Upper Chesapeake trip: Kent Narrows, MD to Potomac River - destinations to visit along the way

M

mrsrobinson

Well-Known Member
Mar 9, 2006
7,704
Virginia
Boat Info
2001 380DA
Engines
Caterpillar 3126
If all goes well with the boat purchase I will be moving her from Kent Narrows, MD to the Upper Potomac early April. This will be my first upper Chesapeake Bay trip on my own where I plan the trip. I am looking for destinations to stop at along the way. Quaint, charming towns within walking distance of a nice marina is ideal, diesel fuel is ideal as well.

We'd like to stay as close to the Bay as possible versus navigating up a creek/river to the East.

St Michaëls looks close..where should we stay? Tilghman Island? Cambridge? Others?


Thanks
 
You could head north a tad and visit Rock Hall, then maybe Annapolis, St. Mikes, Oxford for sure and the town of Cambridge. Not much happening on Tilghman even during the height of summer. Solomon's is another great town and would make a good stop before heading up the Potomac. As mentioned, the Herrington Marinas and the Hyatt are better visited during warm weather since their big attractions are pools/bars.
 
St. Mike's is a really neat place. Don't bother staying at the resort this time of year. I'd stay at St. Michael's Marina (just across the canal from the resort. Where the fuel dock is).

Oxford is very quaint, but you would be spending a lot of time meandering up the Choptank River. I'd pass on the Hyatt River Marsh unless you are a casino person. I'm not.

Solomons Island is a must! Just a few miles up the Patuxent River. Several marinas from which to choose. Our favorite is Spring Cove. Be sure to fuel up at Solomons as you should be able to make it all the "home". Solomons to Prince William Marina is 117 miles. Add a few miles if you stop at Coles Point and/or Colonial Beach on the way home. I made the run straight in 5.4 hours. Its a long run but once you clear Point Lookout you have home field advantage.

From Solomons, I would head for the Potomac timing my passing Point Lookout at a favorable tide condition. Then you could either go to Coles Point or Colonial Beach. Frankly at this time of year, Colonial Beach may be the better option since it is a town with restaurants. Check to see if Colonial Beach has fuel. Their fuel dock got wrecked during extremely high tides last fall.

So my recommendation would be:
Kent Narrows -- St. Michaels 15 miles/1 night
St. Michaels -- Oxford 40 miles/1 night
Oxford -- Solomons Island 40 miles/1 night
Solomons Island -- Colonial Beach 65 miles/1 night
Colonial Beach -- Prince William 54 miles

Good luck!

Jaybeaux
 
Thanks everyone. We don't need a pool/resort and all that, at least not for this trip. I forgot about Solomon's, been there by car a few times.
 
So fun mentally planning these trips. I'm doing the same with my hopeful purchase from Long Island and taking the trip to the Upper Chesapeake Bay. You've got the better trip!
 
SeaNile said:
So fun mentally planning these trips. I'm doing the same with my hopeful purchase from Long Island and taking the trip to the Upper Chesapeake Bay. You've got the better trip!
Click to expand...
Don't go past Cape May without stopping at the Lobster House.
https://thelobsterhouse.com/
 
techmitch said:
Don't go past Cape May without stopping at the Lobster House.
https://thelobsterhouse.com/
Click to expand...

Absolutely. If we split the trip into two days we would probably stay overnight in Cape May. It will mostly depend on weather and daylight. I have no issues running 14hrs if that is what it takes. It'll remind me of my offshore fishing days when we left at 230am and got back at 7pm.
 
techmitch said:
Don't go past Cape May without stopping at the Lobster House.
https://thelobsterhouse.com/
Click to expand...
I have some great pics from there when we took my ex father-in-laws Sea Ray 420AC from DC to NYC. If I can get her and him out of the pics...

SeaNile said:
Absolutely. If we split the trip into two days we would probably stay overnight in Cape May. It will mostly depend on weather and daylight. I have no issues running 14hrs if that is what it takes. It'll remind me of my offshore fishing days when we left at 230am and got back at 7pm.
Click to expand...
I remember coming into Cape May in heavy fog, and leaving the next day in fog as well. We were on a timeline to get to NYC so we kept pushing, scary as heck though.
 
Don’t forget to stop at Cobb island on the way up the Potomac.
 
mrsrobinson said:
If all goes well with the boat purchase I will be moving her from Kent Narrows, MD to the Upper Potomac early April. This will be my first upper Chesapeake Bay trip on my own where I plan the trip. I am looking for destinations to stop at along the way. Quaint, charming towns within walking distance of a nice marina is ideal, diesel fuel is ideal as well.

We'd like to stay as close to the Bay as possible versus navigating up a creek/river to the East.

St Michaëls looks close..where should we stay? Tilghman Island? Cambridge? Others?
Click to expand...

Possibilities:
- St. Michaels (a couple days; we like Higgins YY or the Museum docks since we're members)
- Oxford optional, could just stay over a night in Knapp's Narrows (we like Knapp's Narrows Marina, long face dock on north side)
- Cambridge (municipal marina downtown, or at the $$$ Hyatt)
- Herrington Harbor North in Deale (or HH South, Rosehaven; not much "town" at either but they're nice marinas)
- Chesapeake Beach, maybe (haven't been there in a number of years)
- Solomons (a couple days; we like Zahniser's, but lots to choose from)

-Chris
 
mrsrobinson said:
I think we went there when I had my last boat. East of the bridge, on the north bank/MD side, small dock, restaurant?
Click to expand...
You got it. A few restaurants and a nice bike ride then head north or across the river to colonial beach.
 
doozie said:
SeaNile, I left a marina in lindenhurst LI at 10:00 AM, was in my slip in middle river by 5, you can easily do it in a day
Click to expand...

Just need to figure out how to get out of Fire Island Inlet. Only other thing to consider is if I want to hug the shoreline or make the straight line which will put me about 30nm off the coast for a while.
 
SeaNile said:
So fun mentally planning these trips. I'm doing the same with my hopeful purchase from Long Island and taking the trip to the Upper Chesapeake Bay. You've got the better trip!
Click to expand...
Just realized this is almost the reverse trip we did going from Washington DC to New York City. We did it in 3 days, two nights, all day on the water. Took the ocean from Cape May to New York City.
 
SeaNile, The selling broker was nice enough to lead us out in his CC, I was concerned about that part also, then he offered, made it simple and glad he did.
 
doozie said:
SeaNile, The selling broker was nice enough to lead us out in his CC, I was concerned about that part also, then he offered, made it simple and glad he did.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I am hoping for and will ask for this as the soon as we have things wrapped up and a dates are firm. We are still in winter mode and watching the extended forecast. Still shooting for mid March to do the sea trial and survey.
 
My sea trial this Friday will mostly likely get postponed; rain and high winds forecasted, ugh. I was hoping to get this wrapped up so I have more time to learn the boat and get some service completed before I bring her home.
 
mrsrobinson said:
@Jaybeaux can you please clarify this?
Click to expand...
When I started transiting the confluence of the Potomac and the Bay, there were quite a few warnings to only do this at a slack tide to minimize wave heights. Sort of like running an ocean inlet with an outgoing tide and an on shore wind. Was also regaled with the story of how Point Lookout got its name. You go up to it and peak around the corner to assess the sea state.

Frankly, I’ve never had a problem. Boats in the 40+ foot range can handle quite a bit. Now I have been through there when the sea state is very confused. It’s like being in a washing machine. It’s just annoyingly uncomfortable.

Jaybeaux
 
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