Away from the Crowds in Maryland

Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg is the place where in 1862 Confederate General Robert E. Lee first invaded the North, resulting in the bloodiest single-day battle known as the Battle of Antietam. You can take a self-guided auto tour of the battlefield or join a ranger-led group.

Check out the Newcomer House, an original home on the battlefield.

The Pry House Field Hospital Museum features a re-creation of an operating theater.

Assateague Island is a long barrier island located off the eastern shore of the Delmarva Peninsula facing the Atlantic Ocean. The northern 2/3rds are in Maryland, and the southern third is in the state of Virginia. The island is designated as the Assateague Island National Seashore. The island is best known for its herds of feral horses, pristine beaches, and coves. Also the Assateague Lighthouse. It has many marshes, bays, and coves.

Chesapeake Beach is a quiet beach town for enjoying the sand and the water. Visitors can go fishing or crabbing and explore Chesapeake Bay on a kayak or pontoon boat.

The Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum tells about the history of the town.

Families can enjoy the Chesapeake Beach Water Park.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Park was once the commercial artery providing goods to market from Maryland and West Virginia to Washington. The canal operated from 1831 to 1924 along the Potomac River between Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland. The canal is now maintained by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park with a trail that follows the old towpath.

Deep Creek Lake is the largest lake in the state. It is located west of the Eastern Continental Divide within the Mississippi River watershed. The park is home to black bears and wild turkeys. The lake is home to a variety of aquatic wildlife, like freshwater fish and aquatic birds.

Frederick is a western Maryland city with ties to the Civil War. Rent a bike and follow the 10-mile Frederick History Bicycle Loop, which stops at more than 20 historical sites. The city center is also where you'll find the Public Art Trail and the Frederick Wine Trail.

Among the highlights is Monocacy National Battlefield

The National Museum of Civil War Medicine

Greenwell State Park in St. Mary’s County offers ten miles of marked trails for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding. It is located on the Patuxent River. Other recreation includes picnicking, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing.

Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary is an amazing sanctuary with open water, marshes, and wetlands. A lot of wildlife call this their home. There are many miles of trails and boardwalks to explore. The wetlands with large strands of aquatic plants, among them wild rice, are home to many birds, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, and fish. Their mission is to create awareness and education of estuary conservation.

Papermoon Diner is a popular diner in Baltimore with caged dolls, a giant Pez collection, and many, many mannequins. (pictured above) Papermoon serves a lengthy list of sandwiches and snacks, Southern staples such as shrimp and grits, breakfast classics (served all day), and creative milkshakes, including bacon and Cap'n Crunch varieties.

St. Mary’s City is a former colonial town founded in 1634. It was the first European settlement and capital in Maryland. Today it is a state-run historic area that includes a reconstruction of the original colonial settlement and a designated living history venue and museum complex. Half of the area is occupied by the campus of St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The community is bordered by the St. Mary’s River, a short brackish water tidal tributary of the Potomac River near where it empties into the Chesapeake.