Tangier Island is a unique, tiny island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. We took a ferry over and immediately were offered a golf cart tour of the small fishing town. Our guide gave us the fascinating and rather informative history of this quirky and one of a kind destination.
Population of about 400, the island houses private residents and just a few businesses. There's one small grocer, a post office, 4 restaurants, a few souvenir shops, one school, a doctor's office (a doctor comes over twice a week but three nurses are on call). One police office, no jail. A couple of churches and the museum are on the main circular road that encompasses this charming seafaring village. While this isn't an "exciting" or "happening" town, it is thoroughly engaging and delightful!
The tour lasted only 15 minutes but it packed a punch. We went over a couple of small bridges around the inlets and saw some beautiful foliage and wildlife. You could see that many of the buildings and homes were weather beaten from the bay's salty gusts and storms, but that just added to the character of the island.
After the tour, we walked all around the island which didn't take long at all. We bought some Tangier merchandise at the local souvenir shop, visited the sweet museum and enjoyed informative exhibits.
We went to Fisherman's Corner Seafood Restaurant for lunch and the tour guide was right, you have to get a crab cake here in Tangier! All lump crab meat, huge and piled high in a golden brown patty!
Our visit ended with a soft serve cone from Four Brothers Snack Shack, where we basked in the sun and soaked in this poetic, natural wonder!
Our trip home left us not a little sleepy and dreaming of the sea! read more