Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
descript suburbs give way to unbroken miles of bird-dotted wetlands, serene water-
scapes, endless cornfields, sandy beaches and friendly little villages. The Eastern Shore
retains its charm despite the growing influx of city-dwelling yuppies and day-trippers.
This area revolves around the water: working waterfront communities still survive off
Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and boating, fishing, crabbing and hunting are integ-
ral to local life.
St Michaels & Tilghman Island
The prettiest little village on the Eastern Shore, St Michaels lives up to its motto as the
'Heart and Soul of Chesapeake Bay.' It's a mix of old Victorian homes, quaint B&Bs,
boutique shops and working docks, where escape artists from Washington mix with
salty-dog watermen. During the War of 1812, inhabitants rigged up lanterns in a nearby
forest and blacked out the town. British naval gunners shelled the trees, allowing St Mi-
chaels to escape destruction. The building now known as the
Cannonball House
(Mul-
berry St)
was the only structure to have been hit. At the lighthouse, the
Chesapeake Bay
Maritime Museum
(
410-745-2916;
www.cbmm.org
;
213 N Talbot St; adult/child $13/6;
9am-6pm summer;
)
delves into the deep ties between Shore folk and America's largest
estuary.
Talbot St; r incl breakfast $150-210; )
offers floral decadence (curtains, duvets) and
brass beds, plus a friendly welcome from its hospitable innkeepers.
Next door to the Maritime Museum, the
Crab Claw
( 410-745-2900; 304 Burns St;
mains $15-30; 11am-10pm)
has a splendid open-air setting at the water's edge. Get
messy eating delicious steamed crabs ($36 to $60 per dozen) at picnic tables.
At the end of the road over the Hwy 33 drawbridge, tiny
Tilghman Island
still runs a
working waterfront where local captains take visitors out on graceful oyster skipjacks;
15)
, built in 1886, is the oldest certified vessel of its kind.
Berlin & Snow Hill
Imagine 'small-town, main street Americana,' cute that vision up by a few points, and
you've come close to these Eastern Shore villages. Most of the buildings here are pre-
served or renovated to look preserved. Antiquity hunters will have to budget extra time
to browse the antique shops littering this area.
