Visiting Kent County

We’ve gathered some of the best melodic happenings and music-filled venues around Kent County that can help one get back to a feeling of normalcy through song and sound. Large music festivals are an incredible way to celebrate artists, music and talented musicians every year. But all over the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and specifically in Kent County, music is celebrated more frequently, in smaller ways and every day in new forms as people have had to become creative in recent times. The spotlight is on four local venues that have done their part to bring music to the community, as well as annual festivals that we all love. Some venues have reimagined their music programming (virtual concerts anyone?). These events all prove that melody and music live on in Kent County.

Summer breezes are calling for a maritime adventure in a magical setting. The Chesapeake Bay, Sassafras River and Chester River are enchanting waters on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Whether it’s via wind or motor, a boat can take you anywhere you want to be—including, away from it all.

Americans are aching to get outside and go experience something serene. Summer travel plans may not be typical this year, so cars—and boats!—are going to be some of the best ways to explore. Perhaps it’s time to try something new and go on a true adventure where you can make your own memories with family or friends and define your own space.

As the season changes and you look for opportunities to enjoy the beautiful spring weather, remember that outdoor adventures and sustainable eco-travel abound in Kent County, Maryland. This picturesque area of the Chesapeake Bay has plenty of room to explore without crowds. Kent County is known for its uncompromised nature, a slew of outdoor activities to enjoy it with, a love of sustainable cuisine (available for take-out and delivery if needed), environmentally friendly lodging—and it’s all paired with sweeping river and bay views.

The benefits of eating locally sourced food are well lauded, from increased flavor and freshness to reduced waste, transit pollution and fuel consumption. Islanders naturally realize these advantages as their geographical limitations demand resourcefulness of everything the environment offers.

While Kent County, Maryland, isn’t technically an island, it is nearly surrounded by water. Native tribes and early settlers thrived on its bounties from the sea and its fruitful soil. Fortunately, their traditions of self-reliance continue to prosper with residents today.

A patchwork of green, yellow and brown cover a landscape surrounded by large swaths of silvery-blue glinting like a mirror for the sun; ribbons of jade and teal weave through clusters of lush green groves; and quaint towns where life is easy and offer fountains and flower gardens by which to rest.  This is Kent County, Maryland, from a bird’s-eye view. With a landscape this inviting, it’s no wonder the area is a haven for birds, waterfowl and butterflies.

Chestertown, located in Kent County, Maryland, thrives with historical significance, lively festivals, a vibrant art and cultural scene, eclectic shops, charming inns and diverse restaurants. It’s also home to Washington College, the 10th oldest liberal arts college in the country—which is named after former President George Washington.  Since its founding in 1782, the college’s influences have continued to flow through Chestertown like the waterways that surround it.

Grab those wooden mallets because it’s time to chase down the delicate, sweet seafood flavor of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab, and in Kent County, Maryland, the supply is plentiful and the tradition of celebrating the season is lively.

Callinectes sapidus or “beautiful, savory swimmers” have shades of blue mainly on their legs and claws, and some specimens, though rare, are entirely blue. No matter the amount of blue, these crabs harvested from the Chesapeake Bay promise sweet, delicate meat.

Everyone deserves a vacation, including your pooch, and Kent County, Maryland, is the perfect place for your furry friend to wag its tail and enjoy the refreshing breeze of this waterside community. The area has plenty of pet-friendly lodging, restaurants, parks and stores for them to explore...

Founded in 1642, Kent County, Maryland, is in itself a virtual museum of American history—from Native American and colonial settlements to the development of important ports and African American progress. Venture anywhere within this charming area and you’re surrounded with reminders of its historical, maritime, agricultural and civic significance, and you won’t want to miss these 10 richly diverse museums.

When the excitement of the holidays fades, banish the wintertime blues with an outdoor adventure to Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Kent County, Maryland. Just a day trip from Baltimore, Philadelphia and D.C., Eastern Neck Island has nearly 2,300 acres of natural beauty cozied between the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay.

One of the 500-plus refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System, Eastern Neck Island is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Whether under the water, on the water, on land or in the sky, its efforts provide sanctuary for a myriad of life forms. With more than 240 species of birds, including bald eagles, hawks and osprey, tundra swans, Canada geese and other migratory types, it’s a veritable birding haven. Animal lovers will enjoy the diversity of amphibians and reptiles, including diamondback terrapins with their intricately decorated shells and mammals like the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel, white-tailed deer, red fox, beaver, raccoon and more.

Though the street signs at the centers of U.S. towns may not all read “Main,” the moniker evokes a collective impression in American society—a certain nostalgia that harkens back to a simpler life and times. Idyllic Kent County, Maryland, delivers this sensibility on nearly every street you travel. Perhaps it’s due to geography. As a peninsula, with its borders defined by the Chesapeake Bay and the Sassafras and Chester Rivers, the county is naturally preserved from the hustle of nearby Baltimore, Washington, D.C, and Philadelphia.

When seen from above, waterways resemble Mother Earth’s arteries, delivering sustenance throughout the land. Look at a map of Kent County, Maryland and you’ll immediately see the plethora of arterial canals that feed this vibrant area. From freshwater rivers and streams to saltwater inlets and bays, paddling enthusiasts know these channels deliver many gifts to those who go with the flow.

The sun lingers in the evening sky—glistening pink and gold on the glassy Chesapeake Bay. The fresh campfire crackles with excitement. Soon, its embers will sizzle with patties and franks. Here’s to summer—when even the sun wants the day to last forever.

The wonderful thing about Chestertown is its living, thriving community and that its architecture celebrates the town’s vibrant evolution over the centuries. The National Register of Historic Places describes the variety of architectural styles to be seen here.

When you visit the picturesque sites in Kent County, Maryland, you’ll want to keep your camera ready for unique selfies, breath-taking sunsets and large-format landscapes.

When you say, “I do,” you want the event, like the lyrics of the everlasting love song, to be unforgettable—not only for you and your future spouse but also for your guests. One way to make it memorable is to take the ceremony somewhere extraordinary. But, go easy on your guests and leave the passports at home because Kent County, Maryland, nestled along the Chesapeake from Baltimore, is convenient and yet remote enough to offer an idyllic and stress-free destination wedding experience that will forever shine in your mind.

There’s a growing trend around the world to lead a healthier lifestyle, and this desire has likewise spawned a segment of tourism focused on health and wellness. While vacations are an escape from everyday life, they’re also an opportunity to enhance and explore the important and positive aspects of daily life. So, when it’s time for you to relax, rejuvenate and restore, Kent County, Maryland, has many ways you can adopt a healthier lifestyle with its holistic approach to living.

From theatrical performances to world-renowned musicians, you’ll find it all in Kent County. A destination for live entertainment, Kent County brings together its unique history and culture in its local theaters. Come enjoy Kent County’s thriving arts scene for yourself. Check the calendar and reserve tickets for a show, because experiencing the Arts in Kent County, Maryland is sure to make your trip to the Upper Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay a memorable one.

There’s a thrill when you see it—when there are so many geese sweeping down on a marsh, their calls can be deafening, and their wings eclipse the sky. The expanses of river marsh and fields that make up the bulk of Kent County are right along the Atlantic flyway, a migratory funnel that siphons 29 species of waterfowl including geese, ducks and swans by the thousands. These birds fly up to 1,600 miles from their Arctic breeding grounds to here, where they spend the relatively mild winter feeding on underwater grasses, clams, mussels and fields of corn.

It’s hot and you want to get away for a couple of days to a quiet spot not too far away, where you can play in the water with your kids without the crowds. Where do you go? Take a tip from history. Try a place that’s an hour’s drive closer to Baltimore and Annapolis than Ocean City. Instead of the Atlantic Ocean, dip your toes in the cool, fresh water of the Chesapeake Bay at one of the historic beaches in Kent County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.