Once a resort town, Chesapeake Beach, located less than 30 miles from D.C., can be a relaxing retreat in any season. Jon Bilous

• Share

PRINT

Sometimes you just need a getaway that doesn’t require a plane ticket, a strategy or more than a small suitcase. For me, that place is Chesapeake Beach, Maryland — a town where I can breathe, write and remember what peace feels like.

I discovered Chesapeake Beach about four years ago, when a friend invited me down for the day. As we drove south from Baltimore, the scenery turned greener, and my stress dissolved.

After our late lunch overlooking the Bay at the Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort, we took a leisurely walk on the nearby beachfront boardwalk. In this beautiful, serene setting with no crowds, relaxation enveloped me.

What I especially appreciated was that this escape wasn’t too far from my home in Baltimore. Plus, it’s accessible by train and rideshare, so you don’t have to drive there. Thanks to this ease and affordability, I get away to Chesapeake Beach two to three times a year.

At the place where I love staying, the Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort, I always choose a room with a view of the Bay. The resort has an excellent selection of restaurants: CBQ, specializing in mouthwatering barbecue; the modern 1936 Bar & Grill, with incredible views of the Bay and the soon-to-open renovated dining room.

For the smell of sea air, I enjoy walking on the grounds to check out the gazebo, moored boats and walkways that extend over the water. Nearby is The Dock outdoor bar and a bandshell with live concerts (only open in warmer months).

Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort also houses a charter fishing boutique where you can book boats and buy all types of marine equipment. And for those who enjoy gambling, there are two floors of video pull tab machines.

Within walking distance of the resort is a grocery store, pharmacy, pizza place and Chinese restaurant. Not far are additional restaurants, including Abner’s Crab House, Traders Seafood Steak & Ale, and Baia Coastal Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar.

Also nearby is the boardwalk, mostly designed for residents but with public access. Nothing compares to walking on an uncrowded beachfront with clean sand and the sound of the waves.

Railway Museum

After several trips to Chesapeake Beach, I made time to visit the Railway Museum. As a former museum employee who loves all things history and culture, I enjoyed the small museum, open from April to October.

How fortunate that on my first visit, a silver-haired volunteer on duty turned out to be a fellow poet. As we chatted, he shared some of the history of Chesapeake Beach.

The town was chartered by the Chesapeake Beach Railway Company in the 1890s to become a resort town.

The resort, opened in 1900, was a lavish destination that featured a 1,600-foot over-the-water boardwalk with amusements like a carousel and roller coaster, hotels, including the luxurious Belvedere, a casino and a racetrack.

Chesapeake Beach was popular with Washington, D.C., residents who visited via a dedicated train as well as Southern Marylanders and Baltimoreans, who came by steamboats.

A combination of factors, including a fire at the Belvedere, the railway’s closure (due to the rise of the automobile) and the economic depression in the mid-1930s, led to the resort’s shutdown.

The volunteer also told me that the town’s segregation laws were enforced until the 1960s. As a Black woman, that was particularly sobering. On that visit, I wrote a poem that was published last year in The Pen Woman called “A Change Has Come.”

The poem ends, “Now I can walk on the boardwalk / Dine at the restaurant / And marvel at the tides / Grateful for the changes they bring.”

For me, Chesapeake Beach is where nature, history and creativity come together in a way that nourishes me. Knowing its history gives my visits a deeper resonance.

If you go

For those like me who may not like to drive, take a MARC or Metro train to New Carrollton station. From there, an Uber or Lyft can take you to the Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort in 30 to 40 minutes for under $50. Offseason rates at the resort start at $96 per night.