Trips and Tips
Featured Events This Week
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Canal Boat Rides
All aboard! Canal boat rides have returned to Great Falls! Join the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for a memorable experience aboard the replica Charles F. Mercer excursion boat and enjoy a scenic trip along the canal. As you float down the canal you’ll hear the history…
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Suggested Trip
Following in the Footsteps of the Maryland Dove
On March 25, 1634, the Ark and the Dove landed at Saint Clements Island on the Potomac River, carrying the first European colonizers to Maryland. Commencing from the Isle of Wight, England, these two ships completed an arduous 123-day transatlantic voyage covering roughly 4,000 miles. The 400-ton capacity Ark carried about 140 colonists, their equipment and supplies, while the 40-ton capacity Dove transported cargo and was later used for coastal sailing,…
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Suggested Trip
Paddling in Otter Point Creek Natural Area
Paddle trails are at the top of my list of places where I’ll be surrounded with beautiful scenery while exploring via small watercraft. Also known as “water trails” or “blueways,” they typically have easy public access, an educational/interpretive component, and are located in undeveloped, protected places to ensure pristine, natural views. One of my favorite paddle trails, the 3.6 mile Anita C. Leight Estuary Center Paddle Trail, is in Otter Point Creek Natural Area, one of the largest…
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Top Paddling Trips on the Lower Shore
It’s no secret that the Eastern Shore of Maryland is an outdoorsman's paradise and a place of exceptional beauty and powerful history lessons. In particular, Dorchester County on the mid-shore, is garnering quite a bit of attention lately, as it has been listed in the top 25 Amazing Journeys for 2022 by National Geographic. With the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Dorchester County certainly deserves the…
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Suggested Trip
A Beautiful Eastern Shore Paddle and Visit to a Town with a Secret History
Some of my favorite things to do include paddling, bicycling, getting out in nature and seeing local history. In April 2022, I put this all together for a day of exploration and adventure in the area around Sharptown, in Wicomico County, Maryland. It was a beautiful spring day that ended up being both fun and educational.
Sharptown was built by the Nanticoke River and established as a shipbuilding town around 1769. Named after the…
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Family Fun
B.E.A.C.H.: Best Escape Anyone Can Have
It was beach season and the weather was gorgeous. I had vacation time to use, but my husband and two daughters were still tethered to their Zooms. So, I set out by myself to see how many sandy beaches in the Chesapeake watershed I could visit within a reasonable drive from our Annapolis, Maryland, home. Over five days, I made it to 32 beaches and enjoyed one of the most…
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