Falling for Maryland: Part II

This post covering august ideas for autumn getaways in Maryland is excerpted from my article in the September 22 edition of the Washington Post Magazine.   See Part I here.

Eastern Shore Escapes

On the Eastern Shore, St. Michaels is a beloved mecca for Washingtonians looking to escape the hustle and bustle of metropolitan life. Boat aficionados will fall for the first Annual Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival taking place at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum October 4-6. On November 2, the same facility celebrates the oyster with cooking demonstrations, harvesting displays, boat rides, and an oyster stew competition.

The Oxford-Bellevue Ferry 

While in the neighborhood, don’t miss the opportunity to ride the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry The historic craft is the oldest privately-operated ferry in the country, celebrating its 330th birthday this year.  You can walk on, drive on, or bring along a bicycle.

Elsewhere in Talbot County, Tilghman Day on October 19 explores the island’s heritage with  oyster shucking and crab picking contests, and boat races.  In Easton, the big event of the fall is The Waterfowl Festival, held at the Academy Art Museum. Taking wing between November 7-10, the time-honored Eastern Shore tradition pays homage to the annual migration of geese through wildlife-themed art and decoy auctions.

Kent County's Historical Society hosts the Chestertown House Tour and Art Walk on October 5.  It’s not your average house tour. Installation and performance art created by students from Washington College await  ticket holders in the homes of gardens of the historic district.  Art lovers can also enjoy the RiverArts Studio Tour. Running October 26-27 and November 2-3, 60 artists around the county open up their workplaces and sell art at studio prices.

Rock Hall has back-to-back weekend festivals featuring the world of shellfish. The Waterman’s Crab Feast is October 5 and the town’s annual Fall Fest celebrates the mighty oyster on October 12. Sea life of another kind is explored during Sultana Projects Downrigging Weekend, taking place in Chestertown from November 1-4. The Tall Ship and Wooden Boat Festival is the Mid-Atlantic’s largest annual gathering of ships, schooners and historic wooden boats.

Falling for Maryland: Part 1

This post covering august ideas for autumn getaways in Maryland is excerpted from my article in the September 22 edition of the Washington Post Magazine.  

Think fall travel and leaf peeping springs to mind. But around Maryland,  there’s a lot more to do come autumn than simply watch trees change color.

It is said that Maryland has more shoreline than any other state in the Lower 48. Thus, centering a trip around water is an easy seasonal optional. In fact, fall is the perfect time to head to the Eastern and Western Shores of the Chesapeake, or to Maryland’s Atlantic coast. Skies are sunny, waters are warm, fishing’s fine, and traffic is trivial.

Ocean City’s 10 miles of white-sand Atlantic beaches beckon throughout the fall. The resort’s boardwalk bustles with activity, as do the waters within its sight. This is the time to go boating or try out paddle boarding. It’s also a prime time for fishing in The White Marlin Capital of the World.  

Golfers will be quite happy teeing off as temperatures cool off. There are numerous championship courses in the area, surrounded by scenery ranging from preserved wetland to pristine woods..  

Special events during October involve family fun and food. Gourmands can indulge during Ocean City’s Fall Restaurant Weeks. Yes, that’s weeks, as in two  The table is set this year from October 13-27. OCtoberfest, held the weekends of October 19-20 and 26-27, is a combination celebration of Halloween and the hallowed beach.

Although Ocean City may be the best known city in Worcester County, the area offers an intriguing collection of smaller burgs.  Located only seven miles from the Atlantic Ocean, Berlin’s downtown is a National Register Historic District. But don’t let its historic nature fool you. It’s a trendy hot spot, with cool shops, outdoor eateries, and art galleries featuring modern and classic works.

On October 19, the streets of downtown go, appropriately, German-style. Berlin’s Octoberfest features a beer garden blooming with beer, bratwurst, strudel, and live music. No lederhosen required.The county’s European heritage is also on show in Snow Hall. On October 5 and 6, Furnace Town hosts the Chesapeake Celtic Festival, complete with bagpipes and Celtic grub and grog.

See Part II here.