Getting There

By Plane

The gateway to Maryland is Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), 10 miles south of Baltimore and 20 miles north of Annapolis. Hundreds of domestic and international flights arrive daily, and it's a hub for several airlines. Most cities and towns are also convenient to Washington Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, both major international airports but deep in the heart of many D.C. traffic jams.

Most major airlines fly into BWI, including Air Canada Jazz (tel. 888/247-2262), American (tel. 800/433-7300), British Airways (tel. 800/247-9297), Continental (tel. 800/525-0280), Delta (tel. 800/221-1212), Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525), Southwest (tel. 800/435-9792), United (tel. 800/241-6522), and U.S. Airways (tel. 800/428-4322).

Commuter flights fly into Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport, near Ocean City, Maryland.

Delaware does not have its own major airport. Located within easy reach are Philadelphia International Airport, 30 minutes from downtown Wilmington and 1 1/2 hours from Dover; BWI, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours to most points in Delaware; and Washington Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours to most points in Delaware. In addition, New Castle County Airport, about 5 miles south of Wilmington, serves private craft.

Don't Fly to Just BWI! -- Check all the airports in the Maryland/D.C. area -- Reagan National, Dulles, and BWI -- when scouting for low fares. With sales and promotions, one fare could be significantly lower than others. All three are accessible to the major destinations in the region. Shuttle service will take visitors from Philadelphia International Airport to Wilmington and other Delaware sites. PHL is also convenient for visitors to Havre de Grace and other Harford County locations.

Immigration & Customs Clearance -- Foreign visitors arriving by air, no matter what the port of entry, should cultivate patience and resignation before setting foot on U.S. soil. U.S. airports have considerably beefed up security clearances in the years since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and clearing Customs and Immigration can take as long as 2 hours.

People traveling by air from Canada, Bermuda, and certain Caribbean countries can sometimes clear Customs and Immigration at the point of departure, which is much faster.

By Car

The Eastern Seaboard's major north-south link from Maine to Florida, I-95, passes through Wilmington and Newark in Delaware as well as Baltimore and central Maryland. Other interstate highways that traverse Maryland are I-83, which connects Baltimore with Harrisburg and points north, and I-70 and I-68, which connect Western Maryland to the rest of the state and to Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. There are no other interstates in Delaware, but to access the state from Maryland and points south, use U.S. Route 13 or Route 113.

Maps and brochures are available at visitor information centers on I-95, I-70, and I-68. Most are open only from 9am to 5pm. Some locations even offer hotel reservations services.

By Train

Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL; www.amtrak.com) offers frequent daily service to Baltimore, at both Pennsylvania Station (downtown) and BWI Airport Rail Station, and to the Wilmington station at 100 S. French St. (at Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd.). There's also daily service to Newark, Delaware; and Aberdeen and New Carrollton, Maryland. Amtrak has limited service to and from the west at Cumberland and Rockville, Maryland. The high-speed Acela train runs along the Northeast Corridor.

MARC (tel. 800/325-RAIL) commuter service runs between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore during the week. MARC also serves Western Maryland in Brunswick and Frederick.

By Bus

Greyhound (tel. 800/231-2222; www.greyhound.com) serves major points in Maryland and Delaware, including Wilmington and Dover, Annapolis, Baltimore, Ocean City, Easton, and Frederick, with express service from New York City to Baltimore (at South Baltimore and East Baltimore's Travel Plaza).

By Ferry

The Cape May-Lewes Ferry travels daily between southern New Jersey and the lower Delaware coast. This 70-minute crossing is operated on a drive-on, drive-off basis and can accommodate up to 800 passengers and 100 cars.