The town of St. Michaels, Maryland is a popular destination with a nice mix of history, shops, restaurants, lodging, and small town charm. St. Michaels' combination of popular marinas, inns and bed and breakfasts, shops, and restaurants make it a favorite destination for boaters. Located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, the town is located near other popular destinations such as Easton and Oxford.
For a good orientation to St. Michaels' history, stop by the St. Mary's Square Museum between Mulberry Street and East Chestnut Street for a St. Michaels Walking Tour brochure. The tour guides you through the town's historic streets, lined with homes and shops built in the 18th and 19th centuries.
St. Michaels' main attraction is the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. This excellent museum includes an indoor/outdoor collection of items related to commerce & trade, navigation, fisheries, and waterfowling. The museum spreads outdoors to include several historic buildings, including the Hooper Straight Lighthouse and a cannery warehouse, plus a collection of 85 vessels. This collection of sail, power, and row boats is the largest and most important collection of its kind in the world.
The skipjack H.M. Krentz offers daily cruises, departing from the Crab Claw Restaurant.
Free "Concerts in the Park" are held on Thursday evenings from mid-June to mid-August. The concerts are traditionally held at Muskrat Park, but will be held at the Maritime Museum in 2008.
The St. Michaels Winery crafts boutique wines in the historic Old Mill. You can visit their tasting room and store, where they sell their wine and other treats such as locally made cheeses, gourmet mustards made with their wine, and premium olive oils and tapenades. Located at 605 S. Talbot Street.
The St. Michaels Fresh Farm Market is open in Saturdays 8:30am to noon from April to October. A "producer only" market at which local farmers sell only what they grow. Located at Church Grove, Willow and Green Street.
St. Michaels Cycling: The flat country roads surrounding St. Michaels have wide shoulders and are popular with bicyclists of all ages. You can peddle a 36 mile circular route from St. Michaels to Oxford (across the Tred Avon River on the Oxford Ferry), to Easton, and back to St. Michaels. The Easton Business Management Association has mapped out the route on their website.
The Town the Fooled the British: On the morning of August 10, 1813, the British planned an attack on St. Michaels. Forewarned of the attack, the residents of the town raised lanterns to the masts of their ships and the tops of trees, tricking the British into thinking that these were lights in the town buildings. The British canon fire overshot the town and most building went unharmed. Only one house, now known as the "Canonball House," was hit. A cannonball went through the roof of that house and rolled down the stairs as Mrs. Merchant carried her infant daughter downstairs. The house still exists as a private residence.
The Inn at Perry Cabin. Built just after the War of 1812, The Inn at Perry Cabin is a long, pearly white colonial mansion known throughout the generations as the finest hotel on the Eastern Shore. Traveler reviews and rate comparison.
Harbour Inn. Bob Pascal's St. Michaels Harbour Inn and Marina is a waterfront resort with 46 waterfront suites and guest rooms, harbourside pool and whirlpool, exercise room, harbourfront restaurant and 56 slip transient marina. Traveler reviews and rate comparison.
The Old Brick Inn. The Old Brick Inn, a St. Michaels, Maryland Bed and Breakfast tradition. Luxuriously decorated rooms have private baths, most have fireplaces and Jacuzzis. Enjoy a full gourmet breakfast every morning. 401 Talbot Street, St. Michaels, MD 21663. www.saintmichaelsmdbedandbreakfast.com. Local: 410-745-3323 Toll Free: 800-434-2143.
My Desire Charters. "My Desire" is a 35' Cabo, located at Tilghman Island, approximately 15 minutes from St. Michaels. We are available for Rockfish Trips in the Mid Chesapeake Bay Area from April through November. We also do dinner cruises to Oxford and Cambridge. Come join us for a day on the Chesapeake. Please visit our web site for more information. Phone 410-310-9659. www.mydesire.8k.com
April 18. Bay Day. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum host this annual Bay themed version of Earth Day. There will be demonstrations, food, lectures, and more. 10:00 to 5:00pm. St. Michaels, MD. More Information.
April 23 - 26. St. Michaels Food & Wine Festival. The Annual St. Michaels Food & Wine Festival will be held at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, providing a beautiful backdrop to a host of exquisite foods, wines, and a taste of the Chesapeake Bay. More information.
June 19 - 21 -- 17th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival - Annual event featuring more than a hundred antique and classic boats, as well as wooden boat building demonstrations, maritime craft vendors, live music and food. Fri 11 AM - 5 PM, Sat 9 AM - 5 PM, Sun 9 AM - 2 PM. Ches. Bay Maritime Museum.
Sept 5 -- Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Boat Auction. Annual auction featuring everything from wooden rowing skiffs to classic sailboats. Come bid on the boat of your dreams. At the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum,
Oct. 27 -- Mid Atlantic Small Craft Festival. One of the nation's premier small craft events. Hundreds of amateur and professional builders and enthusiasts bring their skiffs, kayaks, and canoes. Take part in demonstrations and workshops, or simply chat with the owners and watch these one of a kind vessels race. 10 AM - 5 PM. Ches. Bay Maritime Museum.
