Spanning across Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay features rivers, streams, and plenty to do for visitors. The Bay itself spans around 200 miles, and it’s one of the primary tourist attractions for the states where it has a presence. The Chesapeake Bay features opportunities for sailing, fishing, crabbing, swimming and more.
The Chesapeake Bay is a great place to head if you love the outdoors, or you’re planning to rent an RV and take a road trip.
The following are some points of interest to keep in mind if you’re thinking about making your way to the Chesapeake Bay.
Chesapeake City, Maryland
Chesapeake City is the only Maryland town located on a working commercial canal. The town is known for its 19th-century architecture, and the area of the town along the south bank is on the National Register of Historic Places. There are a city dock and harbor, and visitors can visit the Canal Museum.
There are views of vessels heading out to the ocean, charming stores, and the town is home to seasonal events and outdoor concerts.
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis has more buildings that survived from the 18th century than any other U.S. city. Annapolis is also known as America’s Sailing Capital. Along with sailing, Annapolis offers legendary carb cakes and lighthouses. It’s also home to the U.S. Naval Capital, and the Maryland State House which is the oldest state capitol still used.
Other places to visit in Annapolis include St. Anne’s Episcopal Church with Tiffany glass windows, and you can wander along Maryland Avenue for shopping and dining.
Urbanna, Virginia
Urbanna, Virginia is a more under-the-radar Chesapeake Bay town than some of the others on this list. It’s a tidewater town, often described as being off the beaten path. Urbanna is home of the official oyster festival of Virginia.
Along with the oyster festival, there are other community events like the Arts in the Middle Fine Arts Festival, the Urbanna Farmers Market, and you can get amazingly fresh seafood at the Urbanna Seafood Raw Bar and Market.
Eastern Shore Campgrounds
If you’re looking for Chesapeake Bay campgrounds, there are plenty to choose from. For example, there’s the Bay Shore Campground in Rock Hall, Maryland, featuring a beach, boat ramp, and playground.
There’s the Holiday Park Campground in Greensboro, Maryland, which features 200 acres and 200 wooded campsites, as well as river sites on the Choptank River.
Another option is Island Resort Co-Op RV Park, which is close to Ocean City in Newark, Maryland. The RV park has a pool and a catch-and-release fishing pond.
The Inner Harbor
Finally, no Chesapeake trip could be complete without going to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. The Inner Harbor is packed with plenty to do including the Maryland Science Center and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture.
There’s also the Port Discovery Children’s Museum, the Babe Ruth Museum, and the Harborplace shopping and entertainment complex. You can take a cruise on the bay or a trolley tour.