A great museum for the kids, and it is very well done. There have been several Calvert County…read moremuseums that are much nicer than I expected, and this one is awesome! The Drum Point Lighthouse is so cool and a lot of fun to explore. But honestly, the stars of the show... the otters!!!

I love this place and all it has to offer. I loved digging in the sand pit and looking for shark…read moreteeth!

What an amazing experience! Beautiful land with knowledgeable historians throughout the property…read more I had a great afternoon exploring the Historic City. I was able to walk around the property on the paved pathways and not only see and read about the history of the buildings, but also hear from live historians and some of the locations. I arrived later in the afternoon and received my ticket at a discounted price ($3.50) compared to the $10 admission fee charged during the day for adults. I loved learning the history of this area while visiting from out of town. I highly recommend stopping if you can, but do give yourself minimum 2 hours (or more!!) to get through everything. I did miss out on viewing the plantation and a few of the smaller building

St Mary's City was the first capital of Maryland and established as a place of religious freedom…read more We were in nearby Leonardtown MD visiting the giant Rubber Duck and lucked across this historic site. There are a number of reconstructed buildings and archeological digs on the site. The interpreters at the Ordinary (a pub/rooming house) and the print shop really connected us with the spirit of this historic town. The reconstruction of the old church with video explanation of the burials there also brought the town to life. The boat was docked out in the water so we couldn't board it but we were provided tickets to come back at a later date. Worth a visit if you are into history and don't mind walking a bit. Paths are mostly paved but a bit rough. Definitely wear sunscreen and a shade hat in summertime.

Absolutely love this one! I was in the area and had an hour before I needed to hit the road... I…read morewas late hitting the road! There is so much to see you cannot possibly see it all in an hour. There are a ton of aircraft displays, engines, and even a few videos. A good mixture of indoor and outdoor displays. Wear comfortable shoes so you can walk around a lot. I am a history buff, and was stationed at NAS PAX in the 1980's so I was very interested in all the historical information the museum presented. I WILL be back!

My wife and I took a Saturday drive and ended up at the museum mid-afternoon. Approaching the…read moremuseum, we saw all the aircraft parked outside on their ramp. A bonus for EV drivers is their onsite fast charger. Driving here from NoVA, we could use the charge. Admission to the museum is $10 per person. There are a couple of displays inside along with a gift shop. We quickly headed outside though to check out the aircraft. My wife's favorite was the A4 Scooter with its skinny head-on profile and Blue Angels heritage. My favorite was the Osprey. I had no idea the rotors were that large on it. We took a lap inside the gift shop before heading back on the highway with a full charge. We spent about 90 minutes checking out all the aircraft there and enjoyed our visit.

We arrived at Thomas Stone National Historic Site with about 30 minutes before the afternoon tour…read morebegan. The visitor center volunteers greeted us warmly. We spent a few minutes talking with them before watching the park film, which gave a great overview of the site's significance. Afterwards, we walked the grassy path from the visitor center to the historic house, Haberdeventure. The path led us past the family cemetery, where old gravestones marked the resting places of generations. The Stone family lived on this estate from the 1700s to 1936. Their contributions to Maryland and the nation were remarkable. The ranger met us at the house for our tour. As we stepped inside, he explained that this was considered a mansion by colonial standards. He shared stories of the Stone family and pointed out original pieces. His wealth of knowledge enabled him to answer all of our questions. After the tour, we spent some time exploring the grounds and taking photos.

If you're into history, the Thomas Stone National Historic Site is worth visiting, but you need to…read morego into it with the proper mindset- one of mourning. The property is well preserved and managed by the National Park Service. There's a parking lot with a dirt path leading to the actual house dating back to 1771 where Thomas Stone, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, lived with his family. In fact, the property stayed within the family until 1936. However, you must know that the grounds were a plantation and enslaved people. It would be wrong to enter the space without acknowledging that tragic fact and grieve as you visit. It's a sad testimony to why systemic racism still exists and it should push us to fight for justice for all today.

Historic Sotterley is a preserved plantation near the water in Hollywood, Maryland. Pre-pandemic,…read morethey offered ours, hosted weddings inside the historic home and taught classes for all ages. During the pandemic, these have been suspended, but you can still visit. There's a small parking lot and signs that guide you to the historic home, gardens and slave house. Like many plantations in this area, people were enslaved here. It's a tragic fact to know when you visit so you can mourn and grieve. It would be inappropriate to visit this place without knowing the tragedy of it and how it led to the systemic racism that sadly still exists today. May we all fight for justice for all!

Yes, the grounds are pretty. But a really important reason to visit is the story this place tells…read moreof enslaved people and their captors. Growing up in the South as a white person, I have been accustomed to historic plantations that allow visitors to share a romantic view of the "Old South." A view that ignores the ravages of slavery. In contrast, Sotterley has invested in presenting artifacts of its history with enslaved Africans, primarily through renovating a slave cabin. What is chilling is that a ship carrying people kidnapped from West Africa docked on the shores of Sotterley. The UN has designated it as a special cultural site because of this history. Learn more about the effort to present a true picture of life at the plantation in this article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/07/18/descendants-slaves-slave-owners-discover-legacy-marylands-sotterley-planation/

What a great day!! We learned so much history of the area and found tons of fossils and several…read moreshark teeth. Our group of 11 ranged in age from 5-79 and everyone enjoyed it! Paul knows his stuff and is so willing to share that knowledge. Tip: Each person should pack their own ziplock bags & drinks in a small backpack and carry it with them. We were not all together most of the time so having 1 backpack for family wasn't convenient. Also, pretty obvious, but a backpack is much more sensible than a bag with handles when you are searching for shark teeth and fossils and need to use your hands. It was a great day & it really sparked some curiosity about not only the shark teeth but also the geology and oceanography!

We have been wanting to go Fossil hunting in Calvert County for years ! So glad we decided to go…read morewith Paul instead of attempting this exploration by ourselves! Paul is a wealth of information not only about fossils but also about Calvert County history. We had such a great time and look forward to the next adventure!

For those fascinated by history, the Dr. Samuel A Mudd House Museum is a wonderful site to visit…read more After having read the well researched book "American Brutus" I was already fascinated by the motivation & details regarding the John Wilkes Booth assassination of Abraham Lincoln. But I had no idea that I was staying near the area where he fled for treatment of the broken leg he received when he jumped from the Presidential Box in Ford's Theater to the stage below. In Charles County, MD for wedding showers in La Plata & Port Tobacco, I was staying at a convenient Residence Inn in Waldorf. Imagine my delight when the Mother of the Bride suggested a tour of the nearby Mudd House. The historical events I had read about were all around me. The docent we had at the Mudd House was extremely knowledgeable & interesting. She pointed out that some of the furnishings were original to the house, including the sofa on which John Wilkes Booth lay injured. Her knowledge, beginnings with Booth's history as an actor in Baltimore, validated the research in the fascinating book I read. Although Mudd had been seen in Washington with 3 of Booth's conspirators, no connection to the plot was ever found. Booth had fled Dr, Mudd's house the following day into Virginia. Nonetheless Dr Mudd was found guilty of conspiracy & imprisoned, finally being pardoned by President Andrew Johnson. He died in 1883 & is buried at St. Mary's Church in Charles County, There are many Mudd descendants remaining in the area. Some I met at the wedding festivities. The Mudd house is easily reached via either Alexandria, VA or DC by crossing the Potomac to the National Harbor then on to Waldorf. My path to Charles County has always been taking the backroads from Coastal Virginia, passing many historic buildings & landmarks as a bonus. The Dr. Samuel A Mudd House is open for tours from spring through fall on Wednesdays & Saturdays 11am - 4pm & Sundays from noon - 4pm. The last tour begins at 3:30pm. As an epilogue, one afternoon I was driving home from an event in rural Virginia between Hampton Roads & Northern Virginia. Not familiar with the area, I was enjoying the exploration. On a stretch of road that was heavily treed I spotted a historical marker ahead. I always brake for historical markers. It was the location of the capture, shooting & death of Booth. The Garrett Farm & Tobacco barn where he was hiding has been long lost to time. All that remains is the historical marker. All serious historians should visit the Mudd House. It's a rare piece of the past that still remains intact.

Great tour, pretty reasonably priced, and the tour guide was dressed nicely with a bow tie and was…read morevery knowledgeable on Dr Mudd. It was really round the clock touring, as when we arrived, they had us join the end of a concluding tour, then at the end of our tour, a group joined us, and I was impressed that they had a good amount of people interested in seeing the site John Wilkes Booth set his injuries then continue to flee after Lincoln's assissination. The guide wasn't a Mudd apologist but did provide information what is was guilty and not guilty on with details of his prison stint and his barely escaping the death penalty. It's an interesting historical note in such an important US event for this small-town doctor to be so impactful that we still want to learn and see a primary location. The house is still pretty intact with possessions from the Mudd family and rooms to view upstairs and downstairs. The gift shop is small but has some good souvenirs. It is down a two lane road in some farm lands, but it's worth the drive. There are a couple of other buildings on the site, but the whole thing should only take 1-2 hours. The hours/seasons are a bit limited, so I recommend calling first to double check, and then it's a very enjoyable tour.

What a fabulous gem Of the park! You can see how the…read moreoriginal settlers lived and farmed off the land. There were sheep, pigs, cattle, chickens, etc! There was even a tobacco house...it is a nice place to Take your family and have a nice easy stroll. You can walk to the water and even see across a bay to see Washington's home...Mount Vernon. Serious a must do if you are in the area. Just an awesome peaceful place.

The walk from the parking lot to the pier was a little extensive for someone that has a walking…read moredisability. Nice size fish caught during the afternoon hours close to closing time.

We always come here during the holidays. It's always nice seeing the animals and the amazing…read morecollections.

Flat irons used to be my favorite Christmas tradition, but now it's turned into a lifeless cash…read moregrab. The museum, candy shop and emporium are all gone. Absolutely nothing to do for older visitors anymore. Save yourself the time and skip.

This was a large and lovely winery. It's a beautiful property with different buildings and spaces…read morefor wine, enjoying wine, listening to music or all sorts of events. The vinard is onsite and I believe they help other local wineries in the area to make wine. The employees were great, so friendly and knowledgeable. There was live music. They have some food on site and they have food trucks. The oyster food truck was wonderful. Can't wait to return.

Pros:This vineyard is a delight for history lovers--it was built in the early 1800s and has served…read moremany purposes over the years, including a boys' school, a Union troop garrison during the Civil War, Washington Academy, a courthouse, and even a dairy farm. The tasting room is spacious and comfortable, with tables and couches perfect for relaxing with friends. There's also a charming gift shop, along with a selection of cheeses and snacks available for purchase. Cons:I tried the five-red tasting for $12, but none of the wines were especially memorable. The pours were inconsistent, with some wines served as one sip, some two, and others three. The cheeses for purchase are pricey, with 4 oz costing $13. The most significant issue was the wine glasses--each sip had a strong odor reminiscent of dirty sponge water, indicating that their glass-cleaning process needs major improvement. Overall: A charming vineyard with rich history and a comfortable tasting space, but the wines didn't impress and snacks are pricey. Great for the atmosphere, less so for the tasting. Based on this experience, I rate this establishment a 2.5 out of 5.