Known for its 143 miles of shoreline, Calvert County, Md. is an anglers dream. Bounded by the Chesapeake Bay to the east and Patuxent River to the west, there are plenty of opportunities to cast a line by land or water.
Access the river at Kings Landing Park. Launch your paddle-powered boat to explore and fish the river marshes. Or fish from the pier for spot, white perch, and blue fish. Head to the North Beach Pier, Breezy Point Beach & Campground, or Flag Ponds Nature Park to fish from the bay shore for striped bass, croaker, and Spanish mackerel.
If you want to get on the Chesapeake Bay, consider hiring a charter fishing boat to reach the best places. There are several fishing charter companies that offer half day or full day fishing trips, and bait and tackle can be purchased at various shops throughout the county. Calvert County is the “Charter Boat Fishing Capital of Maryland” with the largest fleet of boats on the Chesapeake Bay. Paddle board and kayak rentals are another popular option.
Learn about contemporary fishing practices aboard a commercial fishing vessel with Solomons Island Heritage Tours. Check out the Bayside History Museum for maritime history and the Calvert Marine Museum live critters from the Chesapeake Bay, including fish, seahorses, jellyfish, and otters.
Hop Off the Water
When you’re done with your fishing for the day, explore Calvert County by land. Consider a picnic at one of many parks or beaches that dot the shoreline. At Calvert Cliffs State Park, people still find megalodon shark’s teeth the size of your hand from prehistoric times. Stroll along the nature boardwalk at North Beach’s Public Beach or take in the larges cliffs at Chesapeake Beach’s Bayfront Park.
Explore 22 miles of trails or take a guided canoe trip at the American Chestnut Land Trust. Keep an eye on the osprey platforms, bat boxes, and educational gardens for wildlife along the Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail. Enjoy the solitude of the boardwalk through Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Sanctuary.
Bring the whole family to the Chesapeake Beach Water Park, featuring two big waterslides, a lazy river, and a kiddie pool. Take classes in ceramics, stained glass, and more from the Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center, a Smithsonian-affiliated sculpture garden. Plan your visit for the Fairy and Gnome Home Festival every spring, complete with unicorn rides, face painting, and crafts. Visit the lighthouses at Drum Point and Cove Point to see how the lighthouse keepers lived.
Learn about the area with more than 65 archaeological sites documenting over 9,000 years of human history at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. Travel to the past at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum to a time of the railroad and 1900s-era amusement park on the bay. Play a round, or two, at Chesapeake Hills Golf Course and Mellomar Golf Park.
While in town, visit the art galleries, boutiques, and antique stores to bring home a piece of Calvert. Make sure to eat at one of more than a dozen restaurants with a view of the water or find a place to kick back and relax with a drink in your hand at one of the six craft breweries and six wineries in the area. Extend your trip when you stay at a bed and breakfast, hotel, vacation rental, or campground in the area.
Relax by water when you fish Calvert County, Md.
