When I started planning my very first trip to St. Michaels, there was one attraction that made the…read moreitinerary before almost anything else: the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. I'd heard so many people rave about it that I figured it deserved a few hours of my vacation. Turns out...a few hours wasn't nearly enough! Admission was $22 for adults, and one of my favorite surprises was learning that your ticket is good for two consecutive days. A volunteer at the front desk gave me a wonderful overview of the property, explained how everything worked and made sure I knew I was welcome to come back the following day as long as I didn't lose my admission sticker. That's tremendous value for everything there is to see! The first thing I realized after walking through the doors? This isn't just a museum. It's an entire waterfront campus! The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum sits right on the Miles River and includes historic buildings, floating vessels, exhibitions, gardens, a working shipyard where traditional wooden boats are still restored and built, and enough history to keep you wandering for hours. Whether you're interested in Chesapeake Bay history, boats, lighthouses, watermen or simply beautiful places to explore, there's something here for just about everyone. Now...in true to me fashion...I headed straight for the gift shop before I looked at anything else. My philosophy is simple: shop first, think about it while I explore, and if I still love it by the time I leave, I already own it. Except...that didn't exactly happen this time. I found something I loved immediately, bought it right away and happily carried my purchase around the museum for the rest of my visit. RELATED SIDEQUEST & PRO TIP: While I was wandering through the gift shop, I overheard another visitor asking an employee if they sold U.S. Lighthouse Society Lighthouse Passport books. Wait...what passport?! Excuse me while I casually eavesdrop. A very quick Google search later, I had fallen headfirst into yet another travel rabbit hole. Apparently there's an entire Lighthouse Passport Program where visitors collect official lighthouse stamps from locations all over the country. Well...that sounds dangerously like something I would absolutely obsess over! The museum has an official lighthouse stamp available at the front desk, so even though I don't own the passport yet, I stamped a blank piece of paper to tuck safely away until I order one. I have a sneaking suspicion I'll be back to stamp the real thing someday! PRO TIP: Get your lighthouse passport before you go! I spent the next several hours wandering the campus completely at my own pace. One thing I really appreciated was that the museum lets you create your own experience. Some exhibits fascinated me, others I breezed through, and there was never any pressure to see things in a particular order. It felt more like exploring than touring. The museum itself was fantastic and easily worth the $22 admission. More than anything, I came away impressed by how much pride everyone there takes in preserving and sharing the history of the Chesapeake Bay. It's clear this isn't simply a collection of artifacts. It's a place that's actively keeping an important part of Maryland's history alive. Whether you're visiting St. Michaels for a weekend or just passing , I'd absolutely recommend making time for the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. And while you're there...don't forget to get your lighthouse passport stamp!

What a treat to find this maritime museum when visiting Saint Michael's. From the Welcome Center…read moreto the Lighthouse, this place offers some exceptional Maryland and US history. A great place to explore and learn about crabbing, fishing, oystering and sailing on the Chesapeake, as well as historical information on Frederick Douglass and the slave trade. Very interesting! Incredibly insightful and thought provoking, the Frederick Douglass exhibit was fascinating. What a beautiful day (weather wise) to stroll the grounds of this museum on the water, enjoy the exhibits and interact with the staff here - all incredibly friendly.

Quiet place, off the way from main roads, lots of wildlife, best in springtime / early summerread more

[Coronavirus review] Tons of people drive past the turnoff…read morefor this place on the way to the beach without ever giving it a thought. Is it worth making a detour? In our social distancing era, the calculus changes perhaps, as the beaches will be crowded and this place will not. Most of the actual preserve is a gravel road; you don't need four-wheel drive or anything, but you'll be dusty. Of several trails, the one at the very end, Ferry Point, leads through an interesting manicured landscape with gnarly trees encircling the path. The offshoot labeled "jack-in-the-pulpit trail" suggested some nifty pitcher-plant looking foliage, but I saw nothing like that. Maybe I just didn't know what to look for. There's a small beach, and some people were using it for boating or fishing. The water was as pleasant as I've seen on the Eastern shore; calm, clear, and with plenty of plant life. So much of the Chesapeake shore is private land that it's nice to be able to see what the scenery looks like without a McMansion, and this preserve is not a place where I'd spend the whole day, but it is convenient to stop at on the way to or from other things.

This is the perfect spot for locals and travelers. If you're looking for a place to take your young…read morekids to look at the boats, the marsh, and all of the unique little creatures around, this is the place that you need to head to! It's such a joy to walk around with family and loved ones learning history of the area along the way. Also the place is absolutely stunning!

The Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail was dedicated September 30, 2011. After more than 20 years of…read moreplanning the Railway Trail was officially opened for the enjoyment of us all. The boardwalk trail is accessed from behind the Chesapeake Beach Water Park where it then extends westward along the shore of Fishing Creek. Interpretative signs have been placed along the Trail to help point out the marsh plants, animals and other features of the adjacent water and marshland. Fully handicapped-accessible, the pet-friendly Trail is open from dawn until dusk for pedestrians and those on bicycles.

The good: Parking was spacious, free and had shaded spots…read more It was a short walk from the parking lot to the beach. The path was lined with tanbark. It's a small beach with a short shore and there is shallow water. I saw herons and folks using metal detectors. The sandy area had cool shells and some interesting bugs. I liked that there was a clean bathroom between the parking lot and the beach. There were picnic tables on the sand where we enjoyed snacks. They were shaded so it was nice. The bad: There are lots of jelly fish that can definitely sting so you basically cannot get into the water. No tents are allowed. The interesting: I saw lots of dogs here running around in the water. It looks very dog-friendly despite other reviews saying there are signs that don't allow dogs.

Quick note for potential beach goers: Only single-pole beach umbrellas are allowed on the beach. We…read morekind of learned the hard way that beach tents are not allowed. Originally, we were interested in Matapeake Beach because of the dog beach. However for our first visit (of hopefully many visits), we decided to leave the dog at home because it was super hot. But, I think in the future, we will take the dog if we can arrive to the beach around 8 am. The second reason we were interested in this beach: It is fairly close to Silver Spring, MD. With a departure of 9am, we arrived at the beach around 10 am on a summer weekday. For the most part, we did not experience too much traffic (on a weekday) in both directions Silver Spring-Matapeake-Silver Spring. Also, I think there were 1-2 tolls in each directions. Overall, I thought the beach/park was very clean and well-maintained. I'll note that there are not very many amenities (if any) on or near the beach the beach (e.g., food vendors), which necessarily was not a bad thing for me. Although parking is limited, it is free (a very pleasant surprise) as of June 2025. I'm not 100% sure, but I think there were like 50 (or less) parking spaces. Since we visited on a weekday, we did not have any trouble finding a spot in the parking lot. However, I can imagine that parking my be a bit of a nightmare on weekends and holidays. Also, the access to the beach was free (another pleasant surprise). The folks at the beach were pretty friendly and respectful of their surroundings -- for instance, I did not hear super loud music (just the soundtrack of waves, a few dogs barking, and a few kids playing); see people acting a plum fool; notice substantial litter (or other not so fun things) on the beach. Even though we were disappointed that we had to take down our beach tent, the park ranger was super nice about it. The water was a pretty smooth with little to no waves so it is nice for little humans and dogs. I think I had to walk about 0.25 miles to get to a point where the water was waist level to me, but that was a VERY minor inconvenience. Overall, I think this is a great beach for a quick day (or half a day) trip.

Our retired women's group walks each week at Jonas Green Park. The paths are paved & well…read moremaintained. The loop is short but we go around several times. Parking and bathrooms are available and you can't beat the views.

We wanted to go to Sandy Point Beach Park one Saturday afternoon, but the lot was full. I asked one…read moreof the cops directing traffic for another recommendation and he said "Google Jonas Green." Which I did, and 15 minutes later we were at Jonas Green, and there were lots of spots available. Jonas Green is a small park, with a small and very calm beach -- perfect for our toddler. Like most of the waterfront around Annapolis, it has beautiful views, plus restrooms, grills and picnic tables, and a nice variety of people: couples, families, kids. Very family friendly and quiet. We loved it, and will definitely go back.

Nice little public park on Tilghman Island. There's a pavilion that is available to rent. $50 for 2…read morehours, $100 for 4 hours, or $175 for the whole day. Restrooms available. There's also a recycling center in the parking lot.

So cute! A darling little beach with good nature trails just an hour from DC. Make sure that you…read morereserve your day pass in advance as you can't get in without one on busy weekends. It's free right now but the gate attendant said eventually it will be $6. They are currently building bathrooms and a rinse-off station, but they have porta potties for now. Nicely paved roads to get there, a Safeway en route (coming from DC), and an easy walk to the beach from the parking lot. Entering the park via the gatehouse, the beach is to the right. Follow the trail and signs past the small playground on the right and past the pond on the left. I recommend going to the right once you get to the beach itself as it was less crowded the day I was there. A couple rules important to know before you go. You can drive up closer to the beach to unload, but no parking there unless you have a handicapped sticker/plate. Also, no dogs on the beach unless it's a service dog. There is a ranger walking around so don't try it as you'll be disappointed (as I saw two families have to leave). And no climbing on the break wall rocks. Seems fun, so why not? The ranger said that very aggressive (but non-poisonous) water snakes live there, eek! Also, since I went in August, beware of the jellyfish--they were everywhere. But I also saw huge schools of tiny fish and lots of birds (seagulls, pelican, etc). The beach does not have any natural shade. I had read on the website no umbrellas or tents but I saw tons of families with them and they didn't get in trouble. Bring your snacks and drinks and beach comforts as there are no concessions, just the beach! And the water itself was clear to start but then got more cloudy and had seaweed as the day went on. It's nice and shallow, so I think we will come back when the jellyfish aren't so numerous.

45-minutes from Washington, D.C. Beverly Triton Nature Park is one of the closest beaches to the…read morecity. On top of that, it's a protected park with trails and views. Here's why you should visit: 1) Parking: There's a small lot that fills up fast during the summer. My daughter and I went on an August Friday morning and had to wait a few minutes for someone to leave. There is a lot across the street, but it also fills up too. Parking is free. 2) Trails: There are several short hikes perfect for toddlers. My four-year-old daughter was able to hike the Triton Trail on her own without a stroller or asking to be carried. 3) Beach: The fastest way to the beach is down the paved trail by the main parking lot. It takes 1-2 minutes to walk to the long, but narrow public beach. Bring sunscreen and bug spray. There's no shade at all. 4) Outhouses: There are two outhouses at the main parking lot AND another one at the beach entrance. Unless you want to change in a dirty outhouse, put on your swimsuit before you arrive.

This was seriously such a fun experience for my 6-year-old. All of the kids had so much fun and the…read morestaff was perfectly interactive with all of them! You can tell they're a close group and enjoy their job. Even us parents were laughing along the way. It really is a memorable experience for kids. From the tattoo/face painting to shooting the water cannons and fun mini adventures on the boat, its the perfect activity for summer fun!

Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake was a really cool adventure for my kids. They loved all aspects…read moreof it! The adventure starts with a phone call. This isn't the type of adventure you can show up to on a whim. You have to schedule a visit in advance. I scheduled a date and time over the phone. They took my credit card info, a contact number and my kids' names. The first date I scheduled was cancelled due to inclement weather. Pirate Adventures called and cancelled the adventure about three hours prior to when it was supposed to start. I elected to reschedule right then. I was instructed to arrive a half hour before our adventure so the kids could get their faces painted and pick out a sash. We parked on the street a few blocks away not realizing they have a parking lot. We checked in, the kids were given name tags with their name and an alliterative adjective (ie Zig Zag Zora and Kung Fu Kieran) and then reported to the face painting and sash picking area. After face painting kids and adults boarded the boat and the Chesapeake part of the adventure began. The captain went over a few safety measures with the adults while his assistant went through guidelines with the kids. The adventure has a whole story with different parts involved that kept the seven kids on our adventure entertained. Ages ranged from probably three to fourteen. These parts included a map search, treasure hunt, key finding expedition, pirate fight and a final pirate bounty quest. For the adults, we just hung out under a shaded portion of the boat. I got up to interact with my kids a few times and to snap some pictures. Mostly I just enjoyed the boat ride. The whole adventure lasted almost two hours (counting face painting). If you have kids that love to pretend and don't mind riding a boat, Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake might be right up their alley.