Weekends on the Water 2022 by Chesapeake Bay Magazine

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HAVRE DE GRACE • ROCK HALL • KENT ISLAND ANNAPOLIS • ST. MICHAELS • HERRING BAY/DEALE CAMBRIDGE • SOLOMONS • KILMARNOCK • IRVINGTON HAMPTON • CAPE CHARLES • YORKTOWN

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Volume 52

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Number 4

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Weekends on the Water 6

WEEKENDS ON THE WATER 2022

Havre de Grace

48 Cambridge

Discover intriguing history at the top of the Bay.

Rock Hall

Maritime tradition continues on the Choptank.

Slip into the quintessential waterman’s town.

20 Kent Narrows

St. Michaels Enjoy the best of today in a quaint Victorian port.

42 Herring Bay/Deale Sister marinas + a slew of dock bars = fun.

Irvington/Kilmarnock Two cute towns have miles of surrounding appeal.

Explore a lively historic capital city like no other.

Solomons Relax at this mellow, mid-Bay escape.

This scenic dock-bar hot spot is ever-evolving.

28 Annapolis

VOLUME 52 | NUMBER 4

Cape Charles Dive into this adorable ESVA beach retreat.

Yorktown The Revolutionary War meets so much more.

80 Hampton This riverside town has so many surprises.

Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

Proud To Be Back On The Bay

B U I L D I N G E X C E P T I O N A L B O AT S S I N C E 1 9 5 2

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new 4

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From the Editor

he ﬁrst time I ever went sailing was on the Potomac River. My father was stationed in Washington, D.C., and had always wanted to sail, so he taught himself and us kids along with him. From that point on, boats were always a part of our family’s life. My brothers and I learned to race small sailboats, and my parents moved up to bigger boats with cabins that allowed us to overnight in places along the Bay, and in other parts of the world when we had a chance to charter. When I left Annapolis for college I realized how unique that is, and just how lucky I was to have been able to grow up around boats, and by the Chesapeake Bay. As the longtime Cruising Editor for CBM, Jody Argo Schroath has traveled seemingly every nook and cranny of the Bay, sharing stories on everything from favorite anchorages to why we have so many Back Creeks to her true tales of misadventures (so you don’t have to make the same mistakes). Her knowledge and passion for the area is like no other, and is the foundation upon which Weekends on the Water is based. One of the many changes in the last two years is a renewed interest in boat ownership. New boat sales rose by 40% during the pandemic, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, and a large percentage of those sales were to people new to boating. So we thought it would be the perfect time to revisit some of our favorite Weekends on the Water destinations, and share what makes our small Chesapeake heritage towns so special. We also update you on the many changes that have taken place in the past few years, from changing attractions to new marinas and restaurants. Of course, there’s navigation advice, marina info and everything else you need to set course and explore the Bay by boat. CBM has long celebrated the joys of boating, and we think the unique treasures we have around the Bay are never quite as special as when you experience them from the water. Happy Weekending!

Havre de Grace

Annapolis

• Rock Hall • Kent Narrows • St. Michaels • Cambridge

•

Solomons Island

•

• •

Kilmarnock Irvington

Yorktown

• Cape Charles

•

Hampton

•

Susan Moynihan, Contributing Editor Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

MARYLAND

PAT VENTURINO

Havre de Grace

FAST FACTS • Located 33 miles northeast of Baltimore, where the Susquehanna River joins the Bay • Founded in 1782, and is Maryland’s second oldest municipality after Annapolis • Named by Marquis de Lafayette, who was charmed by the nartual harbor

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE This quiet little town up at the mouth of the Susquehanna River has a singular, colorful past. The town was named in the 17th century by visiting general Le Marquis de Lafayette, who was reminded of the French port Le Havre. In the 19th century, it became a nationally known center for duck hunting, and a sporting ground of the rich and famous, from presidents to robber barons. In the early 20th century, “the Graw” horserace track brought gamblers and mob bosses to see legendary racers like Seabiscuit, and thirsty visitors to enjoy Maryland’s relaxed stance on Prohibition. And in the 21st, it settled down to become what it is today: a charming, friendly and relaxed city full of graceful Victorian homes, curious antiques shops, interesting restaurants and one-of-a-kind museums.

Top: Step inside Concord Point Light, built in 1827. Right: One of the town's colorful murals depicts "the Graw," its famous horse-racing track.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

PAT VENTURINO

• Was nearly destroyed in the War of 1812

Getting there

MARINA BASICS

BY BOAT The channel into Havre de Grace is easy to follow but you will find it more than a little circuitous due to the broad, shallow expanse of the fish- and fowl-rich Susquehanna Flats. Boaters with shallow-draft boats who know the waters can find their way across, but the rest need to dutifully follow the channel markers around the shoreline. The Havre de Grace/Susquehanna River Channel leaves the main Chesapeake Channel just after green “5” and red “6”. You can begin cutting over any time after green “3”. There’s plenty of water here at the grand intersection of the Bay with the Elk and Northeast rivers and the Havre de Grace/Susquehanna River Channel. Just make sure you pick out the red-green intersection buoy “A” and treat it as a red, keeping it to starboard as you enter the channel. The next marker, green “1S”, is a mile and a half north-northwest. There is plenty of depth on both sides here, but the channel narrows after “1S” and the water around it shallows. The markers are spaced closer together, though, so it’s easy to follow. From there, the channel skirts the Flats and shadows Spesutie Island, a restricted area of the U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground. As you turn north toward Havre de Grace, you’ll pass through a half-dozen tiny spoil islands to port and the historic Fishing Battery Light to starboard. Three miles beyond these little islands, you’ll find yourself at the south end of Havre de Grace and the channel into the city yacht basin at Tydings Memorial Park, with other marinas further up the channel.

PAT VENTURINO

BY CAR Havre de Grace is approximately 40 miles north of Baltimore and 35 miles south of Wilmington, Del. From I-95, take exit 89 to MD SR 155/Level Road and follow it eastward; it ends in Havre de Grace.

A slip at Havre de Grace City Yacht Basin in Tydings Park on the south end of town will put you within reach of nearly all that Havre de Grace has to offer. The catch is the depth: generally about five feet on the approach and at the slips. The marina has slip-holder restrooms and showers, fuel, pump-outs, and 30- and 50-amp service. Family-owned Tidewater Marina has been a go-to for nearly 60 years, and offers comprehensive services and a large mooring field in addition to slips. You’ll find fuel, restrooms, showers, full repair services and a good chandlery. The Marinas at Marine Center has two full-service marinas. The oldest, Havre de Grace Marina on the north end of town, has plenty of depth, but sailboats will have to be able to negotiate

The steel arch of circa-1940 Thomas J. Hatem Bridge overlooks the 1906 Susquehanna River Rail Bridge.

Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

Above: Tidewater Marina's Regatta Room is available for private events. Above right: The Decoy Museum celebrates this unique art form, then and now. Below: Small-boat sailing is a time-honored tradition.

and 68 slips that can accommodate boats up to 48', as well as transients larger than 100' at the main floating dock. If you’re headed upriver to Port Deposit, Tome’s Landing Marina is the sole facility there, offering both service and storage.

STAYING ON LAND

PAT VENTURINO

Even in a town full of glorious Victorian homes, the Vandiver Inn stands out with its chic interiors and beautiful porches and grounds, making it a top venue for weddings and events. The SpencerSilver Mansion is an 1896 stone mansion that feels like stepping back in time, with antique-filled rooms and a stand-alone, two-story Carriage House.

EXPLORING BY WATER

the Amtrak railway bridge, which has a 52-foot closed clearance (though we have occasionally found as little as 49 feet). Those who can get under the bridge will find 45 floating dock slips; moorings that accommodate yachts up to 35'; a bath house and laundry; boatyard amenities including a fast-turnaround sail repairs at the Sail Loft, and easy access to restaurants. The larger Log Pond Marina is farther south, near Concord Point Lighthouse, and has floating docks 8

For trailer boaters, the Havre de Grace City Yacht Basin ramp gives you

easy access to the spoil islands just to the south, including the Susquehanna National Wildlife Refuge at Battery Island. Just north of the Amtrak railroad bridge is the boat ramp at Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park, which sits at the mouth of the Susquehanna River. You’ll find some nice paddling both north and south of town, and there are some very pleasant ways you can get out and enjoy the Susquehanna River. Early in the 20th century, a series of energyproducing dams—including the mighty Conowingo, 10 miles north of Havre de Grace—put a stop to any throughtransportation, but now, if the river is quiet and the Conowingo is not dumping water, kayakers and jon-boaters with local knowledge can get within 400 yards of the dam. It is important to be sure of conditions before venturing out and to understand that snags and rocks can play havoc with boats and motors. The area in front of the dam draws photographers and birders from all over the world to watch eagles soar over the rocks and

FARTHER AFIELD If you are towing your boat and have a hankering to pitch a tent or rent a rustic cabin, consider a couple of nights at Susquehanna State Park, a 20-acre riverfront park just 15 miles northeast of town. From there you can launch your boat and easily drive into town for the day. You’ll have plenty of activities in the park itself and the kids can run, jump and whoop to their heart’s content. Just be sure to reserve in advance, especially if you are going on a summer weekend.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

dam, picking off fish downstream. Kayakers and trailer boaters can put in at Susquehanna State Park and kayakers farther upstream at Shuresville Landing at Fisherman’s Park. An alternative is for boaters whose mast-height does not exceed 50 feet to make the trip upriver out of Havre de Grace, past Garrett Island as far as Port Deposit. The geography here is unlike anything else on the Chesapeake, with steep bluffs rising high above the water.

WE’LL HAVE YOUR BOAT READY WHEN YOU ARE

Havre de Grace Marine Center

offers kayak and SUP rentals (18 and older only). BaySail School of Sailing offers accredited instruction as well as two daysailers available for half- or fullday rental. Want someone else to do the work? Board the 45-food Trident M/V Summer Breeze for a two-hour cruise along the Susquehanna and North East rivers, including weekday happy hours.

EXPLORING BY LAND Follow the bright blue French fleursde-lys painted on Havre de Grace’s sidewalks along the Lafayette Trail, a three-mile loop that encompasses many of the town’s historic buildings. You can pick up the brochure at the visitor center, or listen to a tour via the free Distrx app. If you only visit one museum, make it the Decoy Museum. This museum represents a big part of the history of the Chesapeake Bay, and the decoys created by Bay carvers are astonishing. Then stroll the Promenade, a three-quarter mile walkway that wanders through the waterfront, to Friends-Concord Point Lighthouse, the second oldest in Maryland. The Havre de Grace Maritime Museum has exhibits on the Underground Railroad (Havre de Grace was a major stopping point) as well as watermen’s heritage, and edges a lovely boardwalk over the marsh. The Lock Tenders Museum lies at the north end of town, where the short-lived Susquehanna Canal once met the Chesapeake. One of the best things about Havre de Grace is its shops. There are fun antiques shops like JoRetro Vintage

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interior and live music on weekends. The Vineyard Wine Bar oﬀers a wellcurated selection of wines for tastings or to purchase, as well as a menu of small plates. Hit historic State Theater for live events from bands to stand-up to theater, or head upriver to Port Deposit for a Key West party vibe and dock-and-dining at Lee’s Landing.

DINING

Abovet: The view from Tidewater Grille; Right: seasonal small plates at Vineyard Wine Bar.

Market, which specializes in midcentury everything, and two-story

Bahoukas Antiques Mall and Beer MuZeum. Galleries include Arts by the Bay and The Artists’ Emporium, while Vincenti Decoys sells decoys old and new. Washington Street Books and Music has books and music, but also

toys, old movie costumes and props. Even Havre de Grace’s food shops are one-

We love the view from Tidewater Grille’s four-seasons porch and expansive

of-a-kind, from Goll’s German bakery (established in 1934) to the famous Bomboy’s Ice Cream and Bomboy’s Candy Shop across the street.

BAR CRAWLING If you like cozy Irish bars, you’ll love Coakley’s Pub, with its brick-walled

dining lawn, and the food is just as impressive, be it the fresh ﬁsh sandwich or scallops marsala. Tidewater has its own docks for a convenient stop, and all-day happy hour on Fridays. Visit Backfin Blues: Creole de Graw for its unique Chesapeake twist on French creole cooking, with dishes like blackened crabcakes, crab-and-crawﬁsh dip and seafood-topped red beans & rice.

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Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

Rock Hall

MARYLAND

FAST FACTS • Located 10 miles north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at the entrance to the Chester River • Established in 1707 as Rock Hall Cross Roads, a key travel/trade route connecting Philadelphia with Annapolis • Home to the lively Pirates & Wenches Weekend, held every August

Haven Harbour South is newly redone and close to everything.

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE This tiny town of fewer than 1,500 people has an influence far beyond its size. For the land-based population, Rock Hall is undeniably out of the way, tucked at the end of rural MD-20, 13 miles southeast of Chestertown. And that’s exactly what makes it such a great boating destination. Rock Hall offers visitors some of the finest sailing, cruising, paddling and trailer-boating waters anywhere. In keeping with that, the town has some of the most sophisticated marinas on the Chesapeake, many of which also offer charming accommodations on land. And for boaters it’s not at the end of the road at all but right in the center of things, an easy trip across the Bay.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

HOLLY SPENCER

Getting there BY BOAT The town is divided into two distinct sections: Rock Hall Harbor and Swan Creek. Both have good marinas, good places to eat and good accommodations. If you are on a boat in unsettled weather, Swan Creek offers more protection. If you want to be within walking distance of the Waterman’s Crab House or any festivals, Rock Hall Harbor is your choice. Whichever you do, the other is easily accessible by trolley, which generally runs on weekends during the boating season. Ferry Park has picnic tables, grills and a swimmable beach.

MARINA BASICS There are too many fine marinas in Rock Hall for us to go into them in detail. In Rock Hall Harbor, we love North Point because it’s friendly, convenient, near the Harbor Shack and has fuel; Rock Hall Landing because its 75 floating deepwater slips are handy to Waterman’s Crab House and downtown shops; and Haven Harbour South, which has enjoyed lots of upgrades since its purchase by Haven Harbour, including a sand beach with actual palm trees. On Swan Creek, we recommend Gratitude for its service and facilities as well as location “at the end of the road,” as they put it; Swan Creek Marina particularly for its family-style approach and economical mooring balls; Osprey Inn & Marina because of its lovely floating docks, graceful grounds and well-appointed inn and restaurant; and Haven Harbour, for the professionalism of its staff, well-stocked ship’s store and for highly regarded work yard. 

Whether you are headed to Rock Hall CAPTAIN’S TIP Harbor or Swan Creek, find green 1 If you are coming across the Bay, be north of Love Point. This will take you sure to avoid the Swan Creek Bar, going to either the harbor or Swan Creek all the way south to “1” if you have a beyond. Enter the harbor breakwater, then follow the marked channel deep-draft vessel. to reach the marinas that line the Capt. Jody Argo Schroath — shore. Whichever way you go, just be sure to stay in the channel to avoid the large shoal due west of the breakwater. If you follow the harbor around counterclockwise, you’ll find North Point Marina, Harbor Shack Restaurant, Bayside Landing Park and Rock Hall Landing Marina. This is followed by the Sharp Street boat ramp, Waterman’s Crab House, Black Duck Inn and finally Haven Harbour South. The entrance to Swan Creek lies just north of the harbor. Once inside, follow the markers carefully until you reach your chosen marina, located in this order: Gratitude Marina, and then around the tip of Deep Landing, Swan Creek Marina. Beyond that is The Haven, home to Osprey Inn & Marina, Haven Harbour Marina and Spring Cove Marina.

BY CAR Driving the route is easy; it just takes a bit longer. After your trip across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on U.S. 50, simply follow the signs to Chestertown and then head east on MD-20 to Rock Hall. Same goes if you’re coming from points north like Wilmington, Del. via U.S. 301.

Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

Below: Cheery, nautical themed rooms await at the Inn at Haven Harbour. The restaurant at Osprey Point is a go-to for romantic dinners, with complimentary docking for diners.

Above: Blue Crab Charters offers day sails, sunset cruises and private charters, departing from scenic Swan Creek.

STAYING ON LAND Rock Hall is rich not only in fine marinas, but also in its charming inns, most of which are in fact located within marinas. On Rock Hall Harbor, the Black Duck Inn has five guest rooms, free docking when you stay in the inn and bicycles to get around. Mariner’s Motel is a newly renovated, pet-friendly motel at Rock Hall Landing Marina, with swimming pool and fire pit. On Swan Creek, we recommend the stately Osprey Point Inn. With lovely grounds and 14 rooms spread between

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

the Main House and a nearby waterfront Annex, plus a four-bedroom Farmhouse, it’s a favorite for weddings and special occasions. The Inn at Haven Harbour Marina is another nice option, with 19 rooms, two pools and free bikes for getting around.

EXPLORING BY WATER If you are trailering your boat, you have several options for launching close to Rock Hall, including Sharp Street Public Landing and Bayside Landing

Kent County Maryland

Discover the road less traveled along the iconic Chesapeake Bay. PLAN YOUR ADVENTURE

KENTCOUNTY.COM/VISITORS

Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

This mural at Java Rock says it all about life on the Eastern Shore.

Park Boat Ramp, both in Rock Hall Harbor. You’ll need to pick up a county permit sticker first. Boat supplies can be found at the marina ship’s stores as well as West Marine and the Rock Hall Marine Railway, established 1928. If paddling or sailing is more your style, Chester River Kayaks is a good place to start. We suggest you make the short trip to the Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, 10 miles south, where you can launch your own or rent a kayak to explore this extraordinary 2,285-

acre island landscape. Want to charter a sailboat? Head out on a 43-foot sloop with Shardana Sailing Charters or join Blue Crab Charters (2022 winner of CBM’s Best of the Bay) for five sails daily leaving from the foot of Sharp Street.

EXPLORING BY LAND Rock Hall is a waterman’s town through and through, retaining that look and feel. Start at the colorful cottages

known as Rock Hall Village, and the short shopping district on Main Street. Visit The Hickory Stick for cute accessories and gifts, The Bay Escape for housewares and nautical décor, and Grammy’s Goodies for hot mini donuts. The Waterman’s Museum is a charming small-town museum. Check out their retro fishing shanty known as an “ark.” These little floating cottages were used by watermen when they needed to overnight in an area far away from home; they’d tow the ark behind their workboat and park it up a handy creek. To visit, go to the shop at Haven Harbour Marina to sign out museum keys, and return them when you’re done. Cool off at the public pool at Bayside Landing Park, open weekends in season, or hit the beach at Ferry Park, which also has two gazebos, a community grill and outdoor showers.

North Point Marina is tucked just inside Rock Hall Harbor, where it meets the Chesapeake Bay.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

Rock Hall’s two water towers are each adorned with a mural of a giant rockfish, in tribute to the town’s rich Bay heritage.

GROU PS, P R IVA TE EV EN & SUP E R YA T S , CHTS W E LC OME!

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BAR CRAWLING Consider Harbor Shack to be Rock Hall’s version of Cheers, only with fresh seafood and cold beer served indoors and at the open-air tiki deck. Haven Harbour Marina’s Passages Bar & Grill and HH South’s Admirals Club Beachside Bar are both newly refreshed, serving up icy crushes and cocktails with a view.

Above: Kick back at the tiki bar at Harbor Shack. Right: Enjoy cocktails and palm trees at the Admirals Club Beachside Bar at Haven Harbour South.

DINING Seafood Joints

The no-frills diner/take-out market Ford’s Seafood opens daily at 7 a.m. for breakfast, and then moves on through lunch and early dinner. Enjoy steamed crabs, seafood baskets and plate dinners onsite, or take seafood and sides back to the boat. Waterman’s Crab House has been a family-run classic for more than 40 years, with fresh-caught seafood (don’t miss the signature stuﬀed rockﬁsh), seasonal crab feasts and plenty of docking space. Weekends bring top regional bands to their waterfront deck, the largest in Kent County. The Wheelhouse, a longtime staple, has new ownership and a new name: The Blue Heron Oyster House. Come for the raw bar and shave ice, stay for drinks at the open-air tiki bar, and look forward to inn rooms, due to be added in phase 2 of the beloved property’s new life.

Other Eats

Start your day oﬀ right at Muskrat Alley Café, with hearty breakfasts like

bacon-stuffed Belgian waffles. It’s at the Carriage House Bed & Breakfast but open to outside guests on weekends. Java Rock is a fab coffee spot that also does tasty salads, wraps and quesadillas. Bay Wolf is an old-school staple, serving seafood but also wiener schnitzel and bratwurst. Osprey Point Restaurant is perfect for a special occasion, even if special just means putting on long pants or a skirt. Slip reservations required for complimentary dock-and-dine.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

HAVEN HARBOUR MARINA 20880 Rock Hall Ave Rock Hall, Maryland 410.778.6697

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Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

Kent Narrows

MARYLAND

FAST FACTS • Located on the eastern edge of Kent Island, 6 miles from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge • Established 1631 as the first permanent English settlement in what is now Maryland, and the third oldest after Jamestown, Va. and Plymouth, Mass.

VISITQUEENANNES

• The Bay’s largest island, it spans approximately 31 square miles.

Lovely Ferry Point Park overlooks the Chester River, with a boardwalk trail that winds through tidal wetlands.

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE You probably know that Kent Narrows is where the Chesapeake Bay goes to cut loose. Its shoreline—less than a mile from top to bottom—has dock bars galore, from Red Eye’s Dock Bar on the Chester River side to The Jetty on the Eastern Bay side. Boats cruise the Narrows to see and be seen, and happy hours can last into the wee hours. Yet as fun as all that is, this is also the domain of the watermen who work out of the Narrows, harvesting the Bay’s bounty as they have for generations. There are great places to put in a kayak or SUP to explore the local streams, or you can climb on a bicycle to follow the Cross Island Trail. If you come for the party, don’t miss the other aspects that make it a great weekend spot.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

Getting there BY BOAT Kent Narrows is a destination practically custom-made for smaller, shallower-draft boats; it’s the quick in-and-out nature of the dockand-dine experience that is the star here. Not that Kent Narrows is out CAPTAIN’S TIP of the question for larger cruising boats—it’s doable, but can be a The channel north and south of the Narchallenge for less maneuverable rows is dredged fairly regularly, but tends boats, especially those with an air to shoal in just as regularly, particularly on draft of 18 feet or more. There’s a the Chester River side. As a consequence, quick current, and in season the bridge only opens on the hour the markers get moved fairly often to keep and half-hour. (As many cruisers up with the shifting channel, so trust your know, it’s hard to hold place in a eyes rather than your chartplotter. Also, busy, narrow channel with a strong the navigation markers reverse after you current.) For larger boats, a good option is to choose a marina on one come under the bridge. Coming into Kent side or other of the Kent Narrows Narrows off the Chester River on the North bascule bridge so you don’t need to Channel, red will be to your right until you bother going through it at all. For those of you arriving from the south—say, anything from Annapolis on down—Kent Narrows is 13 miles inside Eastern Bay, measured from its entrance buoy, green “1K”. From the north—say, anything from Baltimore north— the Narrows is six miles south of Love Point Light at the entrance to the Chester River.

reach the bridge. After the bridge, red will be on your left because you are leaving “home.” Alternatively, if you are approaching the Narrows from Eastern Bay, on the South Channel, red will be on your right up to the bridge and then will be on your left. Got it? Don’t forget. Capt. Jody Argo Schroath —

MARINA BASICS

North of the bridge, Piney Narrows Yacht Haven occupies a basin cut into the west side. It’s pretty quiet, as the restaurants and dock bars are on the east side, and most of them south of the bridge. It’s next door to Ferry Point Park, with its trails, woods and marshes. To reach the restaurants and dock bars, you can either dinghy across or use the Cross Island Trail by foot or bike. Safe Harbor Narrows Point North

on the east side has plenty of slips and plenty to keep you occupied, including an Olympic-size pool and easy access to the Red Eye’s Dock Bar and Harris Crab House. To explore Ferry Point Park, just walk, bicycle or dinghy over. 

Enjoy three water trails ideal for kayakers; the bascule bridge opens on the half and full hour.

BY CAR

VISITQUEENANNES

From the Western Shore, take U.S. 50/301 across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and across Kent Island to exits 41 or 42. Either one will do, but 41 will give you easier access to the west side of Kent Narrows and 42 to the east. You can always just cross the Watermen’s Bridge on Rte. 18 if you end up on the wrong side.

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The Cross Island Trail runs about 6.5 miles from the Queen Anne’s County Visitors Center to the Bayside Terrapin Park.

JAY FLEMING

South of the bridge on the east side of the Narrows, Wells Cove Marina has some transient slips and is convenient to hot spots like Jetty Dock Bar and Bridges Restaurant. Wells Cove has a depth of about five feet inside and can accommodate boats up to about 46 feet. (It’s also home to most of the Narrows head boats, so if fishing is in your plans you’ll be in the right place.) Formerly Lippincott, Cedar Point Marina is owned by the same well-respected family who runs Chesapeake Whalertowne in Grasonville and Annapolis. Its entrance channel avoids the Narrows South Channel altogether, making it ideal for larger and deeper-draft boats, and it can take boats up to 72 feet. If you need boat work done, you’ll find reputable service facilities at Cedar Point and Kent Narrows Yacht Yard. At Kent Narrows Boatel, next to Piney Narrows, they’ll store your boat on an inside rack, then bring it down to a floating dock when you’re ready for it. The onsite concierge service can stock it with goods, and the full-service Swan Cove Spa allows you to multitask while you wait. Summer 2022 brings the debut of Dockhouse Restaurant, overlooking the channel.

STAYING ON LAND

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Hilton Garden Inn Kent Narrows is a clean, contemporary 91-room hotel overlooking Wells Cove, with comfy rooms, onsite breakfast and an indoor pool. Book a balcony room to take in the lively goings-on at The Jetty next door. If you want something quieter, ask for the opposite.

Hyatt Place Kent Narrows & Marina is a welcome addition due

to open in the heart of Fisherman’s Village in fall 2022, with 120 waterview rooms, an indoor pool and ﬁtness center, conference space and a 40-slip marina. 

WHERE SHORE FLAVORS BEGIN

PLAN YOUR

CHESAPEAKE BAY ADVENTURE

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Dock bars don't get much better than The Big Owl Tiki Bar (above) and The Jetty Dock Bar (left).

EXPLORING BY WATER We don’t recommend that you launch your paddle craft directly onto Kent Narrows; the strong current and heavy boat traﬃc make it a tricky and dangerous proposition. There are plenty of alternatives, however. At Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, you can launch your kayak or SUP into the quiet

We know

waters of Prospect Bay. The Cabin Creek Water Trail runs the edge of Prospect Bay to Cabin Creek, for about 3.5 miles. (CBEC has rental kayaks as well; book ahead online.) To explore Eastern Bay west of the Narrows, launch at Goodhands Creek Landing for the 2.5mile loop around Hog Island. North of the Narrows, launch from Jackson Creek Landing and make the loop of the creek. Ferry Point Nature Park is another great launch spot. From here, you’ll ﬁnd a good paddle to the west by looping Piney Creek. This is best in light winds, since the wind has a long fetch down the north-south leg of the Chester River. SipAhoy TikiBoat oﬀers 90-minute cruises on a thatched-roof pontoon boat (choose 6 or 16 passengers), operating out of Safe Harbor Marina North. You bring the beer, wine, snacks and friends; they’ll supply the captain and take you for a spin around the surrounding creeks. Kent Narrows is minutes away from

An Eastern Shore landmark since 1930 serving the area’s best seafood including award winning crab cakes, ﬁsh, oysters, scallops, shrimp, and clams as well as steaks and slow roasted prime rib. The menu also offers homemade soups, specialty salads, appetizers, sandwiches, light fare, gluten free items and daily Chef Specials.

seafood Grasonville, Maryland

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CRAB DECK The steamed crabs you’ll ﬁnd spicy and fat, the drinks cool, and the sunsets spectacular. All the fresh ﬁsh, shrimp, scallops and clams are steamed, grilled or fried and served in a relaxed but exciting tropical atmosphere; open on all sides right at the water’s edge. Try a fresh squeezed Orange Crush, Margarita or Pina Colada at our waterfront bar.

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world-class ﬁshing grounds. Fish from your own boat, charter a captain or show up at Wells Cove Marina to board a headboat like Miss Violet or Captain Tyrone Charters’ Island Queen II. Or arrange a crabbing cruise with Spittin’ Feathers Outfitters , which docks at Harris Crab House. You’ll ﬁnd more options at kentnarrowsmd.com, a fantastic online resource.

EXPLORING BY LAND The Watermen’s Way Heritage Trail begins at the Chesapeake Heritage & Visitors Center (where you can also pick up a copy of the Trail brochure) and goes on to eight sites in the area, including the Watermen’s Memorial

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Kent Narrows Front Door to the Eastern Shore

Betty Schulz’s oyster plate collection, part of the Watermen's Way Heritage Trail.

Drawbridge (aka Kent Narrows Bascule Bridge), the Maryland Watermen’s Monument and a stop at Fisherman’s Inn to see Betty Schulz’s collection of 400 vintage oyster plates. Ferry Point Nature Park has 41 acres of tidal and non-tidal wetlands, surrounded by three bodies of water: Chester River, Kent Narrows and Piney Creek. A stroll on the mile-long wetland

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BAR CRAWLING Maryland’s Eastern and Western shores mix and mingle at the slew of dock bars. Big Owl Tiki Bar and The Jetty are both located on the south side of the bridge; Red Eye’s Dock Bar is on the north. All three feature open-air dockside seating, with plenty of room for tying up; cold beer, cocktails and icy crushes; causal, fun menus (think rockﬁsh tenders, steamed shrimp, wings and more) and live bands most nights in season.

Fisherman’s Inn Crab Deck offers free dockage for diners.

waterfront will do you a world of good, as will just sitting on a bench and taking it all in. Interpretaive signage tells you what you’re looking at.

The Kent Island Cross Island Trail can be done on foot or by bicycle. Park under the west side of the bascule bridge and pick it up there, or just walk across the bridge and begin. The 6.5-mile trail passes through marshes, woods and farmland, ending at Terrapin Park overlooking Bay, with a number of access points along the way.

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Kent Island is home to a bevy of classics that have been there for decades, each with its own loyal following. You can’t miss the bright blue exterior of Fisherman’s Inn. They’ve been serving fresh seafood since 1930 and open their

Celebrating 30 years of bringing the thrill and freedom of learning to sail for anyone with a disability, recovering warriors, and children from underserved communities.

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DINING

Coming soon in 2022! The CRAB Annapolis Adaptive Boating Center For more information about Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating: www.crabsailing.org or 410-266-5722

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FARTHER AFIELD The full-service Bay Bridge Marina sits on the western shore of the island at the foot of the Bay Bridge, and accepts boats up to 70 feet. It’s a short walk to the Inn at Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, a boutique hotel with 77 rooms, a freestanding spa, takeout gourmet market and loads of event space. (It’s a favorite wedding space for the mid-Atlantic.) Enjoy stellar Bay-to-table eats at Knoxie’s Table or their newest outlet, Libbey’s Coastal Kitchen; set in the former Hemingway’s, overlooking the Bay Bridge, the food and service is now as stellar as the view.

Inn at Chesapeake Bay Beach Club

HALKIN MASON

neighboring Crab Deck in summer months. Along with the food, we love the vintage vibe, including a model train that runs through the rafters and their collection of oyster plates. The Harris Crab House family has been in the seafood business for four generations, with the restaurant since 1985; steamed crabs on their marina-front deck is a summer staple, but they’re open yearround. The Narrows, owned by a longtime Annapolis restaurant family since 1983, is known for their crabcakes and crab imperial. Bridges Restaurant opened in 2010 and puts a high-end spin on Chesapeake cuisine, with fresh salads and seafood along with pizzas and steaks. We love the abundant café tables spread around their waterside patio, and they do dockside delivery to go as well. Lastly, don’t miss Dessert First, a dockside sweets shop run out of Harris Crab House, for baked goods, ice cream and Rise Up coﬀee drinks.

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Your boat belongs here!

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Annapolis

MARYLAND

FAST FACTS • Located where the Bay meets the Severn River, just south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge • Established in 1649 and incorporated as a city in 1708 • One of the first cities to be named a National Historic Landmark District

VISITANNAPOLIS.ORG

• Home of the world’s original in-water sailboat and powerboat shows, held each October

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE For most people who love the Bay, a visit to Annapolis is a given. All those boats, restaurants, shops and history—what’s not to love? Yet many boaters leave their vessels at home, opting instead to pile the family into the car and wrestle the weekend traffic so they can hunt for a good parking space at City Dock to start the fun. Then a few hours later, it’s time to head home. Why? Because the thought of navigating the busy waters of Annapolis Harbor is intimidating. But that’s a mistake, because America’s Sailing Capital is even better when you visit by water, as it was originally intended.

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Even if you’ve made the road trip to Annapolis, it’s key to understand how the city is laid out if you are arriving by water. The Eastport neighborhood lies snugged between Back Creek and Spa Creek, just inside the mouth of the Severn River. West Annapolis stretches farther up the Severn. Historic downtown Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy lie on the north side of Spa Creek. The city’s largest marinas, as well most of its service and repair yards, lie along both sides of Back Creek. All of this is connected by water taxis or can be accessed with your dinghy, which you can tie up at any number of dinghy landings throughout the two creeks.

Getting there BY BOAT

Annapolis Harbor lies just south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. As you make the turn off the Bay and look toward the city, you should be able to make out the dome of the State House and, to its right, the dome of the Naval Academy Chapel. You’ll want to head into the harbor and aim for the domes. Then, choose a creek. The entrance to Back Creek is marked by two green markers, which absolutely must be obeyed, and a useful red. Once you’re well into the creek, head for the red roof of Horn Point Harbor Marina until the markers sort themselves out. You’ll be entering between Annapolis Sailing School to port and Horn Point and the self-styled Maritime Republic of Eastport to starboard. Once inside, you’ll find four of the city’s largest marinas for fuel and docking, or you can drop the anchor or pick up a city mooring ball by the blue water tower. The entrance to Spa Creek is straightforward, except for the coming and going of a few tour boats, water taxis and dozens of recreational boats of every possible description. It’s exciting and, if you take it slow, no problem at all. Be aware that the 6-knot limit lies well outside the harbor. Look for the line of white buoys. On the Eastport side, before the Spa Creek Bridge, you’ll find several marinas—most importantly Annapolis City Marina, which has fuel. There are also transient slips at South Annapolis Yacht Centre on the upstream side of the bridge. On the downtown side, you’ll pass a long line of city mooring balls, Annapolis Yacht Basin marina (founded in 1937), and the grand Annapolis Yacht Club. Here, too, you’ll find the city’s famous Ego Alley—once dockage for local watermen but now a place to see and be seen. You can park your boat here by the hour or overnight. It’s tight and it’s

VISITANNAPOLIS.ORG

Sunrise on Spa Creek

CAPTAIN’S TIP not cheap, but everyone should probably do it at least once. You’ll be one of the tourist attractions and in the middle of everything, a few steps away from Main Street and the Naval Academy. The Annapolis City Harbormaster operates both the Ego Alley slips and all of the city’s mooring balls. There are three more city mooring fields on the far side of the bridge, as well as a few places to drop anchor farther up Spa Creek. To get ashore, call a water taxi or use one of the city’s many dinghy docks.

If you head generally for the Naval Academy Bridge over the Severn River until you’ve cleared Horn Point Shoal HP marker, you can then turn to port, entering Spa Creek with the Naval Academy bulkhead to starboard and Eastport Yacht Club on your port side. If you are coming from the south, be sure to honor the Tolly Point Shoal buoy (green 1AH). If you are coming from the north, do the same for the Greenbury Point Shoal (red 4). Other than that, just watch out for crab pots and cross-traffic. Don’t even think about cutting inside the “HP” marker unless you are in a kayak or on a paddleboard. And keep an eye out for sailboat races—it’s not polite to power through the fleet.

Capt. Jody Argo Schroath — The Annapolis City Harbormaster operates a uniquely convenient pump-out boat that operates year-round, though the hours it’s available vary with the seasons. Hail the boat on VHF channel 17.

BY CAR Annapolis is just off of S.R. 50/301. There are multiple exits but for the easiest access to downtown, take exit 24/Rowe Blvd. /Bestgate Road. Rowe Blvd. leads you directly to the State House, with historic downtown sloping down behind it to the water. Be aware that the city’s main parking garage is under construction, so it’s a good idea to plan your visit by checking out the City of Annapolis online parking guide at annapolisparking.com.

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Left: Horn Point Marina has unobstructed views of the Bay. Below: Lovely Annapolis City Harbor at night (left); the Annpolis Waterfront Hotel on Ego Alley.

MARINA BASICS Back Creek

In addition to slips, a pool, lovely landscaping and all the usual amenities, Annapolis Landing Marina boasts the creek’s only fuel dock. Access is easy with a long T-head for gas and diesel, and you’ll find water and cable hookups at every slip, plus a pool, loaner car and two bathhouses. The marina is on the south side of Back Creek, just beyond Annapolis Sailing School and the future home of the Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating program. Popular Port Annapolis has just about everything to go with its slips: pool, beautiful grounds, café, reliable wifi, a full-service yard and a terrific ship’s store, as well as a two-bedroom condo if you want to sleep on land. Bert Jabin Yacht Yard, also on the south side of the Back Creek, is Annapolis’s largest marina and its most complete working yard, with dozens of marine contractors on site—riggers, painters, fiberglass repair, marine electricians, mechanics—as well as a boatel.

Safe Harbor Annapolis (formerly Mears Marina) is located on the

Eastport side of Back Creek, which makes it an easy walk to restaurants and downtown Annapolis. Like the ones across the creek, the well-kept grounds here are lovely to look at and easy to enjoy, with all of the resort amenities (pool, café/tiki bar, ﬁre pit) plus tennis and pickleball courts. The 56-slip Horn Point Harbor Marina has the best view overlooking the Bay from its position at the mouth of the creek. That location also makes it more susceptible to winds and chop, depending on the direction, though its breakwater takes care of most of the rough water. It’s an easy walk to Eastport’s restaurants, and they have a three-bedroom house if you want to stay on land for a spell.

Spa Creek

Annapolis City Marina is one of two marinas with fuel docks on Spa Creek. Slips are a little tight, but the location is terriﬁc. Eastport restaurants are only a few steps away, and downtown Annapolis is just across the Spa Creek

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Bridge. Established in 1937, Annapolis Yacht Basin is the town’s oldest marina, located across the creek next to the Annapolis Yacht Club. Its prime position makes it a favorite docking site for megayachts, but there is room for boats of all sizes, and they have fuel, bathhouses and onsite laundry. At Annapolis City Dock, the depths are good, the fairway (Ego Alley) is narrow, and the location for visiting historic downtown couldn’t be better. They also operate the city mooring ﬁelds, located in front of City Dock, just beyond the Spa Creek Bridge, further up Spa Creek and on Back Creek between Port Annapolis and Bert Jabin Yacht Yard. The new South Annapolis Yacht Centre, upstream of the Spa Creek Bridge on the Eastport side, has replaced the old Sarles and Petrini boat yards. The new facility boasts 74 annual and transient slips accommodating vessels up to 135 feet.

STAYING ON LAND Annapolis Waterfront Hotel is the

only hotel directly on Ego Alley, which makes it ideal for sightseeing and for watching the action from your balcony or while sipping a refreshing Painkiller on the dockside patio at Pusser’s. Historic Inns of Annapolis gives you the chance to stay in the midst of famously historic Annapolis in one of three pre-Revolution

Escape from the Ordinary

Adventure comes in many forms. Come find yours … From the historic charm of Annapolis along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay to the entertainment district of Arundel Mills and beyond, discover all that Annapolis and Anne Arundel County have to offer. CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE AT VISITANNAPOLIS.ORG

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VISITANNAPOLIS.ORG

Kayaking is a great way to see Spa Creek. Just stay out of the channel and avoid the tour boats and water taxis.

buildings-turned-inns, including Maryland Inn at the top of Main Street and the 1727 Governor Calvert House. The delightful Flag House Inn B&B is located in a restored Victorian across the street from the main entrance to the Naval Academy; there’s free parking and it’s an easy walk to the water, shopping and everything else. 134 Prince is the town’s newest lodging: an 1849 home turned luxe boutique hotel, with ﬁve chic contemporary suites. In Eastport, the friendly Inn at Horn Point dates to 1902 and features charming rooms with their own balconies.

EXPLORING BY WATER The Annapolis Water Taxi makes it easy to get around Annapolis, from Back Creek marinas to Eastport restaurants and City Dock. If you are anchored or on a mooring ball, simply hail them on channel 68 or give them a call at 410263-0033. In some distant past, the city planners had the foresight to put dinghy landings at the end of many of the streets ending on Spa and Back creeks—about 20 in all. Unfortunately, a number of these have fallen into disrepair or been privatized

with development, but a good number survive to provide a handy place to park. The size restriction for Ego Alley’s dinghy landing is 17 feet. Arriving by car with a trailer in tow? Put in at Annapolis’s Truxtun Park near the headwaters of Spa Creek, which has paved ramps and good launch docks. As you head out Spa Creek, you’ll pass some of the city’s most pleasant neighborhoods. There is great paddling from the top of Spa Creek to the bottom, with plenty of places to stop on both sides and visit, eat and shop. Then head out of Spa Creek into the harbor and hug the Eastport shore around Horn Point to enter Back Creek. Use a dinghy

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VISITANNAPOLIS.ORG

Noon formation at the U.S. Naval Academy is always impressive.

dock to visit the Annapolis Maritime Museum and get a bite at the Leeward Café just two blocks down Second St.

and open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Capital SUP offers board and kayak rentals on Back Creek as well as on the South River via Quiet Waters Park, while Annapolis Canoe & Kayak offers rentals on Spa Creek out of Eastport. Don’t feel like paddling? Annapolis Electric Boat Rentals offers one- to three-hour rentals of covered vessels that seat 10 for a putt around the harbor. (Their slogan is “Like a Tesla, but

slower.”) Or enjoy a sunset sail aboard the 74-foot Schooner Woodwind, the perfect capper to a day of exploration.

EXPLORING BY LAND There is so much to do in downtown Annapolis, it will be hard to choose. To start, walk up Main Street to Church Circle, just to get a feel of things. Meander in and out of the shops. Try on some hats at Hats in the Belfry or

sunglasses at Shades of the Bay. Stock up on all-weather sports apparel at Helly Hansen and shop the largest selection of cult British sailing brand Musto gear at Musto Annapolis; they’re practically side by side on Main St. When you reach Church Circle, admire the lovely and historic St. Anne’s Parish and its graveyard before turning left to explore West Street, home to the Ram’s Head Tavern with its listening room where nationally renowned artists perform, or the friendly Stan & Joe’s bar, where local musicians play every weekend. Right across the street, you’ll ﬁnd the Annapolis Visitor Center, where many of the city tours begin. Don’t miss a stop at the Maryland State House; the oldest state capital building still in operation; it’s where George Washington gave his Farewell

ETHANOL FREE GASOLINE Full service marina in beautiful Eastport overlooking downtown Annapolis. Ethanol free gas, diesel, pumpout & parking. Annual and transient slips with monthly, daily & hourly rates.

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Fully-stocked Marine Store • Beer & Wine • Snacks & Ice Cream

VISITANNAPOLIS.ORG

Address at the end of the Revolutionary traditional crab houses, each with plenty Kolsch called Boat. (Take a six-pack War. Annapolis Pottery is right there of docking space. Cantler’s Riverside or growler back to the boat with you.) on State Circle, and you’ll find more cool Then stroll down Fourth Street to Davis’ Inn is the oldest, run by the same family shops and restaurants around the corner since 1974 and located on Mill Creek on Pub, the peninsula’s quintessential on Maryland Ave. Browse through Old the Severn River. Mike’s Crab House neighborhood pub (and a CBM staff Fox Books & Coffeeshop and get a on the South River is where locals go favorite). Grab an outside table and order cup of joe to gather up the final burst of when they want to avoid the crowds at a crab pretzel to go with your drink, then energy necessary to wend your way back Cantler’s, or if they live on the other crawl back in the other direction. to the water through the town’s maze side of town. The Point Crab House & Boaters and bars go together like, of narrow brick streets, lined with a Grill (just named “Best Crab House” by well, boaters and bars, and Annapolis’s world-class collection of CBM readers) is on the other Mill Creek City Dock area 18th- and 19th-century on the Magothy River, and serves great does not lack in architecture. (Watch food with a side of live music. either. Historic your step, though; the In Eastport, the open-air deck at Reynold’s Tavern 18th century wasn’t Carroll’s Creek Café is stellar, with on Church Circle famous for smooth pavement.) The U.S. Naval Academy is a must. Enter via the pedestrian gate closest to City Dock and stroll the grounds, visiting the chapel, the impressive museum (don’t miss the exquisite ship’s models) and the view of the Bay from the seawall. Spend some time wandering the streets of Eastport, which are Take in the stacks at Old Fox Books in Annapolis (left) and the views at The Chart House in Eastport. lined with cute homes, some dating to its origins as a working-class watermen’s has the 1747 Pub in its rock-walled cellar, food to match. O’Leary’s puts a refined town. Annapolis Maritime Antiques spin on seafood. The Chart House featuring craft beers. Head to Pusser’s is well worth a visit, as is Quirk-nwows with floor-to-ceiling views of (sister to the famous one in BVI) at the Bach Pottery. When you’ve worked Annapolis Harbor, or take it all in from Annapolis Waterfront Hotel for a your way back to Second St., pop into the rooftop deck at Blackwall Hitch. dockside table along Ego Alley and watch the charming Annapolis Maritime For breakfast, visit Monica at Bread the boats go by. Over by Market House, Museum, located in the city’s last and Butter Kitchen for tasty breakfasts McGarvey’s Saloon and Oyster House remaining oyster house. and lunches to take out or enjoy at a and Middleton Tavern are longtime waterside table. staples (in the latter case, operating since In Annapolis, The Choptank is a 1750). If one is full, just move to the next, new star, with a prime spot overlooking or hit O’Brien’s or Dry 85 on Main St., Ego Alley. Iron Rooster’s crab hash is a or head up the hill to Galway Bay on winner any time of day. But it’s not just Maryland Ave., a perfect Irish pub on the A bar crawl in Eastport includes three crustaceans. You’ll find classic French prettiest block in town. must stops. Start at Boatyard Bar and cuisine at Café Normandie, tacos and Grill, considered one of the world’s tequila at Vida Taco Bar, and a creative top sailor bars (not to mention their spin on Americana at Preserve. Don’t famous crabcakes). Around the corner miss Chick & Ruth’s Delly, an oldis Forward Brewing, a nanobrewery school deli-diner that starts mornings off Picking crabs is a time-honored pastime, with a lovely side garden and fantastic with the Pledge of Allegiance. and the greater Annapolis area has three beer, including the appropriately named

BAR CRAWLING

DINING

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St. Michaels

MARYLAND

FAST FACTS • Located off Eastern Bay, on the upper Miles River

JILL JASUTA

• Established in 1677 • Beautifully Victorian downtown district stayed intact by fooling the British in the War of 1812 • Home to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE The 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse was moved to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in the 1960s, and is a favorite of kids and adults alike.

In the early 17th century, St. Michaels harbor was a shipping point for area tobacco plantations. After the Church of England parish of St. Michaels was established in 1677, a settlement sprang up and pretty soon the new town was in business. Shipbuilding became a profitable mainstay, accounting for many of the fast schooners (eventually known as Baltimore clippers) that plied the seas as well as the many fine homes that continue to be the pride of St. Michaels. When the shipbuilding industry faltered, St. Michaels became a waterman’s town, surviving well into the 20th century on the Bay’s bounty of oysters and crabs. Now, St. Michaels attracts visitors with the accumulated charm of that colorful past. The small town offers a big town’s variety of shops, restaurants, B&Bs, an elegant resort and a fantastic maritime museum focused on the Chesapeake. St. Michaels is also compact and easy to get around on foot or bicycle. Most of the shops and many of the restaurants are found along Talbot Street, which is a couple of short blocks from the harbor’s plentiful docking options.

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MARINA BASICS Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s

marina is ideally located, with 55 slips and services including electric, pumpout, bathhouse and loaner bicycles. You must be a museum member to dock, and dockage fees are additional. Householdlevel and above members can dock hourly, while Mariner membership or above is required for overnight. Higgins Yacht Yard and Marina is St. Michaels’s original harbor port, and still a working yard. It’s small with just 30 slips that fill up fast, but it’s a good choice if you are looking for a great location and a basic marina at a good price. The highly regarded St. Michaels Marina has everything you need for a week, from in-slip fueling and pumpouts to two restaurants (longtime favorite Foxy’s Harbour Grille, and the new Blu Miles Seafood & Grill, with its cheery dockside patio), a pool and a fleet of electric Gem cars for rent. They give extra attention to service with their “yacht butlers” who act like hotel concierges, and they can handle boats up to 220 feet.

St. Michaels Harbour Inn Marina and Spa is part resort/part marina, with

52 transient slips, a 52-room inn and day spa, two waterfront decks at Harrison’s Harbour Lights Restaurant, and a seasonal outdoor pool. The additional resort fee gets you access to the resort amenities including workout room and pool, plus car service and loaner bicycles.

Anchoring

Generally speaking (and depending on weather), anywhere in the broad harbor entrance out of the channel works. The holding is good, though with all those boats you’ll want to be extra sure the anchor is well-set. Inside the harbor, you may find room in Fogg Cove to the north and just inside the cove behind Parrott Point on the south side. If you don’t want to use your own dinghy to get ashore, call for a water shuttle on VHF 71.

Getting there BY BOAT

CAPTAIN’S TIP

Whichever entrance to Eastern Bay you choose, the trip up the Miles is a quick one. St. Michaels harbor lies on the west side of the river with depths of generally nine to 10 feet. Follow the markers though, because the water is shoal both north and south. Always keep a watchful eye out; with visiting boats, watermen’s boats and tour boats, there is always a lot going on in the harbor. . Capt. Jody Argo Schroath —

St. Michaels is located on the Miles River, an easy 15 miles inside Eastern Bay. There are two ways of getting to Eastern Bay. The first and easiest is through its wide entrance at the southern end of Kent Island. The second is by way of Kent Narrows off of the southern loop of the Chester River. The first is the easiest from anywhere south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the second from anywhere north of that. For Annapolis boaters, it’s a bit of a tossup. From Annapolis or the Bay Bridge, Eastern Bay is only about 10 miles. From Solomons, it’s a 35-mile trip north. From the mouth of the Bay, it’s a 100-mile journey, but with stopovers in Deltaville and Solomons, it makes an attractive stop on a week’s cruise.

BY CAR St. Michaels is approximately 12 miles west of Easton. From Route 50, take Route 322/Easton Bypass to Route 33, which goes through the heart of town.

STAYING ON LAND St. Michaels is one of the most popular destinations on the Eastern Shore, with a bevy of charming inns, B&Bs and the like. Inn at Perry Cabin is one of the best-known resorts on the Bay, and with good reason. A member of Historic Hotels of America, the inn hugs 26 acres of gardens, lawn and shoreline right by town. Amenities include luxury rooms and suites, a pool, croquet lawn, a top-notch spa and a Pete Dye golf course. Dinner at STARS is as elegant as you’d expect, while cocktails around the firepit feels like being home. For historic charm, you can’t beat Old Brick Inn or The Parsonage Inn. The former

The Inn at Perry Cabin is one of the top resorts in the Mid-Atlantic.

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JILL JASUTA

is a collection of three 19thcentury homes that have been turned into a 20-room inn, with updated amenities including Jacuzzi tubs. The latter is an architecturally unique, red-brick Victorian with eight period rooms (three with ﬁreplace). The Wildset Hotel is the newest kid on the block, opened in 2020. Like many historic inns, it’s set in four 19th-century buildings but the interiors are luxe and modern, with chic style that blends old and contemporary. Add in fantastic dining at Ruse and you have a new classic in town.

EXPLORING BY WATER If you’re trailering in, there are public boat ramps right in town, opposite the town dock and just before St. Michaels Harbour Inn and Marina. For kayaks,

The graceful Selina II, built in 1926

canoes and SUPs, drop in at the town dock. Need to rent? Shore Pedal and Paddle has single and tandem kayaks and SUPATX SUPs (plus hybrid and cruiser bikes), all for rent by the hour, day or up to a week. The shop is on Talbot Street but they’ll bring the watercraft down to the water for you. The Miles River makes for a very pleasant cruise, meandering through the Eastern Shore countryside for several miles. We’re particularly fond

Your Chesapeake adventure begins here! CHESAPEAKE BAY MARITIME MUSEUM 213 N. Talbot St., St. Michaels, MD | 410-745-2916 | cbmm.org

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of little Hunting Creek, with its tidy farms and striking architecture upstream. But the real treat within easy distance is the Wye River, whose entrance lies less than four miles from the boat ramp. Take the eastern branch for a ride through elegant, wooded countryside. The river curves around Wye Island, and if you stay to the left, comes out into Wye North on the other side of the island. Take the time to go ashore at Drum Point and explore this preserve. Be aware that there’s a low bridge at the far end of the island that connects with the mainland. Paddlers can tour St. Michaels harbor then head out onto the Miles River, turning either north or south as your fancy takes you. The closest creek for exploration is Long Haul Creek, just to the north. If you are feeling adventurous,

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Easton • Oxford • St. Michaels • Tilghman Island No matter the season, Talbot County is the Eastern Shore’s culinary hotspot. Explore our coastal towns, fabulous restaurants, and elegant inns. Or bike, kayak, and sail the Chesapeake Bay.

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head directly across the Miles and explore Leeds Creek, which heads into the countryside, with several interesting coves, for about 2½ miles. For a different experience, head down Chew Ave. to launch at Waterfront Park into San Domingo Creek. There you’ll have plenty of charming coves and bays to explore. As you reach the mouth of the San Domingo where it empties into Broad Creek, you’ll find a trio of marsh islands. If you want someone else at the helm, here are three ways to go. The skipjack H.M. Krentz was built in 1955 in Harryhogan, Va. She heads out on Saturday sails from the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, offering a look at the lives and work of oystermen. The impeccably maintained, graceful and glamorous Selina II is a 41-foot gentleman’s yacht built in 1926. She is owned and sailed by Capt. Iris Clarke, the granddaughter of her original owners. A two-hour day sail or sunset cruise will transport you to a more elegant, far-away time. Families will enjoy the 70-minute narrated tour on Patriot Cruises’ replica 1930s steam ferry, which takes you out in the Miles River and shares the fascinating history of this port town.

EXPLORING BY LAND

Start at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, knowing that it might take you all day, or even a weekend. The motto at CBMM is “Please DO touch!,” a welcome change from the standard museum “don’t touch!” warning. Visit the shipbuilding area and ask all the questions you want about this artful trade. Then wander through the large collection of Chesapeake Bay craft. (Some of the smaller ones are available for rent.)

Climb up the old Hooper Strait Light and discover how lighthouse keepers lived while you take in the sweeping view of the harbor. Feel what it’s like to pull up a crab pot or tong for oysters at the Watermen’s Wharf. Stop by the permanent exhibit and enjoy learning how people have had fun on the Chesapeake for more than a century.

Talbot Street, the main drag, is filled with intriguing shops set inside restored buildings, while the side streets are a wanderer’s delight, lined with centuries’ worth of cool architecture. And the shopping! Iron Will Woodworks/ Reclaimed is filled with one-of-a-kind furniture, vintage neon and loads of architectural and nautical salvage, or do some serous antiquing at Antiques on Talbot, considered one of the best dealers the East Coast. We love to browse the books, gifts and sundries at Pemberton Pharmacy and Gifts, which is also a

full-service pharmacy. As for clothes and art galleries, we won’t even start; you’ll enjoy finding your favorites on your own.

BAR CRAWLING

The side patio at Awful Arthur’s Seafood Company is the opposite of the name.

End the day with a ride on the museum’s 1920 buyboat, Winnie Estelle. The Classic Motor Museum is an easy walk from the Maritime Museum, with exhibits spanning three historic buildings. In the Exhibit Barn you’ll find antique motorcycles, a 1917 Maxwell touring car and a climb-aboard, 1931 La France firetruck. The display is small but ever-changing, as collectors and car buffs lend their cars to the museum on a rotating basis. Unlike many towns along the Bay, St. Michaels’s Victorian-era downtown is perfectly intact, thanks to some sly deception that misdirected British attacks during the War of 1812—a story cheekily honored today by the plentiful Union Jack flags you’ll find waving in the harbor.

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Make a fun afternoon or evening in the Old Mill District. Start off at the spirits shop at LYON RUM, adjacent to the distillery where they produce world-class rum. You can also sample Gray Wolf Craft Distillery’s vodka, rye whiskey and gin. The newly renovated distillery should reopen in summer 2022, adding craft cocktails to the samples. Just around the corner is St. Michaels Winery, which uses Eastern Shore grapes to produce both reds and whites, from Oaky Dokey Chardonnay to Maryland Merlot and Gollywobbler Red. Do a tasting, try a flight or get a bottle to enjoy there or to go. Finish up at Eastern Shore Brewing Company, the Eastern Shore’s oldest micro-brewery, which has 10 beers on tap, plus darts, shuffleboard and live music on weekends. We confess a decided preference for Situation Critical IPA, but you may prefer Back Creek Blonde or even Blue Heron Coffee Porter. (The coffee comes from Blue Heron Coffee, a great java joint next door.) Carpenter Street Saloon has been a town staple since the

1960s. It’s low-key and has something for everyone, starting with breakfast at 8 a.m. up through bar food and bands on weekends, and stays open till midnight. Everyone comes through here at some point and you never know who you’ll see, from duck hunters fresh oﬀ the marsh to big-name politicians dressed down for a weekend in the country.

Other Eats

Ava’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar is much beloved for their wood-ﬁred oven and cheery walled garden with retractable roof, perfect for sunny days. Choose from thin-crust or Sicilian-style pizzas with toppings like charred pepperoni, caramelized onion and gruyere cheese. There are 14 wines by the glass, a great selection of oysters, and special menu for The Crab Claw is one pups. St. Michael’s of the Bay’s classic favorite cantina crabhouses, front now goes by the and center on the name Gina’s Café, harbor in a red former but they still have picking warehouse the tasty Tex-Mex since the 1950s. Come tacos, housemade here for fresh steamed salsa and bean dip Maryland blues, that built their avid oysters, cherrystone local following. clams and shrimp. Margaritas and They don’t take Old Bay-dusted reservations so put Shore nachos on your name in and the sunny patio expect a wait, worth is what weekends it for the view from were made for. St. Michaels is made for strolling. the waterfront deck. If Italian is your Been there, done that? thing, head to Awful Arthur’s Seafood Company is a Limoncello Italian Restaurant & Virginia-based company known for fresh Wine Bar for fresh pastas, gnocchi and seafood and an extensive raw bar, best risotto, served in a bright, blue-and-yellow enjoyed at a bistro table on the central space in the heart of town. At Theo’s back patio. Or taxi out to Chesapeake Steaks, Sides and Spirits the name says Landing; located two miles outside of it all: hand-carved aged beef and classic toward Tilghman Island, there’s always a cocktails served in a cozy yet handsome crowd, it’s usually locals, and that tells you setting, and best of all, shorts and boat all you need to know. shoes welcome!

DINING

Seafood Joints

Finally… the perfect Oyster Opener Chip the Shell, Shuck the Oyster!

FARTHER AFIELD St. Michaels is just 20 miles from the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry, America’s longest-running privately owned ferry. The ride across the Tred Avon River takes about 10 minutes, and is a great way to enjoy a living slice of history. Before you board, explore historic Oxford, whose entire downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places. On the Bellevue side, head to Royal Oak for a meal at T at the General Store, a creative farm-to-table eatery set in a former 1930s grocery.

theOysterOpener.com SEE the Chip and Shuck in action and order yours today!

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Herring Bay/Deale

MARYLAND

FAST FACTS • Located 15 miles south of Annapolis and 30 miles north of Solomons • Established in 1655 • Home to the largest amount of deep-water, protected boat slips on the Bay

Above: Hit the beach at Herrington Harbor South. Right: Chesapeake Paddle Sports offers SUP rentals and tours.

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WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE Herring Bay is the location of choice for boaters who live in the Washington D.C. area. Once you get there, you are smack in the middle of the Bay, which means easy trips to Eastern Bay and St. Michaels as well as the Choptank River and Oxford or Cambridge. And of course, all those lovely fishing grounds will be right there, which makes Herring Bay a convenient destination as well as a central starting point. A downhome vibe and array of quirky dock bars makes it great place to spend a weekend as well.

Getting there

BY BOAT

The channel entrance into Herrington South’s basin is straightforward and deep, but on the other end, the short section of channel from the Rockhold Creek breakwater to markers 8 and 9 is narrow and can be crowded on weekends and shallow in spots to about 5 or 6 feet at dead low tide. At markers 12 and 13, the channel for Herrington North splits to port while the main channel CAPTAIN’S TIP continues north then northeast to Once you get to Herring Bay, the most reach all the other marinas and the important thing to know if you have dock bars.

a draft more than three or four feet is that there is a long finger of shoal water that extends from the north end of the bay nearly two miles south or within a half-mile of the south end. Yes, there are ways to cross it, but if you don’t know the waters, you are better off playing it safe by following the markers. If you are heading to Herrington South, it doesn’t matter, of course. If you are coming from the north and are aiming for one of the north-end marinas, come down to red 2 and then follow the markers north in deep water. Capt. Jody Argo Schroath —

Coming up Rockhold Creek channel, you’ll find Skipper’s Pier Restaurant and Dock Bar to starboard, followed by Paradise Marina to starboard and then Shipwright Harbor Marina’s extensive docks to port. Rockhold Creek Marina is past that to port, and you continue on to Happy Harbor restaurant. Past the Deale Road Bridge, which has a vertical clearance of 14 feet, lies Harbour Cove Marina, a popular location for smaller boats with shallower drafts, and finally Hidden Harbour, home to the Anchored Inn.

MARINA BASICS If you are looking for a family-friendly, get-away-from-it-all weekend, you may want to head directly for Herrington Harbour South. Here, you’ll have easy access to the Bay from the comfort of its entirely protected boat basin, with 600 slips. There is an excellent restaurant, your own sandy beach and swimming pool, an inn and takeout food, beer and wine at Chesapeake Market & Deli. On the other hand, Herrington North has fixed and floating docks accommodating up to 70 feet, three lounges, a saltwater pool and jacuzzi, complimentary kayak and bike rentals, and easy proximity to classic hangouts in nearby Deale. If you bear right coming up Rockhold Creek and take a slip at Shipwright Harbor Marina, you can find plenty to make you happy, including dingy or water-taxi access to the local favorites Skipper’s Pier Restaurant &

Top: The waterfront pool is a big attraction at Herrington Harbor North. Below: The entrance channel to Herrington Harbor South.

BY CAR

To get to southern Anne Arundel County, take Rt. 2 south from Annapolis, or take Rt. 4 east from Washington D.C., and connect with SR 258 for Deale or S.R. 261 for Herrington Harbour South. It’s about an hour, on a good day, from downtown or Baltimore, and about two hours if you’re driving up from Richmond.

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KEVIN ROONEY

Dock Bar, plus a saltwater pool, bikes and kayaks. Above the Deale Road Bridge, which has a vertical clearance of 14 feet, you’ll find two more good options, especially if you are trailering your boat in. Harbour Cove Marina has wet and dry slips, a pool and clubhouse and it’s within walking distance to restaurants and a hardware store. Just beyond, Hidden Harbour Marina offers slips, a playground for kids, the Boathouse Bar for adults and the popular Anchored Inn. Globally famous Weaver Boats, which builds exquisite sportfishing yachts, is located just next door.

STAYING ON LAND A serene sunset at Shipwright Harbor Marina

The Inn at Herrington Harbour South is a full-service, family-friendly

resort, built in the 1950s but updated

HARBOUR COVE MARINA FAMILY OWNED & FAMILY FRIENDLY SINCE 1992

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Boatel & Wet Slips On Demand Launch Free Wi-Fi Pool & Picnic Area Kid, Pet & Family Friendly Fuel, Ice & Pump Out High & Dry Storage 24 Hour Security Mechanics On Site Certified Mercury Outboard Dealer

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5910 VACATION LANE, DEALE, MD 20751 - WWW.HARBOURCOVE.COM - 301.261.9500

with comfy rooms and suites with perks like hot tubs and full kitchens. Enjoy the seasonal waterfront pool and beach, two dining options (Ketch 22 and the take-out Chesapeake Market & Deli) and a landscaped waterfront garden that is a popular spot for weddings. Located in Deale, the Anchored Inn at Hidden Harbour opened in 2016 and welcomes you and your pet to enjoy 16 comfy rooms, free parking and seasonal outdoor pool, plus easy access to the Boathouse bar and a few local shops.

EXPLORING BY WATER If you are bringing a canoe or kayak, you’ll ﬁnd a number of places to launch, including the beach at Herrington South and most of the marinas on Rockhold

Creek. Or rent double kayaks, SUPs or paddle boats from Chesapeake Paddle Sports, which also oﬀers guided sunset eco tours. You can easily explore Herring Bay and Rockhold Creek, which meanders peacefully above the Deale Road Bridge for about two miles, and also take a turn down adjacent Tracy’s Creek, which runs for about a mile above the S.R. 256 Bridge north of Herrington Harbour North. Fishing is big business in Deale, with more than 40 charters coming in and out. Last Hurrah, Lucky Strike and Ebb Tide are three that we like, but there are plenty more.

Skipper’s Pier Restaurant & Dock Bar is one of a slew of dock bars that make the area an oasis for thirsty boaters.

EXPLORING BY LAND Deale doesn’t have a proper downtown; it’s more of a collection of businesses and homes that run along Rockhold Creek, including the adjacent

HERRINGTON HARBOUR SOUTH 7149 Lake Shore Drive North Beach, MD 301.855.5000

HERRINGTON HARBOUR NORTH 389 Deale Road Tracey’s Landing, MD 410.867.4343

Beltway to Bliss in 20 Minutes Discover it all at Herringtonharbour.com

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Nightlife done right at Herrington Harbor North

community of Tracey’s Landing. Look for treasures at Second Wind

Consignments, A Vintage Deale and Blue Heron Boutique. Hit West Marine for supplies or get prepped for fishing at Tri-State Marine Tackle & Gifts.

WAYNE CHINNOCK

BAR CRAWLING This port is home to four well-loved dock bars, accessible by dinghy, kayak, car or bike—whatever you have.

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Skipper’s Pier Restaurant & Dock Bar is the ﬁrst thing you’ll ﬁnd on

entering Rockhold Creek, on the north end of the bay. Owners Dave and Jessica Rosage set Skipper’s apart from your average dock-and-dine facility with regional musts plus unexpected dishes like rockﬁsh Reuben and seafood pot pie. If you love dive bars (and we do!), you’ll love the famous Happy Harbor restaurant, which has been serving local watermen, residents and visitors since 1933. You can get everything here from cold beer and fried pickles and to steamed clams and cheeseburgers, best enjoyed on the deck as you watch the charter boats come and go. Dockside Restaurant and Bar at Herrington North has a big covered patio and waiting area on the side lawn, while the Boat House at Anchored Inn serves up crushes, beer and wine from their boat-turned-bar, set under a weathered wooden boat house. Happy Harbor is open from 8 a.m. til midnight (2 a.m.

Saturdays); the rest close up earlier. Want to take to bring the bar with you? Bring five of your friends along for a two-hour trek on Cruisin’ Tikis. These round floating tiki bars provide a captain, bamboo bar and thatchedroof shade; you bring along the bevvies, snacks and the floaty toys for when you need to jump in and cool off.

DINING South County Café has the best breakfasts around, served until 11 a.m. daily, followed by lunch specials like wraps and sliders. Homemade treats are served all day from the onsite bakery. Located at Herrington Harbour South, Ketch 22 is a fantastic restaurant owned by the same team that runs The Point in Arnold (voted Best Crab House in CBM’s 2022 Best of the Bay). Their inspired menu of Chesapeake cuisine includes crab soups and cakes, tacos, ﬁsh ’n’ chips and steak frites.

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Relax & Enjoy

Lovely waterviews and gorgeous sunsets in a quiet marina setting, just minutes from the best fishing and cruising the Chesapeake Bay has to offer.

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800-322-5181 • www.KNAPPSNARROWSMARINA.com

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TRANSIENT GROUPS WELCOME

MARYLAND

JILL JASUTA

Cambridge

FAST FACTS • Located 13 miles up the Choptank River from the Chesapeake Bay • Settled in 1684 and named for the English university town in 1686 • Home to the Harriet Tubman Museum and Mural, and a key stop on the Harriet Tubman Byway

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE Cambridge is one of the earliest English settlements on the Chesapeake, but the town was hit by several devastating fires during its long history. The area took another major hit in the mid-1960s when Phillips Packing Company (Cambridge’s biggest employer) closed. But during the decades that followed, the citizens of Cambridge worked hard to bring the town back with new businesses, museums, restaurants and all the other things that attract happy visitors. Today, its protected basin and deepwater creek make it ideal for boaters who want to stroll the tree-lined streets dotted with lovely old homes and walk to great restaurants. Soak up its unique history at Long Wharf and Ruark Boatworks, and take in the tributes to its hometown heroine, Harriet Tubman, who is justly honored with a museum, stunning murals and a national historic trail that traces her life and movements in Cambridge and through the neighboring Dorchester County countryside.

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Getting there BY BOAT

MARINA BASICS If you want to be within walking distance of nearly everything in town, take a slip inside the breakwater at the Cambridge Yacht Basin, managed by Oasis. Or better yet, try the Cambridge Yacht Club, which shares the basin with the city marina and usually has some slips that are open to visitors. (They also have reciprocity for members of Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club Association clubs.) The farmers market and Long Wharf events, as well as the Choptank River Lighthouse, are short walk along Water Street, and restaurants, shops and museums will be a little longer walk up High Street.

The entrance to the Choptank River is about 23 miles south of the Bay Bridge. It is then about 13 miles upriver to Cambridge. You can cut off a few miles by taking the Knapps Narrows cutthrough near Tilghman Island, which is a shortcut from the Bay to the Choptank. It has a controlling depth of 8 feet, and gives you a chance to travel through what has been called the busiest drawbridge in the world. If you are coming from the Norfolk area, you’ll find the entrance to the Choptank about 100 miles up the Bay. Either Deltaville or Crisfield would make a good stop along the way. From Deltaville, the Choptank is about 65 miles. Cruise up the Choptank River as far as green 25, the last marker before the U.S. 50 bridge, and then either head for Cambridge’s municipal yacht basin or find the markers 1 and 2 for the entrance channel to Cambridge Creek. The other, equally delightful option is to keep going under the bridge (sailboats beware, the vertical clearance is only 50 feet) and dock at the Hyatt Regency’s marina.

Cambridge Creek

If you like the idea of anchoring out or tying up to the town’s free dock, follow the channel into Cambridge Creek, one of the Chesapeake’s deepest and a key reason for the town’s long success as a port. On the way in, you’ll pass Yacht Maintenance Company, then the turning basin. Here you’ll find J.M. Clayton Company Seafood, immediately to the right. The company was founded in 1890, is still family owned, and is said to be the oldest working crab processing factory in the world. On the adjoining wall you’ll find the free bulkhead, behind several Dorchester County office buildings. There are plenty of cleats, but be very careful to protect your boat from the long bolts that stick out from the bulkhead in several places. If you prefer to anchor, be sure to allow plenty of room for J.M. Clayton’s crab boats. 

BY CAR

JILL JASUTA

If you are coming by car, you will find Cambridge just off of U.S. 50; you’ll know you’re there by the sail-shaped awning of the visitors pavilion on the southeast side of the Choptank River bridge. From the Baltimore area, it’s about a 90-minute drive via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. From the Norfolk area, it’s a threehour drive, taking the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and U.S. 13 to Salisbury, then U.S. 50 the rest of the way.

Opposite: Poplar Street at night. Left: Cambridge Yacht Basin is close to it all.

Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

The Cambridge House B&B was built in 1847 as the home of a local sea captain.

Also try Generation III Marina, which is located at the head of the creek; it has a depth of 8- to 12-feet and slips for transients or anyone needing repairs. Cambridge is a big town for both recreational and commercial boating, and the Wheatley family is known for ﬁne craftsmanship and attention to detail in all types of service, which has earned them a loyal following over 30 years in business.

River Marsh Marina/ Hyatt Regency Chesapeake

If you’re looking to be spoiled, then the marina at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Marina (or the Hyatt Regency itself) is for you. You could treat this one as a separate destination altogether, but it’s easy to get to downtown Cambridge from here. By boat, simply continue under the U.S. 50 bridge (remember that 50-foot vertical clearance, sailboats) to green 27. From there, point south and you’ll see the marina’s breakwater, with the entrance

EXPLORING BY WATER

facing the downriver side. The marina has all the usual amenities, though they are a bit of a walk, and the added resort fee gives you access to everything the hotel complex has to oﬀer.

STAYING ON LAND

There is an excellent launch area with plenty of overnight parking at the Franklin Street Boat Ramp. Here you’ll ﬁnd two docks, four ramps and a breakwater to launch directly into the Choptank. Nearby Trenton Street Boat Ramp is much smaller but will launch you into Cambridge Creek. Neither requires a use permit. North of town, you can launch at the Gerry Boyle Park at Great Marsh boat ramp. The period-correct skipjack Nathan of Dorchester was built by volunteers

The Cambridge House Bed & Breakfast is a circa-1847 former sea

captain’s home on High Street with six period bedrooms, a lovely garden lily pond and an outdoor hot tub. The Hyatt Regency Chesapeake

Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina

is a destination in its own right. This sprawling, AAA Four Diamond resort has everything you need for a weekend away, with 400 newly renovated rooms (all with balcony or balconette), a pool and waterslide, 18-hole golf course and the elegant Water’s Edge Grill. The airy atrium bar Michener’s Library is the perfect place for to take it all in with a cocktail. And they welcome dogs with a one-time $150 charge.

Nathan of Dorchester sails Saturdays from May through October.

in 1994 in homage to the unique wooden vessels used for centuries to dredge oysters on the Bay. Join her on a Saturday for a two-hour sailout into the river and learn how watermen would work the Bay from these unique vessels, where were named the state boat of Maryland in 1985. Just 12 miles from Cambridge,

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

MD DNR /GLENN THOMPSON

is a natural sanctuary established in 1933 to protect migratory wildfowl along the Atlantic Flyway. Bring your own kayak or SUP, or join Blackwater Adventures Chesapeake Bay for guided paddle tours of waterways that

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge has three marked water trails for kayakers and paddle boarders. ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

FIND YOUR WAY TO DORCHESTER FOR YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE Enjoy scenic waterways, free boat ramps, and dockside dining

PHOTOS BY JILL JASUTA

Set your course to Dorchester County, Maryland and take your pick of on-the-water adventure. Cruise to dinner or a tiki bar. Check out the Choptank River Lighthouse. Take the helm of an oyster dredging skipjack. Feel the adrenaline of the powerboat races. Weave our narrow cuts for rockfish, perch and snakehead action. Plan your trip at VisitDorchester.org. Weekends on the Water 2022 |

VisitDorchester.org 410.228.1000 51 ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

wend through the landscape. Blackwater has a full array of rental vessels, as well as bicycles, and they can deliver equipment with prior reservation.

EXPLORING BY LAND Just downstream of the U.S. 50/ Choptank River Bridge, the short but deep Cambridge Creek divides the town in two. Most of the old town, with its oldish buildings, newish restaurants, Long Wharf, and the municipal marina and yacht club, are located on the west side of the creek. The leafy residential streets are lined with ﬁne old houses, while the main part of downtown can be found a few blocks inland. If you walk up High Street (which begins at Long Wharf) and then turn left onto Poplar Street you’ll ﬁnd yourself right in the center of things. Continuing on, Sailwinds Park and Visitor Center, Ruark Boatworks (part of the

Richardson Maritime Museum) and more businesses can be found within a short walk to the east of the creek. Like many towns on the Chesapeake, the water dominated the economy for centuries, and Cambridge, with its deepwater creek, served as the main port for the surrounding area. It was here at Long Wharf that tobacco, tomatoes, and yes, agonizingly, enslaved people, came and went. Today, crab boats continue to pass by Long Wharf on their way into Cambridge Creek to J.M. Clayton Seafood, whose crabmeat is sold all over the country. Step inside Choptank River Lighthouse to see artifacts of the Bay’s lighthouse culture and get a good view. The free, downloadable Visit Dorchester Audio Tour Guide app is a great way to discover more of the town’s quirks, including the fraught history of the Dorchester County Courthouse, and the house where sharpshooter Annie Oakley and her husband brieﬂy lived. And you’ll learn about Groove

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City, the name given to the Pine Street neighborhood where Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Duke Ellington came to play. The third tour gives fascinating stories about all the murals on the Chesapeake Mural Trail, including the viral mural that depicts Harriet Tubman with her arm outstretched, which is on the Harriet Tubman Museum & Education Center on Race Street. On the other side of Cambridge Creek, Richardson Maritime Museum is closed for work, but you can still get a look at the restoration work they’re doing over at Ruark Boatworks, a celebration of the Eastern Shore’s long and colorful history of boatbuilding. You’ll see volunteer boatwrights building and restoring the Chesapeake’s iconic watercraft, including the skipjack, pungy schooner and log canoe.

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that began here. They make excellent beer (try the Nanticoke Nectar IPA) and do great dogs and burgers out of their side restaurant Chessie Burger. Then head across the street where retro speakeasy Blue Ruin specializes in the lost art of creative cocktails, with over 150 on the menu, paired with small plates. Vintage 414 is part wine bar (with beer and cocktails too), part restaurant (ﬂatbreads and cheese boards) and gourmet food shop.

DINING Portside Seafood Restaurant has

been serving fresh seafood overlooking Cambridge Creek for 25 years. Cambridge is home to two popular restaurants you may know from St. Michaels: Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar and Theo’s Steaks, Sides & Spirits. Ava’s oﬀers fantastic brick-oven pizza, while Theo’s has steaks and more.

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Solomons

MARYLAND

FAST FACTS • Located at the southernmost end of the Patuxent River, roughly halfway between C&D Canal and Norfolk/ Portsmouth • Established as Bourne’s Island in 1680, it got its current name in 1870, thanks to Isaac Solomon’s oyster packing company • Home to one of largest charter fishing fleets in Md.

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE Situated at the base of the Patuxent River, tiny Solomons Island is filled with boats of every make and description, most of them tied up in a half-dozen first-class marinas and boatyards in its well-protected harbor. The Calvert Marine Museum is a kid-centric gem, its restaurants are well worth the visit, and you can’t help but relax with the town’s laid-back, resort-island vibe. The mid-Bay location makes it an ideal stopping point on your way north or south—and it’s also just an ideal stopping point in its own right.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

The Drum Point Light at the Calvert Marine Museum is one of only three screwpile, cottage-style lighthouses left around the Bay

Getting there BY BOAT The mouth of the Patuxent River is wide and deep, though the channel narrows briefly between Drum Point and Fishing Point before opening up again into a wide, deep bay. Patuxent River Naval Air Station lies along the south shore, while the entrance to Solomons lies along the north. The river itself continues northwest under the 139-foot-tall Johnson Bridge.

Spring Cove Marina’s shady riverside setting and swimming pool makes for a lovely retreat on hot summer days.

After you pass Drum Point’s red 4, you’ll find your choice of channels leading into Solomons Harbor. Both skirt a large area of shallow water (1–3 feet) known as the Flats. Both channels are marked, and both have plenty of water (no less than 12 feet). Both meet at markers 2 and 3. On entering the harbor you’ll be confronted by a small island known as Molly’s Leg. Molly’s Leg is a kind of watery roundabout. Like the Flats, there’s plenty of water all the way around, so the choice is yours. Following it around to port, The Narrows shoots CAPTAIN’S TIP off first. This is a short waterway Whether you are coming down from that provides a back door to part of the Upper Bay or up from the Lower Solomons, including Tiki Bar and Harbor Island Marina, and Solomons Bay, the entrance to the Patuxent River Yachting Center further around. presents no obstacles, other than the The bulk of the town’s marinas lie occasional pound net to avoid. The up the second spoke in the wheel, only caveat from the north is to honor Back Creek. The final spoke is Mill Creek, which has no public marinas, the restricted area around the liquid but rather a half-dozen fine spots to natural gas dock off Cove Point. It’s well anchor, including a couple on Mill marked on your charts and chartplotCreek’s tributary, St. Johns Creek, ter. This facility is an active exporter which continues north after Mill Creek and makes a jog to the east. so keep your eye out for the occasional

BY CAR

LNG tanker coming and going. Capt. Jody Argo Schroath —

Solomons is connected to the outside world by a short, puddle-jumper-sized bridge that cuts over from S.R. 4, and from St. Mary’s County by the Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge, which, by contrast, is a lovely, soaring bridge across the Patuxent River.

MARINA BASICS Solomons has loads of great marinas, but for space we’ll just highlight a few. Safe Harbor Zahnisers Marina is a Solomons classic, with good docks, 250 slips, a mooring field, a convenient location on Back Creek. Along with all the usual amenities (wifi, bath houses, pool and onsite restaurant), they also know service, which has won them an impeccable reputation up and down the Bay. Spring Cove Marina is also located on Back Creek, with 246 slips, a fullservice yard and full amenities, and it’s an easy walk from the marina into town and the marine museum. But what really sets it apart are the shaded riverside picnic facilities, and a one-of-a-kind pool that comes with its own underwater piped-in music. 

Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

Calvert Marina is the largest in Solomons with 400+ open and covered slips plus amenities, including pool and café. It doesn’t have a boatyard, but Washburn Boat Yard is next door. It’s

Calvert Marina has slips in both Back and Mill Creeks.

located on the opposite shore of Back Creek, so it requires a dinghy trip or an Uber ride into town. But in exchange you get lots of walking room—70 dogfriendly acres worth. At the end of the peninsula you’ll find a statue of a young sailor, reminding visitors that during World War II, this was the site of the country’s first amphibious training base. More than 67,000 officers and enlisted personnel came through here.

STAYING ON LAND Marina hotels

Quality Inn/Beacon Marina and Solomons Inn Resort & Marina

have their own docks and welcome transients, whether you stay in the hotel or not. They’re not fancy but each has comfortable rooms, ﬁtness center, waterfront swimming pool and convenience: both are an easy walk or

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bike ride to the shopping center on S.R. 4, home to West Marine, Port of Call Liquors and a few other shops.

Inns

Looking for ambiance, brunch-worthy breakfasts and even boat slips? The 1906 Queen Anne period Solomons Victorian Inn oﬀers water views from most every room, and historic pedigree: This was the home of Clarence Davis, of the famous Solomons boatbuilding family, M.M. Davis & Son. One of the rooms is named after their Manitou, a graceful 53-foot yawl built in 1937 and sailed by John F. Kennedy while he was president. Back Creek Inn, a 125-year-old waterman’s home on the banks of Back Creek, has been a bed and breakfast for more than 30 years. In addition to lovely rooms, great views and grand trees, the inn has two boat slips available for its overnight guests. 

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ALFRESCO MARINA Means having dozens of picnic tables, over 40 acres of open space for dogs, kids and fun, walking paths, plentiful parking, large pool and deck, outdoor dining, a beach, lots of room to breathe and enjoy nature and view wildlife. We also have several 35’ COVERED SLIPS as well as ﬂoating TRANSIENT SLIPS.

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Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast is a Charleston colonial with a southern beach casual feel that feels perfectly in keeping with Solomons. The Inn has four large rooms (two of which share a waterfacing balcony) and a slip for guests who come by boat.

EXPLORING BY WATER As always, the local boat ramps make good entry points. In Solomons, you can also put in next to the town dinghy dock and pump-out station, which is located behind the public rest facility on Patuxent Street, across from the Solomons Boardwalk. There is more parking in the boardwalk area. Launching near Calvert Marina’s transient docks is another option; just check in with the office first. Once launched, take your trailer boat, dinghy, kayak or SUP and meander through Solomons waterways, from The Narrows to Back Creek, and admire the view from the water side. Feeling more adventurous? Take a cruise up Mill Creek to St. Johns Creek and Bow Cove, another nice anchorage spot. Didn’t bring a boat? You can rent a pontoon at Solomons Boat Rental, or a skiff or jetski at Bunky’s Charter Boats. Itching for a fishing excursion? 58

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

Bunky’s oﬀers that too, as do Lucky Strike and numerous other companies.

EXPLORING BY LAND Solomons Island is thin (only a single road wide in spots) and only a mile and a half long, which makes it both charming and entirely walkable. At the north end of the island, you’ll find Calvert Marine Museum and at the south you’ll run out of road at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory. In between, you’ll find a succession of marinas plus the boardwalk, shops, restaurants, a fishing pier and a couple of churches on the west (Patuxent River) side. North of the island, along S.R. 4, you’ll find a couple of strip shopping plazas housing a grocery store and drug store, West Marine, a few more restaurants and a couple of hotels. With a good pair of shoes or a bicycle (Patuxent Adventure Center has rentals, along with kayaks and SUPs), you can easily take in the island in a leisurely afternoon. Take a walk down the boardwalk and poke into the shops on the other side of the street. Buy an ice cream at the boardwalk stand. Toss a fishing line into the water off the pier next to the boat ramp. Explore the back streets or take a seat at a picnic table along Back Creek and watch the passing scene.

The wonderful Calvert Marine Museum has nature exhibits, boat tours

Above: kids at the Calvert Marine Museum learning at an interactive paleontology exhibit. Below: A youngster learning all about what you can find in the Bay.

on skipjack Dee of St. Mary’s and the buyboat Wm. B. Tennison, and a seasonal slate of events include big-name concerts at the open-air PNC Waterside Pavilion. (The 2022 music schedule includes Brothers Osbourne, from Deale, Md., and the Beach Boys.) Watch scientists work in the Paleontology Prep Lab and take delight in watching the antics of the two most engaging river otters you’re likely to come across. You can also tour two lighthouses, onsite Drum Point and Cove Point, just up the Bay. Bike or taxi to the lovely Annemarie Sculpture Gardens & Arts Center, which has a quarter-mile walking path showcasing notable sculptures, many of them on loan from the Smithsonian and National Gallery of Art. Or head indoors where the Arts Building features rotating exhibits in a two-story gallery. The Studio School offers classes in pottery if you want to create your own works of art. 

for breakfast. Bugeye Grill opened in 2019, quickly earning fans for tasty food as well as views out to the boardwalk and Johnson Bridge beyond.

Other Eats

Lotus Kitchen oﬀers healthful yet

The Pier restaurant on the Patuxent

DINING Seafood Joints

BAR CRAWLING

The Pier is exactly that, jutting out into

The open-air bar Tiki Bar—famous for its wrap-around bar, sand ﬂoor, giant Moai heads and general rowdiness— celebrated its 42nd opening weekend in April 2022. New owners Susan and Peter Bates are keeping the mai tais and live music ﬂowing in time-honored island tradition.

the Patuxent with fantastic views and a seafood-heavy menu. For another vantage, take an outside table on the double-tiered deck at The Lighthouse Restaurant, which overlooks the marinas of Back Creek. Located on the mainland in Beacon Marina, Angler’s Seafood Bar & Grill is a casual local hang that opens at 8 a.m. on weekends

hearty breakfasts and lunch; think toasted baguette breakfast sandwiches, daily quiches and quinoa bowls. Take one of Kim’s famous key lime pies back to the boat. At CD Café the food is fresh, local when possible, and artfully prepared with unexpected twists like pork pad thai or panko-encrusted salmon. It’s open for lunch and then again for dinner. There is often a wait. It’s worth it. Charles Street Brasserie oﬀers sharable small plates—BBQ duck sliders, phyllo-wrapped crab—and dinner plates like rockﬁsh imperial, seafood pasta or char-grilled ribeye. You can build a weekend around Sunday brunch, complete with jazz piano.

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Irvington & Kilmarnock VIRGINIA

The Tides Inn has lovely views over Carters Creek.

FAST FACTS • Located at the southern end of Virginia’s Northern Neck • Much of the area was part of the land grant deeded by King Charles II in the 1600s • The Northern Neck peninsula is bounded by the Potomac to the north and Rappahannock to the south.

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE Instead of highlighting a single town, what we’re recommending is more like an area. In between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers and the Bay is lovely, rolling, largely uncommercialized country with farms, woods, water and not all that many people. Yet within this quiet amalgam of land and water, you’ll find one of the region’s best-known resorts, one of the nation’s oldest and bestpreserved churches, a delightful steamboat museum, wonderful restaurants and lovely natural areas. A good part of it you can get to by boat, but some of it will require land transportation: a bicycle or, better yet, a loaner car from the marina.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

MARINA BASICS Chesapeake Boat Basin on Indian

Creek is the best choice for visiting Kilmarnock. Frankly, it’s a good choice even if you are just transiting the Bay and looking for a stopover. It’s 1.5 miles upstream, but accessible via a deep-water channel. You’ll find floating, fixed and covered docks; amenities like a saltwater pool, ship store and loaner bicycles; and very nice folks. For Irvington, the Tides Inn is the most convenient and most elegant choice. The Inn has everything: restaurants, a spa, golf course, watersports, and a long history. Dockage at their 24 slips includes access to all Tides facilities. 

Getting there Kilmarnock sits at the top of our destination area, its downtown nearly two miles from the nearest marina, the excellent Chesapeake Boat Basin. About five miles south of Kilmarnock, you’ll find Irvington, which lies astride Carter Creek off the Rappahannock. A couple of miles to the east of Irvington is tiny White Stone, and, beyond that, Windmill Point, which has one of the best views anywhere.

BY BOAT The best way to visit this area is to do it in two or three stops. First, visit Kilmarnock by heading up Indian Creek. If you are coming from the south, you’ll find Indian Creek about six miles north of Windmill Point at the mouth of the Rappahannock. Windmill Point itself is about 50 miles north of the Norfolk/Portsmouth area. If you are coming down from the north, Indian Creek is about 15 miles south of Smith Point at the mouth of the Potomac, which in turn is about 80 miles south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. In either case, the cruise up Indian Creek to Chesapeake Boat Basin is a little less than three miles. From there you can arrange for transportation into town, or you can walk or bicycle.

Irvington lies up Carters Creek, 10 miles up the Rappahannock from Windmill Point. Inside, the creek immediately splits into three branches. To the left, you’ll find Carters Cove Marina, small and friendly, and to the right, Custom Yacht Service, an excellent place to have any needed work done. Straight ahead lies the main branch, and about a mile inside you’ll find the docks of the Tides Inn. If you prefer to anchor out and dinghy in, both Carter Creek and Indian Creek have very nice anchorages.

BY CAR Kilmarnock and Irvington are about 150 miles, or 3 1/2 hours, south of the Bay Bridge. Follow U.S. 301 south across the Potomac to S.R. 3, then south down to Kilmarnock. If you continue on 3, you’ll also reach White Stone. If you leave Kilmarnock on 200, you’ll get to Irvington. Getting there from the Norfolk/Portsmouth area is shorter and easier; about 75 miles. Take I-64 to U.S. 17 north to S.R. 14 at Gloucester, then 14 to S.R. 3 near James Store. Take 3 across the Rappahannock to White Stone. If you go left on S.R. 200, you’ll get to Irvington. If you stay on 200, you’ll get to Kilmarnock.

Left: The Robert O. Norris bridge connects the northern and middle peninsulas. Below: Chesapeake Boat Basin, on Indian Creek.

Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

Below: Windmill Point Marina is located where the Rapphannock meets the Bay, with epic views in every direction. Left: Their tiki bar is open in summer months.

Below: Kilmarnock Inn is centrally located, just off North Main Street.

Carters Cove Marina, located 8 miles up the Rappahannock in Weems, has shore power, bathrooms and laundry, and oﬀers excellent protection from wind and weather. Located at the mouth of the Rappahannock in White Stone, scenic Windmill Point Marina has ﬂoating docks and the usual amenities, along with pool, tiki bar and endless views from the beach.

STAYING ON LAND

Above: Hope and Glory Inn has an acclaimed restaurant, a saltwater pool, and a micro-vineyard and oyster bar on their front patio.

With multiple restaurants, an acclaimed golf course, spa, riverfront pool, oyster bar and lots more, Irvington’s the Tides Inn is a destination all on its own. The inn opened in 1947 and has been a favorite ever since. Just down the road, the fabulous Hope and Glory Inn began life in 1889 as the Chesapeake Male and Female Academy. Choose from seven guest rooms in the historic schoolhouse,

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

or six private cottages with private patios. The President-themed Kilmarnock Inn has three rooms in the main house (built in 1884) and seven cottages tucked in its beautiful grounds. The Back Inn Time Bed & Breakfast occupies a lovely 1908 manor house, set back from the road and surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds. 

Your gateway to exploring

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Below: The Tides Inn has electric boats for exploring. RIght: Rappahannock River Charters offers fishing trips and scenic

EXPLORING BY WATER If you are towing your boat, you’ll find a ramp at Chesapeake Boat Basin and another, bigger one at Belle Isle State Park farther north up the Rappahannock. There are a lot of ways you can explore Carter Creek and its several branches, or Indian Creek, when you are visiting Kilmarnock. Launch your own paddle craft or catch a ride on one of several craft available at local inns. At the Tides Inn, for example, you can rent an electric Duffy for a spin check out a kayak or SUP, or you can sign up for a sunset cruise. At Hope and Glory Inn, take an hour-long tour in True Love, the owners’ handsome Down Eaststyle Fortier 26. Rappahannock River Charters in Weems offers fishing, sunset, and exploration cruises aboard its classic 5 Bedrooms, Total deadrise, 6.5 MissBaths Nichole, as well as hands-on 4 Fireplaces Throughout crabbing and oystering adventures. Gorgeous Millwork & Solid Hardware

• • • • Each Section has Living Room, Den, Full Kitchens & More • Overlooking the Tides Inn Resort • Beautiful Sunsets & Great Creek Cruising Awaits! • Iconic Home in a Fabulous Area

EXPLORING BY LAND

If you’ve come by car and you love ferry crossings, you’ll adore Merry Point Ferry, a tiny, old-time ferry operated by the Virginia Department of Transportation, that crosses the Corrotoman River on S.R. 604. At the Steamboat Era Museum, explore the beautifully restored pilothouse of the Chesapeake steamboat Potomac. With 37 staterooms and 36 crewmembers, she

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Historic Christ Church in Weems

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plied the Bay from Baltimore to Norfolk for more than 40 years, from 1894 to 1936. It’s an irreplaceable remnant of an important era in the history of the Chesapeake, which has few relics to remember it by. Historic Christ Church in Weems was built in 1735 and is considered the ﬁnest colonial church in North America. It includes many of the original features, from the three-footthick brick walls to the limestone ﬂooring and three-tier-high pulpit. The grounds are nearly as beautiful.

Bring your appetite for islandinfluenced seafood at Dredge (below), housemade ciders at Ditchely Cider Works (right) and local oysters at Chesapeake Resaurant & Terrace at the Tides Inn.

BAR CRAWLING Make a day of vineyard hopping, ending at a one-of-a-kind cidery. The Dog and Oyster Micro Vineyard at Hope and Glory Inn oﬀers tasting ﬂights paired with fresh oysters. Good Luck Cellars is a former sand-and-gravel mine remarkably transformed into a vineyard.

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Come by for Sangria Sundays and meet their crew of family rescue dogs, who patrol the vines, chasing off any critters who are tempted to steal the grapes. You can visit Jacey Vineyards either by car or by boat; they have seven docks at their private cove on Mill Creek. Finally, change up your tastings at Ditchley Cider Works. Beautiful Ditchley Estate was in the Lee family for generations, dating to the 1600s, before passing into the Ball and DuPont families. In 2014, Cathy Calhoun and Paul Grosklags bought the manor house, outbuildings and 162 acres. They revived the farm, raising grass-fed beef and heritage hogs, and planted 50 varieties of apples, which you can taste as cider in the tasting room and shady lawn. If you come by boat, anchor on Prentice Creek off Dividing Creek and dinghy into their dock. Visitors are also invited to launch their own kayak or SUP from their beach to explore the creek.

DINING Fine Dining

At the Tides Inn, Chesapeake Restaurant & Terrace offers expert

American cuisine with a seasonal bent, while the more casual Fish Hawk Oyster Bar serves tacos, bowls and seafood baskets at the poolside patio. Hope and Glory Inn’s The Colonnade offers a four-course prix fixe menu that the chef designs daily to take advantage of the best local seafood and produce, served in their grand lobby or on the brick patio. Reservations are essential.

restaurant to the orginal in Gloucester, on the Middle Neck. In Irvington’s tiny downtown, hit The Local for coffee, scones and sandwiches. Dredge is a must for dinner; it’s fresh, beautifully prepared, and leans in the direction of fresh local seafood and perfectly spiced island favorites. Across the street is The Office Bistro, a farmto-table restaurant with a good wine list and inventive, delicious food. You’ll know

it by the giant sculpture of a silverware place-setting and giant toothbrush pillars. (The building started life as a dentist’s office.) Lastly, visit Vine for wine and tapas. It reminds us of those wonderful roadside bistros in the southern French countryside, where you sit out on the terrace and sip a splendid wine and enjoy a plate or six of tapas.

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Other Eats

In Kilmarnock, Car Wash (yes, an operating car wash) serves crabcakes and other lunch-style food, as well as good breakfasts. On South Main St., Lee’s Restaurant has been the established after-church stop for 80 years, and is known for its pies. You’ll find made-toorder fried chicken and other homestyle eats at Donna’s on Main, and tasty sushi and Thai food at Chao Phraya, sister

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Cape Charles

VIRGINIA

FAST FACTS • Located 32 miles northeast of Norfolk, across the entrance to the Bay • Established in 1884 as a railroad town, connecting via ferry service to mainland Virginia • Home to one of the best beaches on the Bay • East-west streets are named after famous Virginians; north-south are named for fruits.

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE The origin story for Cape Charles story begins in the 1880s, when the railroad finally stretched south from its terminus in Pocomoke, Md., and ended instead at Cape Charles Harbor. There, people and goods were loaded aboard ferries and barges to sail across the mouth of the Bay to Norfolk, where the railroad picked up again. (Or vice versa, of course.) The completion of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in 1964 threw a wrench in the engine of economic prosperity, so it has taken this little town at the end of the road a long time and a few false starts to come back. But it’s back in a big way: a charming village full of historic homes with a tossed salad of architectural styles, cute shops and restaurants, and one of the finest beaches on the Bay.

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Getting there BY BOAT Cape Charles is a fairly short hop across the mouth of the Chesapeake from Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampton, depending on your starting point. It’s easy to spot as you come across because of the several dozen cargo ships likely to be waiting in the Cape Charles anchorage a couple of miles off its entrance. You can access the Cherrystone Channel into the harbor from the shallower end (least depth 13 feet) at red 2C or 3 nm farther north at green 1CC. From either point, the channel is wide, deep and well-marked all the way to the harbor entrance between the jetty and the cement plant. Cape Charles Town Harbor’s docks are straight ahead, with the boat ramps, fuel docks, workboat docks and then Cape Charles Yacht Center at the far end.

CAPTAIN’S TIP

IIf you are headed for the Oyster Farm Marina, continue 1 nm past the harbor entrance and look for Kings Creek’s private markers. You will find that the channel is prone to shift, so you’ll want to call the dockmaster for advice before you arrive. If you are still uncertain, the marina may offer to send out a boat to guide you in. You are not allowed to anchor inside Cape Charles Harbor. —Capt. Jody Argo Schroath

Coming down the Bay, you’ll want to enter Cape Charles channel at green 1CC. Red 2C denotes the access from the south.

BY CAR Arriving from the south, you’ll come to the Eastern Shore by way of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (which replaced all those ferries). Then follow U.S. 13 north and take a left at S.R. 184 (Randolph Avenue). Arriving from the north, you’ll be on U.S. 13 and make a right turn onto Randolph. You’ll find the boat ramps at the harbor between the town docks and the fuel dock, accessed from Marina Road.

Above: This sign by the beach sums up how we feel about Cape Charles. Below: Harbor and Marina has 1,200 feet of dock space, right by the heart of town.

MARINA BASICS If you have a deeper draft vessel, we recommend either Cape Charles Harbor and Marina or Cape Charles Yacht Center on the opposite side of the harbor. CC Harbor has 95 slips and four T-heads that can accommodate up to 120 feet, and it’s easily walkable to everything in town. The Yacht Center was speciﬁcally constructed to berth and service superyacht-sized vessels, so if you need service, especially anything that requires hauling your boat, the Yacht Center is your best option. 

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Above: Oyster Farm Marina at Kings Creek. Right: Chatham Vineyards is well worth the jaunt north to Machipongo.

docks off Kings Creek. Kings Creek is quite protected, but the open Bay can be rough, so keep an eye on the weather, winds and current. Southeast Expeditions will deliver single or double kayaks and paddleboards to you, and they also offer unique tours including a paddle to Chatham Vineyards or tour of the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Area. Cape Charles also has charter boats aplenty, including Miss Jennifer and Top Dog, located on Kings Creek, and Salty Hooker at Town Harbor.

If traveling with kids, we recommend

Oyster Farm Marina at Kings Creek.

STAYING ON LAND The 22-room Hotel Cape Charles has been accommodating visitors for more than a century, but its minimalist-chic style and glass balconies are thoroughly modern.The retro-chic Northampton Inn has been a Cape Charles classic since the 1940s, with a prime location across from the beach. The Oyster Farm at Kings Creek is a popular event venue that accommodates groups of every size, with loft-style apartments and colorful tiny cottages. There’s nothing like a gorgeous Victorian-turned-B&B but Bay Haven Inn stands above the pack for its

SARA HARRIS

Along with 124 slips, you’ll find a big pool and beach, a new dock bar and easy access to the the Oyster Farm Eatery and accommodations. Rent bicycles or arrange for a golf cart to drive everyone into town.

charming wraparound porch and rooms, ideal location, and hosts that greet you like family—and don’t even get us started on the breakfasts!

EXPLORING BY WATER You have several options for launching your kayak or SUP: the boat ramps, the town beach or the Oyster Farm

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EXPLORING BY LAND Not many Chesapeake destinations boast a half-mile-long, white-sand beach with dunes and a fishing pier, but there’s one right in town, an easy walk from downtown. You are welcome to fish from the town’s Fun Pier—no license needed—or simply watch the sun set over the Chesapeake Bay. Cape Charles may be a small town, but it’s home to a wide variety of shops.

A classic Cape Charles home, which you’ll find plenty of as you walk the quaint, yet colorful streets.

Cape Charles Natural Area Preserve is also located south of the

harbor. A long boardwalk takes you through the preserve’s various habitats, including beach (though no beach access), dunes and marine loblolly pine woodland. The woodland area is especially alive with migrating songbirds.

BAR CRAWLING

DINING

Cape Charles Distillery features

small-batch bourbon, whiskeys, vodka and moonshine, made into cocktails and paired with bites from their raw bar.

Photo by Gordon Campbell-At Altitude Gallery

Cape Charles Brewing Company

Gull Hummock Gourmet Market is a must for gourmet goodies, wine and cheese, or hit Drizzles for specialty oils and vinegars. Table and Tonic has everything you need for your galley or home bar. Lemon Street Gallery is always worth a look, and Peach Street Books has a great “local area” section, and cute setting in a former gas station. The Boardwalk is a perennial favorite for gifts of all kinds. Cape Charles has a remarkable collection of architecturally interesting homes, especially Victorians and Greek Revivals. Stroll the fruit streets and visit Cape Charles’s lovely Central Park. Stop by the Cape Charles Museum to learn about the town’s fascinating history, then amble over to the Cape Charles Library; it’s a beauty and the oldest on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Golfers can head 2.5 miles south to Bay Creek Resort’s two top-rated golf courses, one designed by Arnold Palmer and the other Jack Nicklaus. Both 18hole courses are beautifully sandwiched between the Bay, sand dunes and Old Plantation Creek.

serves up Assateague Island and Cobb Island IPAs, light pilsners and a Smith Island Oyster Stout, which incorporates bivave shells into the initial boil. Buskey Cider on the Bay is a tasting house for the Richmond-based company, where you can sample ciders galore. Kelly’s Gingernut Pub is friendly Irish bar set in a circa-1907 brick bank.

Seafood Joints

The Shanty is located on the docks at

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SARA HARRIS

Right: Chic Hotel Cape Charles is right on Mason Street. Below: The Shanty is tops for fresh seafood.

even lists the watermen they buy from. The Shanty also concocts surprising original cocktails (cucumber mint martini, anyone?). Like The Shanty (and a number of other Cape Charles restaurants), Oyster Farm Seafood Eatery features local seafood and local produce, but it also has ﬁsh from elsewhere, and great steaks. For a splurge, try the Seafood Tower of oysters, clams and shrimp, lobster poke and tuna salad.

Other Eats

SARA HARRIS

The Bakery on Mason has yummy

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pastries and breads to go, as well as sandwiches to eat onsite. Popular Deadrise Pies (named for the classic watermen’s boats) has expanded into Deadrise Italian Kitchen, adding pastas and specials like veal marsala to the menu. For more Italian, head to Ambrogia Caffe and Enoteca, where owner Cristina Carollo serves recipes taught to her by her mother while growing up in Milan.

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Yorktown

Schooner Alliance offers daily sails throughout the summer season.

FAST FACTS • Located on the York River, 7 miles upriver from the Bay • Established in 1691 • Yorktown was the home to the last major battle of the American Revolution. • Yorktown’s Coleman Bridge is the only double-span swing bridge in the U.S.

VIRGINIA

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE We all know the battle of Yorktown from history class. What you may not know is that in addition to all that history, Yorktown also has a well-placed marina, a great beach, a mile-long Riverwalk with a summer concert series and lively weekly farmers’ market, myriad restaurants and shops, and a watermen’s museum. In addition, it’s only a few leagues (that’s Colonial-speak) away from Williamsburg and Jamestown. The town itself is roughly two blocks wide by eight short blocks long, which makes it eminently walkable for boaters, and it’s managed to meld the centuries in an entirely graceful way.

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MARINA BASICS Riverwalk Landing Piers, the town marina, is clearly the most convenient. The long docks (1,200 linear feet worth) form a breakwater against most of the chop and current in the river, and the depth ranges from 25 to 50 feet at most slips. As long as the weather doesn’t kick up a storm, this is an ideal spot for visiting—everything is just a few steps away. The docks are secure, with gated entry and restrooms, plus electric, water and pumpout services. Riverwalk Landing hosts Thursday evening concerts in summer and fall; it’s delightful to sit on your boat and listen. Family-owned Wormley Creek Marina is south of town, tucked

Getting there BY BOAT For boaters, Yorktown is a convenient 25-mile trip from Portsmouth/Norfolk and just around the corner from Hampton. From the northern Bay, it’s 125 miles from the Bay Bridge. For slower or less time-pressed cruisers, this means a couple of stops along the way: Solomons and then Deltaville, perhaps, though there are dozens of variations to be found.

kayak or SUP from Patriot Tours and Provisions; they launch from the private

CAPTAIN’S TIP

Once you’ve turned up the York, the most convenient plan is to dock at Riverwalk Landing Piers, which is owned by the town. Before you approach, be sure to call for current docking advice because the flow can be quite brisk. Capt. Jody Argo Schroath —

BY CAR

EXPLORING BY LAND

Yorktown is about three hours from Washington D.C., and about an hour from the Norfolk area.

inside Wormley Creek, a great place to get out of any weather. They can accommodate boats up to 50' but with limited transient space, advance reservations are recommended. York River Yacht Haven lies across the York River on Sarah Creek, with 280 slips accommodating boats from 20' to 120'. They have a full-service boat yard and amenities including a pool, shuttle service to Yorktown and great food at YROC Coastal Bar & Grill.

beach near the Watermen’s Museum. Patriot also offers bicycle and Segway rentals, along with guided Segway tours through town. Across the river, Williamsburg Charter Sails does three-hour sails on a 32' Hunter for up to 6 people, departing from York River Yacht Haven. They offer lessons, too. Finally, if you’d rather just play in the water from shore, Yorktown has a string of very nice public beaches beginning just east of Riverwalk Landing.

EXPLORING BY WATER If you want to launch your trailer boat, you’ll find a nice double ramp across the river at Gloucester Point. Riverwalk Landing has slips for smaller boats. If you’ve brought your own paddle craft, you can launch it easily from the dinghy landing at Yorktown Beach on the east side of town. Or rent a single or tandem

In Yorktown, the past is never far away. Most of the town and its immediate area are part of the Yorktown Battlefield section of the Colonial National Historical Park, which also includes Colonial Highway and Jamestown. At Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center, you’ll find exhibits that provide perspective on the events that took place on the adjacent battlefield, along with a replica of a quarter section of a British warship. The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

includes a recreated Continental Army encampment. In town, you can visit half a dozen sites, including Yorktown Custom House and the Moore

STAYING ON LAND New ownership is bringing a new name and new updates to former Duke of York Hotel, now called the Yorktown Beach Hotel. What hasn’t changed is the fantastic location and the pool overlooking the river. It’s on the free trolley route, and dogs are welcome. The stately red-brick Hornsby House Inn is located on Main Street and has been accommodating guests for three generations. Enjoy five guest rooms and two suites, with perks like four-poster beds and an outstanding formal breakfast.

Sunset is an ideal time for strolling the mile-long pedestrian walkway, or hitting one of the locally owned restaurants.

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House, where some of the negotiations

took place that led to the surrender of General Cornwallis. To learn more about what you’re seeing, download the Yorktown Tour Guide app. Or check with Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters, which manages Stroll with a Historian tours (and makes great coﬀee too). At the small but fascinating Watermen’s Museum, learn about the life of the Chesapeake waterman from pre-colonial days to now, through engaging exhibits, boat models and a working boatbuilding shed. Shoppers, stop by Auntie M’s American Cottage for one-of-a-kind crafts, Viccellio Goldsmith for one-ofa-kind jewelry creations, and Yorktown Bookshop for used, rare and hard-to-get books. Peruse the artwork Black Dog Gallery, the Gallery at York Hall and the Yorktown Arts Federation’s On the Hill Gallery. Yorktown oﬀers loads of free entertainment, including Riverwalk concerts and a fun weekend market.

BAR CRAWLING Yorktown Pub is a great place to start,

end, or heck, spend your whole evening, with great service, a lively crowd, tasty food and a riverfront setting. Beat the heat with adult-style hard lemonade, or better yet, a frozen lemonade slushie, at Larry’s Yorktown (formerly Larry’s Alehouse and Deli, now under new ownership). They also have craft beers on tap and a pub-style menu.

DINING Water Street Grille is your go-to for

fresh seafood, small plates and brickoven pizza in a lovely setting overlooking the river. Keep an eye out for “tap takeovers” from local breweries and live music on some nights. Hit Carrot Tree Kitchens for fresh baked goods and tasty sandwiches, plus charcuterie plates to enjoy on the patio or take back to your boat.

FARTHER AFIELD The other two points in Virginia's historic triangle, Williamsburg and Jamestown, are only a few miles away. Get there via Colonial Parkway, also part of the Colonial National Historical Park. This 23-mile route was built from the 1930s to the 1950s, and while you obviously won’t feel as if you are back in the 18th century, you will get a feel for what it was like to drive many of America’s highways in the mid-20th century, before commercial development, truck traffic and billboards.

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Poquoson

VIRGINIA FAST FACTS • Convenient & accessible merchant area perfect for day-trips. • Home to the Poquoson Museum & blueway trails, and nearby to Plum Tree Wildlife Refuge. • Located nearby are 4 man-made fishing reefs within a short trip by boat from Most launching points in the City.

Getting there BY BOAT Located on the Virginia Peninsula bordered by Back River and the Poquoson River with easy access to the Chesapeake Bay

INTRODUCTION Poquoson is a small coastal city of approximately 12,500 residents, located on the Virginia Peninsula. The City is a quality-of-life jewel in Hampton Roads, was included by CNBC on its U.S. list of “10 Perfect Suburbs”. In 2021 Poquoson was recognized as #12 among Safest & Most Peaceful Places to Live in Virginia by Onlyinyourstate.com.

MD DNR /GLENN THOMPSON

Poquoson’s business corridor is home to a variety of shopping and dining opportunities framed in a relaxed, unhurried setting, making it a perfect day trip for visitors. Poquoson’s natural market area includes nearly 40,000 people and is home to a women’s boutique, a specialty gift shop, an antique and consignment shop, and a variety of specialty dining experiences featuring the freshest catch from surrounding waters.

COASTAL COMMUNITY EVENTS Throughout the year, Poquoson hosts a variety of events that cultivate community and fun. • The City’s biggest event each year is The Poquoson Seafood Festival scheduled

the third full weekend of October. The three (3) day event features regional entertainment, approximately 160 artisans and craft vendors, and nearly two dozen food vendors who bring the bounty of the Bay for everyone’s enjoyment. This event draws approximately 50,000 people each October to Poquoson Municipal Park. The festival salutes the working watermen of Hampton Roads and celebrates the rich coastal heritage of Poquoson. • In early December, enjoy the City’s Holiday Parade along with numerous community activities which usher in the Holiday Season. Poquoson offers its citizens and visitors a family-friendly place with hometown charm.

A COASTAL PLAYGROUND A Place to Play by The Bay • Poquoson’s 87 miles of coastline affords residents easy access for boating, kayaking, fishing and recreational water sports. Public boat landings, calm, easy navigable coves, inlets, and channels, all in close proximity to the center of the Chesapeake Bay, makes Poquoson a nautical paradise. The City’s shorelines and waterways serve as the coastal

Other points of interest are easily visible during your aquatic excursion including views of Factory Point, NASA/ Langley Research Center, and Langley Air Force Base. Your waterway travel is a seamless journey around the City connected by the Poquoson River and Back River For a complete listing of area marinas check out visitpoquoson.com

BY CAR Just 7 miles from Interstate 64, Poquoson is close and convenient to areas around the Virginia Peninsula. To the west, Williamsburg is a short 35 minute commute and to Southside Hampton Roads, Poquoson is typically a 30-40 minute drive by car.

playground of the Virginia Peninsula. If you enjoy the outdoors, Poquoson features an abundance of blueway routes for kayaking and canoeing. Truly a paddlers’ paradise Poquoson abounds with wildlife including bald eagles, heron, and other coastal birds. Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com 79

Hampton

VIRGINIA

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE FAST FACTS • Located at the southern tip of the Virginia peninsula, at the mouth of Hampton Roads • Old Point Comfort Lighthouse is the oldest one still in use in the Bay. • Hampton is the oldest continuous Englishspeaking settlement in the United States.

The Hampton River leads right to the city’s doorstep, so coming in by boat is a snap. Hampton has several excellent marinas and one of the friendliest yacht clubs around. It’s also easy to walk around the historic downtown, home to one-of-a-kind restaurants and unusual shops, an excellent air-and-space museum and a gorgeous carousel from the 1920s (temporarily closed for repairs but available for viewing by special appointment). Across the U.S. 60 bridge, you’ll find Hampton University’s wonderful museum. A little farther afield is Old Point Comfort, the first place that English Colonists stepped foot after sailing over in 1607. Fort Monroe National Monument is a national historic site unlike any other, with the historic fort plus restaurants, a brewery and beaches on the surrounding acreage.

• The Mercury 7 astronauts trained at NASA Langley Research Center.

Located above Fort Monroe, Buckroe Beach and Park overlooks the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean beyond.

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Getting there

MARINA BASICS

BY BOAT Hampton lies at the entrance to Hampton Roads, which is one of the principal reasons it has played such an important role in our nation’s history—first as a stop for early English settlers who were worried about attacks from the Spanish, then as a strategic toehold for the Union during the Civil War. That means it’s easy to reach, especially by boat. If you keep your boat on the Elizabeth River or up the James, you’ve likely passed the Hampton River dozens of times. If you keep your boat up the Bay, from Poquoson to Deltaville, you’ll find that the Hampton River is an easy cruise away. If you’re coming south from Maryland, you’ll have to plan to stop for a night or two along the way. Once you reach Hampton Roads, one of the world’s best natural harbors, pass by the watchful shadow of Fort Monroe to find the entrance to the Hampton River, right where the Hampton Roads Tunnel makes its dive underwater. From Hampton Roads, the channel is well marked; just be aware of the shoal that sits just offshore of the entrance and follow the markers. As you come upriver, you’ll find Bluewater Yachting Center along the junction with Sunset Creek, followed by Hampton Yacht Club, both to port, while handsome Hampton University lies along the starboard shore. With the U.S. 60 bridge ahead, you’ll find Customs House Marina and then Hampton Public Piers to port and a small anchorage to starboard.

Bluewater Yachting Center lies one mile upriver, at the intersection of Sunset Creek. This lovely marina has a friendly and efficient staff, extensive boat repair services and boat sales, and great amenities including floating docks, ship’s store and parts, swimming pool and an outlet of the popular Surfrider Restaurant group. The marina also runs a water taxi into town. Just upriver lie the docks of Hampton Yacht Club. They offer space-available transient dockage for reciprocal members of Yachting Club of America clubs, and organize a well-known annual series of races and regattas. What Customs House Marina lacks in size and amenities, it makes up with its location, right by the carousel and the Virginia Air & Space Science Center. It

Bluewater Yachting Center is located just inside the Hampton River, for easy access.

BY CAR If you are coming down from anywhere to the north, from Richmond to Baltimore, you’ll leave I-95 (or I-295) at I-64 for the drive down to Newport News and then Hampton. Take exit 265C/Rip Rap Rd., then take N. Armistead Ave. to Settlers Landing Rd. and follow it east to the harbor.

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Above: Magnolia House Inn is a longtime favorite for romantics. Below: The Docks At Downtown Hampton is the city-run marina in the heart of everything.

can accommodate vessels from 20 to 50 feet and the slips are easy to get in and out of, though mind the current—it’s not particularly strong, but can provide a mild surprise to the unwary. The same is true of the city marina, The Docks at Downtown Hampton

(formerly known as Hampton Public Piers). Located just before the U.S. 60 bridge, it was the first marina in the state to receive Virginia Clean Marina certification. It has nice floating docks along the bulkhead, with shower and restroom facilities located just up the ramp. The docks connect under the bridge to Mill Point Park, a good spot for dog-walking and launching a kayak. You’re right by Bull Island Brewery and steps away from Hampton’s historic district.

STAYING ON LAND The Landing at Hampton Marina, part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection, is located right on the waterfront, steps from the Carousel and the Virginia Air & Space Center. It’s newly renovated, and the rooftop pool can get lively or loud on weekends, depending on how you feel about DJs. Magnolia House Inn is a circa-1885 Victorian B&B with three period guest

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rooms, located about half a mile from the downtown docks. If you check in and are feeling romantic, you’re in luck: there’s an onsite wedding chapel.

EXPLORING BY WATER If you want to launch your boat directly onto the Hampton River, head to the Sunset Creek Boat Ramp, just upstream from Bluewater Yachting. North of town is the Back River, which has two ramps: Gosnold’s Hope Park’s ramps are on the southwest branch, and Fox Hill Boat Ramp is at Dandy Point near the Grandview Nature Preserve. From there, you’ll need to come out Back River and turn south to enter Hampton Roads and then Hampton River, about a 10- to 15-mile trip. Launch a kayak or other paddle craft from Mill Point Park, just under the U.S. 60 bridge, or a bit farther upriver at the River Street Park Canoe and Kayak Launch. The Hampton River, with its

tiny tributaries, is a perfectly lovely and protected bit of water to paddle. The Miss Hampton II ended her long run last year, when the boat was sold to a company in Lewes, Del. But there’s a sleek new boat in town, the Hampton Queen, that will be oﬀering two-hour

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Left: The famous Hampton Carousel dates to 1920. Right: The sky’s the limit at the Virginia Air & Space Science Center.

narrated cruises starting in summer 2022, heading down the Hampton River and into Hampton Roads to see Fort Monroe and its sister fort, Fort Wool. Three miles northeast of town, Buckroe Beach and Park has a lovely swimming beach on the Bay, with Jet Ski rentals available at Great White Water Sports. Or pay the cover charge at Paradise Ocean Club, a resort-style Bayfront bar with private cabanas, strong drinks and live music.

EXPLORING BY LAND Enjoy the old town’s fascinating architecture, particularly Queens Way from Mill Point Park abutting the river to old St. John’s Episcopal Church. Here, along this quiet, centuriesold street, you ﬁnd the heart of old Hampton. Wander through St. John’s grounds, particularly its old cemetery. The parish of St. John’s was established in 1610 (though the location here dates only from 1728) and is the oldest English-speaking parish in continuous use in the U.S.

The Virginia Air & Space Science Center is a must. The all-glass building is

striking, whether you are outside looking in or vice versa. Inside, you’ll find early aircraft from a replica Wright Flyer to the F-10c Starfighter, spacecraft including the Apollo 12 Command Module, and an IMAX theater. Here too you’ll find the welcome center for the NASA Langley Research Center. If you have kids in tow, check out the new interactive Space Explorer Gallery. Between the Air & Space Center and the downtown marinas is the Hampton Carousel, a beautifully detailed carousel built in 1920. The carousel is temporarily closed for repair, but don’t dismay: it’s part of the Hampton History Museum, which is still a must-see for its permanent exhibit documenting the arrival of the first enslaved Africans, who were captured from a Spanish slave ship and brought to Point Comfort in 1619 aboard the English privateer ship White Lion. Take a walk (or drive) across the U.S. 60 bridge and into the beautiful, broad grounds of Hampton University, founded after the Civil War as a school for the area’s formerly enslaved people.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

Visit the Emancipation Oak, which provided shade for those first lessons in 1861, and tour the Hampton University Museum. Founded in 1868, it is Virginia’s oldest museum and contains an extraordinary collection of works from African American artists. Whether you take your boat, your dinghy or your car, don’t miss Fort Monroe, the largest stone fort ever built in the U.S. and a key defensive site for the Bay for centuries. See where young Robert E. Lee helped in planning the fort’s construction, where Confederate President Jefferson Davis was briefly imprisoned after the war, and learn about the enslaved men who sought sanctuary and won freedom at “Freedom’s Fortress.” But it’s not all history. Just outside the monument itself, you can hit the beach, sample some great beer at Oozlefinch Beers and Blending, and eat The Deadrise at Old Point Comfort Marina. The restaurant offers free dockage for diners, and the marina offers slip rentals accommodating boats up to 50'. It’s currently undergoing a major renovation, with plans for new docks and a new hotel coming soon.

Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

BAR CRAWLING Marker 20 is a Hampton staple, with

a big covered deck and live bands on weekends. Virginia is well-known for great craft brewing. Beer lovers can pub crawl from Bull Island Brewing Company by the public docks to The Vanguard Brewpub and Distillery, located in the circa-1936 former armory, then taxi it over to the Phoebus neighborhood for 1865 Brewing Company and Sly Clyde Ciderworks.

DINING

Left: The dog-friendly patio at Brown Chicken Brown Cow. Right: Enjoy brick-oven pizza at Venture.

Seafood Joints

Deadrise at Old Point Comfort is

Keep Our Bay Serene and Clean Dumping boat sewage into the water is bad for our health and the environment. Use bathrooms, dump stations, and pumpout facilities instead.

Other Eats

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com | Weekends on the Water 2022

Stop in for a Reuben sandwich at Goody’s Deli & Pub, an absolute Hampton mainstay, and stay for a round of pool. Venture Kitchen & Bar has great brick-oven pizza and an everchanging menu of small plates (literally; they change it every week, depending on chef ’s creative whims and what’s fresh). Brown Chicken Brown Cow has a great name, but they also have great burgers, cold beer and a dog-friendly patio. The Grey Goose isn’t about vodka, it’s about a twist on tasty southern food with dishes like pimento cheese dip and country ham biscuits. PHOTO BY STEVE ALLAN

PHOTO BY STEVEAN ALL

Visit http://bit.ly/vdhcva or call (804) 864-7467 for a map of sewage pumpout stations or to report a broken pumpout.

KEEP OUR WATER CLEANUSE PUMPOUTS

tops for its fresh local fish and produce, not to mention the marina setting. Local Wicomico River oysters and steamed seafood platters are on the menu at their sister restaurant, Fuller’s Raw Bar, set in the hip Phoebus neighborhood. (If you’re craving Mexican, El Diablo Loco Cantina is there too.) Surf Rider is a family-run Virginia staple, with a few locations around the area including one at Bluewater. You can’t go wrong with their beachy menu of seafood po’ boys and fish sandwiches, fried seafood baskets and tacos.

Like the beach? Hampton has three of them: Buckroe Beach, Grandview Nature Preserve and Outlook Beach at Fort Monroe.

BEAUTY ON THE BAY

INSPIRED.

Hampton, Virginia boasts excitement, beauty, and adventure as vast as the open seas! Climb aboard the Miss Hampton and tour Chesapeake Bay, or charter a boat and explore the Atlantic Ocean. Feel the rush of adrenaline-pumping watersports, or cast a line for a relaxing time at one of our world-famous fishing piers. Savor the moment, and the flavors, with a mouthwatering seafood feast freshly prepared by our talented chefs. Get inspi inspired at VisitHampton.com

Weekends on the Water 2022 | ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

homes

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Stern Lines

A Harbor Story By Jefferson Holland It wasn’t always known as “Ego Alley.” Annapolis City Dock started out in the mid-1600s as an international port, importing building products, trading goods (and yes, enslaved people), and exporting crops, primarily tobacco. By around the time of the Revolutionary War, the harbor’s relatively shallow depth—then as now just an average of 12 to 14 feet—shifted much of the international trade to Baltimore, with its larger, deeper harbor. Between the Civil War and World War II, Annapolis Harbor proved the perfect fit for oyster boats: bugeye schooners, skipjacks and then deadrise workboats. Eventually, the oyster industry ebbed and the golden age of wooden workboats passed. This image, taken by A. Aubrey Bodine around 1960, shows a variety of oyster boats at what was then known as the “Market Slip.” In the 1950s and '60s, a modern age appeared as fiberglass hulls made sailboats and powerboats easier and cheaper to build, purchase and maintain, and the recreational industry boomed. The world’s first in-water sailboat show took place at City Dock in 1970, and the old Market Slip became known as “Ego Alley,” where boats of all descriptions parade up and down to see and be seen. A. Aubrey Bodine (1906–1970) was a photographer and photojournalist for The Baltimore Sun’s Sunday Sun Magazine for 50 years. Bodine is known for his images of Maryland landmarks and traditions. His daughter, Jennifer, recently published a fifth collection of his images, Annapolis: Photography of A. Aubrey Bodine. It’s available at aaubreybodine.com and bookshop.org.

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Articles inside

Herring Bay/Deale

Hampton

Cape Charles

Yorktown

Irvington/Kilmarnock

Rock Hall

Cambridge

Annapolis