We continue our tour of Maryland’s counties with Charles County, less than an hour and a half from the Anne Arundel region. Learn what fun activities you can do as a family, what to see and what role this county plays in Maryland history.
Charles County
Must-Sees
Charles County is a great site for sports fans, as it’s the home base of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Professional Baseball Club, who regularly play at Regency Furniture Stadium throughout the baseball season. It’s also the site of the Maryland International Raceway, which holds hundreds of motorsports and racing events every year and is the largest racing facility in the state.
History buffs should be sure to check out Historic Port Tobacco Village, a preserved colonial-era town that serves as a sort of living museum. It’s the smallest incorporated town in Maryland, but is the site of several historic buildings that visitors can explore. Mount Aventine Mansion at Chapman State Park is another noteworthy historical site considered something of a hidden gem by locals.
Local Nature
The Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary is notable not just for its wetlands wildlife and its status as a popular spot for fishing and boating but also because the area is littered with the remnants of over 100 Civil War and World War I-era steamships. These shipwrecks, known as the Ghost Fleet, are what the sanctuary was formed around. Visitors can paddle along two designated water trails: one that takes kayakers through the shipwrecks, and one that offers views of local wildlife.
Charles County is also a hiker’s paradise, with over 20,000 acres of park land. Some of the most notable hiking spots include Cedarville State Forest, Maxwell Hall Park and Friendship Farm Park. Bikers will want to check out the Indian Head Rail Trail, a biking trail that stretches halfway across the county.
