Out of 123 Chesapeake Bay beaches—here are six not to miss
A pandemic project turns into a personal journey to discover the Chesapeake
In September 2020, I found myself with plenty of vacation time, but my family was tethered to virtual school and work, and I wondered where I could go safely by myself during the pandemic. I decided to visit a park not too far from where I live that I had never been to before, Beverly Triton Nature Park in Edgewater, Maryland.
That is when I realized that there were quite a few Chesapeake Bay beaches that I could visit, and I started planning a quest to visit as many as I could during my five days off. I had so much fun that I have done it every year since. So far, over the course of four years, I have logged 123 beaches in 20 days, (although I did cheat on the Chesapeake Bay for one day with a visit to the Delaware Bay).
On these journeys, I have learned so much about the people and history of the Chesapeake Bay, the challenges that face our parks and communities, and the dedicated conservationists who seek to create more public access, which I wrote about in this article for the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership.
Along the way, I have met wonderful people and have had many adventures, both good and bad. I have been lost in the woods for hours and covered in ticks. I got my car stuck in the sand on a road at a deserted beach miles from any cell phone signal. Traveling solo, there was only time that I felt a little uneasy. While walking into a small park on a rainy evening, I noticed that there was only one other car. What a surprise to find out that the other park patron was my own brother, an incredible coincidence nearly 20 miles from the area where we both live. You can read about these adventures and others and see the full list of beaches on my website, Chesapeake Beaches.
People often ask me, “What’s your favorite beach?” I cannot pick one, so my response is that the best beach is the one that you can get yourself to! Without ranking or picking any favorites, here are six Chesapeake Bay beaches that I hope you will visit this summer!
Haven Beach
Haven Beach is a large sandy beach on the Chesapeake Bay in Matthews County, Virginia. Matthews County is so beautiful, even John Lennon and Yoko One once called it home.
On the day that I visited in September 2021, the only people there were myself and a couple of kite surfers. This photo shows just a small fraction of Haven Beach, it goes on and on!
Details
Location: State Rte 645, Diggs, VA 23045
Parking: Limited
Fee: None
Restrooms: Yes
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hike to beach: None, park and walk in
Pro tip: You’ll be so close to another gorgeous beach, be sure to stop by Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve. Reach out to my friends at the Matthews Land Conservancy to learn about the great work they are doing for public access and conservation.
Hughlett Point Natural Area Preserve
Hughlett Point Natural Area Preserve is located on a peninsula bordered by Dividing Creek and the Chesapeake Bay with a phenomenal sandy beach. The preserve is a vital natural area for waterfowl, songbirds and birds of prey. It’s also home to the federally threatened northeastern beach tiger beetle, which, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was once abundant throughout the coastal northeast but now can only be found in limited areas of the Chesapeake Bay and Massachusetts.
It is impossible to capture the size and beauty of the beach at Hughlett Point in one photo. I had the beach all to myself in September 2021.
Details
Location: Balls Neck Road, Kilmarnock, VA 22482
Parking – There is parking for just 11 cars. If the parking lot is full, there can be no other guests until a parking spot is available. I had great luck on a September weekday.
Fee: None
Restrooms: No
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hike to beach: Short trail walk
Pro tip: Be sure to call or check the website prior to your visit, as the site can be closed for important bird nesting times
Myrtle Point Park
Myrtle Point Park offers a nice sandy beach on the Patuxent River with a view of the Governor Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge. According to Friends of Myrtle Point Park, sections of Myrtle Point Park were formerly a farm, an Italian embassy retreat and a failed residential development site.
Details
Location: 24050 Patuxent Boulevard, California, Maryland 20619
Parking: Varies (walk in only December 1 – March 31), check website
Fee: None
Restrooms: Yes
Hours: Vary, check website
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hike to beach: Easy hike and some steepish stairs
Pro tip: Great park for birders! There are hawks, herons, owls, warblers and eagles.
Snow Hill Park and Beach
This is a gorgeous 1,500-foot sandy beach on the Patuxent River that opened in 2019 with funding from the U.S. Navy and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Program Open Space.
Details
Location: 26590 South Sandgates Road, Mechanicsville, Maryland 20659
Parking: Yes
Fee: St. Mary’s County residents $8, Non-St. Mary’s County residents $25
Restrooms: Yes
Hours: Vary, check website (closed December 1-March 31)
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hike to beach: not far from parking lot
Pro tip: Prime paddling spot!
Roaring Point Park
Roaring Point Park’s beach is nearly one mile long, where the Nanticoke River widens to meet Tangier Sound and the Chesapeake Bay. If you are into paddling, this is a great launch site!
Details
Location: Red Hill Ln, Nanticoke, MD 21840
Parking: Yes, limited. Arrive early!
Fee: None
Restrooms: None
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hike to beach: Short hike
Pro tip: I highly recommend bug repellent for the short hike through woods, the mosquitos are hungry here.
Fort Foote Park
A sweeping Potomac River waterview awaits you at the National Park Service's Fort Foote in Prince George's County, Maryland. Fort Foote was an important defensive outpost for the ports of Georgetown, Alexandria and Washington during the Civil War, and was later put to use again during World War I and World War II.
Details
Parking: Yes, limited
Fee: None
Restrooms: None
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to sunset daily except for January 1, Thanksgiving, and December 25
Dogs: Yes, on leash
Hike to beach: Approximately 2 miles, roundtrip
Pro tip: While you’re here, be sure to visit the nearby National Park Service's Piscataway Park/National Colonial Farm in Accokeek, Maryland.
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