Beaches in Southern Maryland (Baltimore, Potomac: beach, swimming pool, park)

[Zack]

I was wondering if anyone could recommend any of the beaches along the Chesapeake in Southern MD that don't involve going over the Bay Bridge. I am mostly looking for places that you can go for a day trip from the DC area. I already get to travel down to Va Beach roughly monthly for work, so I get to see the ocean plenty, but would like to find out about other places close by as I have guests coming soon.

[NicoleJ]

I'd love to know also. I remember about a month ago, someone said the Deleware beaches are really nice. (I'm guessing that involves a bridge though?)

[emsgoof]

Sandy Point just on this side of the Bay Bridge? Don't know of a whole bunch.

[kjg1963]

There is also Cheseapeake Beach and North Beach

From Washington's Capital Beltway (I-95/495): Take Route 4 south into Calvert County.
From the Baltimore Beltway (I-695): Take Rt. 301 south to Route 4 south.
Just across the Calvert County line, take a right on Route 260 (it's a right hand exit). Proceed approximately 5 miles to Chesapeake Beach. When Route 260 forces a left or a right turn at the stop light (and you see the Chesapeake Bay straight ahead) you're there.

[emmedley]

kjg1963 beat me to it, Chesapeake and North Beaches are a very nice day trip, and not a bad drive from DC.

[emmedley]

Originally Posted by nrkelly

I'd love to know also. I remember about a month ago, someone said the Deleware beaches are really nice. (I'm guessing that involves a bridge though?)

Not necissarily. If you go north to just barely over the PA/MD line, you can come down the other side of the bay without the bay bridge. It takes longer, but not much depending on where exactly in MD you're coming from, and where in Deleware you're going. Not to mention less traffic than the bay bridge, unless there's a race in Dover, in which case traffic is pretty horrific.

[StuartSlate]

Some things to consider when beaching on the bay's western shore - sea nettles (jelly fish) in hot summer and knee-deep shallow water.

I don't know if they are still open, but two pay-to-use facilities are Bay Ridge, near Annapolis, in Anne Arundel Co. (swimming pool too), and Breezy Point in Calvert Co. south of North Beach and Chesapeake Beach down from Randall's Cliff.

Breezy Point (with nets to block sea nettle infiltration) was once famous for being about the only beach on the western shore deep enough to enable swimming rather than simply wading.

Additionally, Point Lookout, at the junction of the Potomac and the Bay in St. Mary's Co., also has a swim beach.

[JaBradshaw]

Sandy Point State Park is by Annapolis, Breezy Point is down in Calvert and Calvert Cliffs, although not a beach, is a cool place to go. Also try the little towns of Chesapeake Beach and North Beach, both in Calvert County.