Whitehaven, MD Trip Options

Whitehaven, MD Trip Options

J. Glenn Eugster

Assumptions

1. Assuming two vehicles; early start on Saturday morning; breakfast before we leave.
2. Lodging:  check hotel to make sure it wasn’t flooded.
3. Restaurants:  assume we are winging-it rather than reservations
4. Tour of Whitehaven buildings:  Church and school.
5. Gift store at hotel:  access
6. Cell phones, identical maps and itineraries, and drink coolers in each car.
7. Watch sunset on porch on Saturday. Timing needed.
8. All options are simply suggestions and the agenda can be modified on a whim!

Places of Interest

1. Ward Museum:  North American Wildfowl Art Museum.  Most comprehensive collection of wildfowl decoys in the world.  Features renowned carvers, Lem and Steve Ward’s work.  Includes paintings, art works, crafts, and a short boardwalk Marsh Walk around a pond.
2. Salisbury Zoo:  One of North America’s best small zoos.  Received US Humane Society top rating for natural habitats that house species of wildlife indigenous to North, Central and South America.  Over 500 species.
3. Whitehaven:  18^th century town.  One of the Chesapeake Bays original tobacco ports.  22 buildings, 2 of which were constructed in the 20^th century.  Possible informal tour of church and schoolhouse.  Small car ferry that crosses the Wicomico River has operated for 300 years.  Ferry provides access to deal Island. Great bird watching and places to walk country roads.
4. Deal Island:  Working waterman’s village includes oyster hatchery, docks, skipjack work-boats, all surrounded by Deal Island Wildlife Management Area.
5. Whitehaven Restaurants:

1. The Red Roost, close to Whitehaven.  Family style with variety of menu choices.
2. Waterman’s Cove
3. Peaky’s, Princess Anne.  More formal family style with excellent local dishes.

1. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge:  23,000 acres with thousands of migratory geese, ducks, tundra swans, blue winged-teal.  Includes 3.5 mile auto tour that can be walked for bird watching.  Largest concentration of endangered Delmarva Fox Squirrels.  Area includes 0.33 mile Marsh trail; 0.5 mile Woods Trail; both connected to auto drive.  Includes Refuge Center and observation tower.
2. Old Trinity Church:  Built between 1670-80.  Oldest Episcopal Church in continuous use in the US.
3. Blackwater Restaurants: 

a. Old Salty’s, Hooper Island.  Unique local restaurant.

1. St. Michael’s:  Historic Bay community with unique new and antique shops and houses from 18-19^th century.  Opportunity for leisurely walk along historic streets and harbor. Area includes Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum with more than 10,000 objects related to commerce, trade, navigation, fisheries and waterfowl.  Artifacts include decoys, relics of the War of 1812.  16 acre site that includes views of the harbor, Hooper Straight Lighthouse, 85 vessel collection of wooden, sail, power and row boats.
2. St. Michael’s Restaurants:

1. Crab Claw, St. Michael’s.  Informal dinning with crab cakes, steamed crabs, MD Crab soup
2. Harrison’s, Tilghman’s Island.  Family dinning in a waterman’s community.

Possible Options for Trip (Not in priority order)

Option A.  Blackwater-Whitehaven (If the weather is sunny this option takes us outside)

Day 1: Drive to Blackwater refuge with a possible brief stop along the way at Kent Narrows. Tour refuge and have lunch somewhere between Blackwater and Whitehaven.  Arrive in Whitehaven mid-afternoon.  Dinner at The Red Roost or Peaky’s

Day 2:  Leisurely time in Whitehaven.  Morning walk of town, bird watching from the porch; ferry ride.  Breakfast at hotel.  Visit the Ward Museum on the way home.  Possible brief stop on the way back for lunch or snack.

Option B.  Whitehaven-St. Michael’s

Day 1:  Drive to Whitehaven with stop at the Ward Museum, Salisbury Zoo and Peaky’s for lunch.  Go to hotel from the Somerset County-side by car ferry.  Leisurely time to visit Church and schoolhouse, and for walks and bird watching.

Day 2:  Leisurely time in Whitehaven with breakfast.  Return through St. Michael’s with visit to Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum on return home.  Lunch at Crab Claw or snack in St. Michael’s.

Option C.  St. Michael’s-Whitehaven (If the weather is rainy or cool this option takes us inside more).

Day 1:  Drive to St. Michael’s and Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum with lunch at Crab Claw.  Visit Ward Museum on the way to Whitehaven.  Arrive in Whitehaven mid-afternoon.

Dinner at The Red Roost.

Day 2:  Leisurely time in Whitehaven with breakfast, walks, bird watching.  Tour of schoolhouse and Church.

Option D.  Ward Museum-Deal Island-Whitehaven

Day 1:  Drive to Ward Museum and Salisbury Zoo.  Lunch at Peaky’s and then tour Deal Island and go to the hotel via the ferry from Somerset County side.

Day 2:  Leisurely time in Whitehaven, see previous entry.