An Outdoor Odyssey: Off the Grid Island Getaway on The Chesapeake Bay

Ridge to Ewell on Smith Island, 59 miles plus a ferry trip, 6 days / 5 nights

Day 1 - Soak Up the Peaceful Paradise

Ridge

• Drive to Ridge 
• Bring provisions for breakfasts and snacks
• Check in at the Pier 450 Motel, a boutique roadside-esque motel housed in a transformed 1940s-era fishing camp
• Savor Chesapeake flavors during dinner at POV Restaurant and enjoy a made-from-scratch, locally sourced culinary adventure.
• Relax and rest up for next day’s adventures

Day 2 - Live the Watermen’s Life - Cook Your Catch 

Ridge

• Be up bright and early for a Watermen’s Heritage Tour with Chesapeake Bay Storyteller Fish the Bay Charters, and try your hand at crabbing and living the watermen’s life
• Cook your catch and have a crab feast when you return
• Relax during a lazy afternoon with a water view in an adirondack chair on the lawn at Pier 450 Motel OR paddle a loaner kayak from the motel on Smith Creek
• Head to dinner at the SALT Waterfront Kitchen with great views of the Smith Creek and a fresh creative menu
• Spend another night luxuriating in beach-chic hospitality at Pier 450 Motel

Day 3 - See Land’s End

Ridge to Scotland

• Enjoy your morning coffee on the Pier 450 Lawn
• Pack a picnic lunch with provisions from the Food Lion in Ridge
• Travel to Point Lookout State Park (14 minutes travel time)
• Rent a canoe at the campground and paddle a water trail
• OR Fish from the Point Lookout Pier
• Hike the Trails at Point Lookout State Park
• Enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach
• Walk the Beach and swim in the Chesapeake Bay - or relax with expansive Bay views
• See the Point Lookout Lighthouse and Civil War Museum
• Return to Ridge for dinner at POV Restaurant at Pier 450. It’s so delicious that you’ll want more!
• Return to your cozy room at Pier 450 Motel

Day 4 - Get Off the Beaten Path 

Ridge to Ewell, Smith Island

• Drive to the Point Lookout Marina 
• Catch the Ferry on foot from the Point Lookout Marina to Ewell on Smith Island (10 a.m. departure Thurs. - Sun. seasonally)
• Eat lunch at Smith Island’s Bayside Inn to sample local seafood favorites
• See the astounding natural wonder of the Pelican Rookery on a boat tour with Corbin Tours
• Tour the Smith Island Cultural Center 
• Settle in for the evening at the Smith Island Inn and enjoy a catered dinner
• Feel the tranquility, smell the salty air, hear nature’s music and stargaze

Day 5 - Set Your Clock to Island Time

Ewell and Tylerton on Smith Island to Point Lookout and Piney Point

• Rise before daybreak and join a waterman for a crabbing trip with Smith Island Eco Tours and Charters
• OR Wake to the sunrise and the sounds of watermen at work
• Enjoy Breakfast at the Inn (included)
• Paddle the Smith Island Water Trails through the Martin National Wildlife Refuge from Ewell to Tylerton (2.25 miles of paddling one way; kayaks, canoes and life jackets are available to borrow from Smith Island Inn)
• Walk to Drum Point Market to pick up lunch in Tylerton and explore the town
• Paddle back to Ewell (2.25 miles of paddling)
• Visit the Smith Island Bakery for their famously delicious Smith Island Cake
• Take the ferry from Smith Island to Point Lookout (4:30 p.m. Thurs. - Sun.)
• Drive to Piney Point (35 minutes)
• Reflect on your experience of the “Island Out of Time” over dinner at the Ruddy Duck Seafood and Ale House in Piney Point 
• Stay the night at the Island Inn & Suites, a boutique hotel with gorgeous water views on the St. Mary’s River

Day 6 - Discover Lighthouse Legends

• Enjoy breakfast from your own balcony and take in gorgeous river views
• Explore the scenic Piney Point Lighthouse Museum & Historic Park just down the road from the inn
• Dip your toes in the water at Piney Point Beach for your last splash before returning home

This trip can be joined to trip Option 1 to extend your "baycation."