Must-Sees: Talbot County’s county seat is Easton, which is a hub of activity. With many antique stores and flea markets in the area, it’s a great spot for antiquing. It’s also a town with a lot of history; Easton is the birthplace of Frederick Douglass, one of Maryland’s most notable historical figures. The website frederickdouglassbirthplace.org lists four different driving tours that span Talbot County, exploring important spots in his life from childhood to his return to the area as an adult.
Talbot County is also home to many museums. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is one of the more notable ones, and visitors can even go out onto the bay themselves or take a river cruise. The museum also has a working shipyard, along with exhibits about Maryland’s maritime history. The Water’s Edge Museum is dedicated to Black art and primarily focuses on the Founding Black Families, some of the first free Black people to settle on the Eastern Shore. It offers a look into what life was like for these early Black families.
Local Nature: There are several nature preserves in Talbot County that serve as a habitat for bay area wildlife, with one of the most well-known being the Pickering Creek Audubon Center. This working farm doubles as a sanctuary for birds, native insects, and the inhabitants of the forest, wetland and tidal habitats that make up the area. The preserve regularly holds events for families, from yoga to volunteer gardening, and even has a summer camp program.
Since the Chesapeake Bay is so close, boating is a popular activity for tourists and locals alike. There are plenty of ways to get out on the water, from kayaking in small rivers and water trails to sailing tours and cruises. Climb aboard the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry, the oldest operating ferry in the United States, and enjoy scenic views of the water while you travel from Oxford to Bellevue and back again.
