Family fun on the eastern shore

Debbie and Betsy have 6 boys under the age of 14, here are some of our tried and true things to do with kids!

Nature Centers

Learning about the habitat can be a fun and interesting way to connect with the Eastern Shore and each other. One of my favorite afternoons with the kids was releasing baby Diamond-Back terrapins. We have an abundance of Sanctuaries and Centers, here are just a few:

• Pickering Creek Audubon Center. A 400 acre conservation center that sponsors kids camps, nature learning seminars, walking trails, canoe and kayak paddles, and other family friendly fun. www.pickeringcreek.org
• Jean Ellen DuPont Shehan Audubon Sanctuary. A 950 acre sanctuary that provides opportunities for learning about the natural habitat. Offers horseback riding, also. www.audubonmddc.org.
• Blackwater National Refuge. 27,000 acres of woodland, tidal marsh, and freshwater ponds. 4 mile wildlife drive, Visitors Center, walking trails and photo blind. www.fws.gov/blackwater/

Museums

The Chesapeake Maritime Museum is not to be missed! Located in the heart of St. Michaels, kids can tour an actual lighthouse and visit the many exhibits they have. Visit their website at www.cbmm.org for a more comprehensive list of camps, sailing lessons, family concerts, special events like Crab Days and Lighthouse sleepovers. Located on Tilghman Island, the Philips Wharf Environmental Center is a virtual “petting zoo” for blue crabs, horseshoe crabs and oysters and you can learn about native fish in the bay. Visit www.pwec.org for more information.

Restaurants

Talbot County in particular in known for its fine dining, charming bistros and wine bars, but with kids in tow an intimate dinner may not be what’s on your mind! Here are some kid friendly spots to enjoy a vacation from the kitchen:

• The Masthead at Pier Street, Oxford. Enjoy steamed crabs and a kid friendly menu while overlooking the marina and sweeping views of the Tred Avon. You can also feed the fish and ducks, watch the boats and enjoy the bay breezes.
• The Crab Claw, St. Michaels. Next to the Maritime Museum, steamed crabs, casual indoor/outdoor dining on the water.
• Hill’s Drug Store, Dover Street, Easton. Great spot for milk shakes and a grilled cheese when you just want to sit down and take a break from sight-seeing.
• Old Towne Creamery, Goldsborough St., Easton or Justine’s on Talbot Street in St. Michaels. Two words—ice cream!
• The Hangar Café at the Easton Airport. Breakfast and Lunch while watching the planes come in. What could be better?
• The Bagel Bakery, Marlboro Road, Easton. Lunch and Dinner
• Rusticana’s Pizza, both in St. Michaels and Easton. When you have finally had enough crab cakes, try the best pizza in town.

Parks

As if all the open space isn’t enough, there are some great parks to check out. Idewild Park, at Harrison and Peach Blossom Streets in Easton has recently been renovated with lots of great new equipment. Sneak over to the Children’s Garden to play on the boat and run up and down the “hills”. Just down the street is also the skate park. The Town of Easton "Rails-to-Trails" is a federal, state, and local project designed to utilize out of service rail lines for outdoor recreational purposes. The Easton Rails to Trails project converts valuable railroad right-of-ways into public trails for running, walking, bicycling, wildlife conservation and observation, and other purposes. There are 2.2 miles for walking and biking. Oxford Park, in the center of town, is a great picnic spot with some swings and slides. Walk across the street to the Market for ice cream and sandwiches. Also in Oxford, the Strand at the end of Morris Street offers a sandy beach area for splashing and playing. Sailwinds Park, in Cambridge next to the Visitors Center, is a great small child friendly park with a sandy beach, walking trail, beautiful views. You can also visit the Choptank Fishing Pier for sightseeing, crabbing and fishing (license required). In St. Michaels, Muskrat Park at Green Street is a shady spot and also home of the Concerts in the Park, a family friendly summer series of Thursday afternoon concerts to enjoy with a picnic dinner.

Boating

For kids who want to get on the water, there are a few options—the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum offers day sailing, or try Patriot Cruises, www.patriotcruises.com, next door for a sight-seeing tour up and down the Miles River. The Oxford Bellevue Ferry, which runs from the Strand in Oxford to Bellevue is the quickest and most scenic way to travel from Oxford to St. Michaels. Only about a 15 minute ride, kids love that your car goes on the boat, too and is an old fashioned diversion.  Dockside Express on Tilghman Island, offers kids the chance to be a “waterman for the day” with its Crabbin’Cruises. Spend the day learning to chicken neck and they'll even cook your catch for you! www.docksideexpress.com

Community Pools

The George C. Murphy Pool in Easton and the St. Michaels Community Pool on Talbot Street are both relatively new pools with great amenities like waterfalls and floating movies in the evenings. There is a nominal fee for daily use. To get the schedules and information, please visit www.talbgov.org.