In Two Weeks

The Best of Maryland & Delaware

Annapolis is a fairly central place to start this trip -- especially for those flying into Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Or if you're coming from the west, start in Western Maryland and just keep heading east. Coming from the south? Take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and visit Delaware and the Eastern Shore before heading across the other Bay Bridge to see the rest of Maryland.

Maryland requires a lot of driving in order to see everything, from the mountains of Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore to the Atlantic Ocean. Delaware's attractions begin at the beach and end in Wilmington. There's a lot to see: Civil War battlefields, museums of all sorts, the Chesapeake Bay, waterfalls and mountain trails, historic homes and veritable castles. The historic districts of Annapolis and Frederick, in Maryland, along with Dover and New Castle, in Delaware, are other options.

I've designed this itinerary for visiting at breakneck speed. Feel free to slow down and savor any place you like.

Day 1: Annapolis -- You could start in Baltimore, but Annapolis offers a slower pace -- so you'll feel like you're on vacation right away. HistoryQuest at the St. Clair Wright Center makes a good first stop for walking tours and an orientation exhibit on Maryland's capital. Stop for lunch along the City Dock, then visit the State House, and afterward spend a leisurely afternoon shopping along Maryland Avenue for antiques or gifts. Have dinner on Main Street or West Street and finish with a carriage ride through the historic district. You'll need a good night's sleep, so make sure you have a reservation at a local B&B or one of the Historic Inns. Since you want an early start tomorrow morning, it's best to stay downtown.

Day 2: U.S. Naval Academy & Historic Homes -- Head to the Naval Academy and sign up for a tour at the visitor center -- the best one includes a stop at Bancroft Hall about the time the midshipmen line up for noon formation. After they march in for lunch, head into the historic district for a meal of your own. Along and nearby Maryland Avenue are three houses worth a visit: the Chase-Lloyd House, the Paca House and Gardens, and the Hammond-Harwood House. You can probably see all three in an afternoon, or just go to the Hammond-Harwood and then spend a leisurely time in the Paca gardens. (Hours at the Chase-Lloyd are quite limited.) Make reservations at an Eastport restaurant and take the water taxi across the harbor for a good seafood meal.

Day 3: Boat Trip to St. Michaels -- You can't be this close to the Chesapeake Bay and not get on it. Watermark Cruises offers a boat trip to St. Michaels, an Eastern Shore village with a number of interesting shops, restaurants, and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Not a big boat fan? Try one of the shorter cruises, such as a trip on the Woodwind, a sailing schooner with several 2-hour cruises each day, or with Annapolis by Boat, which offers a variety of short excursions

Days 4-5: Ocean City -- Head across the Bay Bridge and down Route 50 to Ocean City. The visit to St. Michaels yesterday was your only stop along the Eastern Shore, but if it caught your fancy and you want to see more, stop for lunch in Easton or Cambridge along the way. Bird lovers may want to make a detour to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, which is southwest of Cambridge.

Once you get to Ocean City, take a break: Rent an umbrella and a chair and relax by the surf. Plan an early dinner at one of the local restaurants before heading to the boardwalk for a little amusement and shopping. Or spend the evening playing miniature golf; this town is full of courses. Repeat this routine for a second day if you want. Marylanders (and plenty of out-of-state visitors) can do this for a whole week or more. Another way to spend your second day is beachcombing and seeing the ponies on Assateague Island.

Day 6: The Delaware Shore -- Delaware's beaches are just like Ocean City's, but the area around them is different. Bethany is small and quiet. Rehoboth has lots of good restaurants, plus spa treatments, live jazz, and a plethora of tax-free outlet stores. Lewes forgets it's a beach town while celebrating its history as the First State's First Town with museums and historic sites. Choose one and go exploring.

Day 7: Dover -- Delaware's capital city has a cluster of unusual museums along with the well-regarded Biggs Museum of American Art. In fact, the downtown sights, along with the Legislative Hall and state archives, are now known as the First State Heritage Park at Dover. You could easily see them all in a day. Or chuck all that culture and head to the slots or horse races at Dover Downs. Wildlife fans may prefer to head a little north to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge for a little bird-watching. Plan to be there for about 2 hours or more -- depending on how much walking you want to do.

Day 8: Historic New Castle -- The original capital of Delaware was the waterfront village of New Castle. Its historic sites are still lovingly maintained, including the Federal-style Read House, home of the son of a signer of the Declaration of Independence. A number of other Colonial-era homes are open most days (except Mon). Have lunch at a Colonial inn: Jessop's Tavern, the Chef's Table at David Finney Inn, or the Arsenal. Or go modern and stop near the airport outside of town at the Air Transport Command, where you can get a bit of World War II history with your meal.

Day 9: Wilmington -- Make this a base for your visit to the Brandywine Valley. You're going to want to see one of the du Pont properties: Winterthur if you love home furnishings, Nemours if you love lavish style (but not until it reopens in 2007), Longwood Gardens if flowers are your passion, Hagley if you like to learn how things work in a bucolic setting. Or stay in town and visit the 12,000 works of art at the Delaware Art Museum or the changing exhibits of the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts. History buffs should see the Delaware History Museum or visit the Kalmar Nyckel if it's moored here. Get some rest; it's off to Baltimore tomorrow, a 2-hour drive.

Day 10: Baltimore -- If you have only a day to see Baltimore, your first stop has to be Fort McHenry, home of the Star-Spangled Banner. Have lunch at Harborplace while you decide where to go next. Should it be the National Aquarium to see the new Australia exhibit? Or the new Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture? Art lovers can choose from the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Walters Art Museum, or the American Visionary Art Museum. History buffs may want to check out the Maryland Historical Society or one of its sister museums, the Civil War Museum-President Street Station or the Fells Point Maritime Museum. Or go to the new visitor center at the Inner Harbor and sign up for a Heritage Walk to get a closer look at Charm City. Prefer a view from the top? Then go to the Top of the World observation level in the World Trade Center. End the day with dinner in Little Italy or Fells Point.

Day 11: Frederick -- The drive to Frederick takes about 2 hours along I-70. After checking into your hotel or B&B, spend the afternoon at Antietam Battlefield. Head to Frederick's historic district for dinner.

Days 12-14: Outdoors Maryland -- You have a choice: The Deep Creek Lake area off I-70 and I-68 has lots to draw an outdoors enthusiast -- snow skiing, dogsledding, white-water rafting, hiking, and fly-fishing. If you have the time, make sure you include this area on your itinerary. But if you're running out of time, head north on Route 15 and spend the day at Cunningham Falls State Park. Here you can hike to a waterfall and swim or canoe in a nearby lake. Stop for local produce or penny candy along the way, and have a meal at one of the roadside restaurants.

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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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				Frommer's Maryland & Delaware, 8th Edition Author: Mary K. Tilghman Pub Date: May 27, 2008 Price: $17.99				Related Titles: Frommer's Atlanta, 10th Edition Frommer's Nashville & Memphis, 8th Edition Frommer's New Orleans 2008

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