Day trip to St. Michaels, MD (Alexandria, Vienna: rentals, house, live in)

[RusUs]

I am thinking about making a day trip to St. Michaels, MD. I checked St. Michaels online and it looks as a small nice town on the water. But from personal experience, is it worth to visit? Google says it is ~2 hours drive and ~100 miles. I am fully aware of DC area traffic and understand that most likely it will take longer. Considering this trip on Sat. 7/2, leaving earlier morning and come back home in the late afternoon. Did someone make such trip in the past or recently? Will the holiday weekend make the drive worse?

Thank you! I appreciate your replies!

[car54]

The wife and I have spent many a weekend at St Michael's....but we travel by water only. We like the Maritime Museum, the Crab Claw, and just the harbor scene in general....looking for vessels whose owners we've met before. etc.

I don't know if it's "worth it" if you have to sit in a massive traffic jam to get there. I think the normal beach traffic combined with a holiday weekend is likely a recipe for disaster.

[RusUs]

car54,
You made good point about traffic, and this is why I am still not sure about this as a day trip. I'd love to travel by boat, but we do not have one ;-) Thank you for your reply!

[HokieFan]

Originally Posted by RusUs

I am thinking about making a day trip to St. Michaels, MD. I checked St. Michaels online and it looks as a small nice town on the water. But from personal experience, is it worth to visit? Google says it is ~2 hours drive and ~100 miles. I am fully aware of DC area traffic and understand that most likely it will take longer. Considering this trip on Sat. 7/2, leaving earlier morning and come back home in the late afternoon. Did someone make such trip in the past or recently? Will the holiday weekend make the drive worse?

Thank you! I appreciate your replies!

I'm certain the holiday traffic will make traffic much worse. My suggestion, go west - away from the beaches.

[RusUs]

HokieFan,
Thanks. "Go west" is an option, although in summer it is really nice to be next to the water, when possible, of course.

[AlexandriaVa11]

You can "go West" and be next to the water at Deep Creek Lake. Google it and see it if appeals to you. I'd say it's definitely worth a day trip!

[GiGi603]

St.Michaels Winery is a good place to stop if you do go. I like St Michaels--cute, quaint town. Is it worth a two hour drive? Only you can answer that. I like to take a day trip every so often just to get out of my little spot. It is about two hours for me too.

I don't think I would do it on a holiday weekend. I don't know which direction you are coming from, either way you will bump into beach traffic. I would suggest waiting until September/October.

I am the kind of person that would take a day trip to Old Town Alexandria (just noticed you posted in the Northern Virginia forum)--sort of kind the same kind of day trip. If you want to explore a quaint little town with some nice little shops and restaurants on the water this would be a good choice.

[RusUs]

AlexandriaVa11,
Thank you. We've been to Deep Creek Lake. It is a nice area, but longer drive.

GiGi603,
Thank you, too. We live in Vienna and visit Alexandria regularly. Love Old Town. I just wanted to get out of town to do something new or different.

[choff5]

If you want water and Deep Creek is too far, check out Lake Anna State Park, about two hours away depending on traffic. There is a small beach there for swimming. If you are into wineries Lake Anna Winery is very near the park but IMHO is you want better wine or a nicer views, check out Cooper Vineyard or Hortan Vineyards not too far from the lake. If you are into history, about 30-45 min from that area is Montpelier, home of James Madison. Similar to visiting Monticello but closer I think. All of this would be an easy day drive get away.

[ChristineVA]

The only way I recommend doing it on any Saturday in the summer (and 7/2 will be one of the worst Saturdays for beach traffic), is to get out of the house NO LATER than 6AM.

I have done day trips to the eastern shore many times on a summer Saturday and I do just fine when I leave by 6AM. No matter what, people still cannot get out the house early. Also, many Saturday to Saturday rentals don't even start until 3PM at the beach so people don't want to sit around all day with their cars full of stuff waiting to check in. Leaving early has always worked for me. The drawback is that you will get to St. Michael's early and nothing will be open.