ROAD TRIPS: THE GREAT CHESAPEAKE BAY 1/6 vert Farther south, we began our island-hopping adventure in the tiny fishing communities of Smith Island and Deal Island. In Deal, we toured a little dockside place called Island Seafood where the owner showed us the day’s catch of live crabs, pufferfish and seahorses he had caught right off the dock. The real reason for the island excursion, though, was dessert. Everyone knows about Smith Island Cake, Maryland’s official state dessert, made of layer upon layer of wafer-thin yellow cake and rich chocolate icing. But my wife wanted to try the less famous Deal Island Devil Cake. She still prefers Smith Island Cake, but—with its thick layers of German chocolate cake slathered in an otherworldly white, buttercream icing—I’m a Deal Island Devil man. Try them both and decide for yourself. After a side trip to see the wild ponies on the beach at Assateague Island National Seashore, we made our way across the mouth of the Chesapeake and into Southern Maryland on the bay’s Western Shore. We visited Historic St. Mary’s City and mingled with Colonial re-enactors, then headed to Solomons Island to tour the famous Calvert 14 ✥ VISITMARYLAND.ORG | 1-877-333-4455 Pictured Clockwise: Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons; U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis; The Godiah Spray Tobacco Plantation at Historic St. Mary’s City CAKE WARS & DESSERT ISLANDS Marine Museum. My 4-year-old loved the giant megalodon shark skeleton, and my wife posted about a hundred pictures of Calvert, Chessie-Grace and Chumley, the museum’s three adorable river otters. After touring the Drum Point Lighthouse, my 7-year-old decided he is going to be a lighthouse keeper. Our kids spent the next day at Six Flags America with their grandparents, meeting Batman and riding roller coasters. My wife and I had a rare evening together in Annapolis. We walked the bricked streets by the U.S. Naval Academy and took in the million-dollar mega yachts of “Ego-Alley” over rum drinks at Pusser’s Caribbean Grille. I didn’t want our Great Chesapeake journey to end. OH SAY, CAN WE COME BACK DAD? Our last big stop was in Baltimore, where we stayed in the waterfront neighborhood of Fells Point. We spent the day riding the Water Taxi and took selfies at Fort McHenry on the ramparts that inspired the National Anthem, toured the National Aquarium in Baltimore and walked to Camden Yards to see the Orioles play the Red Sox. We didn’t catch a home run ball, but the Oriole Bird did kiss my 4-year-old. It was a perfect end to a perfect road trip. The next morning at work, I wondered, “When are we going back to the Great Chesapeake Bay?” ✥ Maryland scenic driving tours are designed to take travelers to new experiences throughout the state. Find out more at VisitMaryland.org/scenic-byways. PHOTO: LAURA PALESCANDOLO
Maryland Official Visitors Guide 2019 Maryland Official Visitors Guide: Page 14
