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Major city · United States

St. Mary's City

Give it one full day by car: the historic site and college take 4–6 hours, and lodging is very limited — one documented inn in the village, everything else 15–40 min away.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

St. Mary's City is Maryland's first settlement and first capital, founded 1632, and now a state-run historic area with a reconstructed town centre, a 17th-century tobacco plantation, the ship Dove and a recreated Yaocomaco village, plus the waterfront campus of St. Mary's College of Maryland. It is a small, quiet place spread over fields and shoreline, so it works as a half-day to full-day stop on a Southern Maryland loop rather than a base of its own.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), Jan–Feb (limited site hours)
Airports
DCA · BWI · IAD
Nights
1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for St. Mary's City911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about St. Mary's City, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee2026 estimate$3–6
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner main2026 estimate. Tipping 18–22% is expected.$18–32
  • Street or quick mealDeli sandwich or sub2026 estimate$9–14
  • Beerdraught in a bar2026 estimate$6–9
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week2026 estimate$10–25
  • Museum or sight ticketHistoric site admission, adultHistorical figure, not confirmed for 2026; discounts for seniors, students and children.$10 (check)
  • Budget bedWhole-house rental (up to 6), a night, per roomUS$220
  • Mid-range bedChain motel room, Lexington Park, a night, per roomUS$130
  • High-end bedChain motel room, Lexington Park, a night, per roomUS$190

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$130 · High US$220

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Historic St. Mary's City living-history museumMaryland's first capital and first Catholic settlementReconstruction of the ship DoveSt. Mary's College of Maryland waterfront campus
Airports
DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National (Closest big-airport option; about 2 h by car via I-95 and MD-5 south.) · BWI Baltimore/Washington International (About 2 h 15 min by car; more international flights than DCA.) · IAD Washington Dulles International (About 2 h 30 min by car; long-haul international.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    9°C (48°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    13°C (55°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  5. May

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    29°C (84°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    32°C (90°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    31°C (88°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    15°C (59°F)

  12. Dec

    not flagged

    9°C (48°F)

Best: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jan–Feb, Jul–Aug. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (32°C (90°F)), coolest Jan (−3°C (27°F) low), wettest May (11 rain days), driest Feb (8). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

St. Mary's City: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

7°C (45°F)

−3°C (27°F)

9 rd

Feb

9°C (48°F)

−2°C (28°F)

8 rd

Mar

13°C (55°F)

2°C (36°F)

10 rd

Apr

19°C (66°F)

7°C (45°F)

10 rd

May

24°C (75°F)

13°C (55°F)

11 rd

Jun

29°C (84°F)

18°C (64°F)

10 rd

Jul

32°C (90°F)

21°C (70°F)

11 rd

Aug

31°C (88°F)

20°C (68°F)

10 rd

Sep

27°C (81°F)

16°C (61°F)

8 rd

Oct

21°C (70°F)

10°C (50°F)

8 rd

Nov

15°C (59°F)

4°C (39°F)

8 rd

Dec

9°C (48°F)

−1°C (30°F)

9 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is effectively required: the site sits well off the main public transport routes, and the surrounding county is farmland and shoreline. From Washington take I-95/MD-5 south and stay on MD-5 to the village. Once parked, the historic area and college are walkable, and cyclists do well on the flat county roads toward Point Lookout.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Point Lookout

go

Door to door: About 30 min

MD-5 south to the tip of the peninsula, about 20 min

Water views, an old lighthouse and Civil War earthworks; combine with the historic site in one day.

Solomons

go

Door to door: About 40 min

MD-5 north then MD-4 across the Patuxent River, about 30 min

Best nearby choice for dinner and a waterfront walk.

Lexington Parkgo

Door to door: About 20 min

MD-235 north, about 15 min

Hotels, fuel and the widest food choice in the county.

Chesapeake Beachcaution

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

MD-4 and MD-260 west

A long half-day; better as its own stop on a Bay loop.

Cobb Island

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

MD-5 north then MD-257 west

Small riverside village; go for a meal, not a full day.

La Plata

skip

Door to door: About 1 h

MD-5 north

A service town on the way back to Washington; no reason to detour.

Prince Frederick

skip

Door to door: About 1 h 10 min

MD-4 north

Useful for supplies only.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Lexington Park / California

The practical base: chain hotels, supermarkets and most restaurants, 10–15 min north on MD-235.

Solomons

Waterfront inns and B&Bs, 30–35 min north across the Patuxent River; best for a weekend feel.

In the village

Very limited lodging: one documented inn in the historic area, which books out; check availability before you commit.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$120–190 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain motel room, Lexington Park1 × 1 night × US$130US$130
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$130US$260
Compact rental car, one day1 × US$60 · 2026 estimateUS$60
Fuel, about 150 km of local driving1 × US$15 · 2026 estimateUS$15
Historic site admission, adult2 × US$10 · 2026 estimate; the $10 figure is historical, confirm current pricingUS$20
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15 · 2026 estimateUS$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$52
Trip total≈ US$284 per person per day, bed includedUS$567

2026 estimate

2026 estimate in US dollars; a car and fuel are the biggest variable. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee2026 estimate$3–6
Deli sandwich or sub2026 estimate$9–14
Sit-down dinner main2026 estimate. Tipping 18–22% is expected.$18–32
Beer, draught in a bar2026 estimate$6–9
Gallon of petrol2026 estimate$3.20–3.80
Historic site admission, adultHistorical figure, not confirmed for 2026; discounts for seniors, students and children.$10 (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week2026 estimate$10–25

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A quiet rural area and generally safe for visitors. The real risks are deer on the roads at dusk, summer heat and ticks in the fields, and long gaps between fuel stops and open kitchens.
  • Site hours change by season and some buildings open only on certain days: check the official site before you drive out.
  • Food inside the village is very limited; eat in Lexington Park, California or Solomons.
  • Summer heat and ticks in the fields and woods: long trousers and repellent.
  • Cell coverage is patchy on the back roads toward Point Lookout.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

St. Mary's CitySt. Mary's City

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies here; they are in Washington, DC, about 2 h by car.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Washington DC → St. Mary's City by car: about 2 h via MD-5 south
  • Lexington Park → historic site: about 15 min by car
  • Historic site admission, adult: about $10 (check)

Say or show

  • Where is the entrance? — Where is the entrance?
  • One adult ticket, please — One adult ticket, please
  • Is this building open today? — Is this building open today?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the nearest gas station? — Where is the nearest petrol station?
  • Thank you — Thank you

Most of the county has no public transport to the site: plan on driving.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for St. Mary's City. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), Jan–Feb (limited site hours) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for DCA, BWI and IAD: drive times field-checked, rental-car desks, late-arrival fallback in Lexington Park.
  2. Three walking clusters with rescue anchors: the historic town centre, the college waterfront, and the Trinity Church road.
  3. Place pages with verified opening seasons and last entry for the museum, the Dove and the plantation, plus eat pages with kitchen closing times.
  4. Seasonal and weather fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources