Follow in Harriet Tubman’s Footsteps on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

HARRIET TUBMAN MURAL © JAY FLEMING PHOTOGRAPHY

Follow in Harriet Tubman’s Footsteps on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Experience deep-rooted history, breathtaking nature, colorful murals, charming towns, and delicious seafood in a place known as the “Heart of the Chesapeake Bay.”

What is it like to experience the life of one of the world’s most unlikely heroes, Harriet Tubman? Visitors have called exploring the place of her birth moving, powerful, and inspiring.

Born in Dorchester County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Tubman had everything against her: she was enslaved and illiterate, and thanks to a brain injury caused by an overseer, she was disabled. Today, in beautiful “Tubman Country,” you can see the places where she lived, toiled, and worshipped. Learn of the daring and ingenious escapes she led to bring friends and family from slavery to freedom—becoming a hero known worldwide.

Sites along the scenic road trip known as the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway include the riveting “Take My Hand” mural, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, and the 1800s general store where Tubman nearly died as a girl. Echoes of the stories that happened in these places still speak to us today.

The unspoiled landscapes around Dorchester County would have looked familiar to Tubman. For today’s travelers, they provide breathtaking backdrops, not only for stories from the past but also for wildlife watching and stunning sunsets. The best spot to take in the natural splendor is the 30,000-acre Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and its four-mile Wildlife Drive. Connect with the family-owned Blackwater Adventures and join a kayaking tour led by a guide who shares tales of the Underground Railroad (the secret network of places and people that Tubman and other freedom seekers used) or points out wildlife, including bald eagles, egrets, and muskrats.

History abounds in Dorchester County. Handsell presents stories of three cultures that occupied its land through a Native American longhouse, a restored 1700s home built by colonial settlers, and a memorial to the enslaved.

Long Wharf on the Choptank River was where enslaved Africans once arrived by ship; today, it’s home to the replica 1800s Choptank River Lighthouse, offering lovely river views and a small museum on the local maritime heritage. For a different take on the area’s history and nature, explore the vibrant art of the county’s Chesapeake Mural Trail.

With Dorchester County nearly surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways, local seafood—crabs, oysters, and fish— is abundant and delicious. The culture of seafood harvesting has shaped life here. Get a taste of a paddle-wheeler crab feast cruise with Choptank Riverboats. Or join a sail on a Chesapeake icon: a skipjack, the classic wooden sailboat used for generations to harvest oysters. Skipjack Nathan of Dorchester offers public sails where you can learn about oystering, enjoy the river breezes, and even take the helm for a spell.

Many diners pair the local seafood with local beverages. Dorchester County is home to Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery, the Mid-Atlantic’s first craft winery, tucked away in the midst of farmland. An anchor in downtown Cambridge, RAR Brewing is Maryland’s fifth-largest brewery and a favorite for craft beer as well as food truck-driven fast food and creative cocktails.

With its striking landscapes, inspiring history, connections to the water, and friendly charm, Dorchester County offers a range of relaxing and enriching experiences.

Learn more at VisitDorchester.org In Maryland, You’re Welcome.