My hubby said that since Sunday is Mother’s Day, I could choose what we do. My first plan bit the dust due to rain in the forecast, but we regrouped with an all day adventure on Saturday instead. With soccer cancelled due to soggy fields, we hit the road early, and drove to Swann Farms in Owings, MD for fresh strawberries. The website for the farm said they opened at 9, picking was great, and that the field was super muddy! If you plan to go, check Facebook and the website for information on hours, crops, and field conditions.
When we arrived at the farm, there was a young man directing cars where to park in order to avoid the muddiest areas of the lot. After parking, we walked to the stand, and bought a gallon sized bucket for $20. There were picnic tables, and a portable toilet available. We were not the first arrivals, but the field was large enough for everyone to spread out. We wore masks near the stand, as did most people we saw. Some wore masks in the fields, some didn’t. The website gives information on the farm’s Covid policies.
I am sooo glad I had my girls wear their rain boots! It was more muddy than I could possibly have imagined! The girls had a blast! Both Stormy and Rainbow ate their weight in berries! Pebble wasn’t so sure about the berries at first. She wanted to wait till we got home, and cleaned them before sampling. After watching her sisters, though, she changed her mind! The berries were so good, my husband bought a second bucket!
We filled both buckets to the brim, and it took us less than an hour. By the time we loaded the girls into the car, they had red berry stains all over their mouths and chins!
Since we were only a short distance from Chesapeake Beach, we decided to check it out. There used to be a railroad into the town, and part of the old railway is now a rail trail. We parked near the ball fields that are a part of the Lynwood T. Kellam Memorial Park. The lot is across the street from Chesapeake Water Park, off of Gordon Stinnett Boulevard. We did a picnic right there in the lot, as it was practically empty. Then we walked over to the Boulevard and made a right. If you walk down the street a short ways, you can easily spot the beginning of the rail trail across the street. FYI, there are no facilities, no portable potties.
The rail trail starts as a boardwalk over Fishing Creek, and it was beautiful out there! There were all kinds of birds flitting through the marsh. I saw red-winged blackbirds, and the girls spotted ducks in the creek. There was also an osprey nest up on a platform. After walking a bit, we came to a t-intersection. We went left and crossed Fishing Creek.
Once across the creek, the trail becomes paved. It is def a rail trail one could bike on or push a stroller with no difficulty. We saw a few people out walking their dogs today, and one child on a bike while his dad ran.
The trail only continues as far as the next crossing of Fishing Creek. What is cool about this dead end is that you can still see the old pylons that supported the bridge the railroad went over. We also got lucky, and saw an egret stepping along the shoreline.
After we turned around, we walked back to the split in the trail, and followed the other trail. The marsh was full of birds, and we saw another osprey nest on a platform, along with a very vocal osprey.
When this second section of trail ended, we headed back to the car. Stormy and Rainbow were thrilled when they spotted a great blue heron across the creek from us on an old dock.
All together, we spent about 90 minutes wandering along the rail trail, and covered close to three miles. It was the perfect activity for the kids, something easy, and I would definitely recommend checking this trail out. With another rainstorm heading our way, we were happy to return to the car, and head into North Beach in search of ice cream.
We found a spot on the street right outside Jango’s so we gave it a try. The girls enjoyed their ice creams with gummi worm toppings, but I wasn’t as fond of my plain chocolate scoop. The taste was a little watered down, and I would love to see what other ice cream shops in the area are like. At least, the shop had a covered porch where we could eat, and be protected from the rain.
After the ice cream was finished, the rain had moved on, and we walked the boardwalk along the Bay. My girls badly wanted to find a beach to play on, but all beaches in this area of Calvert County are for residents only at this time, due to Covid.
In lieu of beach time, we walked out on the massive pier jutting into the bay. There were actually two tiers, with people fishing off the lower deck. Pebble was happy to see a pair of ducks resting on the bottom deck, and Stormy and Rainbow wanted to explore both levels.
We had an awesome, fun-packed day, and we plan to come back to the Chesapeake Beach area to do more exploring sometime. Both Stormy and Rainbow would absolutely love to go to the Chesapeake Beach Water Park, and I would like to take the girls to Brownies Beach to swim and look for shark’s teeth. I am also looking to see what other crops Swann Farms grows for future reference. Happy trails!!
