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Maryland: Cycling the Chesapeake Bay
Activity Level:
Easy |
Daily Mileage:
13 - 32 mi |
Daily Biking:
2 - 4 hr
Land only
6 days from only
$1895
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Easton/Warm-up ride/Welcome reception
Make your own arrangements for travel to Maryland. If you're
flying to Baltimore, VBT will offer a shuttle from the Baltimore-Washington
International Airport (BWI). The shuttle works on a “show and go” basis and
will make its only departure from the airport to the inn at 1:00 p.m. Shuttle
reservations are not required or available. The shuttle will depart from the lower
level, the baggage claim level, at Door 10 on the inner roadway. Your shuttle
bus will carry “Go The Airport Shuttle” titles, and the driver will be holding
a VBT sign.
If you are scheduled to arrive at the airport after 1:00
p.m. or are delayed, you must take a taxi or bus at your own expense. If you
are driving to the tour, we recommend that you leave your vehicle in Easton
while on tour. You can park at the Tidewater Inn while on tour (Sunday to
Thursday nights inclusive). You may return to this location at the end of the
tour by way of the VBT van.
If you are delayed or
your travel plans change, please contact the first inn; they will pass your
message to your VBT Trip Leaders.
Our group meets at the Tidewater Inn to begin your Maryland
vacation. After settling in, explore the village from the hotel's central
location. At 3:00 p.m., join your VBT Trip Leaders for a safety and
bike-fitting session, followed by a short warm-up ride. At 5:00 p.m., meet up
with the group for an orientation and welcome reception before a 7:00 p.m.
dinner at the inn.
Day 2 - Ride the Oxford & St. Michaels Trail/Lunch in St. Michaels/Guided visit to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Today you are in for a treat. The Oxford/St. Michaels loop
is considered one of the premiere biking routes on the east coast. We ride a
clockwise route from our inn to Oxford. Worth a stop, this 17th-century town
has a long tradition of boat building
Next, we’ll take our bikes onboard the modest
Oxford-Bellevue ferry, the oldest privately owned ferry still in operation in
America. Once in Bellevue, we ride towards St. Michaels, a small bayside town
on a long, narrow neck of land. Along the way, we’ll pass though Royal Oak.
We’ll break for an included lunch in St. Michaels. Afterward, our group will have a guided tour of the
impressive Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. The museum is made up of more than
ten exhibit buildings, the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse, a working boatyard
and the world's largest collection of Bay boats. Plus, St. Michaels offers
wonderful shopping, snacking and plenty of people watching opportunities.
After our visit in St. Michaels, we’ll hop back on our bikes
and ride to our Easton hotel. Easton has
been featured on “best small towns in America” lists. The village is small in
scale, but packed with great dining, antiques, galleries and shopping. Our
comfortable inn has played a central role in the village since 1712. Recently
renovated, it features great eating and drinking at Hunters' Tavern.
For dinner, choose from one of the fine restaurants in
town.
Day 3 - Ride the farmlands of Talbot County/Cordova/Dairy visit and hand-crafted cheese tasting
More than half of the land in Talbot County is devoted to
farming and we’ll spend the morning riding through its wide-open agricultural
terrain.
We divert from the rows of wheat, corn and soybeans, riding
on shaded lanes leading down to rewarding views of the Choptank River. Stop at
Kingston Landing for a relaxing respite. The river’s edge is an active birding
area and you may spot Bald Eagles, Yellow-throated Warblers or Indigo Buntings.
Later, we’ll ride on to the sleepy town of Cordova. You might
enjoy exploring the town’s two general stores before we turn west, riding back
towards Easton. En route to our inn, we’ll stop for a picnic lunch on the
grounds of a family run farm. After our picnic, we’ll meet Eric and Holly and
their grass-fed girls for an introduction into the dairy operation at work.
Before hitting the road, we sample the artisanal cheeses and other products
made here at Chapel’s Country Creamery.
Tonight's dinner is at one of Easton's popular
restaurants.
Day 4 - Sail to Rock Hall / Eastern Neck Island National Wildlife Refuge
This morning, board the HM Krentz for a sail north through
the Kent Narrows to Rock Hall. Our skipper, Captain Ed, has spent almost 35
years dredging oysters and sailing skipjacks for his livelihood and his boat,
the HM Krentz, is a broad-beamed former working skipjack. Her stable decks are
perfect for catching sea air.
On arrival in Rock Hall, we shuttle to our inn for the next
two nights. Our hosts Jim and Joanne welcome us. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch on
the grounds, and then we'll continue our ride to the Eastern Neck Island
National Wildlife Refuge, a haven for more than 240 bird species. You might
want to take a walk along the Tubby Cove Boardwalk. This wooden boardwalk
extends over the marsh to a wooded island. Once on the island, the boardwalk
continues to two viewing platforms, and a rough walking trail off of the main
path ends at an elevated viewing platform providing vistas of the Chesapeake
Bay and into Tubby Cove and Calf pasture Cove.
Return to the inn where a swim in the pool and a cool drink
on the dock may be in order! Dinner is
on your own tonight in one of Rock Hall's restaurants.
Day 5 - Ride to Chestertown
We ride north today to Chestertown, an historic colonial
town located on the Chester River. Chestertown was founded in 1705, and became
one of Maryland's six Royal Ports of Entry, and in the mid-eighteenth century
it was the second leading port in Maryland.
With this designation and the resulting shipping business, the town
became quite wealthy, as heralded by the brick mansions and townhouses along
the waterfront. Your leaders will offer you a self-guided cycling tour of the
historic section of Chestertown.
Continue exploring along the town's brick sidewalks,
visiting shops and galleries along the way. While you're in Chestertown, take
the time to enjoy lunch on your own at a local cafe, the bakery or one of the
town's numerous restaurants. Your leaders will provide you with some great
recommendations.
If you prefer a non-riding option today, you may spend the
day at the inn, or spend time browsing the charming shops and relaxing in the
cafes in Rock Hall.
Tonight we celebrate with a festive farewell dinner.
Day 6 - Depart Rock Hall
Our tour concludes after breakfast at our inn. Our included
shuttle is available to take you back to the Baltimore-Washington International
Airport (BWI), arriving around 12:00 p.m.
We suggest a flight out of BWI no earlier than 2:00 p.m. We will shuttle
guests who have cars parked at the Tidewater Inn, too. This shuttle will arrive
at the inn at around 12:00 p.m.
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