Cambridge (Maryland) - city in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States

Cambridge is a small town of 10,000 on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Understand

The harbor town of Cambridge was founded in 1684, making it one of the oldest cities in the state. It's seen ups and downs throughout its long history, at times a residence of choice for wealthy colonials, and not long ago a site of conflict and heavy job losses in the 60s during desegregation, racial violence, and the closing of the local cannery. It also has had several very famous residents: Harriet Tubman, Annie Oakley, and even a president of Liberia have all known the town as home. Today's Cambridge has seen rising fortunes from tourism (especially following the construction of the huge Hyatt resort) and professionals moving in who like the laid back, charming, maritime atmosphere.

• Visitor Center, 2 Rose Hill Pl, +1 410 228-1000, info@tourdorchester.org. If you enter Cambridge from the north you will cross the Choptank River on Route 50. Your first stop is the Visitor's Center at Sailwinds Park. The staff here are available to give information about the area's history, and advice on what to see when. They also offer a self-guided walking tour of the town's historic center, or a self-guided 105-mile driving tour of Underground Railroad sites. The Center is on the grounds of Sailwinds park, which has a children's playground, picnic tables a path along the river and spectacular views of the bridge.

Get in

By car

Cambridge is about halfway between the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Ocean City on US-50, the Ocean Gateway. Maryland Ave leads right from the highway to the historic town center.

By boat

The town harbor is just up the Choptank River from the bay. The most busy marina belongs to the Hyatt; the city's marina is just north of the historic center:

• Cambridge Municipal Yacht Basin, 4 Mill St, +1 410 228-4031, dockmaster@ci.cambridge.md.us. 1 May–31 Sep: 8AM-6PM daily; winter: weather dependent.

By plane

• Cambridge-Dorchester Airport (FAA:KCGE) is a small, regional airport with no scheduled commercial flights. Private planes park within walking distance of Kay's restaurant. Courtesy transportation to town may be available.

Get around

The town center is small and easily walked, while getting around surrounding areas will require a car or a bike (the Eastern Shore is good bike riding territory—not a hill in sight).

See

• Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park (formerly Choptank River Fishing Pier), 38.590556°, -76.044583°, +1 410-820-1668. Fishing piers 24 hr. Surrounding trails sunrise-sunset. Talbot County side closed Dec 31- Mar 31. A pedestrian fishing pier parallels Route 50 across the Choptank river on the north side of Cambridge. You can enter the park on either side of the river but the pier is not continuous, so you can't walk all the way across the river. The pier spans 1 mile on the northern side and 1/2 mile on the southern side of the river. Fishing and crabbing are the main attractions, but there are picnic areas and sandy beaches (no swimming.) Free
• Harriet Tubman Museum, 424 Race St, +1 410 228-0401. A small museum dedicated to the famous African-American abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor who lived here. The museum is small—call ahead to make sure it will be open. The staff offer tours within and outside Cambridge, of places where Harriet Tubman lived, worked, prayed, etc.
• Richardson Maritime Museum, 401 High St, +1 410 221-1871. W Su 1PM-4PM, Sa 10AM-4PM. Suggested donation: $3
• Ruark Boatworks, Maryland Ave & Hayward St, +1 410 221-8844. M W F 9AM-2PM. Though affiliated with the Richardson Maritime Museum, this is no museum—it is an active boatworks working exclusively on wooden boats and models. Visitors get to see how it's done, and can participate in model building. Suggested donation: $3
• Spokott Windmill. Windmill, colonial tenant house, one-room school house and blacksmith shop on display. The Lloyd Country Store Museum is open only on special occasions.

Art galleries

There is a vibrant artist community in Cambridge.

• Danny Doughty Gallery, 437 Race Street. Folk art.
• Dorchester Center for the Arts, 321 High Street, +1 410-228-7782. M-Th 10AM-5PM; F Sa 10AM-4PM. Displays, events and classes.
• Main Street Gallery, 447 Race Street, info@MainStGallery.org. F Sa 11AM-5PM; second Sa 6-9PM.
• {{see | name=Wright's Art and Framing | url=http://wrightsartamerica.com/ (dead link: December 2020) | email=info@wrightsartamerica.com | address=111 Maryland Ave | lat= | long= | directions= | phone = +1 410-228-7977 | tollfree= | fax= | hours= | price= | content= }}

Do

• Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, 2145 Key Wallace Dr (Take MD-16 (Church Creek Rd) south from the town, then turn left on MD-335 (Golden Hill Rd)), 38.4139°, -76.0972°, +1 410 228-2677. dawn-dusk daily; visitor center: M-F 8AM-4PM, Sa Su 9AM-5PM. The prime visitor attraction here is the Wildlife Drive, which visitors can drive, walk and cycle on in order to get close to the local wildlife. In addition, the Refuge has four land trails and three paddling trails, as well as hunting/fishing/crabbing opportunities. Finally, the Refuge staff and volunteers also offer a variety of environmental educational opportunities for young people at both the Refuge Visitor Center and also at the Refuge environmental education building, located at the entrance to the Wildlife Drive. If you are in the mood to see a bald eagle soaring over the Chesapeake wetlands, this is the place.
• Skipjack Nathan, +1 410 228-7141. The wooden skipjack is the traditional sailboat of choice for Chesapeake oystermen, and remains in use to this day in parts of the bay where motorboats are not allowed. The Nathan is moored here only for pleasure, though, and offers several activities for visitors, including sailing cruises and educational programs with Chesapeake watermen.
• Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument, 2145 Key Wallace Drive (At Maryland State Park, next to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge), 38.4483°, -76.1387°, +1 410 221-2290. National monument to Harriet Tubman, abolitionist, suffragette and the best-known conductor on the Underground Railroad for having led seventy former slaves to freedom. (38 0 26'N, 76 0 07'W)

Buy

There is a good collection of shops and art galleries along High Street, Poplar Street and Race Street in the historic center.

• As Time Goes By, 400 Race Street. Antiques.
• Dragonfly Boutique, 406 Race Street, +1 410 228-6825. M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 11AM-3PM. Fashionable boutique clothing.
• A Few of My Favorite Things Gourmet Gifts, 414 Race Street, +1 410 221-1960. Wine, cheese and chocolate. What is not to like?
• Maggie's Hatbox, 510 Poplar Street, +1 443-225-6963. W-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-3PM. Antiques.
• Studioworks Artisan's Shop at the Dorchester Center for the Arts, 321 High Street, +1 410-228-7782. M-Th 10AM-5PM, F Sa 10AM-4PM. Original artwork for sale by the artists in residence.
• Sunnyside Shop, 500 Poplar Street, +1 410 901-9009, heidi@sunnysideshop.com. Fairly traded and environmentally friendly jewelry, gifts and clothing.

Eat and drink

• Portside Seafood Restaurant, 201 Trenton St, +1 410 228-9007. This restaurant has a big outdoor wooden deck overlooking the Cambridge Harbor, and serves a crab-heavy menu. $15-40
• Snapper's Waterfront Cafe, 112 Commerce Street, +1 410 228-0112, jssydnor@verizon.net. The menu features seafood, southwestern and Jamaican cuisine. Exotic cocktails.

Sleep

• Cambridge House B&B, 112 High St, +1 410 221-7700. Located in the "1847 sea captain's manor," this is a small "green" B&B in the historic center, with period furniture, a charming garden, and is one block from the Wharf. $125-175
• Comfort Inn Cambridge, 2936 Ocean Gateway (Route 50), +1 410 901-0926. Breakfast included, free Wi-Fi, indoor pool.
• Holiday Inn Express Cambridge, 2715 Ocean Gateway (Route 50). Breakfast included, free Wi-Fi, indoor pool and hot tub.
• Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay, 100 Heron Blvd, +1 410 901-1234. This is one of the bigger resorts on the Chesapeake, and has all the amenities you'd expect, plus an on-site marina, beautiful 18-hole championship golf course, and a gigantic spa. $220-320

Connect

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