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Food just tastes better when you dine on the water! Whether you are arriving via sailboat, powerboat or car, there’s something special about dining on the water. The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries provide endless options ranging from urban dining in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and hip and historic Annapolis to waterside dining along the many rivers, creeks and inlets that make up the Chesapeake Bay. Here a few options to make your mouth water. Baltimore[...]

Some things just seem impossible without the other, up without down, peanut butter without jelly, and the Chesapeake Bay without the white sails of Maryland’s iconic Skipjack fleet. For more than a century, these gorgeous white-hulled work boats have plied the bay, bringing the Chesapeake’s prized oysters to market. Modelled on the lines of the classic Baltimore Skipjacks, these single-masted, wind powered workboats are the last sail powered fishing fleet in the United States and[...]

Maryland State FlagState Flag: Black and gold quarters (the arms of Lord Baltimore’s family, the Calverts) along with red and white quarters (the arms of his mother’s family, the Crosslands) State Dessert: Smith Island Cake, made by the ladies of Smith Island for years, has achieved national recognition. With impossibly thin layers of cake and icing stacked high, Smith Island cakes are a unique treat State Dog: Chesapeake Bay Retriever, a hunting breed with webbed[...]

Escape to the Chesapeake The treasure that is the Chesapeake, the welcoming heart of Maryland. Whether it’s a five-star resort on the shores of the bay, the rich flavors of traditional Chesapeake cooking, or the warm faces of the people you’ll meet along the way, the healing waters of the mighty Chesapeake Bay are waiting to carry you on your journey. Find the wellness journey just right for you on The Great Chesapeake Bay Loop[...]

Native Americans The first inhabitants of Maryland were Paleo-Indians who came more than 10,000 years ago from other parts of North America to hunt mammoth, great bison and caribou. By 1,000 B.C., Maryland had more than 8,000 Native Americans in about 40 different tribes. Most of them spoke Algonquian languages. They grew corn, peas, squash and tobacco. They also hunted, fished and traded with tribes as far away as New York and Ohio. We do[...]

Western Maryland Western Maryland is a great place for outdoor adventures. You can climb Maryland's highest mountain, swim in numerous lakes, hike the Appalachian Trail, brave white-water rapids or enjoy all kinds of winter sports from skiing to ice fishing. The three counties of Western Maryland, where fall foliage arrives first and winter usually stays the longest, were Maryland's last frontier. One of the most important events in Western Maryland in the early 1800s was[...]

With thousands of miles of shoreline along our Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic coastal bays, mighty rivers and western lakes, Maryland has hundreds of hotspots for watching birds on the water. Just like the birdbath in your backyard, Maryland waters are magnets for birds of all varieties. During the fall and spring, millions of birds pass through Maryland during their epic migrations to rest and feed along our shorelines. Winter is a magical time on Maryland waters[...]

Blue Crab: The Beautiful Swimmer Easily the icon most often associated with Maryland, the blue crab, whose scientific name Callinectes Sapidus means “savory beautiful swimmer,” is both a staple for locals and a symbol for the rest of the nation. From its most basic preparation to its most refined—using only the choicest jumbo lump meat for crab cakes—blue crab is prized for its delicate, moist texture and sweet flavor. In Maryland, crabs are seasoned and[...]

Wondering where to begin your shore-combing among Maryland’s 7,719 miles of coastline? Read on for suggestions to get started. Cool Off at the Swimming Hole: Maryland Beaches and Lakes At Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, you can fish, crab, hike and rent a boat on the northwestern shore of the Bay. Stroll the boardwalk and enjoy the low salinity at Betterton Beach. If you prefer lake swimming, try Cascade Lake in Hampstead, which features[...]