Summer fun isn’t quite over yet…… There are so many things to do and see right here in Maryland! I’ve listed some (not all) of the most exciting adventures that you can still have, very inexpensively, right here in Maryland! Plus I have some awesome pictures to show you just how much fun you can have along with the sights that you’ll see.
I have a bunch of great ideas listed for you below but you can also hop over to Visit Maryland for more info.
- Assateague Island
Just a short ride from the bustle of Ocean City, Assateague Island, with its pristine beaches and wild horses, is a great family getaway. Camp out on the beach or take a stroll on one of the nature walks. Did we mention that the place is full of wild horses? Wild horses!
My son recently went on a camping trip with Boy Scouts and went to Assateague and had a fabulous time! It was very early spring. I was amazed that those wild ponies just walk all over everywhere! I Loved seeing the pictures when they returned! The pictures above are from their camping trip – gorgeous sunsets, wild ponies, sand and sun…. What could be better?
- Calvert Cliffs
Kids (and science geeks of all ages) will love hanging out on the park’s beach looking for fossils (we’re talking shark’s teeth rather than T. Rex bones, but still…). Go after a storm, when fresh fossils wash ashore. My father still had the sharks teeth he found as a young man when he passed a few years back, and we’ve kept those for the grand kids. It’s an awesome place!
- Patapsco Valley State Park
Patapsco Valley State Park, along the Patapsco River, is one of Maryland’s oldest state parks, founded in 1907. The rough, hilly terrain in the valley makes it perfect for experienced bikers, and more casual riders will want to check out the trails near the top to see beautiful scenery, complete with waterfalls, bridges and stream crossings.
- C&O Canal / Great Allegheny Passage
Bike a stretch of the C&O Canal towpath on the Potomac River, stretching 184 miles to Cumberland—then continue on the Great Allegheny Passage and find out why National Geographic called this bike trail one of the “Top Ten 2012 Fall Trips in the World.” With 150 miles of trail from Cumberland, through Frostburg and West on to Pittsburgh, the Passage uses historic tunnels, viaducts and bridges for a smooth, journey through Western Maryland. Some experienced cyclists have biked the entire 330 mile traffic-free journey.
- Eastern Shore cycling
The flat, coastal roads of Maryland’s Eastern Shore make the Chesapeake Bike Tour an easy, enjoyable ride for sightseeing and relaxation. I call the Eastern Shore “God’s Country” but my mother just calls it “geese and corn fields!” Anyway, tour rides range from 20 to 45 miles, or longer if you feel ambitious! If you have kids working on a cycling merit badge for scouting this is definitely the place to ride – you want long stretches with flat ground! You can register for an organized tour with a group like Wilderness Voyageurs or tour at your own pace. With so much to do, consider an extended stay (at least four days). Tour St. Michaels, a quiet historic town on the Chesapeake Bay. From there, ride through inland farms and woodlands, eventually arriving in Oxford. Conclude the day by returning to St. Michaels aboard the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry or settle in on the porch overlooking the Chesapeake Bay at the Robert Morris Inn. It’s all good over on the shore!
The photo credits are below except my personal photos and they are as follows:
- Assateague – Laura Palescandolo
- Calvert Cliffs – Visit Maryland
- Patapsco Valley – Clark Vandergrift
- C&O Canal/Monocacy – Visit Maryland
- Great Allegheny Passage – Visit Maryland
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