Region
Southern Maryland
Base in Solomons or Leonardtown for 2 nights and drive; without a car, skip the region.
Key facts · United States
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Currency
- US dollar (USD, $)
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- A · B · 120 V
- Time zone
- Six zones: UTC−5 to UTC−10
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.
Southern Maryland is Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties plus the southern edges of Prince George's and Anne Arundel: a low, sandy peninsula between the Patuxent and the Potomac, ending at the Chesapeake Bay. It is a driving region. There is no passenger rail, buses are commuter-oriented, and the sights are 20–60 minutes apart by road. Sleep in one place — Solomons for the marine museum and Calvert Cliffs, Leonardtown or Lexington Park for St. Mary's City and Point Lookout — and day-trip the rest.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- SolomonsPlanned
Boardwalk, Calvert Marine Museum, short drive to Calvert Cliffs; best single base for the north half.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- LeonardtownPlanned
St. Mary's County town with wineries and restaurants; 20–30 min to St. Mary's City and Point Lookout.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Lexington ParkCity guide
Most beds and services in St. Mary's County; naval air station traffic sets weekday room demand.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Day trip
- St. Mary's CityCity guide
Half day to a full day: archaeology site, reconstructed statehouse and chapel, museum.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND - Point LookoutPlanned
Southern tip of Maryland; state park, Civil War history and museum.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Chesapeake BeachCity guide
Bay-side town with a net-protected swimming beach; northern edge of the region.
Best May–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND - Cobb IslandPlanned
Small Potomac-side community; check road access and seasonal services.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Prince FrederickPlanned
Calvert County seat; Battle Creek Cypress Swamp is nearby.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- La PlataPlanned
Thomas Stone National Historic Site and the village of Port Tobacco.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- WaldorfPlanned
Charles County shopping and lodging strip on the Route 301 corridor.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 2 nights
- Solomons 2: Calvert Cliffs and Flag Ponds one day, St. Mary's City the other
- 3 nights
- Solomons 1 + Leonardtown or Lexington Park 2, adding Point Lookout
- 4 nights
- Solomons 2 + St. Mary's County 2, with Chesapeake Beach on the way in or out
- Solomons + St. Mary's City + Point Lookout + Calvert Cliffs in one day is four hours of driving with no time on the ground.
- Summer humidity is high and mosquitoes, ticks and chiggers are active; poison ivy lines most forest edges.
- Copperheads occur in the region; watch footing off-trail.
- Sea nettles (jellyfish) make open-water swimming unpleasant in warm months.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Mary's City | Leonardtown | 25 min | unknown | Site and museum hours vary by season; check before driving. |
| Point Lookout | Lexington Park | 25 min | unknown | Park day-use hours change seasonally; the last stretch is a two-lane road. |
| Calvert Cliffs State Park | Solomons | 25 min | unknown | Reaching the cliffs means a walk from the parking area; bring water. |
| Chesapeake Beach | Solomons | 45 min | unknown | Swimming is realistic in net-protected areas, mostly late spring to early summer. |
Bags between cities
No passenger rail serves the region, so luggage moves by car; if you split bases between Solomons and St. Mary's County, pack the car rather than plan a transfer service.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | × | × | go | go | ok | ok |
| St. Mary's City | × | × | ok | go | go | go | × | × | go | go | ok | ok |
| Chesapeake Beach | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok |
| United States (country-wide) | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tidewater peninsulaCalvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties | cold | cold | ok | best | best | ok | hot | hot | best | best | ok | cold |
- Tidewater peninsula
- Humid summers with 30 °C+ days; spring and autumn are the comfortable windows. Hurricanes and tropical storms can reach the bay Aug–Oct.Humid summers with 86 °F+ days; spring and autumn are the comfortable windows. Hurricanes and tropical storms can reach the bay Aug–Oct.
Fossil hunting and beach walking work best at low tide; check a tide table for the day you plan to go.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | Solomons / Leonardtown | Drive Route 4 (Calvert) or Route 5 (Charles, St. Mary's) | ~1 h 15 to Solomons, ~1 h 45 to Leonardtown | From the south use Route 301; from the north, I-95 to the Beltway (I-495) and take the Route 4 or Route 5 exit. |
| Washington Reagan National (DCA) | Solomons / Lexington Park | Drive, or a regional airport shuttle | ~1 h 30 to Solomons, ~2 h to Lexington Park | Closest of the three airports; a private shuttle such as Southern Maryland Express runs to the region — check current schedules and fares. |
| Dulles (IAD) | Solomons / Lexington Park | Drive | ~2 h to Solomons, ~2 h 30 to Lexington Park | Allow extra time for the Beltway at rush hour. |
| Baltimore-Washington (BWI) | Solomons / Lexington Park | Drive | ~1 h 45 to Solomons, ~2 h 15 to Lexington Park | Useful for open-jaw tickets; no rail link onward. |
| Washington, DC | Southern Maryland | Commuter bus (Maryland Transit Administration) | check | Runs toward DC on a commuter pattern, not between the region's sights; check current routes. |
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Steamed blue crabs | Docks and crab houses across Calvert and St. Mary's counties | Crabbing from a pier needs only string, bait and a long-handled net; handle crabs by the rear swimming legs. |
| Southern Maryland stuffed ham | St. Mary's County, church and community events | Cured ham stuffed with spiced greens; sold by the slice at fundraisers. |
| Oysters | Solomons and Leonardtown restaurants | The bay oyster population crashed in the 1980s and has not recovered, so local oysters are scarce — ask where they are from. |
| Rockfish (striped bass) and fried soft-shell crab | Waterfront restaurants | Rockfish is the Maryland name for striped bass. |
| Pulled-pork barbecue | Roadside stands and smokehouses | Smoked and basted with an oil-and-vinegar sauce, closer to North Carolina style than to Kansas City. |
| Amish cider and fudge | Amish markets in Mechanicsville (St. Mary's County) and Upper Marlboro | Cider is seasonal in autumn; church events sell sweet pressed cider, not hard cider. |
Go next
Maryland
plannedDrive back up Route 4 or Route 5
Annapolis and Baltimore are the natural next stops.
Washington, D.C.
Drive ~1 h 15 from Solomons
Free museums and monuments; the easiest city add-on.
Mid-Atlantic
Drive north on I-95
Region page for planning the wider corridor.
United States itineraries
plannedPlan
Slot Southern Maryland into a longer East Coast route.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source