ADIP: St. Michaels, Maryland

A Day in Pictures
St. Michaels, Maryland

We recently crossed Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Bridge and continued on another 40 miles to spend a day roaming around the maritime village of St. Michaels, Maryland.

This little town of about 1,200 people is a major tourist attraction – more than 100,000 visitors come for the crabs, the harbor and the shops (below).

St. Michaels is known as “The Town That Fooled The British.”

On August 10, 1813, British barges planned to attack the town and its fort in the middle of the night. Fortunately residents were warned of the attack in advance; someone had the bright idea to hang lanterns in the trees to draw enemy fire. When the British attacked, they fired their cannons at the laterns, missing the town and its fort.

Today, the British are in St. Michaels on more congenial terms.

Christ Church – St. Michael’s Parish was founded in 1672 on the banks of what was then known as “Shipping Creek,” as one of the Chesapeake Bay area’s original “water churches” for the Church of England.

More importantly, it is the church where Dani and I got married.

Set on the Miles River, St. Michaels is a popular starting point or destination for boaters and sailors exploring the Chesapeake Bay.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum has exhibits that focus on the bay’s unique watercraft and boat building traditions, navigation, waterfowling, seafood harvesting, and recreation.

While the waterman’s way of life is celebrated at the Maritime Museum, there is plenty of opportunity to observe watermen working today.

The area around St. Michaels is easy to explore on bike – no hills and beautiful landscapes. One fun destination is the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry, part of a popular St. Michaels-Oxford-Easton loop.

St. Michaels is an easy day trip from Washington, Baltimore, Wilmington or Philadelphia. But you may want to make the trip in more reliable transportation than this.