About Coronavirus 2020
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Maybe you’ve nixed your spring-break travel plans out of concern about Covid-19. When you are ready to travel again, and any resorts and hotels that closed are open again, why not put your money into the region’s economy? The good news for those who eventually will wish to get away, but stay close to home: There are plenty of travel options in the Mid-Atlantic—and you may even score some deals. Although heading to a waterfront resort on the Eastern Shore may not be the same as vacationing in the Caribbean, it’s still a chance to rest and recharge. Here are some great options to think about right in Maryland. For ideas in Virginia, click here.
Small Sanctuary
If your preference is to be around very few people, and to stay somewhere small with just a few guest rooms, consider the Ivy Hotel in Baltimore. One of the most luxurious small properties in this region, the Ivy has just nine suites and nine rooms. You can hunker down under 400-thread-count Frette sheets, warmed by a gas fireplace as well as a heated limestone floor in your private bath. Room service will bring you a spot of tea, a bottle of wine, or food around the clock. Some rooms have balconies if you need a breath of fresh air. Venture out of your room, and you’ll find a garden, a library stocked with books, a piano, and a billiards table. If that’s not de-stressing enough, there’s also a small spa.
Glamp Happy
Pretend you’re somewhere exotic while ensconced in a yurt at Savage River Lodge in western Maryland. This is not roughing it: Each domed yurt comes with a king-sized bed, heated floor, private bath, and sitting room. But it is remote and away from the crowds.
New on the Eastern Shore
The Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels was already one of the region’s premiere properties. Now it’s upped its game by adding an 18-hole golf course designed by Pete Dye as well as eight high-def simulators in its pro shop. Plus, you get all that fresh air by the water.
Into the Pool
If what you—and your kids—were most looking forward to while visiting your parents in Florida this spring was some pool time, don’t throw in the towel. A number of hotels and resorts in Maryland have indoor swimming pools, including: the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center at National Harbor.
A Last Bit of Skiing
We haven’t had much of a winter in the Mid-Atlantic, but don’t let that stop you from a ski trip—most area resorts now have sophisticated snow-making equipment. Wisp Resort, in western Maryland, is a laid-back, family-friendly mountain resort next to Deep Creek Lake. Your kids—or you—don’t know how to ski? Wisp is the best ski resort in the Mid-Atlantic for beginners: Many of the 33 trails are rated for beginners, and no one ever seems to be in a rush—making it easy if you’re just getting into snow sports. Also easy: The slopes are right outside the lodge—as is the ski-and-snowboarding learning center, which includes five conveyor-belt lifts and a separate section for children.
Pregnant Pauses
Was the trip you had to cancel a babymoon? Resorts and hotels in this region also offer babymoon touches. One place to consider: Sagamore Pendry, in Baltimore. Housed in a former warehouse in the harborside neighborhood of Fells Point, the Pendry not only features luxe rooms, but it partners with a spa, a block away, where trained prenatal-massage therapists can not only help relax muscles but also teach pregnant partners how to reduce swelling and leg cramps.
Spa Days
If the coronavirus, the presidential race, and the stock market have your muscles in knots, a spa escape may be in order. Two hotels at National Harbor offer not only sophisticated sanctuaries but can be reached quickly from DC: the MGM National Harbor and the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.
Sherri Dalphonse joined Washingtonian in 1986 as an editorial intern, and worked her way to the top of the masthead when she was named editor-in-chief in 2022. She oversees the magazine’s editorial staff, and guides the magazine’s stories and direction. She lives in DC.
