You can dine on very fresh seafood—or go fishing to catch it—on Solomons Island. Photograph by citron_smurf via Flickr/Creative Commons and illustrations by Alli Arnold
The Scene: Where the Patuxent River meets the Chesapeake Bay sits the village of Solomons Island. The former shipbuilding community has a boardwalk and piers for strolling, antiques shops and art galleries, and bars and restaurants for every taste.
What to See and Do: Butterflies flit through the gardens of the Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, in nearby Dowell, where art and nature coexist. Wend your way along sun-dappled paths to see dramatic bronze and steel sculptures—courtesy of a partnership with the Smithsonian—throughout the 30 acres. A current exhibit, “Fairies in the Garden,” features artists’ fantasies of fairy and gnome houses nestled in the mossy hollows of trees. For a day on the water, Bunky’s Charter Boats rents Carolina skiffs and offers fishing excursions; Sail Solomons has 22-foot Catalina Capris. Or go to the Patuxent Adventure Center for kayak rentals.
Where to Eat: Kim’s Key Lime Pies has creative cuisine and pies in a cafe-like ambience. Across the road, Stoney’s Seafood House, famous for its fresh fish and crabcakes, sits on Solomons Pier with good views of the river.
Speed Dial
Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center
13480 Dowell Rd., 410-326-4640
Bunky’s Charter Boats
14448 Solomons Island Rd. S., 410-326-3241
Sail Solomons Sailing School and Yacht Charters
255 Alexander La.,410-326-4917
Patuxent Adventure Center
13860-C Solomons Island Rd., 410-394-2770
Kim’s Key Lime Pies
14618 Solomons Island Rd., 410-326-8469
Stoney’s Seafood House
14575 Solomons Island Rd. S., 410-326-2424
