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Destination Southern Maryland Official Travel Guide Flipbook PDF
Southern Maryland boasts a thousand miles of shoreline with fossil-laden cliffs, quiet tidal inlets and sandy beaches. T
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Come To The Place Where Time & Tide Meet!
DESTINATION
Southern Maryland
THE OFFICIAL
TRAVEL GUIDE CALVERT | CHARLES | ST. MARY’S
A Land of Rich Heritage and Natural Beauty Southern Maryland boasts a thousand miles of shoreline with fossil-laden cliffs, quiet tidal inlets and sandy beaches. The story of Maryland began here in the 17th century, with the landing of two small ships, The Ark and Dove, on March 25, 1634 at St. Clement’s Island. Native people lived on this land for many centuries before the arrival of the Ark and Dove. The profound history and remarkable beauty of Southern Maryland resonate throughout our three counties of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s.
Welcome to the Charm of Southern Maryland. Start your journey at one of our Welcome Centers to find useful resources and tools to guide your visit.
SOLOMONS VISITOR CENTER 14175 Solomons Island Rd South • Solomons, MD 20688 410.326.6027 • info@choosecalvert.com www.ChooseCalvert.com
CRAIN MEMORIAL WELCOME CENTER 12480 Crain Highway • Newburg, MD 20664 800.766.3386 • WelcomeCenter@CharlesCountyMd.gov www.ExploreCharlesCounty.com
PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR MUSEUM & VISITOR CENTER 22156 Three Notch Road • Lexington Park, MD 20653 301.863.1900 • association@paxmuseum.com www.VisitStMarysMD.com
Calvert County Markers 1 - 10
“Catch our drift” in a relaxing waterside community featuring the best of the Chesapeake Bay lifestyle. With pristine waterways, natural parks, unique attractions and fun-filled events and activities, Calvert County offers charming Chesapeake adventures.
Charles County Markers 11 - 20
Historic, mysterious, romantic, courageous and, most definitely, larger than life — Charles County is a captivating escape to create your own adventures, memories, and stories in this land of “Legends, Lore and Room to Explore.”
St. Mary’s County Markers 21 - 30
Discover the mid-Atlantic's best kept travel secret in St. Mary’s County. This Chesapeake Bay destination is brimming with history, outdoor fun, vibrant culture — and passionate people eager to share it all with you.
Calvert County
AMERICAN CHESTNUT LAND TRUST
1
Twenty miles of serene public hiking trails in three locations make this a great place to hike and explore. Guided canoe trips, guided hikes and a donation farm program round out the opportunities for people to connect with the land. south trail: 2650 Scientists Cliffs Rd Port Republic, MD 20676 north trail: 676 Double Oak Rd Prince Frederick, MD 20678 pf2bay trail: 105 Vianney Lane Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410.414.3400 • www.acltweb.org
ANNMARIE SCULPTURE GARDEN & ARTS CENTER
2
Annmarie Garden is located in Solomons on St. Johns Creek. The sculpture garden's walking path meanders through woods past works on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. The Arts Building hosts exhibits, a gift shop, a Nature Nook and a drop-in creativity space. All ages will enjoy events, public art programs and the beautiful garden setting. 13480 Dowell Rd Dowell, MD 20629 410.326.4640 www.annmariegarden.org
BATTLE CREEK CYPRESS SWAMP SANCTUARY
3
This 100-acre ecological sanctuary includes the northernmost naturally occurring stand of bald cypress trees in America. A nature trail features an elevated boardwalk. The Nature Center houses live animals and exhibits. Classes, demonstrations, field trips and special programs are offered throughout the year. 2880 Grays Rd Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410.535.5327 www.co.cal.md.us/BattleCreek
BAYSIDE HISTORY MUSEUM
4
This cultural history museum features a "Day at the Beach" exhibit including fossils, boats, beach glass and Chesapeake Beach Amusement Park exhibits and carousel animals. Also featured are memorabilia from the slot machine era and the history of motorcycles in the beaches. 4025 4th St North Beach. MD 20714 410.610.5970 www.baysidehistorymuseum.org
CALVERT CLIFFS STATE PARK
5
Hike through this 1,460-acre wooded state park to the majestic Calvert Cliffs on the Chesapeake Bay. The park is ideal for hiking, picnicking, fishing and fossil hunting, and includes a large tire playground. 10540 H.G. Trueman Rd Lusby, MD 20657 301.743.7613 www.dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/ pages/southern/calvertcliffs.aspx
Calvert County
CALVERT MARINE MUSEUM
6
The only museum on the East Coast with two lighthouses and two iconic Chesapeake work boats that can take visitors out on the water. Come and learn how the prehistoric past, maritime heritage and natural environments come together to tell a unique story of the Chesapeake Bay. See skates, rays, river otters and fish in the aquariums, and the largest collection of Miocene fossils anywhere outside of the Smithsonian. 14200 Solomons Island Rd Solomons, MD 20688 410.326.2042 www.calvertmarinemuseum.com
CHESAPEAKE BEACH RAILWAY MUSEUM
7
Experience the history of the early 20th-century Chesapeake Beach Railway and amusement park with photos, memorabilia and artifacts. The museum building is the only surviving depot from the railway and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 4155 Mears Ave Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732 410.257.3892 • www.cbrm.org
FLAG PONDS NATURE PARK
8
The park includes sandy beaches, freshwater ponds and views of Calvert Cliffs, along with hiking trails, fossil hunting, observation platforms, wetlands boardwalk, fishing pier and visitors center with wildlife exhibits. Picnic tables and grills are provided. 1525 Flag Ponds Parkway Lusby, MD 20657 410.586.1477 • 410.535.5327 www.co.cal.md.us/FlagPonds
JEFFERSON PATTERSON PARK & MUSEUM
9
Nearly 70 archaeological sites on the property reflect more than 8,000 years of human occupation. Included are a visitor center, exhibit barn, gift shop, hiking trails, a re-created Indian Village and canoe/kayak launch. Also on the grounds is the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory. 10515 Mackall Rd St. Leonard, MD 20685 410.586.8501 • www.jefpat.org
KINGS LANDING PARK
10
This 260-acre park on the Patuxent River and Cocktown Creek offers a fishing pier, canoe/kayak launch, swimming pool, picnic shelters, wetlands boardwalk, horse ring and Tom Wisner Hall for meetings and receptions. 3255 Kings Landing Rd Huntingtown, MD 20639 410.535.2661 www.co.cal.md.us/KingsLandingPark
Charles County
DR. SAMUEL MUDD HOUSE
11
Featured on “Maryland Civil War Trails: Escape of an Assassin,” the house and farm commemorate the life of Dr. Samuel Mudd, the physician who treated the injured leg of John Wilkes Booth after he assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in April of 1865. 3725 Dr. Samuel Mudd Rd Waldorf, MD 20608 301.274.9358 • drmudd.org
PORT TOBACCO HISTORIC VILLAGE
12
The first incorporated community in Maryland, the village currently offers 3 sites open to the public with seasonal guided tours, special events and educational activities by appointment. A stop on several of the state and national scenic byways visitors are encouraged to stop at the village and enjoy a tour and scenic picnic venue. 8430 Commerce St Port Tobacco, MD 20677 301.392.3418 www.ExploreCharlesCounty.com
SMALLWOOD’S RETREAT & STATE PARK
13
Located on a Potomac River tributary this 628-acre park was home to Revolutionary War General William Smallwood, known as Smallwood’s Retreat. The park features a marina, boat launch, camping, tournamentlevel bass fishing and the Mattawoman Creek Art Center. 2750 Sweden Point Rd Marbury, MD 20658 301.743.7613 www.dnr.maryland.gov
ST. IGNATIUS CHURCH, CEMETERY & ST. THOMAS MANOR HOUSE
14
Founded in 1641 and located on a 120 foot bluff overlooking the confluence of the Potomac and Port Tobacco Rivers, St. Ignatius Church is the nation’s oldest active parish with a continual pastorate and is featured on the state designated Religious Freedom National Scenic Byway. 8855 Chapel Point Rd Port Tobacco, MD 20677 301.934.8245 • www.chapelpoint.org
THOMAS STONE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
15
This site features Haberdeventure, the National Park Service operated home of five generations of the Stone family, including Thomas Stone, one of Maryland’s signers of the Declaration of Independence. The park includes a visitor’s center, cemetery and special events. 6655 Rose Hill Rd Port Tobacco, MD 20677 (301) 392-1776 • www.nps.gov/thst
Charles County
HISTORIC BENEDICT AREA SERENITY FARM An agritourism event destination with National Trails, petting zoo, and historic African American burial ground.
16
6932 Serenity Farm Rd Benedict, MD 20612 301.274.3829 www.serenityfarminc.com MAXWELL HALL PARK Open 8 a.m. to dusk (weather permitting) Scenic equestrian and hiking trails. 6680 Maxwell Hall Dr Hughesville, MD 20637 301.932.3470 www.CharlesCountyParks.com
INDIAN HEAD RAIL TRAIL A 13.1 mile paved rail trail that connects the Town of Indian Head with White Plains areas of Charles County. This former railroad corridor is now a regional favorite for runners, cyclists and nature enthusiasts. The IHRT passes through the scenic Mattawoman Creek stream valley.
17
Indian Head to White Plains, MD 301.932.3470 www.CharlesCountyParks.com
PARKS IN CHARLES COUNTY
18
Gilbert Run Park
National, State and County parks offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities. Camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, paddling, skate boarding horseback riding, bird watching and historic sites located in a variety of beautiful natural settings entice visitors and citizens alike to gravitate to the great outdoors. 1.800.766.3386 www.ExploreCharlesCounty.com
WATER TRAILS OF CHARLES COUNTY
19
Mallows Bay
Mattawoman Creek, Mallows Bay, Nanjemoy Creek and the Port Tobacco River. Explore the county by water. Free, water-resistant, water trail maps of the Charles County section of the Potomac River and her tributaries, include access points and natural history information. 1.800.766.3386 www.ExploreCharlesCounty.com
WATERFRONT DINING IN CHARLES COUNTY
20
Cobb Island
Cobb Island, Popes Creek in Newburg, Benedict & Port Tobacco boast restaurants located on the waterfront featuring steamed Maryland crabs and succulent seafood with easy access by land and water. 1.800.766.3386 www.ExploreCharlesCounty.com
St. Mary’s County
PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR MUSEUM
21
This is the nation’s only museum dedicated to naval aviation research, development, testing and evaluation. The museum features an outdoor aircraft park and exhibits dedicated to flight milestones beginning with the Navy’s first airplane up to today’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. 22156 Three Notch Rd Lexington Park, MD 20653 301.863.1900 • www.paxmuseum.org
SOTTERLEY PLANTATION
22
This early 18th-century Tidewater plantation overlooking the Patuxent River features a manor house of unique construction, a slave cabin, numerous outbuildings, and gardens and nature trails set within a rolling landscape. Sotterley is a National Historic Landmark. 44300 Sotterley Lane Hollywood, MD 20636 301.373.2280 • 800.681.0850 www.sotterley.org
ST. CLEMENT’S ISLAND MUSEUM & ST. CLEMENT’S ISLAND
23
The museum tells the story of Maryland’s founding which took place in 1634 on nearby St. Clement’s Island. A massive cross on the island commemorates the event and shares the site with Blackistone Lighthouse. A seasonal water taxi runs on weekends from the museum to the island. 38370 Point Breeze Rd Coltons Point, MD 20626 301.769.2222 www.stmarysmd.com/recreate
PINEY POINT LIGHTHOUSE, MUSEUM & PARK
24
The oldest lighthouse on the Potomac River presides over a waterside park with a kayak launch, pier and picnic area. Museum exhibits include historic wooden boats of the Chesapeake Bay, lighthouse history, and that of a WWII German submarine submerged just offshore. 44720 Lighthouse Rd Piney Point, MD 20674 301.994.1471 www.stmarysmd.com/recreate
HISTORIC ST. MARY’S CITY
25
This museum of living history and archaeology sits atop the site of Maryland’s first colony and first capital. Here, visitors are encouraged to experience life in the 17th century. Visit a tall ship, an early plantation, an Indian hamlet, and other indoor and outdoor exhibits spread across 800 acres along the St. Mary’s River. 18751 Hogaboom Lane (Visitor Center off Rte. 5) St. Mary’s City, MD 20686 240.895.4990 • 800.762.1634 www.hsmcdigshistory.org
St. Mary’s County
HISTORIC LEONARDTOWN, WATER TRAIL & WINERY
26
The Arts & Entertainment District around the town square boasts small shops, galleries and restaurants. Nearby are historic Tudor Hall, the Old Jail Museum, & a waterside park. The town also features the Port of Leonardtown Winery—one of the nation’s only cooperative wineries, and McIntosh Run water trail which winds through woodland and out into the open waters of Breton Bay.
22500 Washington St Leonardtown, MD 20650 301.475.9791 www.visitstmarysmd.com/leonardtown
POINT LOOKOUT STATE PARK, LIGHTHOUSE & CIVIL WAR SITES
27
Swimming, fishing, boating and camping are but a few of the outdoor activities visitors enjoy at this popular state park at St. Mary’s southern tip. There is also a lighthouse and rich Civil War history to explore. Visit Fort Lincoln and the Civil War Museum on park grounds, and Civil War monuments outside its entrance.
11175 Point Lookout Rd Scotland, MD 20687 301.872.5688 www.dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands southern/pointlookout.asp
GREENWELL STATE PARK & FOUNDATION
28
Located along the scenic Patuxent River, the 600-acre park features hiking and riding trails through woods and along the water, paddle launches, and picnic areas. Greenwell is a Maryland Horse Discovery Center offering trail rides and other equestrian activities including a therapeutic riding program. 25420 Rosedale Manor Lane Hollywood, MD 20636 301.373.9775 • 301.872.5688 www.greenwellfoundation.org
WATERMEN’S HERITAGE TOURS, LIGHTHOUSE & SUNSET EXCURSIONS
29
Watermen Heritage Tours introduce participants of all ages to the natural beauty, ecology, and heritage of the region's waterways. Visitors may also enjoy a cruise out to area lighthouses or a sunset excursion. Book in advance. 50126 Dove Cove Rd Dameron, MD 20628 301.904.0935 • 301.872.4041 www.mdcharterfishing.com
ST. GEORGE ISLAND & THE LOWER POTOMAC
30
This low-lying island (near the mouth of the Potomac River and the nearby areas of Tall Timbers, Piney Point and Drayden) offers camping, lodging, waterside dining and paddling opportunities. Off-the-beaten-path finds include the restored African American Schoolhouse in Drayden. 800.327.9023 (Option #2) www.visitstmarysmd.com
Explore all there is to see and do…
Where Time& Tide Meet!
SOLOMONS ISLAND
LA PLATA
LEONARDTOWN
Land of Legends
Did You Know… Maryland is the birthplace of religious freedom in the United States? An Act Concerning Religion passed on April 21, 1649 formalized the religious tolerance that had been practiced since the charter of Maryland, a very unusual arrangement in the 1600’s! The second Lord Baltimore warned his Catholic and Protestant colonists that they were not to give offense to one another in matters of religion.
The descendants of the original people of Maryland are still here? Native peoples encountered by European settlers included bands of the Piscataway. The Piscataway Conoy Tribe and the Piscataway Indian Nation are still a vital part of the Southern Maryland community, recognized by the State of Maryland, and holding events throughout the year!
You might find a 23-million year old Magalodon tooth on a Southern Maryland Beach? Calvert Cliffs State Park, Chesapeake Beach, Purse State Park, and Flag Ponds Nature Park are only a few of the locations that boast amazing fossil hunting. Calvert Marine Museum is the official repository of Maryland’s rich and diverse fossil finds and collections housing more than 100,000 fossils.
Key FEATURED SITE
BREWERY
HOSPITAL
DISTILLERY
VISITOR CENTER
WINERY
ADDITIONAL POINT OF INTEREST
We’re just a hop, skip and jump away! Southern Maryland is a short drive from the cities of Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Annapolis and Richmond.
DestinationSouthernMaryland.com CALVERT COUNTY Calvert County Department of Economic Development 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, MD 20678 410.535.4583 • www.ChooseCalvert.com CHARLES COUNTY Charles County Government Division of Tourism 8190 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco, MD 20677 1.800.766.3386 • www.ExploreCharlesCounty.com ST. MARY’S COUNTY St. Mary’s County Tourism 23115 Leonard Hall Drive, P.O. Box 653, Leonardtown, MD 20650 800.766.3385 • www.VisitStMarysMD.com
This publication was funded in part by the Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium, the Maryland Heritage Area Authority, and the Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland. Printed with responsibly sourced materials.