The Chesapeake: A Guide to Towns and Recreation on the Bay
A Guide to Towns and Recreation on the Bay

Reported by Allison Blake, John Briley, John Deiner, Elise Hartman Ford, Elissa Leibowitz, Andrea Sachs and K.C. Summers
Sunday, July 30, 2000

ST. MICHAELS AREA
Mid-bay capital of Eastern Shore tourism.

Talbot County is what most folks think of when they talk about the "Eastern Shore" -- St. Michaels, Tilghman Island, Oxford and other increasingly upscale villages with good restaurants, shops, B&Bs, antiques, well-trodden bike routes and lots of ways to get out on the water.

ATTRACTIONS AND DISTRACTIONS

ST. MICHAELS: For a thorough grounding in bay lore and legend, plus an up-close look at the gritty life of the waterman, visit the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (410-745-2916, $7.50). Patriot Cruises (outside the museum, 410-745-3100) offers narrated cruises ($20) of the Miles River with Capt. Denny on his 198-person boat. The pace is stately, the mini-history lesson fun, and there's a snack bar.

TILGHMAN ISLAND: Happily, the Rebecca T. Ruark (410-886-2176), Maryland's oldest working skipjack, is back on the bay, seven months after sinking in a freak gale; charters and sunset cruises available daily. Or hire the Lady Patty (800-690-5080), a restored 1935 yacht. Fishing charters are big, through such outfits as All Aboard Charters (410-745-6022) or Harrison's (410-886-2121). Island Kayak (410-886-2083) offers guided eco-tours and rentals.

OXFORD: The prettiest way to approach Oxford is via the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry from the St. Michaels area ($5.50 per car one way, 410-745-9023). The crossing takes 10 minutes and deposits you on Morris Street, from which you can stroll the town's lovely streets or loll about on the banks of the Tred Avon River. Summer afternoons don't get any more blissful.

SHOPPING

ST. MICHAELS: Talbot Street, the main drag, is nothing but shops. A few to seek out: Mind's Eye Crafts Gallery (103 S. Talbot, 410-745-2023) has artfully rusted "yardbirds" made from farm implements, and wonderful glass-eyed dragonfly sculptures for the garden. St. Michaels Artisans Studio (Canton and South Freemont streets, 410-745-4125) has glass beads, painted textiles and photography. Rings and Things (105 S. Talbot, 410-745-3881) has, in addition to the obvious, earrings, charms, chains and art.

TILGHMAN ISLAND: Crawford's Nautical Books (5782 Main St., 410-886-2230) stocks water-y tomes old and new. At Dan Vaughan's Decoys (21536 Mission Rd., 410-886-2083), you can observe decoy-carving and purchase the results.

OXFORD: At the Oxford Mews general store (105 S. Morris St., 410-820-8222), you can rent a bike, buy boat shoes, stock up on spices or invest in some art.

STOPOVER TOWN

ST. MICHAELS: Despite the tourist hordes that invade it each summer, this tiny Colonial-era town manages to hang on to its genteel appeal. There's a noticeable lack of T-shirt shops, and the visitors tend to be straw-hatted and Sebago-shod, not tattooed and pierced. There are lots of winsome B&Bs, antiques shops and restaurants, historic streets to wander, a busy harbor offering charters and river cruises, and a fine museum that explains the town's ties to the Chesapeake with imagination and flair. Dedicated bike lanes make touring easy. Info: 800-660-9471, www.stmichaelsmd.org.

LODGING

ST. MICHAELS: If you're in a four-star kind of mood, the Inn at Perry Cabin is worth the splurge (see story, Page E8). The Parsonage Inn (210 N. Talbot St., 800-394-5519; $120-$185 per night), a pretty brick Victorian B&B, has a porch and sundeck. The Victoriana Inn (205 Cherry St., 410-745-3368; $139-$275) is a white-frame gingerbread house overlooking a little inlet off the harbor, complete with a pair of swans. Harris Cove Cottages Bed & Boat (8080 Bozman-Neavitt Rd., 410-745-9701; $250 for two nights) has waterfront cottages that sleep four. No breakfast, but how many B&Bs have a fleet of 16-foot skiffs for rent?

TILGHMAN ISLAND: The secluded Black Walnut Point Inn (410-886-2452; $120-$150), at the end of a winding dirt road, has waterfront cottages, a pool, tennis and a baby grand piano. The Chesapeake Wood Duck Inn (Gibsontown Road at Dogwood Harbor, 800-956-2070; $149-$219) is a romantic waterfront Victorian. The Lazyjack Inn (5907 Tilghman Island Rd., 800-690-5080; $130-$230), an 1855 waterfront B&B, has fireplaces and Jacuzzis.

OXFORD: Two of the most historic lodgings in town are the 1710 Robert Morris Inn, with rooms at $110-$250, and the Oxford Inn (504 S. Morris St., 410-226-5220; $90-$150), a restored 11-room B&B.

PLACES TO EAT

ST. MICHAELS: You can dine very well indeed in St. Michaels. The four-star restaurant at the Inn at Perry Cabin has a gourmet, fixed-price, four-course dinner for $69.50. In town, 208 Talbot (208 Talbot St., 410-745-3838) is charming, low-key and slightly less expensive, with a fixed-price dinner for $45 (try the seared crab cakes). Bistro St. Michaels (403 S. Talbot St., 410-745-9111) offers modern American cooking with a French accent; dinner about $40. For breakfast or lunch, try Poppi's (207 N. Talbot St., 410-745-3158), a fun hangout popular with the locals (motto: "Have you flogged your crew today?"). After dinner, stop by Justine's Ice Cream Parlour (101 S. Talbot St., 410-745-5416) for a Creamsicle shake.

TILGHMAN ISLAND: The Tilghman Island Inn (21384 Coopertown Rd., 800-866-2141) features fresh local ingredients and water views. Harrison's Chesapeake House (Chesapeake House Drive, 410-886-2121), a longstanding institution, is a classic bay-style family restaurant.

OXFORD: Author James Michener allegedly rated the crab cakes at the Robert Morris Inn (North Morris Street and the Strand, 410-226-5111) the best on the Eastern Shore. That's debatable, but the setting on the banks of the Tred Avon River is superb. Le Zinc (101 Mill St., 410-226-5776) offers "down-home French country cooking" and jazz. Schooner's Llanding (foot of Tilghman Street, 410-226-0160), a casual waterfront joint, is popular with boaters. The Pier Street Restaurant (West Pier Street, 410-226-5171), at the junction of the Tred Avon and Choptank rivers, has fresh local seafood.

SOLOMONS
On Maryland's Western Shore, fossils, living history and a . . . Tiki Bar?

The Patuxent River empties into the Chesapeake at Solomons, a former oyster boomtown 90 minutes from Washington known for its fishing, sailing and crabbing. St. Mary's City, to the south, is where the first settlers arrived in Maryland.

ATTRACTIONS & DISTRACTIONS

LUSBY: Calvert Cliffs State Park (20 minutes north of Solomons Island, off Route 765 from Route 4, 301-872-5688; $3 per car) features 30 miles of bayfront cliffs; a two-mile hike leads you to the beach, where you can go fossiling.

ST. MARY'S CITY: Historic St. Mary's City (20 miles west of Solomons Island, across the bridge on Route 4 to Route 235 south) was founded in 1634 by Catholic pilgrims and today presents a living history museum ($7.50) that includes an Indian hamlet, a replica of a square-rigged ship and a working tobacco plantation. Info: 800-762-1634.

SCOTLAND: Point Lookout State Park (continue south to the end of Route 5, 301-872-5688) is where the Potomac River and the Chesapeake bump into each other. See story, Page E10.

SOLOMONS ISLAND: At the Calvert Marine Museum (14150 Solomons Island Rd., 410-326-2042; $5), you can cruise the Patuxent aboard an 1899 bugeye boat, tour an 1883 lighthouse and learn about all the fossils you picked up at Calvert Cliffs.

SHOPPING

LOVEVILLE: If you don't mind a detour from the bay, seek out Traditions of Loveville (28420 Point Lookout Rd., about 20 miles northwest of Solomons Island, 301-475-8280) for antiques.

RIDGE: That's Buzzy (age 78) working the counter at Buzzy's Country Store (12665 Point Lookout Rd., 301-872-5430), a general store that's been here since right after the Civil War. The place smells old, sells live bait and features "Thirsty Thursday, A Buzzy Blast Beer Bust, 85 cents 4 p.m. Till."

SOLOMONS ISLAND: Fine Things (Avondale Center on Solomons Island Road, 410-326-0546) is several cuts above other area shops, selling one-of-a-kind pottery, stationery and fine interior decorations, many with a nautical theme.

STOPOVER TOWN

SOLOMONS ISLAND: Stroll the Riverwalk along the Patuxent at sunset, find out what all the fuss is about at the famous Tiki Bar (1 Main St., 410-326-4075) or take the hour-long cruise around the harbor on the William B. Tennison (see Calvert Marine Museum, above). Located at the convergence of the Patuxent and the Chesapeake, Solomons (named for Isaac Solomon, who opened an oyster cannery in 1867 on the Patuxent) is known for its fishing, sailing and crabbing. The Calvert Marine Museum covers this territory, or you can eat and drink in your education at one of 15 waterfront bars and restaurants. A reminder: The place can be a zoo on summer weekends, so try to visit during the week or off season. Info: 410-326-6027, http://sba.solomons.md.us.

LODGING

ST. MARY'S CITY: You can walk to Historic St. Mary's City from the charming Brome-Howard Inn (18281 Rosecroft Rd., 301-866-0656), an 1840 farmhouse on 30 acres abutting the St. Mary's River. Comfortably decorated, the inn features three rooms with private baths and a third-floor suite. Rates start at $80.

SCOTLAND: You'll find another B&B, the 200-year-old St. Michael's Manor (50200 St. Michael's Manor Way, 301-872-4025), along Route 5 as you approach Point Lookout State Park. Its four rooms, sharing two baths, start at $70.

SOLOMONS ISLAND: Far prettier and more personable than the town's Comfort Inn and Holiday Inn (both waterfront) are its B&Bs, the best of which is the adorable Back Creek Inn (Calvert and A streets, 410-326-2022), nearly hidden by its flourishing gardens and perched on the banks of the Back Creek. Rooms, with private baths, start at $95.

PLACES TO EAT

BROOMES ISLAND/LUSBY: Vera's White Sands (1200 White Sands Dr., Lusby, 410-586-1182) has Don Ho music, pina coladas and pineapple-garnished entrees. Stoney's Seafood House (3939 Oyster House Rd., Broomes Island, 410-586-1888) serves crab cakes that this newspaper once crowned best in the area.

SOLOMONS ISLAND: Weekends, you can pull your boat right up to the dock and dine on the deck at Solomon's Pier Restaurant (14575 Solomons Island Rd., 410-326-2424), favored for its $11.95 Sunday brunch. Best for dinner is the Dry Dock Restaurant C St. (251 C St., 410-326-4817); try the pan-fried oysters. The C.D. Cafe (14350 Solomons Island Rd., 410-326-3877) is casual and surprisingly international.

ST. MARY'S CITY: The Brome-Howard Inn (18281 Rosecroft Rd., off Route 5, 301-866-0656) is for gourmands: tortellini with crab alfredo, sauteed fresh beans and carrots. Entrees average $20.

THE TOP OF THE BAY
Decoy Central, a shrine to the Ripkens and Revolutionary War lore

The Susquehanna River empties into the Chesapeake at Havre de Grace, a working-class town about an hour north of Baltimore that bills itself as the Decoy Capital of the World. Wide views along an expansive riverfront are highlighted by a mile-long boardwalk designed for strolling, not carnival games.

ATTRACTIONS AND DISTRACTIONS

ABERDEEN: The city salutes Maryland's famed family of baseball, the Ripkens, with exhibits and memorabilia at the small Ripken Museum (in the city hall building at Howard and Bel Air avenues, 410-273-2525; $3). Revolutionary War buffs will enjoy the collection of 8,000 pieces of artillery, including something crazy called a locomobile, at the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum at the Aberdeen Proving Ground (410-278-3602; free).

CHESAPEAKE CITY: Pick up a map at nearly any shop or B&B and follow it for a historic tour through this quaint 19th-century city. Guided tours are available (410-885-3415). Should the history of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal excite you, visit the dry but informative C&D Canal Museum (815 Bethel Rd., 410-885-5622; free).

ELK NECK STATE PARK: The preserve (I-95 to Exit 100, to Route 272 south) is surrounded by water on three sides and guarded by the Turkey Point Lighthouse.

SUSQUEHANNA STATE PARK: Three miles northwest of Havre de Grace (off Route 155, follow the signs, 410-557-7994) is a quick and scenic getaway for fishing, bird watching and horseback riding. Don't miss the Rock Run Grist Mill, with its large waterwheel and guttural rumbles. Avoid the outhouse, though.

SHOPPING

CHESAPEAKE CITY: This artists' haven is filled with gift and antiques shops and galleries on Bohemia Avenue and George Street. Back Creek General Store (100 Bohemia Ave., 410-885-5377) was painstakingly restored to its 1861 splendor. Chesapeake City Gift and Gourmet (208 George St., 410-885-2025) sells food and soaps.

HAVRE DE GRACE: The town's famed Antique Row (North Washington and St. John's streets, between Congress Avenue and Franklin Street) is perfect for shop-hopping.

STOPOVER TOWN

HAVRE DE GRACE: Strolling along the boardwalk on the lower end of the peninsula, you can visit the Concord Point Lighthouse, one of the oldest beacons in operation on the East Coast (see story, Page E10), and the Decoy Museum (215 Giles St., 410-939-3739; $4), with its 1,200 carved ducks. Take a weekend discovery cruise aboard the 32-passenger skipjack Martha Lewis (800-406-0766; $10); the six-passenger skipjack AppleGarth (410-879-6941; call for prices); or the Mississippi riverboat replica Lantern Queen (888-937-3740; public cruises Thursdays and Fridays, $30). Info: 410-939-3303.

LODGING

HAVRE DE GRACE: Soak in a claw-foot bathtub, eat warm scones in the dining room and relax by a 114-year-old fireplace at the cozy Vandiver Inn (301 S. Union Ave., 800-245-1655), where no Victorian detail is overlooked. Rooms start at $80. The Currier House (800 S. Market St., 410-939-7886; from $85) and the Spencer Silver Mansion (200 S. Union Ave., 800-780-1485; from $70) are other charming options.

CHESAPEAKE CITY: The Blue Max Inn (300 Bohemia St., 410-885-2781) is fantastically elegant, on an especially quiet, tree-covered corner. Author Jack Hunter wrote his 1964 novel "The Blue Max" there. Rooms start at $95. The Inn at the Canal (104 Bohemia St., 410-885-5995) occupies a romantic Victorian home from 1870. Rooms from $80.

PLACES TO EAT

ABERDEEN: Few diners are as authentic as the New Ideal Diner (104 S. Philadelphia Blvd., 410-272-1880), with its pea-green swivel chairs and 80-cent cups of coffee. Sit at the counter where Kay Burton's been a waitress for 16 years, and you're guaranteed to be called "hon" at least four times.

CHESAPEAKE CITY: Choose the Bayard House Restaurant (11 Bohemia Ave., 410-885-5040) for fine dining and a spectacular canal view. Have your after-dinner drinks at the circa-1780 bar downstairs. The casual and quaint Bohemia Cafe (401 Second St., 410-885-3066) is the place to go for breakfast.

HAVRE DE GRACE: Tourists may not frequent Price's (654 Water St., 410-939-2782), but the locals know it as the homey restaurant on the far end of town with the freshest crabs and buttery crab chowder. MacGregor's (331 St. John St., 800-300-6319) and Tidewater Grille (300 Foot of Franklin St., 410-939-3313) are popular waterfront spots.

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