Hi Darlene,

I can help you with the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake. If you are flying into Washington you would probably want to start by going to the Calvert Maratime Museum in Solomons. It is pretty close to DC. Drum Point Light is at the museum. It was moved there from it's original location, about 1 mile away, in the 1960's. It is beautifully restored and maintained. Threre are a lot of interesting exibits at the museum also. Solomons is a quaint little fishing town and there are a couple of motels there. I think one is a Comfort Inn.

Cove Point Lighthouse is just north of Solomons along the bay. It is an active Coast Guard Station. You can see the lighthouse thru the fence but the grounds are not accessable.

There are quite a few lighthouses south of Solomons on the western shore of the Chesapeake but I can' give you much info on them.

Annapolis is about 2 hours north of Solomons.
Thomas Point light is offshore from Annapolis. I am not aware of a good vantage point from shore. You may want to check on a tour boat.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is just north of Annapolis. Sandy Point and Baltimore Lights are a little north of the Bridge. You can get a good view of Sandy Point as you cross the northernmost span (coming from the Eastern Shore). You can also see it from Sandy Point State Park on the western end of the bridge. You can also see Baltimore Light from there but is quite a ways north. You can get a better look at it from some of the bayfront residential areas.

From there head north to the Inner Harbor of Baltimore. Seve Foot Knoll Lighthouse was moved from the Bay to the Inner Harbor about 10 years ago. Allow an extra day or two to see all of the other attractions in and around the Inner Harbour. There are several other lesser known lighthouses on the western shore of the bay just north of Baltimore. They are visible from shore but you have to be very famaliar with the area to find them. A better bet is to visit them by boat but none of the tour boats go up to that area.

From Baltimore head north about 40 miles to Havre de Grace, Md. It is at the very northern tip of the Bay and the Susquehanna River empties into the Bay there. You can visit Concord Point while there. You can drive right up to it. Be sure to visit the Decoy Museum while in town.

From there cross the Susquehanna River on US Rte 40 and go about 10 mile to the town of North East. Take Rte 272 thru town to Elk Neck State Park. Turkey Point Lighthouse is there. I believe you have to walk about a mile to get to it. It sits high on a bluff. The view is spectacular. You can look back across to Havre de Grace, South down the bay or up the Elk River to the C&D canal which connects the Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware Bay.

From there go to Elkton and take Rte 213 south to Rt 301. Take Rte 301 south to Rte 50 East to Easton. Bear right in Easton on Rte 33 to St Micheals. At the Chesapeake Bay Maratime Museum you will find Hoopers Straight Lighthouse. It is a screwpile lighthouse, every bit as beautiful as Thomas Point but with a green roof, that was relocated there from the bay quite a while back. The museum there is also quite interseting. Spend some time in St Micheals. It is a very intriguing little town. If you care for some liquid refreshments be sure to stop at the Carpenter Street Saloon. From St Micheals continue east on Rt 33 to Tilghmans Island. Cross the drawbridge and drive as far south on the Island as possibe. From there you will be as close to Sharps Island Light as you can probably get by car. If you want a great Chesapeake Bay Meal stop at Harrisons Chesapeake House on the island. I would recommend the fried chicken and crab cake platter or a pile of steamed crabs and a few cold beers. If you like to fish you can arrange a fishing trip from there. They have quite a few boats that fish out of there.

That is about all I can help you with. There are quite a few others in the Virginia portion of the bay. I have seen some but can't offer much as far as local information.

PS- If you have a couple of extra days you may want to consider some of the coastal lighthouse. You really will not be very far from Fenwick and Assateague. If you go 60 miles south from Assateague and cross the 17 mile long Chesapeake Bay Bridge -Tunnel you are just a couple of miles from the twin lights at Cape Henry. Two hours south from Cape Henry are the beginning of the Outer Banks Lighthouses.............???????????

Good Luck,

Jim Thomas