Posted March 29, 2023
It’s a wonderful time of year to explore the natural beauty, small town charm, outdoor fun, and scrumptious local seafood in Dorchester County, Maryland. Trees and flowers are blooming, marsh grasses are getting ready to green, the ospreys are nesting, and crab season officially starts April 1. Located less than a two-hour drive from Washington, DC and Baltimore, Dorchester County makes an easy getaway. So make a weekend of it! Here are a few ways to enjoy the Heart of the Chesapeake this spring:
Tulips at Vintage Family Farm. Photo courtesy of Vintage Family Farm.
Dig into a farm adventure.
The new Vintage Family Farms has U-Pick tulips and family-friendly vintage games. Emily’s Produce re-opens for the season on April 20 with local farm goodies; goats, bunnies and chickens; play area for the kids, plus events starting with a “Burning of the Blackberry Brambles” bonfire on April 29 and U-Pick strawberries starting in May. Or go behind the scenes and join in on morning chores during the monthly Walking Farm Tour on April 2 or May 7 at Pop’s Old Place, a century farm that offers grass-fed beef and lamb as well as pastured pork, and more.
Join in some egg-cellent fun
Bring the kids for some egg-ceptional Easter and spring fun:
- Shore United Bank has an egg hunt April 1, 1-3pm.
- Breakfast with Mr. Peter Cottontail at the Church Creek Volunteer Fire Co. April 2, 8-11am.
- Windy Way Horses has Easter with the Farm Animals on April 8, 10am-12pm with egg hunt, crafts, pony rides, and more. Buy tickets by April 6.
- The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center has Harriet’s Spring Egg Hunt April 8, 11am-3pm.
- The Cambridge Police Department hosts an Easter Egg Hunt with Glow In The Dark Eggs April 8, 6-8pm.
Osprey at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
Soar with the eagles, ospreys, heron, and more.
Dorchester County is known for its great birdwatching, and spring is a prime time for it. Join in a Guided Birding tour at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (home to one of the highest populations of eagles on the East Coast) on April 2, April 30, and May 14. Or go on your own with our Dorchester Birding Guide. Or combine birding with history during a Birding the Harriet Tubman Byway tour, hosted by Delmarva Birding Weekends and Harriet Tubman Tours (Harriet Tubman was born in Dorchester County).
Soft crab sandwich at Old Salty’s Restaurant.
Sink your teeth into local seafood.
Crabbing season officially begins April 1, which means you’ll be seeing watermen working out on the water and bringing their harvest back to the docks. Oysters are also on the menu in many restaurants – our locally farmed oysters means they’re available all year long. Fresh soft crab is a delicacy usually starting in May – the crabs are harvested just when they’ve molted their skin and before their shell hardens again, so you can eat them whole – shell and all! Served fried or sauteed, soft shell crab is a wondrous thing for the taste buds. Browse our indie (non-chain) restaurants.
Daniel Firehawk Abbott talks about ancient cultures in the longhouse at Handsell during the 2022 Chicone Village Day. Photo by Jill Jasuta
Step back in time: ancient cultures, Harriet Tubman, and more
Experience the region’s Native American ancient lifestyle and culture during Chicone Village Day April 29 at the Handsell Historic Site, where you can learn about the culture while sitting in a replica longhouse; watch living history demonstrations of cooking, weaving, and chipping of implements; listen to Native drumming; eat Native-inspired food (only with advance ticket); and more.
For a different time in history, see the inspiring new Harriet Tubman sculpture called “Beacon of Hope,” in Cambridge – just a few miles from where the Underground Railroad hero was born – and then explore sites along the scenic road trip known as the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway. Make a doll in your image at the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center – for all ages – April 29. Sign up at campharriet1913@gmail.com or call museum at 410-228-0401.
Spocott Windmill & Village (pictured in the cycling photo below) hosts a Earth Day Open House April 22, 10am to 3pm, when you can see the post-style windmill, and tour the buildings, including a country store, one-room school, small home, and more. Plus a free tree giveaway for Arbor Day.
Cycling by Spocott Windmill & Village.
Explore on two wheels.
This time of year is perfect for bicycling – not too hot, not too buggy, and plenty of beautiful landscapes and waterscapes to behold. Wander Dorchester County’s quiet back roads on your own or try one of the routes in our Dorchester Cycling Guide. For a different take on cycling, head to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center on April 1, when author David Goodrich talk about his eye-opening bicycle journey along the Underground Railroad.
Decoy carving at the Dorchester County Historical Society. Photo courtesy DCHS.
Create something with your own hands.
Cambridge Main Street hosts a spring craft on Second Saturday, April 8, 10am-12pm at the Main Street Gallery. Kids ages 10-15 have the rare opportunity to learn about decoy carving at the Dorchester County Historical Society on April 12 – and bring home their own dove silhouette. At Phippin’s Crafting Corner this spring, create everything from your own oversize yard Jenga to a wine bottle windchime to Easter crafts. Or join in on a paint and sip session – both adult and kid versions!
Get pumped.
Get out of hibernation mode and get moving! Dorchester County has become a popular location for running, cycling, and swimming events, including this spring’s races: Great Chesapeake Wellness Race on May 13, Cambridge Crab Run on May 14, Six Pillars Century Cycling event on May 6, and the Maryland Freedom Swim on May 13. Come for a race or come to train for wherever your next challenge takes you!
Photo courtesy Salt Tale Charters
Go fish!
Book a charter with an expert who can bring you to the prime spots. Or explore Dorchester’s spots on Maryland’s new Fly Fishing Trail. Or book an all-in-one experience – including lodging, food, and fishing – with Riverside Lodge on Hoopers Island.
Blues with Annika Chambers II and Paul DesLauriers. Photo courtesy Paul DesLauriers.
Jazz and blues, Latin music, and more
For a small-town community, Dorchester County is hosting some great live music this spring! ArtBar 2.0 has several jazz and blues events coming up: Annika Chambers II and Paul DesLauriers (pictured above) on April 1 . Gospel Jazz Brunch on April 2 and May 14. And blues with Selwyn Birchwood on April 15. Tickets for ArtBar2.0 events. There’s also Jazz at the Mural with Sharon Clark May 13 outside at the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center.
Get in the Latin vibe May 5 at a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta with traditional Mexican food, live music by Los Gerentes, and a presentation by Cambridge Ballet Folklorico at the Dorchester Center for the Arts. Tickets. Or go for Latin dance parties April 22 and May 5 at ArtBar 2.0. Tickets.
The Josh Christina Band – “…an infectious blend of piano driven, high-octane boogie-woogie and pop ’n’ roll” –
performs at 447 Venue in Cambridge on May 25. The show is hosted by WHCP Radio. This one will sell out fast. Tickets.
