Things to Do in Chesapeake City, Maryland
The best things to do in Chesapeake City, Maryland, are touring the C&D Canal Museum, watching ocean-going ships slide past the town dock, and crossing the canal on the little seasonal ferry. It’s a town of 736 people in Cecil County, and the only town in Maryland on a working commercial canal.
The town was called the Village of Bohemia until 1839, a decade after the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal cut through it. A drawbridge joined the two halves until a freighter destroyed it in 1942. The high bridge that replaced it in 1949 carried traffic over the town instead of through it, and business declined for decades.
C&D Canal Museum
The museum sits in the canal’s 1837 pump house on the south side, at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project office. Inside are the massive waterwheel and steam engines that once filled the canal’s locks. It’s also a National Park Service Network to Freedom site, part of the Underground Railroad story.
★ Good to know Outside stands a replica of the Bethel Bridge Lighthouse, one of the lights that once lined the canal.
Ship watching on the C&D Canal
The canal is 14 miles long and 450 feet wide, and more than 25,000 vessels pass through each year. From the town dock you can watch tugs, tows and deep-draft ships go by. The canal saves ships roughly 300 miles between Philadelphia and Baltimore.
★ Good to know Boaters can tie up at the town docks free for up to 24 hours, first come, first served, April through October.
South Chesapeake City Historic District
The south bank’s 19th-century buildings are largely intact and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many of the old homes are now bed and breakfasts, restaurants, antique shops and a gallery. The town also hosts outdoor summer concerts.
★ Good to know Town Hall is at 108 Bohemia Avenue, right in the district.
Chesapeake City Ferry
This small boat has shuttled people across the canal for more than 30 years. The crossing takes 5 to 7 minutes. It runs from the south public dock beside the Chesapeake Inn to a landing a block from Schaefer’s Canal House and the canal trail. It carries up to 18 passengers, and bikes are welcome.
★ Good to know It runs April 15 to October 15, and weather or ship traffic can change the schedule.
Chesapeake Water Tours
Based at 1 Bohemia Avenue, this party and tour boat runs sunset cruises, daily sightseeing trips, craft beer and wine tastings and live-music cruises in season. The boat holds up to 49 guests and has a full bar.
★ Good to know Private charters run seven days a week in season.
Ben Cardin C&D Canal Trail
This paved, mostly flat trail starts on the north side of town and follows the canal east toward Delaware, where the path continues. Benches along the way make it easy to stop and watch ships.
★ Good to know There’s no windbreak along the wide canal, so a tailwind going out can mean a headwind coming back.
Chesapeake Inn and Schaefer’s Canal House
The town’s two big waterfront restaurants face each other across the canal, and both are on the Maryland Crab and Oyster Trail. The Chesapeake Inn, on the south side, pairs a dining room with a casual deck. Schaefer’s, on the north side, has a dining room and veranda over the water.
★ Good to know Use the ferry to try one side for drinks and the other for dinner.
Is there a ferry in Chesapeake City, Maryland?
Yes. The Chesapeake City Ferry crosses the C&D Canal between the north and south sides from April 15 to October 15. The trip takes 5 to 7 minutes.
Can you see big ships in Chesapeake City?
Yes. More than 25,000 vessels a year use the C&D Canal, including deep-draft ships, and they pass right in front of the town dock.
What is the C&D Canal Museum?
It’s the canal’s 1837 pump house, run at the Army Corps of Engineers office on the south side. It holds the waterwheel and steam engines that once filled the locks.
What other canal and water towns are near Chesapeake City?
Havre de Grace sits at the head of the Bay to the west. See Havre de Grace or more small towns in Maryland.
Where to find them
- C&D Canal Museum Chesapeake City, MD 21915 Website Directions
- Ship watching on the C&D Canal Chesapeake City town dock, Chesapeake City, MD 21915 Website Directions
- South Chesapeake City Historic District Bohemia Ave., Chesapeake City, MD 21915 Website Directions
- Chesapeake City Ferry 1 Bohemia Ave., Chesapeake City, MD 21915 Website Directions
- Chesapeake Water Tours 1 Bohemia Ave., Chesapeake City, MD 21915 Website Directions
- Ben Cardin C&D Canal Trail Chesapeake City, MD 21915 Website Directions
- Chesapeake Inn and Schaefer's Canal House Chesapeake City, MD 21915 Directions
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Where to stay in Chesapeake City
Keep exploring
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