Saint Mary's City is an easy highlight for any visit to Southern Maryland. It was the first settlement in Maryland, the seat of the Calvert family, and Maryland's first capital. Founded in 1634, Saint Mary's City was the fourth permanent English settlement in North America, and because it was a Catholic colony, it is sometimes considered to be the birthplace of religious freedom in America. The city was almost completely abandoned by the late 1700's. It is now an active archeological site with some reconstructed buildings, notably the original statehouse and the print shop. The city chapel has been reconstructed on the original foundation. Historic interpreters are active on the grounds. The museum shows artifacts discovered on the site and has a collection of over 5 million items. The grounds include the Godiah Spray tobacco plantation, a working colonial-era farm, and a reproduction of the Dove, one of the two English ships that brought colonists to Maryland.
A popular local resort town, Solomons is an island at the inlet of the Patuxent River to the Chesapeake Bay. Many good restaurants, quirky shops with local handicrafts, and a beautiful boardwalk area. Home of the Calvert Marine Museum, University of Maryland laboratories that study the Chesapeake Bay, and the US Navy Recreation Center-Solomons. It is also within short striking distance of beautiful Calvert Cliffs State Park and the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.
La Plata also has a couple nearby sights worth seeking out, including the Thomas Stone National Historic Site, and the historic, tiny village of Port Tobacco. Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, right by Prince Frederick is also a highlight for visitors from the north, as it is the country's northernmost cypress swamp. Point Lookout State Park, the southern tip of Maryland, near Lexington Park, is also worth a visit both for its natural beauty, and for its Civil War history and museum.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Southern Maryland
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Southern Maryland - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Southern Maryland hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Southern Maryland Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
