Maryland is home to a wide range of diverse outdoor experiences, from hiking in the Appalachian Mountains to beachcombing on the Eastern Shore. If you’re new to Maryland or just visiting, there are many ways to enjoy the great outdoors. Let’s take a look at the top five outdoor experiences in the Old Line State.
Camping in Maryland State Parks
Maryland’s state parks span nearly 100,000 acres of land from the coast to the mountains in the western part of the state. Camping is a great way to experience everything the Maryland outdoors has to offer. Whether you just want to relax by the fire and enjoy a nice barbeque, or you plan to use your campsite as a base for further adventures like biking, hiking, kayaking, or exploring historical sites, there’s a Maryland state park for you.
Choose Your Own Golfing Adventure
Whether you’re an experienced golfer or just trying it out, Maryland offers a diverse array of golf courses to quench your sense of adventure. Golf courses in Maryland can be found in dense woodlands and scenic marshes, giving you the opportunity to nature watch while you play. Ocean City is where most golfers like to go thanks to its wide variety of strong courses. Legendary golf course designer Pete Dye also has a presence in the state, and the Links at Perry Cabin are a good example of his genius.
Beachcombing Assateague Island
Assateague Island is a top destination in Maryland and for good reason. It offers gloriously pristine beaches and wild horses. Did we mention wild horses? The wild horses of Assateague are undoubtedly the top reason people visit, but there’s still more to do on the island. Set up camp on the beach and watch the stars, or take a long stroll through one of the many nature walks. The island is home to a diverse array of animals and birds alongside wild horses.
Visit the Ice Age
Maryland has a lot of unique features, but Cranesvill Swamp might be one of the most interesting. The boreal swamp resides in a mountain frost pocket in Western Maryland. It was likely created some 15,000 years ago when the Ice Age glaciers retreated and left the wetland in their wake. Cranesville Swamp is home to some incredibly diverse wildlife, but the really unique feature is that it is a subarctic wetland that you don’t typically find so far south. Similar ones are way up north in Canada. Visiting the swamp will give you an idea of what much of North America looked like during the Ice Age.
Chesapeake Bay Crabbing
A visit to Maryland wouldn’t be complete without getting involved in some crabbing. You don’t need anything complicated to take advantage of Maryland’s favorite fishy residents. Just grab a string, some bait, and a net and head down to the bay. You can catch up to two dozen male hard crabs with no permit needed. Another option is to try a crabbing charter on the bay to find the best spots and hear some local tales at the same time.
This list only scratches the surface of all the diverse outdoor experiences available in Maryland. Discover yours today!
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.