86 miles S of Annapolis; 101 miles S of Baltimore; 69 miles SE of Washington, D.C.; 173 miles SW of Wilmington

The Free State got its start here, where the Potomac River meets the Chesapeake Bay, in 1634. The settlers came here to start a colony based on freedom of conscience, and a sense of democracy that welcomed people of other faiths and other nations. It was here that the first man of color was able to participate in representative government

St. Mary's City is situated on a lovely but remote peninsula, in a county dotted with aging tobacco barns and laced with rivers and creeks. Nearby Lexington Park, the county's biggest town, is the home of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station.

St. Mary's City is a quick hop from Annapolis, Washington, or Baltimore. Or combine a visit with a stay in Solomons for a quintessential Chesapeake Bay vacation.