then turn left on MD-352W/
Whitehaven Rd and follow for 8
miles to Whitehaven.
8 Whitehaven
Nestled in a heart-
melting river-and-
stream-scape,
Whitehaven is a
quintessential small
Shore town where it feels
like the 17th century
was yesterday. It boasts
one of the finest family
restaurants and crab
shacks in the state: the
low-slung, laughter-
packed Red Roost (p215).
When you have
devoured your fill of food,
enjoy the surrounding
countryside and consider
taking a short ride in
your car across the
Wicomico River on the
Whitehaven Ferry (%410-
543-2765), which dates
back to 1685 and is the
oldest publicly operated
ferry in the country (ie
it’s free!).
The ferry runs from
7am to 5:30pm if there’s
traffic (there often isn’t,so you may need to call
the above number); it
only takes five minutes to
cross the river. The ferry
doesn’t run if the river is
frozen or the wind is over
35 knots, in which case
you will need to go all
the way back to Salisbury
to cross the river.54 p215
The Drive » Take the ferry
across the river and follow
Whitehaven Rd to MD-362; take
this road for 5 miles to US 13.
Take 13 south for 5.5 miles until
it becomes 413; follow this for 14
miles to reach Crisfield.TRIP HIGHLIGHT
Start: 8 Whitehaven
About 30 minutes east of Whitehaven (take Whitehaven Road to MD-349 and
head east for 7 miles) is Salisbury, the main commercial and population hub of the
Eastern Shore.
If you’re around in the fall, drop by for the Maryland Autumn Wine Festival
(www.autumnwinefestival.org), held around the third weekend of October. You can
get an enjoyable sousing courtesy of more than 20 state vineyards and wineries,
many of which are located on the Eastern Shore.
Our favorite spot in town is the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art (%410-742-4988;
http://www.wardmuseum.org; adult/child $7/3; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun). It’s a museum
based on...well, duck decoys. Let’s put it another way – a museum built around a
little-known but fascinating art form that was largely perfected by two brothers who
rarely left the small town of Crisfield, MD. The Eastern Shore’s flat marshes and
tidal pools have always attracted a plethora of waterfowl, along with dedicated fowl
hunters. In the early 20th century, Stephen and L.T. Ward spent a lifetime carving
and painting waterfowl decoys that are wonderful in their realism and attention to
detail. The Ward Museum exhibits the works of the Brothers Ward, as well as decoy
art gathered from around the world.
On the campus of Salisbury University, the Nabb Research Center (%410-543-
6312; http://nabbhistory.salisbury.edu; 1101 Camden Avenue; h10am-4pm Tue-Fri, to 8pm Mon)
contains what is likely the world’s most comprehensive archive of artifacts related
to the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware and the Maryland and Virginia Eastern Shore).
If you have family ties to the area, staff can do a professional genealogical search on
your behalf for $30; otherwise, small rotating exhibits on local history are the main
attraction.SALISBURY
DETOUR:
WASHINGTON.DC,.MARYLAND.&.DELAWARE.TRIPS.17
.MARITIME MARYLAND