Maryland's 5 Best-Kept Secret Islands That Feel Like A Quaint Paradise According To The Internet

Water flows everywhere in Maryland, from the rolling Atlantic Ocean and the state's 23 rivers and bays, to the many creeks, lakes, and ponds scattered throughout the state. Maryland's most famous body of water is the iconic Chesapeake Bay, where several bucolic islands reside. Indeed, the Old Line State is home to some 281 named islands, many brimming with serenity, wildlife, and striking natural beauty. In honor of getting away from it all, we've rounded up Maryland's five best-kept secret islands that feel like a quaint paradise, and that also happen to be within easy reach of East Coast hubs like Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Annapolis.

Along with promising visitors a dreamy escape, Maryland's islands are rich in history, and one of the finest places in America to feast on fresh, delicious seafood. Chesapeake Bay, an estuary where salt and freshwater meet to become Maryland's largest body of water, is home to watermen, generations of workers who make their living crabbing, fishing, oystering, packing, boat building, and more. Those professions have sustained the region since colonial times, but before European settlers arrived, native populations inhabited some islands for as long as 12,000 years. 

While Assateague Island, known for its majestic wild horses, pretty dunes, and forests, certainly has all the feels of a quaint paradise, we deemed it a tad too popular for our list of best-kept secrets. With this in mind, we scoured the internet for good words from locals, visitors, tourism organizations, and travel publications to help us select five of Maryland's most beautiful hidden-gem islands.

Scenic, laid-back Solomons Island is nestled at the southern foot of Maryland, where the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay meet. This hidden treasure measures just over 2 square miles, yet Solomon's Island is brimming with coastal charm, unmatched seafood, and outdoor adventures. Along with packing an activity-filled punch, the island is only an hour-and-a-half drive from Washington D.C., making it perfect for families and couples looking to escape the big-city hustle.

Like many Chesapeake Bay islands, Solomons Island's rich history is rooted in its importance as a hub for fishing and oyster canning. The island's unique, hexagonal-shaped Drum Point Lighthouse, built in 1883, attests to its hefty maritime activity. The island was also once home to the U.S. Navy's first amphibious training base, where nearly 70,000 soldiers trained for landings during World War II. At the island's southern edge lies the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, the first publicly supported marine science laboratory on the East Coast.

Drink in Solomon Island's breathtaking beauty on an idyllic stroll along the boardwalk, where you'll discover glorious views of the river, vibrant seafood eateries, and charming shops. At Calvert Cliffs State Park, marvel at the enormous, 15-million-year-old cliffs towering over the water, explore 13 miles of hiking trails, hunt for prehistoric fossils of creatures like whales and sharks, and don't miss hitting the beach. The Calvert Marine Museum is where you'll find everything from a playful raft of otters to the massive, serrated teeth of a prehistoric, 50-foot megaladon. For a unique artistic experience, Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center features sculptures dotted over 30 acres. Fishing, kayaking, boating, and canoeing along scenic waterways are also excellent ways to enjoy the island.

Charming Smith Island is an underrated paradise with cute small towns, fresh seafood, pristine landscapes ... and cake. Yep, you read that right. If you didn't know Maryland had an official state dessert, you do now, and it hails from this jewel-box of an island. The eponymously named Smith Island Cake is a 10-layered extravaganza that pairs spongy yellow cake with delectable chocolate frosting. Indulge in a delicious and authentic slice at the family-owned Smith Island Bakery, the only bakery in town.

Rest assured that Smith Island offers plenty of opportunities to burn off your sweet tooth. The entire island is pretty much car-free, making its tree-lined roads perfect for activities like bicycling and exploring on foot. Kayaking, boating, and canoeing are popular watersports, and you can opt to learn more about this storied island by hiring a captain or waterman for a boat tour. 

In the town of Ewell, explore the sprawling Martin National Wildlife Refuge, a 4,548-acre wetland that's a magnificent site for birdwatching. Thousands of ducks, swans, and geese inhabit the area, along with several species of egrets, herons, and ospreys, and you'll spy wildlife like leatherback sea turtles, loggerhead sea turtles, red foxes, muskrats, minks, otters, and more. The island is famous for its crabs, so head down to Smith Island Crabmeat Co-op for some premium crabbing. History lovers can't miss the Smith Island Cultural Center Museum, a wonderful place to learn about the area's history and water traditions.

A quaint waterfront gem wedged between Chesapeake Bay and the Choptank River, Tilghman Island is a tranquil, under-the-radar escape a couple of hours from bustling Washington D.C. The island lies along the Great Talbot County Loop, a collection of Bay towns knitted together by culture, cuisine, and geography. Measuring a hair shy of 3 miles long, Tilghman Island shines for its rustic village feel, hospitality, and excellent seafood. It's the kind of easygoing place where locals smile and mingle at the country store, and hammocks sway lazily in the bay breeze.

Following the Civil War, Tilghman Island became Talbot County's premier watermen's community as boat building and seafood enterprises became big business. These industries eventually declined, but today the island proudly celebrates its maritime heritage with sites like the Tilghman Pride Mural, which greets visitors to the island with a colorful tableau of birds soaring above the water. Located inside the historic, "W"-shaped Lee House, Tilghman Watermen's Museum exhibits artworks, photographs, artifacts, and a delightful array of model boats that highlight the island's history. Down at Dogwood Harbor, you can check out some legendary skipjacks, the 19th-century boats watermen used to dredge oysters from the Bay.

Tilghman Island is separated from the mainland by Knapp Narrows, a body of water that's perfect for jet skis and kayaks, and exploring by sailboat and pontoon. Crabbing and fishing are practically mandatory activities in seafood country, and there's no better way to live the experience than by hiring a captain to take you out on the Bay. For a gorgeous stroll, excellent birdwatching, and sweeping views across Chesapeake Bay, drive out to Black Walnut Point Natural Resources Management Area, a state park nestled on Tilghman Island's lush southern edge.

The largest island in Chesapeake Bay, Kent Island promises a relaxed, postcard-perfect getaway a mere half hour from Annapolis. A hidden gem filled with coastal hiking trails and delectable seafood, Kent Island welcomes visitors with plenty to see and do. Charming downtown Stevensville brims with galleries, shops, and boutiques for poring over unique finds. There's a year-round Farmer's Market and a calendar of lively events like Kent Island Day, the annual celebration of the island's founding, and Artoberfest, which spotlights works by local artists and artisans. Online reviews notch up Kent Island's allure in praise of locals' hospitality. Shares one happy traveler on Tripadvisor: "Really everyone we ran into was friendly, it makes a difference and you quickly pick up a vibe of a place." 

Time stands still in historic buildings like Cray House, a National Register site that's emblematic of 19th-century "post-and-plank" construction, and the restored Stevensville Train Depot, originally built in 1802. Vivid island history lives on at the Chesapeake Heritage and Visitor Center down on the Kent Narrows waterfront, which separates Kent Island from the Delmarva Peninsula, and that's bursting with tasty seafood restaurants featuring unbeatable waterside views. Here, you can pick up a Watermen's Way Heritage Trail map and discover the permanent collection of objects and art.

From the Visitor Center you can access the trailhead for the wildlife-filled Ferry Point Nature Park, where favorite pastimes include birdwatching and soaking in stunning panoramas. For beaches, gussy up a picnic and revel in sandy shores and excellent views of the Bay Bridge at Matapeake Clubhouse and Public Beach. Another glorious beach can be found at Terrapin Nature Park and Beach. Spend the day here lazing by the water, or meandering through meadows and woodlands along the park's oyster shell-lined coastal trails.

Deal Island is a quiet, rural escape nestled on Tangier Sound, not far from the Virginia island known as America's soft-shell crab capital. This rustic paradise lures visitors with its natural beauty, relaxed vibes, and plentiful opportunities to get up close to wildlife. You can observe ducks, geese, swans, herons, egrets, and a variety of waterfowl at the Deal Island Wildlife Management Area, a lush, woodsy wetland with coastal trails that are perfect for hiking and mountain biking. Boating, canoeing, and fishing are popular island activities, as is strolling through the Deal Island Historic District, where surviving homes, churches, and commercial structures represent the island's 19th and 20th-century architecture.

Visit Deal Island during Labor Day weekend and you're in for a real treat. The island flaunts its seaside soul during the last weekend of summer, when it hosts the annual Skipjack Races and Island Fest. This three-day festival honors the illustrious heritage of the iconic skipjack with a race on the water, a lively fair, a 5K and bicycle races, a Miss Skipjack contest, and local eats. 

Emblematic of Chesapeake Bay's maritime traditions, the skipjack has been the trusted sidekick of watermen dredging oysters on the Bay since 1890. It's no wonder that this vessel, the last working boat in America to operate solely via sails, is Maryland's official state boat. Dive deeper into skipjack's history with a visit to the Skipjack Heritage Museum in the quaint island village of Chance.

In compiling this list of Maryland's five best-kept secret islands, we turned to the internet. In particular, we considered information provided in articles by well-known travel publications, travel blogs, local newspapers and publications, and tourism websites. We took into account the experiences of travelers and locals as shared in reviews on social media sites, including Facebook and Reddit, as well as Tripadvisor. 

While aiming to select islands off the beaten travel path, we also prioritized places that offered a good amount of activities, attractions, and accommodations to make traveling there worthwhile. Another criterion we looked for was that each island be within easy reach by car (one to three hours) from major East Coast cities like Washington D.C., Annapolis, and Baltimore.