Maryland Travel Guide

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, officially named the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge, is an iconic dual-span bridge crossing the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Stretching approximately 4.3 miles, it is one of the longest over-water bridges in the United States and carries U.S. Route 50, connecting Maryland's Eastern Shore with the western mainland. Driving across offers breathtaking panoramic views of the vast bay, with sailboats dotting the sparkling waters and distant shorelines fading into the horizon. Recognized as one of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the World, the bridge handles millions of vehicles annually and serves as the primary gateway to Ocean City, Annapolis, and the Eastern Shore resorts. Scenic pull-offs allow travelers to pause and admire spectacular sunrises and sunsets over the bay.

Assateague Island National Seashore is a 37-mile barrier island managed by the U.S. National Park Service, spanning the Atlantic coast of Maryland and Virginia. The seashore is famous for free-roaming wild Chincoteague ponies whose legend traces them to survivors of a wrecked Spanish galleon, though historians believe they descend from 17th-century mainland livestock set loose by farmers. The island hosts more than 300 bird species plus white-tailed deer, foxes and intertidal marine life, making it one of the East Coast's premier seaside wilderness destinations. Visitors can swim, surf fish, paddle kayaks through marshes, cycle the island loops, camp to the sound of waves, and experience different management styles and ecosystems on the Maryland and Chincoteague sides.