Maryland | Places to visit in Maryland

Places to visit in Maryland

Maryland is full of diverse attractions. There are plenty of things to do here as well. On one side it is flanked by Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. On the other side it is bolded by the Appalachians Mountains. Maryland is scenic, beautiful and various. There are museums to visit. Cultural events keep happening here. Here are some places to visit when in Maryland.

Eastern Shore

Located on Chesapeake Bay’s east coast, the Eastern Shore is a very famous attraction of Maryland. Dotted with beautiful-looking towns, and a serene natural ambience, the Eastern Shore is a favored destination for local and international travelers during the summer.

Baltimore Inner Harbor

The inner harbor is big and expansive. You can spend the whole day walking along ships docked here. You will see lots of people here who have come to see the gigantic ships. Over here, there is a National Aquarium. There is also a section featuring the historic ships of Baltimore.

Deep Creek Lake

Deep Creek Lake is like nature’s backyard. Or you can call it the manifestation of beautiful nature in a splendid form. Over here, against the beautiful backdrops, you can go hiking, bicycling and picnicking; The Lake lets you go swimming, boating, and fishing. During summer this place is ideal for riding horses. In winter, you can use the mountain slopes to go snowboarding.

Brookside Gardens

Brookside Gardens is over fifty acres in area. It’s a pretty garden which includes separate sections for butterflies, roses, fragrant flowers, Japanese plants, and much more.

Crisfield’s Quaint and Cozy B&Bs

Image via Wikipedia

Known as the seafood capital of the world, Crisfield, Maryland, is a quaint city on the Chesapeake Bay. Along with several delicious seafood restaurants, this quiet spot is home to the annual National Hard Crab Derby, and features ideal fishing spots, a state park and easy access to the scenic Tangier and Smith islands. For anyone looking to get out of the hustle and bustle of a city, Crisfield is the kind of place that will let you kick up your feet and relax. Before traveling to Crisfield, be sure to explore your lodging options; there are several cozy choices for you to choose from.

One option is the Marquis Manor B&B. This historic bed and breakfast opened in 1898, and continues to serve travelers. Close to restaurants shopping and sightseeing, Marquis Manor also boasts a café that serves specialty coffees and teas. With Marquis Manor, you can opt for a fun-filled package, such as the Café, Stay & Play Package, which includes lodging, breakfast and kayaking for two.

Another option is Crisfield’s My Fair Lady Bed & Breakfast. My Fair Lady is said to combine southern hospitality with Eastern Shore charm to create the perfect getaway destination. My Fair Lady is located in a Victorian-style home built in the 1900s, and features a formal dining room, front and back parlor, sun porch, five guests rooms and a top-floor suite. The B&B also offers special packages, such as an intimate wedding package for up to 40 guests.

Filed Under: Crisfield, General Tagged With: Crisfield Maryland, Maryland, Tangier

An Overview of Crisfield, MD

Crisfield is the most southern city in the state of Maryland. The settlement sits on Chesapeake Bay on the Tangier Sound and is nestled between the Annemessex and Pokomoke rivers.

Originally the site of a small fishing village named Annemessex Neck, this spot has long been used as a fishing point with native Americans in the area having discovered its delights long before the arrival of the settlers.

Chief among those settlers was an Englishman named Benjamin Summers who was instrumental in the founding of the marina area now known as Somers Cove, paving the way for an explosion in the local fishing industry that earned the area the title of “Crab Capital of the World” an accolade it proudly expounds too this day.

The modern city is a busy urban area, which also benefits from a strong tourist trade, with visitors flocking to the area to sample the delights of the local seafood as well as making Crisfield a base for trying out some more active endeavours such as water sports along the generous coastline.

Sailors from across America and further afield flock to the area, which provides a generous marina with easy access to the city centre for visitors carried in by the waves.

The downtown area offers a real insight into the history of the area, with architectural reference to its rich past in evidence everywhere you look.

The area also has lots to offer in terms of natural beauty, with the placement of the city of Crisfield making it a great place to explore the environment both on and off shore.

Filed Under: Crisfield Tagged With: Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Tangier Sound

Things to Do in Crisfield, MD

If you are planning a trip to Crisfield Maryland, there are a wide range of entertainment options on offer with something to suit all tastes.

As this city is rich in culture and history, curious visitors may wish to take a tour through the old town area with the local heritage society learning out how the city as it stands today was built on the oyster shells of the substantial seafood trade. Culture vultures may also enjoy visiting one of the city’s three museums.

For those who wish to get their kicks on the water there are a range of exciting options available in the Crisfield area – from daily cruises to Tangier Island and Smith Island for those who like to explore at a leisurely pace to water sports instruction on the city shore for those seeking something a little more extreme.

Anglers will be spoiled for choice in this area, famous for its seafood and known colloquially as the “The Crab Capital of the World”. Charter fishing is available from range of providers based in the city of Crisfield.

For nature lovers the area, nestled between the Aneemessex and Pocomoke Rivers in the Tangier Sound of Chesapeake Bay has a lot to offer including the popular Jane’s Island State Park.

Sailors can take advantage of one of the biggest and best marina’s along the coast at Somer’s Cove, while foodies will find delight in the local seafood delicacies served up in the city’s eateries.

An exciting programme of open events also runs throughout the summer and early autumn with highlights including the National Hard Crab Derby, the Fourth of July Freedom Fest and the Wheels on the Waterfront Classic Car Cruise In. Details and dates for all events are available from the local chamber of commerce.

Filed Under: Crisfield, Events Tagged With: Chesapeake Bay, Crisfield Maryland, Maryland

Brush up on Your History With the Crisfield Heritage Foundation

The Crisfield Heritage Foundation provides a number of services to the historic city of Crisfield. The Heritage Foundation is dedicated to preserving Crisfield’s heritage and educating the public about Crisfield’s heritage. It also provides tourists with local information and services. The Crisfield Heritage Foundation invites tourists to come explore “the best kept secret of the Chesapeake.”

One of the forefront attractions in the city of Crisfield is the J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum. The foundation runs this museum and invites people to use the museum as a “starting point” in order to learn about Crisfield. The museum showcases the Maryland Lower Shore’s history. The J. Millard Tawes Museum features exhibits on topics like the origins of the Chesapeake Bay and the Native Americans of the region and how they interacted and impacted the area’s colonists. Exhibits on seafood harvesting and processing can be found within the museum’s walls, along with Crisfield’s long and impressive history as the “Seafood Capital of the World.” Museum visitors can explore exhibits about decoy carving and painting. One of the J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum’s newest exhibits is a “Shanty” exhibit. Museum visitors can experience the crab shanty of a working waterman. The museum has a low admission price of only three dollars, with children between the ages of 6 to 12 paying one dollar. Children under 6 are free. Find the J. Millard Tawes museum on the Somers Cove Marina waterfront.

In addition to being a link to Crisfield’s past, the museum is also the starting point for Crisfield’s walking tour, The Port of Crisfield Walking Tour. A favorite stop on the port-side tour is always the visit to the modern seafood processing facility.

The Crisfield Heritage Foundation also manages three other properties, including the J. Millard Tawes Library and the Ward Brothers Workshop, which are available by appointment only. The Foundation’s newest acquisition is the Cedar Island Marsh Sanctuary, which totals 330 acres and is the home of a plethora of local wildlife. The sanctuary is right by Jenkins Creek, where local watermen work to harvest the seafood that made Crisfield famous.

Filed Under: Crisfield Tagged With: J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum, Maryland, Museum

The History of Crisfield

Crisfield can trace its inhabitants all the way back to when the Annemessex, part of the Algonquin Nation’s Pocomoke tribe, lived in the area (the Annemessex River takes its name from these native inhabitants). In 1663, a settler from England, Benjamin Summers, came to the area to claim his headright (a common practice in England at the time). Summers claimed a 300-acre stake of land which he called “Emmessex.” Summers would go on to claim another 200 acres, which he named “Musketa Hummock.” These original tracts of land remain within Crisfield. Later, a 100-acre piece of land was patented and named “Little Worth.” The combination of these three initial land claims would eventually be called “Somers Cove.” Somers Cove grew into a large seafood distribution center on the East Coast. The fast-growing Somers Cove had more than 100 buildings by 1804, whereas two similar towns on the peninsula only had 40 and 4.

John W. Crisfield helped bring the Pennsylvania Railroad System’s Eastern Shore Railroad to Somers Cove in 1866. Somers Cove became a city shortly thereafter, in 1872. The town was renamed to honor Crisfield’s efforts in having the railroad connect to the former Somers Cove and boosting its economy through rail traffic. Crisfield was soon called the “Seafood Capital of the World” due to the amount of seafood Crisfield shipped to different parts of the country. The nickname is still used today to describe the city.

Thanks to the flourishing seafood industry, Crisfield was the second largest city in Maryland by 1904, following Baltimore. The town had a population of 25,000, with people coming to Crisfield from all over the country to work in the seafood industry. The town had so many leftover oyster shells from the seafood industry that the shells, along with soot from the rail system, was deposited in salt marshes. The shells and soot formed a peninsula upon which downtown Crisfield was built, leading people to honestly say that the town was built on seafood, or “on top of oyster shells.”

Crisfield is still best known for its seafood to this very day.

Filed Under: Crisfield Tagged With: Crisfield Maryland, Maryland, Seafood

Seafood Restaurants in the Crisfield Area

The Crisfield, Maryland area is a popular tourist destination. Much of the commerce in the area is based around tourism. Tourists, as well as locals, have to eat and Maryland is popular for its seafood so Crisfield is a great place to visit for anyone looking to try some of the best in Mid Atlantic seafood.

One of the most popular seafood items in the Crisfield area is crab. Maryland Blue Crab is the most popular of the crab varieties around. Blue Crab is a $100 million dollar industry in the Chesapeake Bay region, of which Crisfield helps support.

There are several popular seafood restaurants in and around the town which offer something for everyone.

There are small crab shacks that are very laid back are and don’t have a lot of frills. These places tend to be very popular among the locals and offer quality food at a good price. If you have the opportunity to visit Crisfield and spend time with any locals, make sure they show you some of the popular low key places like this.

For those looking for something with a bit of a classier atmosphere, Crisfield can oblige that too. In addition to the low key places mentioned, there are some fine dining seafood places too. These restaurants tend to have larger menus, a collection of fine wines and an atmosphere that is great to take a date or hold a business meeting.

Besides these two extremes, there are more typical dining experiences to be found as well. Seafood restaurants like this are perfect for taking the family for a nice meal out.

As you can see, there is a variety of seafood eateries in Crisfield to meet the needs of anyone who visits. If you have the opportunity to visit make sure you check out the different options and available and try something new and exciting.

Filed Under: Crisfield Tagged With: Maryland, Restaurants, Seafood

Crisfield Maryland Schools

All Crisfield, Maryland Schools are located Somerset County. There are eleven public schools in the area that cover pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. These eleven schools break down as follows – 4 pre-school and daycare centers, 3 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 2 high schools. There is also one private school covering all grades from pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12.

All eleven schools are located in the Somerset County Public Schools School District, which is located in Westover, Maryland. These eleven schools served 2,910 students in all grades in 2007. The School District spent $12,421 per pupil in 2007. These expenditures can be broken down into three areas – 58% on instruction, 37% for support services, and 5% for other elementary and secondary expenses.

The student to teacher ratio in the Crisfield, Maryland Schools is very good as there are just 12 students for every full time teacher. This compares extremely well when compared to the Maryland state average of 14 students per teacher. The dropout rate in the Somerset County Public Schools School District was 7% in 2007 for grades nine through twelve. This is relatively high when compared to the national average of just 4.4% in 2007 for grades nine through twelve.

In the Somerset County Public Schools School Division, as of 2007, there is an Individualized Education Program for 13 percent of the student population. Individualized Education Plans are specific plans for students that meet the criteria for special needs services.

The schools of Crisfield, Maryland are well maintained and serve as a perfect environment for area children to achieve their academic goals. With an outstanding teacher to student ratio each child is virtually guaranteed more than enough attention to succeed. The Individualized Education Program also makes certain that all children with special needs are included in the academic program.

Filed Under: Crisfield, General Tagged With: Crisfield Maryland, Maryland, School district

Crisfield, Maryland Economy

The city of Crisfield, in the state of Maryland, has a population of about 2,723 (2000 census) and its main industries are healthcare, retail, automotive, and seafood. At its peak there were about 150 seafood packaging and processing plants, however, the numbers dropped drastically in 1990. It was about this time that the health of the Cheasapeake Bay dropped significantly, which reduced the amount of blue crabs being caught by fishermen. A 70% decrease in the fishing industry since the 1990’s has resulted in the closure of many of these seafood processing and packaging plants.

Currently, the largest employer within the city limits of Crisfield, Maryland is the McCready Memorial Hospital. The second largest employer is the Rubberset plant. This subdivision of Sherwin-Williams produces paint brushes. A good portion of the workforce is employed outside the city limits in nearby cities.

In 2000, the unemployment rate for Caucasian males was 0% and for Caucasian females was 7.1%. For those who are African-American, or of mixed races, the unemployment rate ranged between 19.4% and 35.8%. Of those who were employed, males were most often employed in the construction industry (14%). The second most popular industry for males to be employed in was the public administration industry (12%) and then the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (9%). For women the most popular employment industry in 2000 was the healthcare industry (24%). Public administration was also the second most popular industry for women (15%) and accommodation and food services came in third for women (9%).

In Crisfield, Maryland the median household income in 2008 was $23,860 in comparison to the median income in the state of Maryland, which was $70,545. As much as 34.2% of households in Crisfield were below the poverty level and 12.9% were 50% or more below the poverty level.

Filed Under: Crisfield Tagged With: Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Sherwin-Williams

Tourism in Crisfield, Maryland

: Image via Wikipedia

Tourism in Crisfield, Maryland is one of the area’s greatest sources of pride. It is known as “the crab capital of the world” and is a great place to visit if you love the outdoors, wildlife, and a quaint community. It has been called “the last gem on the Chesapeake Bay.”

Located on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay, Crisfield, Maryland is famous for its seafood, especially for the Maryland blue crab. This area is ripe with wildlife, natural beauty, and its simple lifestyle. The climate is temperate but seasonal, and the surface area of the town is about 46% water. For nearly 3 centuries, the town of Crisfield has been a place with a home town feel. It is loved by travelers that enjoy water and ecological wonders.

Some of the highlights of Crisfield, Maryland include:

* 3 museums

* Charter and head boat fishing

* Annual and year round events that include: the National Hard Crab Derby (every Labor Day weekend for the past 60 years), The J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake (every 3rd Wednesday in July for the past 30 years), and Freedom Fest (every 4th of July, a new event since 2009)

There are many hotels, as well as bed and breakfasts to stay in while visiting Crisfield. Visitors can make themselves comfortable and will feel the welcome they get from the residents of the town. There are great restaurants that, of course, offer some of the best seafood to be found in the state of Maryland. When visiting Maryland, Crisfield is a must stop destination. Not only will you enjoy the many opportunities to visit museums, go fishing, and take boat trips, but the people are welcoming and love to show off their beautiful little town. It is like nothing you have ever seen before.

Filed Under: Crisfield, General Tagged With: Chesapeake Bay, Maryland