Water

Land

History

 

 

 

 

 

The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries reveal the tapestry that is Chesapeake Country.

Betterton Beach
With a gentle, sandy slope near the mouth of the Sassafras River, where fresh-water currents lower the salinity of the upper Chesapeake, Betterton Beach is one of a few bay beaches that is nettle-free. Once a deep water landing for steamboats, this recreational park now offers swimming, boating, fishing, picnicking. Stop and stretch your legs, cool off, and enjoy a picnic lunch in this 19th century waterfront trading village.

C&D Canal Museum
The Chesapeake & Delaware Canal runs 14 miles long, 450 feet wide and 35 feet deep, connecting the Delaware River with the Chesapeake Bay. Completed in 1829, the canal was hand-dug by some 2,600 men digging and hauling dirt from the ditch. Today, the canal is a modern, sea-level
commercial waterway that is the busiest canal in the United States and the 3rd busiest in the world. The waterwheel and pumping engines remain in the original pumphouse, which is now the museum. These steam engines are the oldest of their type in America that are still on their original foundations. The museum is open
year round, Monday-Friday, 8am to 4pm, year round.
Saturday - Sunday, 11am - 4pm, April - October. Admission is free.

Captains’ Houses of Centreville
The Captains’ Houses stand as sentinels to their own history. Though privately owned, these architecturally unique houses date
to the early 19th century. They were built by Captain John Ozmon for the captains and crew members of his Chesapeake Bay schooners.

Chesapeake Exploration Center’s “Our
Chesapeake Legacy”

This interactive exhibit at the Chesapeake
Exploration Center explores man’s close relationship with the Bay and how that relationship has shaped our culture and history, and conversely, how we have shaped the environment of the Bay. The
hands-on exhibit highlights topics such as the formation of the bay, the settlement of the region, the tobacco era, the seafood industry, the opening of the bay bridge, how we can save the bay, and much more. A great introduction to start your Chesapeake Country visit!

Crystal Beach
With wonderful river vistas, this sandy beach along the Elk River located at the end of Route 282, is open to the public. Picnic tables, a concession stand, and a fantastic view of Turkey Point offers a respite by the bay. (Admission fee)

Eastern Neck NWR
Located at the mouth of the Chester River,
Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge is a major feeding and resting place for migratory and wintering waterfowl. It is a benchmark site for remnant populations of the endangered Delmarva Fox Squirrel, now found in only 4 counties on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The threatened southern bald eagle, our national symbol, also calls this island refuge home. Nearly six miles of roads and trails are open to visitors most of the year. Boardwalks and observation decks provide opportunities to observe a variety of habitats


Rock Hall
Officially established in 1707, Rock Hall is
an important port of call. Rock Hall offers visitors numerous opportunities to experience the Chesapeake Bay and the heritage of this working waterfront community. Rock Hall Museum portrays a century of life in this town known as “The Pearl of the Chesapeake”; Tolchester Revisited Museum preserves the bygone era of a once popular bayside park 1877 to 1962; and the Waterman’s Museum presents the rich history of the maritime trades, which helped build this wonderful town. Visitor’s can charter a boat from the harbor, launch a boat at Bayside Landing, or relax by the Bay at Rock Hall Beach.

Schooner Sultana
Known as the “Schoolship of the Chesapeake”, the Schooner Sultana is a 1768 replica ship whose motto is “Preservation through Education.”
This sailing classroom hosts students throughout the region, exploring the life of an 18th century sailor, learning about history and the environment so that students gain a greater understanding of the national treasure that is the Chesapeake Bay. Public sails and numerous
ports of call are offered throughout the sailing season. Downrigging weekend in November attracts numerous tall ships to Chestertown.

Turner’s Creek
The marriage of history and recreation
make this 147-acre park a unique destination. The natural harbor of Turner’s Creek was once the site of a thriving local shipping port, disbursing agricultural goods throughout the Bay region. Now the tranquil harbor is home to several crabbing and fishing boats, a fishing pier, pavilion, and other recreational amenities.. The last remaining pre- Civil War granary along the rivers of the Chesapeake still stands on the site where an earlier commissary shipped supplies to Washington’s troops at Valley Forge. The park is also home to a colonial mansion known as Knock’s Folly .


Urieville Lake
Urieville Lake was a mill pond constructed
prior to the Revolutionary War. The mil (c. 1720), constructed by Colonel Isaac
Perkins, was charged milling flour for Washington’s Army. The lake, operated as a Freshwater Fishery by the Department of Natural Resources, offers fishing and picnicking. A great place to cast a line along the byway.