Destination Spotlight

Destination Spotlight: St. Michael’s, Maryland

For every couple who is looking for a quaint getaway, I have news for youโ€ฆ. I found it, and it is only a short drive from the bustle of Baltimore, DC, and Annapolis, Md. The place is called Saint Michaels, Md. Donโ€™t forget the soup of the day

I would like to say that I happened upon this little haven, but the truth is less impressive. My favorite Maryland wine is from a local winery, so my best friend set up for us to take a day trip up there. Lucky for us, St. Michaels has so much more to offer than a glass of wine (or 4). It is home to less than 1,200 people, 550 homes, and dates back to the 1770โ€™s when it was a shipbuilding village that played a part in the war of 1812. Spoiler alert, the British lost and everyone celebrated at St. Michaels winery with a tall glass of Gollywobbler Black (my favorite)! Ok, so thatโ€™s probably not exactly how it happened but it makes for a good story. The truth is that the townspeople snuffed all of the lights, then hung lanterns in the trees beyond the town so that when the British shot cannons from the bay, they overshot their actual targets with only minor damage. In addition, the town earned its nickname as โ€œthe town that fooled the British.โ€  For the historians in the group, you can learn about this and other events at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in town. 

The main street, N. Talbot, is home to dozens of shops, historical homes that have been converted to Bed and Breakfasts, see the Old Brick Inn, restaurants, a brewery, and two wineries. This is a perfect place to getaway with someone you love and take a walk back in time without the hustle and bustle of a big city. We started our day by parking at the free lot on the North end of N. Talbot Street where we quickly found JoJoโ€™s Cupcakes and Cream, a super yummy walk-up Ice Cream Parlor boasting farm-fresh confections. I would recommend one but all 3 flavors that I tried were deserving of a taste.

If you can drag yourself down the street without popping into every shop, Ginaโ€™s Take Out, and the Eastern Shore Brewing Co., then you are better than me. It took a bit for us to make it to the other end of the strip and into St. Michaels winery where we enjoyed one, ok two of the sweet wine flights followed by a frozen wine slushy made from the three most popular choices. Do yourself a flavor and do not miss it. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Heading back up the other side of the street you will find a Christmas Shoppe with every ornament you never knew you needed and Awful Arthurโ€™s. This restaurant was many things but Awful was not one of them. I could eat here every day for the rest of forever! The menu is chocked full of every seafood I never knew I needed. Blackened tuna appetizer, steamed mussels, a wide selection of fresh oysters, bacon-wrapped scallops, and did I mention lobster rolls?! I might have needed to be rolled away.ย 

We finished our afternoon with a quick stop into Justineโ€™s Ice Cream Parlor. It only seemed fair and respectful to close our adventure in the same way we began, enjoying a frozen treat at the other ice cream shop. I recommend bringing friends if you plan to test your fate with the Titanic, โ€œ8 scoops of ice cream, 6 toppings, 4 cones, and an iceberg of whipped cream!โ€ Not up for that particular trip? Opt for one of the over 40 variations of specialty milkshakes offered, every one is a winner!ย