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Even though we live pretty close to the water, there is nothing better than spending a few days at the seaside.  The go to destination for our family is Calvert County, Maryland.  Located about 60 miles outside of Washington, D.C., this allows us to wake up and hear the waters of the Chesapeake Bay lapping on the beach while still being close enough to home that the drive is very easy.  The jewel for any visitor to Calvert County is, of course, Solomons Island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A nice way to begin a visit is with a visit to to Calvert Marine Museum.  We had visited once when the children were younger, but they generally like museums and I thought it made sense to take them now that they could fully understand and appreciate all of the exhibits.  The museum gives a really nice overview of the area’s history, including pre-historic natural history.  The museum contains an extensive exhibit on local pre-historic fossils, traces the history of the local maritime economy, an aquarium of local marine life, and a chance to enter and tour Drum Point light house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the biggest draws in this part of Maryland is the significant number of fossils that can be seen by visitors.  The biggest draw for fossil hunters is Calvert Cliffs State Park.  This beautiful park draws many people for the excellent hiking trails (you can read about our hiking experience here), the previously mentioned fossil hunters, and one of the few local beaches available to the public (included with entrance fee).  Even if hiking isn’t the primary purpose of your visit, the walk to the beach and cliffs requires a 1.8 mile trip down one of the trails.  Since we had never been to cliffs and the beach we made that our goal for the day.
I was fortunate to be offered a pair of Renegade Rock shorts from our friends at KÜHL (Disclaimer: These shorts were a gift from the manufacturer).  Fortunately the shorts arrived just before this trip and I can’t think of a better place to wear them.  The light weight, quick drying material is perfect for hot, humid Chesapeake Bay summers.  In addition to wearing them on this short hike, I also wore them while kayaking in the bay, and to dinner in Solomons Island (where I received a compliment on them!).  I really do find these a perfect short for any outdoor activity while also looking nice enough to wear into shops and restaurants around town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due to erosion in recent years, the beach under the cliffs is now closed but you do get an opportunity to see them from fairly close an don’t have any people between you and the view.  The beach is typical of the western shore, flat and sandy with a gradual slope in to the bay.  For beach goers, the park has a box of beach toys available for visitors to borrow which I though was a nice touch. During our visit in July, there was a portable restroom close to the beach.  I’m not sure if this is always there or only in the summer months.  Though we did spend some time on the beach and even found a couple of fossils, we all agreed that the beautiful walk to and from the beach was the highlight.

Most day trippers visit Solomons Island for the shops and a scenic meal, but we did we tried something new on our latest visit.  We booked a boat trip (through the Marine Museum) on the W.B.Tennison.  The boat departs from underneath the lighthouse behind the Calvert Marine Museum and was an enjoyable way to spend an hour.  The narrated trip on this former oyster boat takes you through Back Creek around the point of Solomons Island and back up the other side of the island through the Patuxent River.  The trip lasts about an hour and is a nice way to see Solomons Island from a different perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dining

Solomons Island has lot of dining options.  Here were our favorites from our most recent visit.

We made to sure to make another visit to family favorite, Island Hideaway.  On our last visit, two years ago, we had the best Old Bay wings we’d ever tasted.  While the wings weren’t quite as outstanding as our last visit, they were very good again.  They also serve a nice crab cake sandwich and have outdoor seating on the water (along Back Creek).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also made a return visit to the Pier.  Our first visit here in 2020 was so excellent, and since it had been a few years since we had returned we thought it time for another meal.  I recommend asking to sit outside along the river and enjoy some excellent seafood and salads.

One place we had never visited, though locals have continued to recommend it was the Ruddy Duck.  In a rare unanimous family vote, everyone really enjoyed their meal here and wanted to return.  We ended up eating here twice during our week.  This local brew pub delivers a nice variety of foods, while keeping the menu small enough to do everything well.  We were very pleased to discover the Ruddy Duck and it will definitely become part of routine for future visits to the area.

While we have been to Solomons Island on many hot days and we love ice cream, we finally made our first ice cream purchase in the town.  We took the opportunity to have some ice cream at Birr Ice Cream, Shakes, and Crepes.  The interior doesn’t have a large seating area, but we were all able to enjoy our generous portions on benches across from the shop along the river.

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