Marina's: Annapolis,Kent Island,Solomons, St.Mic

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NEWFREEDOM

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Traveling From the Hudson to the Chesapeake this summer.
Would love some thoughts on there favorite marinas.
We are planning on stopping in Annapolis, Solomons, St. Michaels and Kent Island.
 
Some quick answers without going into details.
Annapolis--Annapolis Yacht Basin--due to close to town acess.
Solomons--Zanheizers Good service and walk to town.
St. Michaels--Town Dock Marina--good food, and easy walk thru town.
Kent --nothing against,,but I'd go on to Rock Hall, and enjoy their boating community.
 
In Solomons I would suggest Spring Cove. A really nice marina.
The cheapest fuel used to be at Calvert marina on the East side of the harbor.
Kent Island I would suggest Mears where I have a slip. Piney Narrows is on the west of the narrows and has god slips and facilities. The restaurants are a little closer walk to Mears.
Mears also has the Red Eyes dock bar outside the gate.
St Michaels I would suggest St Michaels Marina as they have slips that can accomodate 42 feet. With a 42 foot boat a lot of the slips at the Harbour Inn would be too small.
Other places worth visiting are Oxford and Rock Hall. I would also suggest Chestertown.
Baltimore can also be fun with a lot to do around the inner harbor. Herrington Harbor South is a resort marina and really nice.
If you like a good anchorage the Wye River is a nice place and has a lot of really nice anchorages you may see a lot of wild animals and birds and the fishing can be good.
If you are in Annapolis mid week you might be able to get a spot in Ego Alley. The leave time is 11:00 AM and it is basically first come first served.
 
I was thinking about going to Rock hall instead of kent island. Do you think that would be a bettter choice?
 
I can't add anything to what's been said except that we prefer Spring Cove in the Solomons and that Kent Island is a pretty "active" place. Enjoy and maybe, if the God's allow, we'll see you around the Bay!
 
Rock hall main street is about 100 yards. Not much outside that apart from the restaurants and marinas. You could stop at Rock Hall and take the trolley to Chestertown.
 
what marinas would you recommend in Rock Hall, We are traveling with 4 boats ranging from 36ft to 58ft. We were thinking maybe Haven Harbor?
 
Rock Hall Landing Marina

New owners are real nice people. Close to everything, and easy to get to. Pretty nice pool and individual shower rooms.

We stay there a couple of times a year and have been for many years.
 
My choice is North Point Marina. First on Port entering the harbor. They have had a 70' Hatteras on their finger pier many times. A bit of a longer walk (<5 minutes) but what a view. Fixed docks whereas Rock Hall Landing has floaters. Lori and Joe are a class act at North Point. Haven Harbor is on Swann Creek and a bit farther out of town (not that there is much....). Restaruant of my choice is the Harbor Shack, used to be PE Pruits. Band after 9 pm and too loud for us. Regardless, make sure you know the harbor with the channels! Seen sooooo many boats run aground because they didn't look at the charts. Either hug the marinas to Port or Straight ahead into Rock Hall Landing. Whatever you do, do not go to starboard upon passing the jetty! Guaranteed grounding!
Great place, we used to summer there and miss it but it was too long of a drive each w/e. Also, dependent on where you are coming from, pay attention to the Swan Point Bar. We always went south and cut back coming from the N. Chessy.
 
I went to Haven Harbor last year. Nice marina but they have no concept of the size of their slips. My CC47 had one inch each side when 2/3 into the slip.and since my maximum beam is 1/3 back from the bos that wa as far as we could get. Real tight. I would say go for Rock hall Landing. Floating docks and they can handle the larger boats.
Stagger distance to Watermans, the main restaurant and bar.
 
I would really consider RH Landing vs Haven Harb. Even though not that far to town, you will be in town at RHL. After St. Michs., I'd come up through the Narrows to RH. You will get a good look at that point. Lan. is right as far as Mears. They are the prem. marina in the Narrows.
Hope your weather is good. When you are in Annapolis or local area, let us know if your needs require any transportation/supplies.
 
Most of the posts are right on! Except the Kent Island one. I would much rather go to Kent Island and stay at Mears than go to Rock Hall. Olympic size pool, walk to 7 restaurants. 3-4 dock bars within walking distance. Rock Hall is a lunch place for us. Not much in town and is kind of boring unless you are looking for the real quiet side of things. Has good anchorage a couple good marinas in the area but a long walk to most things.
 
NewFreedom,
If you are tight on time. I would visit Baltimore vs. Salomons. Salomons is a great harbor but quite a ways out of the way. If you are limited to time, Baltimore is a must see. There are several choices for marinas but if you want to be right at the Inner Harbor I would suggest either Inner Harbor East or Inner Harbor Marina. Both are excellent and can walk to EVERYTHING. It will take you several days to see it all in Baltimore. It is also in the middle of the route you are planning.
 
Right now I have it charted out that I am at Mears kent island in July on a Tuesday and Wednesday. I know it is not the weekend,.but we would prefer more activity than not. So if thats the case is Kent island better that Rock Hall? Thanks for all the input you guys are great.
 
You will definitely find more activity at Kent Island even during the week. Google Red Eye's Dock Bar and see what they offer or go to the Mears Marina page where they have links to Red Eye's and Annies. http://mearspoint.com/
Red Eyes does have a live band Thursday nights.
 
If you want more activity then you definitely want Kent Island and a slip at Mears. Roch Hall is nice but very quiet.
 
<<..."Red Eye's and Annies. http://mearspoint.com/"...>>

Red Eyes also has a live band on Sundays in the mid-afternoon, as well as a bikini contest that starts in the late afternoon on Sundays. To give you an idea of what to expect, two of the bands that have appeared there in past years had the names, "Stiff Richard" and "Dixie Normous". I'm not making this up. They weren't that bad, despite the names.

How about the lower Bay, too? Lots of stuff to see around Norfolk waterfront. So far everything mentioned is upper bay, except Solomons, which is mid-bay (but still in the upper half.). Baltimore, Annapolis, Kent Island, etc. are all within the upper 25% of the bay.
 
Unfortunately Time is limiting us to the upper bay. Solomon's will be our furthest destination. Our home port is on the Hudson River in New York.
 
Definitely Mears Point Marina at Kent Narrows. Top notch facilities, great pool and cabana bar......lot's of resturants and bars in immediate area....Annies, Red Eyes Dock Bar, Harris', Crab Deck, The Jetty, The Big Owl,Fisherman's, The Narrows, all great places with different and varying atmospheres, all in walking distance of Mears....Ask for a slips on "H" dock, which will accommodate all four of your boat lengths and is one of the newer docks.
 
If you want a covered slip there are some vacant on J dock at Mears. For transients they do not charge any more than the open slips.
 
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