Marnialife is celebrating their 20th Anniversary with the 2020 Big Bay Hunt, where boaters will solve a 1920s mystery hidden in clues at marinas throughout the Chesapeake Bay. We went ahead and went through each clue destination included in the Big Bay Hunt, and gave some recommendations of what to do while you’re in town. Check them out below!
North East, Maryland
The first few stops of the Big Bay Hunt are in North East, Maryland. This small town offers visitors lots of charm and scenery at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. If you take a walk down mainstreet, you will be met with shops, boutiques, and amazing restaurants you can grab a bite at after finding your clue and taking a break to enjoy a nice evening on the water. Port House Grill and Woody’s Crab House are must visits if you’re in the area for a bit.
There are three parks in close proximity to the marinas, Elk Neck state Park, Turkey Point LightHouse, and Elk Neck State Forest, which offer the perfect excuse to social distance and spend time with the beautiful nature of the Chesapeake Bay.
Baltimore, Maryland
The middle portion of the Big Bay Hunt stops in one of our favorite places in Maryland, Baltimore city! Baltimore is a seriously cool town where you can experience a lot of history, swanky restaurants and more even with social distancing. The three stops are all along the Patuxent River in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, where guests can visit The National Aquarium and The Maryland Science Center. You can even get takeout or sit outside at the famous Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. for some local Baltimorian seafood. The Harbor East area has a ton of great restaurants, where most if not all, are currently offering takeout and outside dining options for the safety of visitors. We recommend The Bygone or Azumi, but really you can’t go wrong. One of our all time favorites in the city is Little Havana – definitely try to make a stop if you can.
Baltimore city is filled with a rich maritime and colonial history. Some are closed right now due to COVID-19, but you can still see them! Fort McHenry is pretty neat to see even though the visitor center isn’t open. You can currently walk the grounds and the Star Spangled Banner Historic Trails. There are a variety of historic ships docked in the Inner Harbor such as USS Constellation and the USS Torsk…just wander around the perimeter and you can’t miss them! You can even visit Edgar Allen Poe’s House and grave for you poetry lovers out there.
There is so much to do and see, Baltimore is really going to be a stop for the books!
St. Michaels, Maryland
St. Michaels, Maryland was placed in Today’s Top 10 Best Small Coastal Towns and for good reason! This small town along the Chesapeake Bay is the first to last stop along the Big Bay Hunt route, and within its limits you will find a ton of history, dining, shopping, beaches, and much needed RnR if you can spare some moments. St. Michaels looks straight out of a 19th century seaport with historic homes and piers. Locals encourage you to take full advantage of the River while docked – try your hand at fishing for dinner or go kayaking/paddleboarding in the calm waters.
There are guided walking tours, bike rentals, and even group runs if you’re more of a landlubber looking to stretch your legs! St. Michaels has some of the most authentic Maryland seafood you can get your hands on, so make sure to hit a few spots while in town. We recommend Awful Arthur’s or 208 Talbot. You can even go taste rum at Lyon Rum Distillery! Whatever you do, this town is certainly worth at least a day to explore.
Cambridge, Maryland
We honestly can’t say enough good things about Cambridge, Maryland. This town may be small and quiet, but it is just so wonderful and it really is a must visit if you’re traveling on the Chesapeake Bay. There are really fun boutiques lining Main Street, restaurants, and even a Harriet Tubman Museum and Mural!
A new restaurant opened in Downtown Cambridge called Fat Ricky’s which we have not tried yet, but we are sure it’s amazing! The whole town offers some of the best food in Maryland, maybe take some time and sample around from Portside to Jimmie and Sook’s and RaR Brewing.
We did a whole “Snag Picks” blog on Cambridge – check it out here! Cambridge, Maryland is just full of great food, scenery and people that you just may want to stay a while!
Please note: At the time of publishing, due to the rapidly changing situation from the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) throughout the United States, some establishments mentioned in this blog post may already be closed or will close due to limitations in place by local government authorities.
If you need any assistance making a future reservation or altering an existing reservation, please email hello@snagaslip.com.
