The Many Pleasures in Store on the Eastern Shore

Sailor’s delight

Kayaking around the wildlife-rich marshes.

View of the Inn at Perry Cabin from the water

The Links, designed by the late, great Pete Dye.

Save room for the crab cakes.

Guests can stroll through the Greenhouse or arrange a private dinner there.

GREAT ESCAPES

The Many Pleasures in Store on the Eastern Shore

By Berkeley Brooks

Nestled an hour–and–a–half outside Washington, D.C., and just four hours south of Rye, lies the wondrous seaside Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, Maryland, “the heart and soul of the Chesapeake Bay”. When the world reopens, put it at the top of your list for a tranquil, luxurious getaway.

Whether you’re seeking a place to unwind, or the perfect location for a wedding, the Inn is an oasis.

“I don’t think I could have survived the last two months in a better place than this,” said Michael Hoffmann, General Manager of the Inn. “The people, the landscape, the wildlife are all captivating.”

The guest rooms in the recently renovated colonial inn have expansive views of the Miles River flowing into the largest estuary in the world: The Chesapeake. The 29-acre property contains walking paths through orchards and glorious perennial and herb gardens to pause and admire.

Among the variety of programs offered at the Inn are Peloton bike classes in the Gym, nourishing treatments at the Spa, yoga along the river, Qi Gong in the garden, and a Sip–and–Paint class. The golfing is world class; the 18-hole Links course, set among 80- to 90-foot trees rising above the cove, was the last one designed by the legendary Pete Dye, who died earlier this year. In between drives, golfers enjoy stunning vistas of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Dye referred to the final three holes of the course as the “Goodnight Kiss”. From all reports, it lingers just like that goodnight kiss on the first date.

Play croquet or bocce during the day and after dinner sit by a firepit or enjoy the lively night scene stationed around the Purser’s Pub, where seasonally changing beers from local breweries are offered, local rum is sipped, and cocktails with background stories are shared. A must is the Dark ‘n Stormy filled with the local rum or The Wedding Crashers, a concoction named after the 2005 blockbuster, which was partially filmed here.

The Inn’s renowned Stars restaurant offers an ever–changing menu of seasonal produce, locally raised meats and poultry, and fresh fish delivered daily. Make sure to order the crab cakes and oysters. No trip to the Eastern Shore is complete without them. Private dining adventures are offered in the gazebo or one of the new and handsome greenhouses.

Let a captain take you on a sail or motorboat trip in the Miles or the Chesapeake to experience local swimming holes. Enjoy cocktails at sunset and dinner aboard, too.

It’s a short walk to historic St. Michaels, where you’ll learn about its early days as a shipbuilding town and find out how the townspeople fooled the British during the War of 1812.

While you’re there, stop by a tasting room to enjoy the locally crafted rum. Make sure to visit Hooper Strait Lighthouse and Philips Wharf, where you can learn how to farm oysters. The marshes are rich in wildlife and biodiversity. This area, with its flat roads, is ideal for runners and bikers.