timers at arguably the best campground in Maryland.

Go online to reserve an ocean-side site within the National Seashore.
Prepare for cold showers. No hot water in the rustic stalls.

Pack away your food at night. The ponies are not above foraging.
Turn off your cell phone and try to find the Big and Little Dippers.

west virginia

WATCH OUT! Watch where you’re walking, as venomous timber rattlesnakes have been spotted in the Dolly Sods. They typically don’t strike unless provoked.

“Life is old there, older than the trees . . .” John Denver had West Virginia pegged when he wrote his 1970s hit, “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” an ode that in recent years has been adopted as the Mountain State’s official song. It is a wild and ancient place—especially the 17,000-acre Dolly Sods Wilderness, an undulating sea of green along the Allegheny Mountains in the heart of Appalachia. Located within the massive Monongahela National Forest, which spans the entire eastern border of West Virginia, this distinctive landscape is studded with 47 miles of nature trails through dense forest and meadowed plains, over mossy bogs and up craggy, boulder-strewn mountains that climb upwards of 4,700 feet. At the start, Blackwater Falls is a must, with accessible and awe-inspiring cascades located just outside the old coal mining town of Davis, whereas longer hikes, like the nine-mile round-trip Rohrbaugh and Blackbird Knob trails, offer a more adventurous, in-the-sticks trek. If possible, bring a four-wheel-drive vehicle for the narrow switchback roads and get comfortable with little-to-no cell service. From way up there, embrace the unplug and take a deep breath of fresh mountain air. “Almost heaven,” indeed.

FALL FOLIAGE

Because of its elevation, the climate and plant life of the Dolly Sods is more similar to Northern Canada than Maryland or Virginia. This time of year, thousands of acres of wild heath will blanket the region in red, while yellow birch, beech, and black cherry trees turn the rolling hills orange and gold.

DOWNHOME DIGS

If you’re looking for a comfortable bed after a day in the wild, the recently renovated Billy Motel in Davis is a fun, funky place to put your feet up. It’s also a five-minute drive to the Purple Fiddle, a true-blue pitstop for old-time Appalachian music.

WATCH OUT! Watch where you’re walking, as venomous timber rattlesnakes have been spotted in the Dolly Sods. They typically don’t strike unless provoked.

SWIM OR SCALE

Forty minutes south of Davis through backcountry roads, Seneca Rocks is one of the most beloved natural landmarks of West Virginia, with a jagged crag of sandstone shooting nearly 900 feet above the nearby North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River. It’s a favorite for rock-climbing fanatics, while down below, a secluded swimming hole offers an icy, idyllic dip.

maryland

One of the state’s best hidden gems is these massive, ancient cliffs along the edge of the Chesapeake Bay in Calvert County. Dating back 10 to 20 million years, when the Southern Maryland region was covered by a warm, shallow sea, these rust-colored bluffs were created over the eons by glacial melt and erosion and today run roughly 24 miles down the Western Shore as a treasure trove of prehistoric history. Walking along the shoreline in the shadow of the cliffs, you can stumble across and collect shark’s teeth, whale bones, sea shells, and other fossils from before the time of man. Just arrive early, as expert treasure hunters often walk the sands at sunrise for the best finds. Bring the kids for extra hands and a day at the beach, or your dog (on leash) for an invigorating traverse over some 13 miles of the state park’s hiking trails.

pit stop

The Frying Pan Restaurant in Lusby is a no-frills, old-school, worth-its-salt greasy spoon that’s been serving locals home-style cooking (silver dollar pancakes, scrapple, fried oysters, chicken fried steaks) for the past 50 years.

ROCKY ROAD

This should be obvious, but don’t dig into or walk directly beneath the cliffs. Landslides do occur due to active erosion.

Living History

If you don’t find your own fossils, the nearby Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons is home to a stellar collection found along the cliffs, as well as historic Chesapeake boats and lighthouses.

maryland

Prepare for your jaw to drop upon entering this national wildlife refuge in Dorchester County on the lower Eastern Shore. For as far as the eye can see, an expanse of forest and marsh unfurl toward what feels like the ends of the earth, with dark shallow pools of water and golden switchgrass blending with the horizon. Considered one of the “last great places” by The Nature Conservancy and known by some as the “Everglades of the North,” these 28,000-plus acres are home to one third of the state’s tidal wetlands and lie in a critical path for migratory birds, making it an ecological treasure of the East Coast. Get lost on an epic fall drive down the labyrinthine backroads, bike the myriad wildlife trails, or carry your kayak to explore the waterfowl sanctuary via the inky water itself.

BLACK MAGIC

The name “blackwater” comes from the local river waters that darken in color from rich tannins in the marsh soils.

GUIDING LIGHT

Before the park entrance, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center is a must-visit for moving museum exhibits and a scenic rest stop in the land where its legendary namesake abolitionist once lived and later returned to free other slaves.

FOWL FRIENDS

Bring your binoculars for bird sightings throughout the fall.

Bald Eagles: Expect to see these noble birds of prey in big numbers, as Blackwater has one of the largest populations of breeding bald eagles on the East Coast.

Geese: Starting in October, both Canada and snow geese arrive in the thousands for a winter break on their way down south.

Tundra Swans: Usually appearing in early November, these regal beauties make a statement in the sky and on land with their great white feathers and haunting call.

virginia

WATCH OUT! Black bears are common in these parts. Talk as you hike to make the animals aware of your presence, and if you have a run-in, keep your distance and walk away slowly without turning your back to them.

To put it simply, the Shenandoah National Park is something to behold, and the dramatic landscape, with 200,000-acres of protected land along the soaring Blue Ridge Mountains, will surely take your breath away. It’s an outdoor enthusiast’s Shangri-La, from the 105-mile stretch of mountaintop that is Skyline Drive, with its some 76 overlook pull-offs for taking in the magnificent vistas, to an abundance of trout streams fit for fly fishing, to tumbling waterfalls and easy detours for an afternoon of spelunking in natural caves. Of course, Shenandoah is also in the heart of the Appalachian Trail, with dozens of access points throughout the park, plus plenty of other hikes worth hoofing, like Hawksbill, a moderate climb to the park’s highest peak, and the ever-popular yet challenging ascent up to the boulders of Old Rag.

ROCK OF AGES

You may have flashbacks to middle school field trips to Luray Caverns, but even for adults, these subterranean caves, the largest of their kind in the eastern U.S, are still a spectacle, from the Salvador Dalí-esque rock formations of Giant’s Hall, to the optical illusion of Dream Lake, to the musical masterpiece of the Great Stalacpipe Organ.

WORTH THE DETOUR

The Seven Bends of the Shenandoah River technically abut the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, but take the short drive to Woodstock to climb the town’s observation tower. From 2,000 feet up, take in a bird’s-eye view of this serpentine, riverine wonder.

WATCH OUT! Black bears are common in these parts. Talk as you hike to make the animals aware of your presence, and if you have a run-in, keep your distance and walk away slowly without turning your back to them.

SACK OUT

From camping to glamping and luxury lodging, feel comfortable putting your feet up in any of these mountain digs.

Big Meadows: This sprawling campground in the northern part of the park affords picturesque views, proximity to popular trails, and plenty of fire pit grills for roasting weenies in the woods.

Getaway House: These millennial-approved cabins offer a tiny-home experience with some modern amenities and Instagram-approved beds in the Stanardsville foothills of Shenandoah.

The Clifton: For the closest thing to a bed of roses, this historic estate features chic sleeps in former carriage houses just minutes from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville.

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City Launches Flowering Tree Trails Initiative and 100 Baby Turtles Hatch on Assateague

Amy Mulvihill — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 13:48:00 +0000

BeLeaf

In our city’s ever-evolving effort to become a “cleaner, greener” version of itself, the Flowering Tree Trails of Baltimore initiative is the beautiful, fragrant next step. The effort—organized by a coalition of city governmental departments, environmental groups, and volunteers—aims to plant 6,000 flowering ornamental trees along 39 miles of Baltimore trails. In the spring, when they flower, the trails will be visually connected and become a source of splendor for residents and tourists alike.

“In time, our city could be as famous for its Flowering Tree Trails as Washington, D.C., is for its cherry blossoms and New York is for the High Line,” says the initiative’s website. The plantings, which can range from—crabapples and cherry trees to dogwoods and silverbells—will contribute to the city’s goal of increasing its tree canopy from 28 percent to 40 percent by 2037. That is the level of coverage the U.S. Forest Service recommends if Baltimore wants to improve its air quality. The first trees went into the ground on November 11, during a ceremony in Druid Hill Park. Organizers estimate that, when all is said and planted, the initiative will cost somewhere in the low seven figures. Fundraising efforts are underway.

Bay Watch

Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen has introduced legislation to increase funding for a program that helps farmers prevent agricultural runoff from entering the bay. According to the Chesapeake Bay Program “agriculture is the single largest source of nutrient and sediment pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay.” The bill, officially titled the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act of 2017, would triple funding—from $100 million to $300 million—available to farmers for mitigating practices such as constructing secure manure storage, installing cover crops, practicing no-till farming, and maintaining forested stream buffers.

Van Hollen’s bill has already garnered multiple sponsors, including one Republican, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia. According to The Washington Post, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott of Virginia’s 3rd District will introduce an identical bill in the House, but is still gathering support. Separately, Congress continues to debate 2018 funding levels for the Chesapeake Bay cleanup program—a six-state, $73 million agreement to curb pollution that President Trump has proposed eliminating.

Sewer Followup

When last we checked in with Baltimore City’s $1.6 billion plan to upgrade its failing sewer system, the city was locked in a dispute with water quality advocacy group Blue Water Baltimore over the scope of the federally mandated consent decree. Blue Water Baltimore wanted the work to continue until water quality met a certain benchmark, even if that meant performing repairs and upgrades outside the purview of the initial agreement. The city—and the federal government—argued that this was not feasible or necessary. In October, a federal judge sided with the city and federal government. The first phase of the project, which will address 83% of sewer overflows, is supposed to be completed by January 1, 2021. All remaining work is to be completed by 2030. The consent decree can be viewed in full here.

Park Places

The ribbon cutting of a redeveloped baseball field in West Baltimore provided the setting for a classic Orioles reunion last week as Cal Ripken Jr., Eddie Murray, and Brooks Robinson gathered at the newly dedicated Eddie Murray Field at BGE Park. The park, a project of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, now features a synthetic turf baseball diamond, dugouts, a backstop, and a digital scoreboard. The field is located behind James Mosher Elementary School and will host after- school programming in addition to James Mosher Baseball—the oldest continuously operating African-American youth baseball league in the country.
Users of the Stony Run trail that snakes through many of North Baltimore’s most coveted neighborhoods had cause for celebration in early October. After nearly 10 years and $1 million in investment, two footbridges opened creating the final linkages in the trail that runs between Roland Avenue and North Charles Street from just below Northern Parkway to Remington.
In October, the state announced it will allocate $23 million to protect parcels of farmland, forest, and open space in 17 conservation districts around the state. The funds are part of the Rural Legacy Program, a program of the state Department of Natural Resources, that works “to preserve large, contiguous tracts of land and to enhance natural resource, agricultural, forestry and environmental protection while supporting a sustainable land base for natural resource based industries.” This year’s recipients include the Manor and Piney Run areas in Baltimore County, and the Deer Creek area of Harford County.

Babies in a Half Shell: Turtle Power!

In late September, the National Park Service announced that a nest of loggerhead sea turtles successfully hatched on Assateague Island National Seashore. The approximately 100 hatchlings emerged from one nest site in the Maryland Over Sand Vehicle zone and successfully made their way out to sea. This is the first successful hatch of loggerhead sea turtles on Assateague, though other attempts have been noted in recent years. The species generally does not nest north of North Carolina. Bill Hulslander, chief of resource management for the National Seashore says, the hatch “underscores the increasing importance of undeveloped beaches along Assateague Island to sea turtles and other federally threatened and endangered species.”

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Readers Discuss Their Favorite Local Beaches

Jess Mayhugh — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 15:07:53 +0000

Ingrid Friedenberg, entrepreneur: Fenwick Island State Park and Bethany Beach, DE. They are clean, family-oriented, pet-friendly, cute, and charming beach communities.

Kristy Wright, legal secretary: Rehoboth Beach. It has an upscale feel with fewer kids.

Val Levin, IT professional: Assateague: easy parking, natural beauty.

Scott Mech, sushi chef: There’s a “secret” beach in North Point State Park with a fallen tree that is absolutely amazing. Nature provided a beautiful bench for a beautiful place.

Lisa Frisky, staffing company branch manager: Ocean City, of course! Because it’s an easy escape from where I live. It has always been there for us, and the memories are priceless!

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50 Reasons Why We Love Our Beach

Mike Smith — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 08:30:00 +0000

Let us count the ways...

Come summer, the beach is our favorite stretch of real estate, a 50-mile-long wonderland of sun-soaked, ocean-lapped coastline between the mouth of the Delaware Bay and the Maryland-Virginia line. Within its borders lie five beach resorts, three boardwalks, four seaside state parks, one national seashore, eight inland bays, and countless opportunities to overindulge in one’s favorite seasonal pleasures. So knock yourself out. Party hearty at Fager’s Monday night deck parties. Watch family-friendly movies on the beach. Learn to surf. Nurse a hangover at The Starboard’s Sunday brunch. Look for wild ponies on Assateague Island. Grab a slice of Grotto Pizza. Ham it up in a photo booth with your buds. Why are we so enamored with the beach? Read on to find out.

BY MARTY LEGRAND

Christopher Myers
Comfort food comes in a tub and it’s doused with malt vinegar . . .

Succumb to the boardwalk’s favorite frites, Thrasher’s French Fries, 801 Atlantic Ave., Ocean City, 410-289-4150, and other locations.

Shutterstock
. . . or smothered in caramel

Don’t forget your pals (like the pet-sitter) when buying tubs of gooey goodness at the original Fisher’s Popcorn, 200 S. Boardwalk Ave., Ocean City, 888-395-0335. The Fisher family also runs mom-and-pop(corn) shops in Fenwick (37081 Coastal Hwy., 302-539-8833), Bethany Beach (108 Garfield Pkwy., 302-537-9155), and Rehoboth Beach (48 Rehoboth Ave., 302-227-2691).

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Skee-Ball games still cost a quarter (or less).

Aim for the high-scoring holes to win T-shirts and free skee-ball for life at Beach Arcade, 5 N. Boardwalk, Rehoboth Beach, 302-227-1040, or plush toys and skee-ball souvenirs at Funland, 6 Delaware Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 302-227-1921.

Courtesy of Trimper’s Rides
Twenty dollars buys priceless nostalgia.

For two sawbucks (40 tickets), enjoy carny classics at Trimper’s Rides, Ocean City’s oldest amusement park (founded in 1890): bumper cars, the haunted house, the mirror maze, tilt-a-whirl, the Zipper, and the park’s vintage merry-go-round. 700 S. Atlantic Ave., 410-289-8617.

John J. Young
Boardwalks beat boardrooms.

Large (Ocean City), medium (Rehoboth), or small (Bethany) resort boardwalks pulse with life. Embrace tradition: Order a peanut-butter chocolate twist at the Kohr Bros. stand at the Pier, 401 S. Boardwalk, Ocean City, 410-289-1178, and on weekends grab a seat for concerts at the bandstands in Rehoboth Beach, 1 Rehoboth Ave., 302-644-2288, and Bethany Beach, 114 Garfield Pkwy., 302-539-8011.

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Havaianas are considered formal wear.

Pam Reid
Our pooch can meet new pals.

Play fetch with Fido at Ocean City’s off-leash dog playground, 94th St., 410-250-0125. Let your chowhounds feast at “pooch pancake breakfasts” held Sundays at Yuppy Puppy, 123 Garfield Pkwy., Bethany Beach, 302-537-0171. Ramble on the sand at Dewey Beach, one of the only Delaware or Maryland resorts that permits dogs on public beaches in summer. License required. 302-227-7796, iDewey.com.

Courtesy of Karl Schwarz
We can cruise the beach,literally.

Register to drive a three-mile course on Ocean City’s famous beach at Jeep Week Beach Crawl Aug. 28-29 or buy a spectator’s pass that includes admission to Jeep Jam, an obstacle course/music festival in Berlin, 410-213-9473. Purchase an Over-Sand Vehicle permit and explore remote beaches at Assateague Island National Seashore, 6633 Bayberry Dr., Berlin, 410-641-1441.

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We can ride bicycles built for two.

Rent a tandem bicycle for a morning ride on the boardwalk, plus get info on cycling routes and local bike ordinances from Atlantic Cycles, 18 Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 302-226-2543, and Wobbly Wheel Boardwalk Bicycle, 3 N. 1st St., Ocean City, 410-289-2453.

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We can totally check out the lifeguards.

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We get to read naughty novels and thrillers.

Catch up on the Fifty Shades trilogy under a beach umbrella or buy Jo Nesb’s latest crime tale at Bethany Beach Books, 99 Garfield Pkwy., 302-539-2522, or Browseabout Books, 133 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 302-226-2665.

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Kids can fish in SpongeBob’s ’hood.

Young squirts can catch crabs (mayhap a Krabby Patty, too?) at Northside Park Pier, bayside at 125th St., Ocean City, 410-250-0125. Head to Oceanic Fishing Pier (open 24 hours), 710 S. Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, 410-289-2602, for larger species like flounder and bluefish.

Courtesy of Michael Bentley
Kids can get touchy-feely with nature.

Let them see local wildlife and plant a garden during Saturday morning edu-tainment events at Bethany Beach Nature Center , 807 Garfield Pkwy., 302-537-7680 (free). Help them haul a fishing net full of sea critters at the Seining the Bay program with the Indian River Life-Saving Station, Fenwick Island State Park and Delaware Seashore State Park, 39415 Inlet Rd., Rehoboth Beach, 302-227-6991 ($4 per person), destateparks.com.

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There’s a new crustacean in town.

Try the other white meat—lobster. Crack open a one-pounder, star of the lobster dinner at Twining’s Lobster Shanty, 37310 Lighthouse Rd., Selbyville, DE, 302-436-2305. Savor a Bar Harbor-caliber lobster roll at Henlopen City Oyster House, 50 Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 302-260-9193.

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Bloody Marys enjoy cult status.

Practice mixology at the mecca of Bloody Mary bars, The Starboard, 2009 Coastal Hwy., Dewey Beach, 302-227-4600, offering a staggering selection of vodkas, mixes, and hot sauces. Savor the reigning champ of beach Bloodys, the Crabby Mary (topped with smoked jumbo lump) at Fish Tales, 2207 Herring Way, Ocean City, 410-289-0990.

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Crushes are permissible.

Renew your ardor for summer’s signature concoction, the Orange Crush, at the drink’s reputed birthplace, Harborside Bar & Grill , 12841 S. Harbor Rd., West Ocean City, 410-213-1846, or the renowned Friday night Taco Toss happy hour at The Lighthouse, 124 Dickinson St., Dewey Beach, 302-227-4333.

Courtesy of Michael Bentley
You can never have enough dough.

Carbo-load on buttermilk pancakes or pepperoni pizza at the legendary Dough Roller, four Ocean City locations, including its original boardwalk site, 606 S. Atlantic Ave., 410-289-3501. Craft a designer doughnut at Fractured Prune, seven beach locations, including Coastal Hwy. at 81st. St., Ocean City, 410-524-4688.

Courtesy of Papa Granes
Matt Haley’s restaurants still rule.

The late restaurateur’s legacy lives on. Enjoy imaginative seafood dishes, house-made sodas (or stronger tipples), and unbeatable bayside views at Catch 54, 38931 Madison Ave., Fenwick Island, 302-436-8600. Try Mex with a twist (Korean pork belly tacos, anyone?) at Papá Grande’s taquerias: 38929 Madison Ave., Fenwick Island, 302-436-7272, and 210 Second St., Rehoboth Beach, 302-212-2409.

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Bars come with playgrounds.

Enjoy a leisurely meal and a frosty margarita while your fidgety brood frolics on the sandy, pirate-themed playground at Dead Freddies Island Grill , 105 64th St., Ocean City, 410-524-3733, or Fish Tales, 2207 Herring Way, Ocean City, 410-289-0990.

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The nightlife is rejuvenating.

Rock out like you did in younger days at The Bottle & Cork, 1807 Rte. 1, Dewey Beach, 302-227-7272, featuring revival/tribute bands like The English Beat and Dark Star Orchestra. Kick up your boot heels to live bands and DJs at Cowboy Coast Country Saloon, Coastal Hwy. at 17th St., Ocean City, 410-289-6331, where daredevils can ride a mechanical bull.

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Sand-sculpting stirs our competitive juices.

Grab your buckets and spades and match your creativity with rival Rodins in two time-honored sandcastle contests in Rehoboth Beach: July 11 at Delaware Seashore State Park, 39415 Inlet Rd., 302-227-2800, and Aug. 1 at Fisherman’s Beach, end of the northern boardwalk, 302-227-2233. Or watch pro sculptors at OC Sandfest, Aug. 23-30, North Division St. Beach, Ocean City, 410-798-6304.

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Every hour is happy.

Courtesy of James Allen
We can float on a raft sipping frozen rum drinks while listening to reggae.

Relax, mon, at the legendary, colossal tiki bar Seacrets (aka Jamaica USA), 117 W. 49th St., Ocean City, 410-524-4900. Arrive early to avoid the tipsy throngs. Or join ’em—but prudently: Book a room at Seacrets Hotel, 410-524-4496.

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History is spine-tingling.

Imagine a foundering 19th-century ship as re-enactors “rescue” victims during Breeches Buoy re-enactments at Indian River Life-Saving Station Museum at Delaware Seashore State Park, 25039 Coastal Hwy., Rehoboth Beach, 302-227-6991. Visit the mesmerizing artifacts at DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum , 708 Coastal Hwy., Fenwick Island, 302-539-9366. If the museum’s deep sea-exploring owner is there, you may get to hold centuries-old gold coins.

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Shopping is tax-free in Delaware.

Browse the latest vintage-print summer dresses and fab best-friends bracelets at Downtown Cowgirl, 146 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 302-227-1917. Upgrade your business profile with a swank messenger bag from Coach Men’s Factory store, Tanger Outlets, 36470 Seaside Outlet Dr., Rehoboth Beach, 302-644-2062.

Courtesy of Hotel Rodney
We like small-town hospitality.

Book a cozy room at a boutique spot like the Atlantic Hotel, 2 N. Main St., Berlin, 410-641-3589, or Hotel Rodney, 142 Second St., Lewes, 302-645-6466, then explore the charming, historic towns in which you’re staying.

Courtesy of Randy Roberts
We love the new places to stay.

Rest in Mad Men-era style at Dogfish Inn, 105 Savannah Rd., Lewes, 302-644-8292 , an in-town motel modishly revamped by the owners of Dogfish Head Brewery. Drop anchor in a nightlife nexus, Hyatt Place Dewey Beach , 1301 Coastal Hwy., 302-864-9100, part of the waterside Lighthouse Cove dining/entertainment complex.

Christopher Myers
We get to chow down on Baltimore Avenue.

Bring your appetite to one of Rehoboth Beach’s primary foodie boulevards, where renowned chefs make restaurants such as a(MUSÉ), 44 Baltimore Ave., 302-227-7107 (dinner, closed Mondays), and Café Azafrán, 18 Baltimore Ave., 302-227-8100 (daily lunch, dinner, weekend breakfasts) must-eat destinations.

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There be pirates everywhere, matey.

Search for treasure and bombard baddies with water cannons on a cruise with Duckaneer Pirate Ship Tours, 311 Talbot St., Ocean City, 410-289-3500. Let the kids get skull-n-crossbones tatts (temporary, of course) before they storm the movie-inspired miniature links at Captain Jack’s Pirate Golf, 21 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Bethany Beach, 302-539-1122. Cool off on the buccaneer-themed jungle gym at Jolly Roger’s Splash Mountain Water Park, 2901 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, 410-289-3477, but beware the pirate head, a giant water bucket that periodically drenches park-goers.

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The beers have gotten a lot craftier.

Dogfish Head got the keg rolling 20 years ago. Now craft brewers abound. Hoist a house-brewed Kraken I.P.A. at the spacious Ocean City Brewing Co., 5509 Coastal Hwy., 443-664-6682. Indecisive? Order a surfboard-shaped flight of six sample beers at Backshore Brewing , 913 Atlantic Ave., Ocean City, 410-289-0008.

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Morning walks are more eye-opening.

Pass pine forests, cranberry bogs, and World War II bunkers on Cape Henlopen State Park’s Pinelands Trail , 15099 Cape Henlopen Dr., Lewes, 302-645-8983. Take in views of Rehoboth Bay and Dewey Beach’s skyline on Delaware Seashore State Park’s Thompson Island Trail, 39415 Inlet Rd., Rehoboth Beach, 302-227-2800. (Of course, an early a.m. beach walk is great for shell-seekers.)

Courtesy of Golden Plate
We can have our funnel cake and eat like a foodie, too.

Indulge in the satisfying spectrum of beach fare, from sugar-dusted mounds of deep-fried dough at Golden Plate, 19C Atlantic Ave, Ocean City. 410-289-4488, to gourmet tasting tours of Rehoboth Beach restaurants with Eating Rehoboth, 800-979-3370, eatingrehoboth.com.

Mike Drukenbrod
We can find some peace and quiet.

Hike through bayside forest, marsh, and beach at out-of-the-way James Farm Ecological Preserve, Cedar Neck Rd., Ocean View, DE, 302-226-8105. Paddle quietly through a bald cypress swamp at Trap Pond State Park, 33587 Baldcypress Ln., Laurel, DE, 302-875-5153.

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We’re in sweet-tooth heaven.

Think outside the (salt water taffy) box wow fadeIn; try sea-salt caramels—among other goodies—at Dolle’s, three Ocean City locations, including the original, 500 S. Boardwalk Ave., 410-289-6000. Pretend you’re in Paris (by way of Penny Lane Mall); order a delicate, strawberry-stuffed crepe at Café Papillon, 42 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 302-227-7568.

Clif Burns
Sunsets are worth celebrating.

When the sun dips over the inland bays, Ocean City parties à la Key West. Bring a beach chair, pack a picnic dinner, and listen to live bands Thursday nights at Sunset Park, South Division St., 800-626-2326. Earn “downy ocean” cred by lifting a glass to these sunset anthems: Kate Smith’s “God Bless America” at Macky’s, 5311 Coastal Hwy., 410-723-5565, and “Pete” Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” at Fager’s Island, 201 60th St., 410-524-5500.

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The fish are Hemingwayesque.

Watch nightly weigh-ins to see whose big billfish will net big bills (over $2 million in prizes) at the White Marlin Open (Aug. 3-7), Harbour Island Marina, 419 14th St., Ocean City, 410-289-9229. Root for anglers at Capt. Steve Harman’s Poor Girls Open (Aug. 13-15), Bahia Marina, 2107 Herring Way, Ocean City, 410-289-7438, a breast-cancer fundraiser.

Christopher Myers
Movies are shown seaside—for free.

Bring the blankies and the Milk Duds and enjoy family flicks that keep the piggybank intact. These towns host complimentary movies on the beach: Ocean City (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights), three locations, 800-OC-OCEAN, ococean.com/freeforall; Bethany Beach (Monday nights), Garfield Pkwy. beach, 302-539-8011, townofbethanybeach.com; Dewey Beach (Monday nights), Dagsworthy St. beach, 302-227-2233, beach-fun.com.

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We love the ponies.

Visit Assateague Island National Seashore, 11800 Marsh View Ln., Berlin, 410-641-1441, and keep an eye out for the barrier island’s famous wild horses, who gravitate to the park’s marshes and breezy beaches in summertime. Play the ponies at Ocean Downs, 10218 Racetrack Rd., Berlin, 410-641-0600, the casino/racetrack that offers live harness racing each summer.

Courtesy of Carlos A. Lacruz
Indian River Inlet Bridge looks amazing at night.

After dark, the LED-lit, cable-stayed Route 1 span glows like a futuristic sailboat with neon-blue rigging. See it by car or the bridge’s walkway. Or stay nearby at the fully furnished Cottages at Indian River Marina, 39415 Inlet Rd., Rehoboth Beach, 302-227-3071.

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We can pretend we’re in Hawaii.

Catch a wave at Ocean City’s surfing beaches. Two are reserved daily (on a rotating basis) for surfers, as is a permanent weekday spot at the Inlet in the summer months (info: 410-289-7556). Mellow out with “dynamite rolls” and a cold Kona at Nalu, 1308 Coastal Hwy., Dewey Beach, 302-227-1449, an open-air surf bar and grill.

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We can make s’mores on the beach.

Skip the local fire-permit bureaucracy and bring a bag o’ marshmallows to Dewey Beach’s free Wednesday night bonfires, Dagsworthy Street beach, 302-227-2233. Enjoy Thursday evening concerts at the North Inlet gazebo followed by a bonfire at Delaware Seashore State Park’s North Inlet beach, 39415 Inlet Rd., Rehoboth Beach, 302-227-2800. (You bring chairs; the park supplies marshmallows.)

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Artists head outdoors.

Paint the town at Artists Paint OC Aug. 6-9, when everyone is invited to capture his/her favorite scenery en plein air, Art League of Ocean City, 410-524-9433. Admire and acquire paintings, photographs, and other artworks at The Rehoboth Art League’s Outdoor Fine Art and Fine Craft Show, Aug. 8-9 and 15-16, 12 Dodds Ln., 302-227-8408.

Courtesy of Tom Lynch Photography
Two words: steamed crabs.

Order a summer feast—steaming blue crabs and pitchers of Natty Boh—at The Crab Bag, 13005 Coastal Hwy., Ocean City, 410-250-3337. En route to OC, take a detour along Route 54 and get your crab fix at Old Mill Crab House, 8829 Waller Rd., Delmar, DE, 302-846-9000.

Courtesy of Lighthouse Sound
Golf greens boast blue views.

Two of the shore’s premier courses feature stunning vistas of Assawoman Bay. Pit your skills on perhaps Ocean City’s toughest course, The Links at Lighthouse Sound, 12723 St. Martins Neck Rd., Bishopville, 410-641-1189. Channel the Golden Bear while challenging the Jack Nicklaus-designed links at Bayside Resort Golf Club , 31806 Lakeview Dr., Selbyville, DE, 302-436-3400.

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If it’s raining, we can still play miniature golf.

Swing with the fishes—and other replica denizens of the deep—at Undersea Adventure Golf, 6801 Coastal Hwy., Ocean City, 888-OLD-PRO1, one of Old Pro Mini Golf’s two indoor courses. Conquer the jungle-themed links at the other site, Safari Village, 13603 Coastal Hwy., Ocean City, 888-OLD-PRO1.

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There’s life in the back lagoons.

Explore the inland bays’ placid waters and varied wildlife atop a paddleboard on guided SUP tours by Coastal Kayak, Rte. 1, Fenwick, 302-539-7999 (a lesson is included). Book two-hour, ranger-guided Friday afternoon cruises on the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal from Lewes, through Cape Henlopen, to Rehoboth Bay; ($22 adults, $15 children), Cape Water Taxi, 302-644-7334, capewatertaxi.com.)

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There’s an app for that.

Try these best-of-the-beach apps: Rehoboth In My Pocket ($3.99 iTunes, Google Play), tips on dining, lodging, and attractions; Delaware State Pocket Ranger (free, iTunes, Google Play), plan trips and navigate using cacheable maps. Coming this summer: a pay-by-phone parking app and O.C. beach report app.

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We can see sea creatures.

Watch for bottlenose dolphins offshore and join the National Aquarium’s Annual Dolphin Count in July to help researchers track these marine mammals, Ocean City and Assateague State Park, Berlin, animalrescue@aqua.org. Go eye-to-eye with seahorses, horseshoe crabs, flounder, and other aquarium dwellers at Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum, 813 S. Atlantic Ave., 410-289-4991.

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We dig fresh clams.

Search for succulent shellfish along the inland bays at Holts Landing State Park, Road 346, Millville, DE, 302-227-2800, and Assateague Island National Seashore, 11800 Marsh View Ln., Berlin, 410-641-1441. The Indian River Life-Saving Station in Rehoboth Beach offers clamming and crabbing lessons. 302-227-6991.

David Clow
There’s an ocean, of course!

Source

Guide to the Eastern Shore Islands

Jess Mayhugh — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Given nature’s perversity, what are the odds that this summer will be a scorcher? Well, we know just the place to escape—an island. Islands are offshore cooling centers, oasises where we go for beaches and breezes, then stay for the chance to disconnect. And they’re as close as the Eastern Shore.

We’ve picked five islands well worth visiting, each with bona-fide credentials (e.g. tiki bars, sandy beaches, native seafood, and more). We’ve also rated them on a “separation-from-civilization” scale, awarding an Order of the Palm Trees for remoteness, water vistas, number/size of beaches, personal space, and freedom from e-mail, with four trees denoting the top getaway.

KENT ISLAND

Nearest City:Annapolis (15 miles)Island Cred: Dock bars and tiki huts.

Our closest island, Kent, is known for the lively strip of seafood restaurants, dock bars, upscale marinas, and wholesale fish operations lining either side of its eastern channel, Kent Narrows. But in between rearview glimpses of the Bay Bridge and the Narrows’s chockablock summer revelry, Chesapeake Bay’s largest island also offers scenic cycling, Fido-friendly beaches, a historic hamlet, and a Joe Biden-approved sub shop.

Terrapin Nature Park. - ForsakenFotos

Stay
Several hotel chains serve the Kent Narrows waterfront. Hilton Garden Inn rooms have private balconies suited for gazing at endless Bay views (hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com). Prefer greater isolation? Stay at the Historic Kent Manor Inn, an elegantly restored 1820 manor house amid 200 undeveloped acres hugging Thompson Creek. Beloved by bridal parties, the inn wows with water vistas, lush gardens, and luxury service (kentmanor.com). Island rentals: Expect to pay about $2,000-2,500 a week for a four-bedroom condominium.

Feast
Crab is king (natch), invariably served with mesmerizing water views, especially at Kent Narrows. Perennial fine-dining favorite The Narrows Restaurant earns raves for its cream-of-crab soup, jumbo-lump cakes, and lengthy wine list ( thenarrowsrestaurant.com). Frosty pitchers of beer pair best with steamed crabs at nearby Harris Crab House (harriscrabhouse.com). In a sea of crowded dock bars, seek out Big Owl Tiki Bar, a little oasis prized for its family-recipe crab cakes and Parrothead vibe (thebigowl.com). For lunch, try Capriotti’s in Chester, a branch of the popular Wilmington, DE, sub shop (reportedly a fave of the Veep’s). Its best seller packs Thanksgiving into a bodacious “sammich” featuring roast turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing (capriottis.com). And get your steamed crabs to go at Mr. B’s Seafood, a family-run market in Stevensville.

Do
Begin your odyssey at the Chesapeake Exploration Center, a visitor center/nature museum near Kent Narrows. From there, bike or hike at least part of the super-scenic Cross Island Trail, a paved six-mile passage through woods and over wetlands. Benches along the way invite lingering. At the trail’s west end, Terrapin Nature Park features more trails, one leading to a small public beach with spectacular views of the Chesapeake Bay and its iconic bridge. Leashed dogs are permitted to roam Terrapin’s sands, but for unbridled doggy paddling, visit Matapeake State Park, where dogs have their own beach (parksnrec.org). Shopping opportunities range from the small art galleries and gift shops in historic Stevensville’s Arts & Entertainment District (stevensvilleartsandentertainment.org) to major retailers at Queenstown Premium Outlets on the mainland, where Tommy Bahama and Izod stores can outfit you for the islands (premiumoutlets.com).

TILGHMAN ISLAND

Nearest City: Easton (23 miles)
Island Cred: Boats have the right-of-way at the drawbridge.

Minutes away, but a world apart from swanky St. Michaels, Tilghman has aged like sea glass into a burnished reflection of its vibrant past. Workboats still putter through Knapps Narrows, the busy-yet-bucolic channel separating the island from greater Talbot County, but old cottages built by farming and fishing families increasingly shelter newcomers lured by Tilghman’s natural serenity.

Two If by Sea Café. - Margaret J. O'Keefe

Stay

The unpretentious Tilghman Island Inn offers deluxe rooms overlooking picturesque Knapps Narrows, special dog-friendly accommodations, and nouvelle-cuisine dining. Its tree-shaded deck/bar makes a placid perch for boat watching (tilghmanislandinn.com). Gloriously remote, Black Walnut Point Inn lies between a gated bird sanctuary and open water at Tilghman’s southern tip. Comfy lodgings include riverfront cabins with kitchens, plus guestrooms in a mansion where Truman Capote once stayed (blackwalnutpointinn.com). Island rentals: A three-bedroom house goes for about $1,500 a week.

Feast
Visiting anglers dined and dreamed of seafood at lodges that were abundant during the steamboat days. Only one survives. Harrison Chesapeake House, a fourth-generation country-inn/fishing-charter empire, serves the real deal, from family-style Shore dinners (plump crab cakes, fried chicken, and local veggies) in its dining room to fresh steamed crabs at dockside picnic tables (chesapeakehouse.com). Mike & Eric’s Bay Hundred Restaurant at the Tilghman Island Inn provides a fine-dining experience with dishes like grilled duck breast and seared rockfish. Don’t miss the chocolate-chip pancakes at the breakfast mecca Two If by Sea Café. The retro-looking BYOB eatery also serves dinner on Fridays and Saturdays (twoifbyseacafe.com). Select a fine bottle at the Tilghman Island Country Store, where Friday evening wine tastings highlight the social calendar. Also recommended: its delicious local ice cream and house red-velvet cake (410-886-2777).

Do
View authentic Tilghman workboats and listen firsthand to their former skippers, who drop by unannounced at the must-see Tilghman Watermen’s Museum. New this summer: an exhibit of carved trail boards (ornate bow embellishments) rescued from abandoned bay workboats (tilghmanmuseum.org). Continue your cultural enlightenment at another locally run nonprofit, Phillips Wharf Environmental Center, popular for its aquatic touch tanks, oystering exhibits, and environmental tours (pwec.org). See Tilghman the way islanders do—from the water. Sail into the 19th century aboard the Chesapeake’s oldest skipjack, piloted by veteran waterman Capt. Wade Murphy (skipjack.org), fish with the patriarch of Harrison’s charter fleet (captnbuddy@chesapeakehouse.com), book a lighthouse cruise (chesapeakelights.com), or enjoy a romantic sunset sail aboard a 1935 Bay-built ketch (ladypatty.com). To create your own Tilghman souvenir, register for a weekend landscape-painting workshop with noted artist and instructor Walt Bartman at his island studio (yellowbarnstudio.com/classes.htm).

SMITH ISLAND

Nearest City: Crisfield (9 miles)
Island Cred: The school bus is a boat for some local students.

There’s only one way to reach the group of islands called Smith—by boat—making this Maryland’s most isolated, inhabited island. Its 240 hard-working residents harvest crabs and oysters from the Chesapeake, welcome visitors but spurn automobiles and alcohol, speak with the dialect of their ancestors, and live in an achingly beautiful place slowly surrendering to the waters that surround it.

Smith Island view. - Lee Cannon

Stay

Day-trippers hop an air-conditioned cruise boat or traditional passenger/supply ferries leaving nearby Crisfield to spend several hours on the island. To enjoy an overnight getaway, take the ferry serving Tylerton, Smith’s most isolated village, and unplug at the waterfront Inn of Silent Music. This edge-of-the-world B&B (a former waterman’s cottage) offers gourmet breakfasts, multi-course seafood dinners, and boundless peace (innofsilentmusic.com). Island rentals: You can get a three-bedroom cottage for about $600-800 a week.

Feast
Crabmeat doesn’t get any fresher than from Smith Island, where the crustaceans are caught, picked, and processed. Island dining options are somewhat limited, with only the Inn of Silent Music offering regular evening meals. You don’t have to be an overnight guest, however, to enjoy the inn’s three- and four-course dinners, featuring locally sourced produce and entrees such as fennel-crusted rockfish. For lunch, try Drum Point Market, a sub shop in Tylerton that serves one of the best crab cakes around (410-425-2108), or Ruke’s Seafood Deck in Ewell, noted for its cream-of-crab soup, crab cakes, and frozen-in-the-1940s ambiance (410-425-2311). Top off any meal with a slice of the famous Smith Island cake, a wondrous, architecturally impressive confection of nine layers. Smith Island Baking Co. sells the cakes to go (smithislandcake.com).

Do
After disembarking at the county dock in Ewell, head for Smith Island Cultural Center, a cultural museum/visitor center. It features enlightening exhibits and a short film that examines island life (smithisland.org). And be sure to engage island residents as you explore their home territory on foot or a rented bicycle or golf cart. Chat up the local ladies picking crabs at the Crabmeat Co-op in Tylerton (410-968-1344). Hire a guide (many of whom are retired watermen) to go fishing, bird-watching, or “progging,” an Eastern Shore term for foraging the shoreline for arrowheads, old coins, and other partially buried treasure. Kayakers will fall in love with the island’s miles of marshy water trails. (Ferryboats will haul your kayak for a small fee.) Birders take note: Don’t miss the island’s offshore pelican rookery, where hundreds of the big-billed birds raise their young.

ASSATEAGUE ISLAND (MD)

Nearest City: Ocean City (9 miles)
Island Cred: Number of residents: 0.

Known for its sugary-white beaches and abundant wildlife, this more-than-37-mile-long barrier island spanning Maryland and Virginia has been entirely preserved as parkland. On Maryland’s end of the island, compact Assateague State Park and the expansive Assateague Island National Seashore offer visitors swimming and sunbathing, fishing, hiking, camping, kayaking, and chance encounters with Assateague’s shaggy celebrities, wild horses.

Water fun at Assateague State Park. - David Colwell

Stay

With peach-colored sunrises and waves whispering good night, camping is the best way to experience Assateague’s primal beauty. Tent and vehicular ocean-side campsites in both parks are highly coveted. Reserve them early (reservations.dnr.state.md.us), (recreation.gov). Several backcountry tent sites serve backpackers and kayakers. Tent rates range from $20 to 30 a night or $40 a night for campsites with electrical hookups. If you prefer a Serta to sand, the restored Victorian-era Atlantic Hotel (atlantichotel.com) and B&Bs in nearby Berlin offer comfy snoozing.

Feast
Channel your inner hunter-gatherer: Dig for clams in Assateague’s shallow coastal bays. It’s fun, you don’t need a license, and with minimal effort or luck, you’ll have a super-fresh meal steaming away on the campfire. Ask park rangers about the best clamming spots and where to rent rakes and buckets. National park nature programs include clamming and crabbing classes.

Not into Survivor tactics for dinner? Three miles away, Assateague Crab House (assateaguecrabhouse.com) serves local delicacies like steamed crabs and clams, crab cakes, and fried chicken in a festive, family atmosphere. The Atlantic Hotel’s casually elegant Drummer’s Café also features fresh local seafood. Grab a table on the screened porch overlooking Main Street, prime seating for sampling the chef’s flash-fried soft-shell crabs and seared scallops with local succotash.

Do
Swimmers and sun worshippers love both parks’ windswept, lifeguarded beaches. They are the island’s main attraction, so arrive early (before 10 a.m.) or late (after 2 p.m.) to avoid parking gridlock. Anglers can try surf-casting for bluefish, summer flounder, red drum, and other species anywhere outside the swimming beaches. If beachcombing is your thing, you’re allowed to gather up to a gallon of seashells. (“Empties” only, please.) Get acquainted with local sea life in aquariums at the national park’s visitor center and the state park’s nature center. Pony peeping? A fence at the state line separates Assateague’s wild-horse herds. Maryland’s steeds roam freely. Look for them in marshes, on the beach, even in campgrounds. People once lived on Assateague, too. Tour the restored Rackliffe House, a lovely 18th-century plantation house overlooking Sinepuxent Bay (rackliffeHouse.com).

CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND (VA)

Nearest City: Ocean City, MD (52 miles)
Island Cred: Walk to the beach.

Home to one of the nation’s “happiest” seaside towns (says Coastal Living magazine), this marsh-lined island is the commercial portal to beautiful Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia’s portion of Assateague Island. Visitors to the refuge’s undeveloped shores will find lodging, dining, guided tours, and horse lore galore in the charming town of Chincoteague, host of July’s famed wild-pony roundup.

Wild ponies. - Shutterstock/Stephen Bonk

Stay
Check into Miss Molly’s Inn, the lodgings where Misty of Chincoteague was written. Besides historic cachet, enjoy the B&B’s porch views and British touches, like afternoon tea (missmollys-inn.com). Sheltered by woods, Refuge Inn offers modern amenities (indoor/outdoor pool, fitness center, and whirlpool suites) in a rustic setting near Assateague bridge. The hotel boasts its own herd of Chincoteague ponies (refugeinn.com). Island rentals: Weekly rates go from $1,400-2,200 a week for a four-bedroom, pet-friendly house. (Expect to pay 20 to 25 percent more during pony-penning week in July.)

Feast
Surfboards, potted palms, old workboats, and a rooftop peace symbol festoon Woody’s Beach BBQ, a funky ’cue shack serving wood-smoked pulled pork, barbecue ribs, and barbecue chicken. Slather on some Memphis- or Carolina-style sauce and chow down at picnic tables amid the islandy décor (woodysbeachbbq.com). A more upscale option, AJ’s on the Creek, specializes in seafood dishes such as bouillabaisse made with fresh local shellfish, crabmeat Alfredo, and oysters Rockefeller. For maximum romance, dine on the screened porch overlooking a languid creek. Mix with the locals at AJ’s Lounge, which features live acoustic music (ajsonthecreek.com). Don’t let the queue daunt you: The homemade ice cream and waffle cones at Island Creamery are worth any wait. Try densely chocolately Marsh Mud or the Kentucky-sweet treat Bourbon Caramel Crunch (islandcreamery.net).

Do
A short bridge separates Chincoteague from the refuge’s attractions. Don’t miss the still-active Assateague Lighthouse with its spectacular views (assateagueisland.com/lighthouse). The refuge has two visitor centers. Register there for guided marsh walks, photography hikes, and talks about local pirate lore. Enjoy the lifeguarded beach. Watch for ponies and other wildlife along hiking/biking trails (fws.gov/refuge/chincoteague). For even closer critter viewing, book one of the guided boat trips leaving Chincoteague. Assateague Explorer (assateagueexplorer.com) offers pony- and bird-watching trips into the refuge. Outfitter SouthEast Expeditions (southeastexpeditions.net) leads kayak tours and rents kayaks. If you miss this year’s pony swim, parade, and auction (July 26-31), you can still get your pony fix anytime. See Misty-the-movie-star’s hoof prints in the sidewalk outside Chincoteague’s recently renovated Island Theatre, where the 1961 film premiered (islandtheatres.com). Or watch Misty’s descendants at Chincoteague Pony Centre’s evening horse shows (chincoteague.com/ponycentre).

More Islands

Three smaller Chesapeake islands are worth a visit as well.

Kayak rentals on Janes Island - David Colwell

HOOPER’S

Nearest City: Cambridge (25 miles)
Island Cred: The most vital infrastructure is a seawall.

The birthplace of the Phillips seafood empire, Hooper’s consists of three low-lying islands that still live and breathe fishing (Upper, Middle, and the now-uninhabited Lower Hooper’s).

Feast on fresh seafood and homemade pie at Old Salty’s, serving locals and tourists in Fishing Creek (oldsaltys.com). The Hooper’s Island Lighthouse lies off shore, but view it and five other beacons via tour boat from Upper Hooper’s (sawyercharters.com). For longer visits, rent a house for about $600 wee.

JANES

Nearest City: Crisfield (2.5 miles)
Island Cred: Main Street is a water trail.

Part of Janes Island State Park, this marshy island is laced with 30 miles of shallow-water trails, perfect for kayaking.

Paddlers can enjoy bird watching, fishing, crabbing, or swimming and sunbathing on a remote sandy beach accessible only by boat. Park lodging includes serene waterfront campsites and family-sized cabins on the mainland or three backcountry island campsites. Full-service cabins are about $88 a night or $520 for a full week. Camper cabins are about $55 a night on weekdays and $56 a night on weekends (dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/eastern/janesisland.asp)

TANGIER (VA)

Nearest City: Crisfield (13 nautical miles)
Island Cred: Its motto is “Crab City, USA.”

The Crockett family and Methodists first settled this southern Chesapeake Bay fishing community reachable only by boat and airplane.

A mini Smith Island, tiny Tangier offers tranquility, island hospitality, and crabmeat everything. Hilda Crockett’s Chesapeake House, a B&B/restaurant, serves family-style lunches and dinners featuring crab cakes, clam fritters, Virginia ham, and all the fixings (tangierisland-va.com/cheshouse/). You can stay the week in a three-bedroom house for about $1,000.

Source

Beach Bargains

Jess Mayhugh — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Sandcastles and flip-flops. Orange Crushes and Dewey Devils. The
Hurricane and the Tidal Wave. Soon, summer’s abiding pleasures will be
yours. As the countdown begins, we’ve found more than 50 ways to stretch
your beach bucks a little further this summer.

Ocean City & Assateague Island

There’s plenty to do at the resort town and the national wildlife refuge.

Deals Under $10

Grab a phaser and join your comrades for a game of laser tag at Lasertron
(33rd Street). The objective is to score as many points as possible by
trying to deactivate other players with your laser light. Cost: $9. planetmaze.com

Try summer ice-skating at the Carousel Oceanfront Hotel’s indoor rink (118th Street). Five bucks buys you an hour of ice time. Add $3 if you need to rent skates. carouselhotel.com

Sip summer’s favorite elixir, an Orange Crush, at the cocktail’s reputed birthplace, Harborside Bar & Grill in West Ocean City. The refreshing blend of vodka, Triple Sec, fresh-squeezed OJ, and 7Up fetches $5.50 at happy hour. weocharborside.com

Get spooked at an all-star boardwalk attraction, Trimper’s Haunted House.
Designed by a master of macabre amusements, this “dark ride” features
zombies, torture chambers, and spine-chilling stunts for The
Munsters-era prices—$4 per ride. ochh.net

Ride the Beach Bus all day for $3. Hop its Park
& Ride shuttle to West Ocean City to shop the new Under Armour and
Crocs stores at the Tanger Outlets. In Ocean City, the Coastal Highway
route is a steal: 24 hours of unlimited-stop downtown service. oceancitymd.gov

A Priceless Souvenir

Buy Ocean City, Maryland: A Pictorial History, perfect for beach
nostalgists; $19.98 at Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum gift shop
(813 S. Atlantic Ave.).

Watch For. . .

The release of Ping Pong Summer.Mt. Airy native
Michael Tully’s coming-of-age-in-Ocean City comedy starring Susan
Sarandon, Amy Sedaris, O.C.’s own Emmi Shockley, and the resort’s
rebuilt boardwalk.

Thrifty Day Trips

Assateague Island is a must visit. Go beachcombing, swimming, surf
fishing, clamming, and searching for all sorts of wildlife, including
the famed feral horses. Just $15 per vehicle for seven days’ access to
Assateague Island National Seashore and $4 each (Maryland residents’
rate) for daily entry to Assateague State Park. Admission is free if on
foot or bicycle. nps.gov/asis/index.htm.
Designate a driver and hit the Delmarva Wine and Ale Trail. Burley Oak
Brewing Company in Berlin offers free tours of its
barrel-factory-turned-brewery on Saturdays, Sundays, and rainy days. The
Maryland Wine Bar in Berlin is a one-stop winery tour, serving $1
tastings ($10 flights) of more than three dozen Maryland wines. toastourcoast.com

Cheap Dates

Romantic romps don’t have to cost a lot.

1. Alaska Stand burgers, Thrasher’s French fries, a
Dumser’s Dairyland milkshake with two straws: What’s more romantic than
sharing a boardwalk meal? Escaping afterwards to a secret beach. Anglers
like Homer Gudelsky Park aka “Stinky Beach” (an outdated description,
BTW) in West O.C., but it’s also an uncrowded option for watching
Tuesday night fireworks. co.worcester.md.us

2. Go stylin’ at Macky’s Bayside Bar & Grill
(54th Street). Tailor your attire for Tuesday night’s wacky themed
parties—anything from hippies to rednecks to nerds—to get discounted
drinks and prizes as you kick back at this open-air beach bar. mackys.com

3. On Thursdays, take an afternoon bus to West Ocean
City ($4 for two, round trip) and browse Ocean City Fishing Center’s
Arts on the Docks, showcasing local artists’ works. Return pre-dusk and
head for O.C.’s answer to Mallory Square, Sunset Park, where sunset
worshippers enjoy weekly free concerts and spectacular solar descents. ococean.com

Family Freebies

Bring blankets and munchies (don’t forget the kids’ glow sticks) and
enjoy the city’s nearly nightly entertainment: movies, concerts,
fireworks, laser light shows, and family athletic competitions. Various
beach locations and invariably free. ococean.com

Learn about Ocean City B.C. (before condos), the finer points of
tying half hitches, and other cool stuff at the Life-Saving Station
Museum’s free boardwalk educational programs, which begin July 4.
Offered daily except Sunday. Kids adore shark-seminar Thursdays and
aquarium-feeding Saturdays. ocmuseum.org

Spend a day at Northside Park (125th Street), the city’s largest,
most lavishly equipped recreation area. Play softball or soccer. Walk or
jog the extensive paths. Enjoy awesome crabbing in Assawoman Bay. On
Sundays, pack a picnic and stay for Sundaes in the Park, a sweet deal
featuring free evening entertainment and inexpensive ice cream. ococean.com

Visit the Ocean City Branch of the Worcester County Library (100th
Street). Programs like story time will enthrall youngsters while you
chill out with the latest Grisham thriller or check e-mail on the
library’s public computers. Library cards are free to Maryland residents
with an ID. worcesterlibrary.org

Bethany Beach & Fenwick Island

The Delaware towns are known as “the quiet resorts.”

Deals for $10 or less

Bike lanes make pedaling around Bethany Beach a pleasure. Rent wheels
from Fenwick Islander Bicycle Shop ($10 up to three hours, $25 for 24
hours) and tour the town. Count how many historic camp-meeting cottages
you see. fenwickbikes1.com

Save time and euros: Order an authentic Italian dinner to go from
“Best of Delaware” Italian food winner DiFebo’s (789 Garfield Pkwy.,
Bethany Beach). Pasta with meatballs, baked rigatoni, and other
family-portioned entrees run $7-10 per person. difebos.com

Pick a lucky-color ball and go miniature golfing. Captain Jack’s
Pirate Golf in downtown Bethany charges $8 each per round all day. At
Viking Golf in Fenwick, $8 buys unlimited daytime play and one round
after 5 p.m. captainjackspirategolf.com; vikinggolfamusements.com

Pay pauper’s prices to see a king’s ransom in precious shipwreck
artifacts (gold bars, silver coins, pirate booty) at DiscoverSea
Shipwreck Museum (708 Coastal Hwy., Fenwick Island). Admission is free;
donations accepted. discoversea.com

Skip Bethany Beach’s parking and traffic headaches and take the
town’s sea-blue shuttle buses (“Jolly Trolleys”) instead. The one-way
fare is $2.50. jollytrolley.com/bethany.html

A $150-Million-Dollar View

Admire ocean and bay vistas from the new Indian River Inlet Bridge, a
futuristic cable-stayed span connecting Bethany Beach and Rehoboth
Beach. Carrying busy Route 1, the bridge is toll-free and safer now for
pedestrians and cyclists, thanks to an extra-wide sidewalk.

Watch For. . .

Restaurateur Matt Haley’s newest comfort-food emporium, Papa Grande’s
Coastal Taqueria, opening next to the chef’s Catch 54 on the Route 54
bridge in Fenwick Island.

Cultural Values

Enjoy music, dance, and theater at one of Delaware’s cultural gems,
Freeman Stage at Bayside, in Selbyville. Most performances at the
open-air venue are free; others cost as little as $10-20. Big-name acts
(like Lyle Lovett, pictured above, Sheryl Crow, and Pat Benatar this
summer) fetch somewhat more. BYOC (Bring Your Own Chairs).
freemanstage.org. Believe your eyes: There’s trickery afoot in tiny
Millville near Bethany Beach. Watch top-rate magicians at Dickens
Parlour Theatre, an intimate setting straight out of Victorian England.
Tickets $20-36. dptmagic.com

Frugal Field Trips

Save money and soak up culture and nature.

1. Learn the history of Fenwick Island Lighthouse,
built in 1858, including the fight to get the decommissioned beacon
relighted 30 years ago. Admission is free, though donations are
appreciated. Visiting dates and hours vary. fenwickislandlighthouse.org

2. Organize an ocean and bay family day. Take a
kayak class ($25 for families; $50-100 for others) or guided paddle
(from $50-100 per person) from Coastal Kayak, located on Little
Assawoman Bay across from Fenwick Island State Park. Then relax on the
park’s powdery white ocean beaches (admission $4).

3. Go bird-watching, admire a wildflower garden, and
learn about Delaware flora and fauna while hiking through woods and
wetlands at James Farm Ecological Preserve on Indian River Bay (Cedar
Neck Rd., Ocean View). Admission is free. inlandbays.org

Family Freebies

Forget stadium seating; gather the gang in beach chairs on starlit
Garfield Parkway Beach for Bethany Beach’s Monday night movies. The
flicks are G or PG and no fee. bethany-fenwick.org

Arrive early to snag seats for the most popular show in Bethany
Beach: free weekend performances at the boardwalk bandstand. Most are
concerts (rock, country, jazz, tribute bands, military brass), but other
acts include dancers and children’s shows. bethany-fenwick.org

Take the kids to a school they’ll love: Saturday morning nature
programs at Bethany Beach Nature Center (807 Garfield Pkwy.). After
story time, they’ll enjoy hands-on lessons at the center’s outdoor
classroom, a pristine marshland. inlandbays.org

Fly a kite on the beach. Fenwick Island’s and South Bethany’s beaches
permit such aerial acrobatics (but always obey the lifeguards). Kite
flying is restricted on Bethany’s public beach to before 9:30 a.m. (10
a.m. on weekends) and after 5:30 p.m. (5 p.m. on weekends).

Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach & Lewes

The shore communities offer vacationers an array of activities.

Deals Under $10

Energize for a day downy ocean with breakfast at JD’s Filling
Station, a motoring-themed diner in downtown Lewes. We dare you to spend
more than 10 bucks. The Early Riser Special (two eggs, toast, bacon)
costs less than half that. jdsfillingstation.com

By now you know: Parking equals $$, so public transit makes “cents.”
For $2.50 one-way, Jolly Trolley shuttles you between Rehoboth Beach and
Dewey Beach with stops in both. Or take the bus to nearby beach towns
or the outlets. Use Reho- both’s Park & Ride Lot ($7 fee) and
everyone in your vehicle rides free that day on all buses. jollytrolley.com; dartfirststate.com

Get value and great vistas at Ryan’s rooftop mini golf, overlooking
the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. Perched above Ryan’s Beach Store, the
19-hole course forgoes bells and whistles for family rates, $4 per
person. One-putt the 19th and win a free game. 302-227-2667.

Everyone knows about Friday night Taco Toss at The Lighthouse, part
of Lighthouse Cove Dewey Beach (Ruddertowne). At Mug Night Mondays,
drinks are discounted for those who bring/buy reusable Lighthouse mugs
($10). ruddertowneusa.com

Awesome Apps

Customize Tanger Outlets’ free location-based app to its Rehoboth
Beach mega-outlet and receive app-only deals on your smartphone while
you shop. Programmable to any Tanger location, but only Rehoboth Beach
offers tax-free shopping. tangeroutlet.com/getconnected

Bartender too busy to bring your bill? The Starboard in Dewey Beach
is trying an app for that. Like pay-by-cell parking, Tabbedout, pictured
left, lets you manage your tab and—get this—settle anytime without
barkeep assistance. thestarboard.com

Watch For. . .

The brand-new Hyatt Place Dewey Beach, scheduled to open in the
revamped restaurant/night life complex formerly known as Ruddertowne.
Also, 10 percent savings at retail stores participating in Rehoboth
Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce’s new Sand Dollar Savings program.
Pick up free, QR-coded savings cards at the Rehoboth Beach Visitors
Center. beach-fun.com

Frugal Family Trips

See wildly beautiful Cape Henlopen State Park, pictured above, by
bicycle. Its Seaside Nature Center staff will orient you and provide
free bikes if you need them. $4 per vehicle daily admission for Delaware
residents; $8 for out-of-state vehicles. destateparks.com. Some
superheroes wear oilskins not capes. Relive the days of the U.S.
Lifesaving Service at the Indian River Life-Saving Station museum in
Delaware National Seashore State Park. Self-guided tours: $4 adults, $2
kids six-12; guided lantern tours and lifesaving-equipment
demonstrations $5-10. destateparks.com

Inexpensive Indulgences

1. Visit Rehoboth Beach’s new cupcakery Cake Break
(7 S. First St.) to sample gourmet goodies like the I-rish I Had Another
(Guinness beer cake, Jameson Irish Whiskey filling, Bailey’s Irish
Cream frosting) for $3 each (12 or more, $2.50 each). Kids get free
sprinkles to decorate their cupcakes. cakebreakrehoboth.com

2. Attention curd nerds: You’ll worship the
delicacies at Morgan and Gower Cheesemongers, the hip fromagerie now
occupying a former Rehoboth Beach church (20 Baltimore Ave.). If it’s
available, try the Pick & Mix sampler: $2 per piece or six varieties
for $10. And check out the grilled-cheese “sammich” bar. Find them on
Facebook.

3. Bypass the crowd waiting to dine at Rehoboth
Beach’s wildly popular Henlopen City Oyster House (50 Wilmington Ave.).
Instead, visit off hours to slurp super-fresh oysters ($2.25 each, $12
for six) at their raw bar. hcoysterhouse.com

Family Freebies

Take in some tunes. Rehoboth Beach Bandstand hosts numerous summer
concerts: R&B, oldies, country, jazz, swing, choral, military, and
something called “yacht rock” (think “The Piña Colada Song”).
Thursday-Sunday nights. rehobothbandstand.com

Bring the family and a blanket to free Monday night movies on the
beach at Dagsworthy Street in Dewey Beach. The beach also hosts
Wednesday night bonfires suitable for s’more-making. BYO marshmallows. beach-fun.com

Come to Canalfront Park in Lewes for free entertainment, including
Cinema by the Canal on select Wednesdays and concerts one Friday night
per month. lewescanalfrontpark.org

Ride the wave and learn skimboarding at Alley-Oop’s free Saturday
morning clinics in Dewey Beach, home of the East Coast Skimboarding
Championship, located at New Orleans Street beach. alleyoopskim.com

Learn how little Lewes bravely withstood British bombardment in 1813
at “Delaware and the War of 1812,” an exhibit at the intriguing
Zwaanendael Museum (102 Kings Hwy.). Free admission. history.delaware.gov/museums

Source

Assateague Island – Baltimore Magazine

America in Miniature

From the sands of Worcester to the mountains of Garrett, the retro Maryland slogan remains truer than ever!

June 2021

Travel & Outdoors

From the sands of Worcester to the mountains of Garrett, the retro Maryland slogan remains truer than ever!

June 2021

A vintage Maryland travel postcard

A throwback state pennant. A motel postcard from U.S. Route 40. Courtesy of Maryland Pennant. Photography by Kristoffer Tripplaar Photography

Main Street, Belair vintage postcard.

A 1949 copy of the state's “America in Miniature” booklet; retro Ocean City boardwalk postcard.

With its deep and historical roots, Maryland’s eastern shore retains a rural charm and pristine beauty unlike almost any other place in the country.

ASSATEAGUE ISLAND

NATIONAL SEASHORE

BLACKWATER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

LOCAL TREASURES

Chesapeake Bay Balloon Festival

OCEAN CITY

SMITH ISLAND

ACADEMY ART MUSEUM

ANNIE OAKLEY HOUSE

BEN CARDIN C&D CANAL TRAIL

OLD TRINITY CHURCH

HARRIET TUBMAN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK

OXFORD-BELLEVUE FERRY

THE MERMAID MUSEUM

FREDERICK DOUGLASS STATUE, TALBOT COUNTY COURTHOUSE

TRANSPENINSULAR MIDPOINT MARKER

TURKEY POINT LIGHTHOUSE

The national capital counties aren’t just suburbs. They offer an endless array of art, history, and recreation destinations—and quirky attractions.

C&O CANAL TOWPATH

CUNNINGHAM FALLS STATE PARK

LOCAL TREASURES

Glen Echo Park

GREENBELT HISTORIC DISTRICT

SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN

F.SCOTT AND ZELDA FITZGERALD’S GRAVESITE

NATIONAL SHRINE GROTTO OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES

HAND & OWL TREE CARVING

JIM HENSON STATUE AND MEMORIAL GARDEN, ARBORETUM AND BOTANICAL GARDEN

LAUREL DINOSAUR PARK

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CIVIL WAR MEDICINE

NASA GODDARD ROCKET GARDEN

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CIVIL WAR MEDICINE

THE PEACE PARK

USDA RAMMED EARTH HOUSE

VANADU ART HOUSE

Home to one of the first permanent British settlements, Southern Maryland offers a unique maritime heritage and rich outdoor opportunities.

CALVERT CLIFFS STATE PARK

POINT LOOKOUT STATE PARK

LOCAL TREASURES

Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay

ST. MARY’S CITY

SOLOMONS ISLAND

CAPTAIN AVERY MUSEUM

THE COMMEMORATIVE TO ENSLAVED PEOPLES OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND

DRAYDEN AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCHOOLHOUSE

MARYLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

FORT FOOTE RODMAN GUNS

PATUXENT RESEARCH REFUGE

SOUTHERN MARYLAND BLUE CRABS

ST. CLEMENT’S ISLAND

SURRATT HOUSE MUSEUM

UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS MEMORIAL MONUMENT

Rediscover Baltimore’s Own History, World-class Museums, And Trails—not To Mention A Diverse Visual Arts And Music Scene That’s Second To None.

PATAPSCO VALLEY STATE PARK

ANNAPOLIS

LOCAL TREASURES

“America’s Sailing Capital”

GUNPOWDER FALLS STATE PARK

SUSQUEHANNA STATE PARK

BABE RUTH BIRTHPLACE MUSEUM

BILLIE HOLIDAY HOME

CLARK’S ELIOAK FARM

DIVINE’S GRAVESITE

ELIJAH BOND’S OUIJA BOARD GRAVE

KING AND QUEEN’S SEAT

LADEW TOPIARY GARDENS

NATIONAL GREAT BLACKS IN WAX MUSEUM

HUBERT V. SIMMONS MUSEUM OF NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL

Christopher Myers
Comfort food comes in a tub and it’s doused with malt vinegar . . .

Shutterstock
. . . or smothered in caramel

Shutterstock
Skee-Ball games still cost a quarter (or less).

Courtesy of Trimper’s Rides
Twenty dollars buys priceless nostalgia.

John J. Young
Boardwalks beat boardrooms.

Shutterstock
Havaianas are considered formal wear.

Pam Reid
Our pooch can meet new pals.

Courtesy of Karl Schwarz
We can cruise the beach,literally.