Mention Maryland’s Eastern Shore to fans of the Tidewater area and you’re sure to elicit resounding responses about their most popular spring & summer destination towns—festive Easton, historic Oxford, and of course, the tranquility and romance of incomparable St. Michaels. elicitIt comes as a welcoming surprise then, to find this part of the state’s best-kept up-and-coming secret, Cambridge. Nestled on the southern bank of the Choptank River and bisected by bustling Route 50, Cambridge has quietly gone from a sleepy maritime burg to an exciting and tasty traveler’s endpoint. It’s an area where old meets new. Recently built shopping complexes and a seemingly endless supply of big box stores line busy Route 50 for miles until you turn into the center of Cambridge proper, and are suddenly transported into a charming confluence of late-18th and early-19th century maritime structures. This city is the heart of the Chesapeake Bay region and offers a fascinating history and a vibrant renaissance. With famed High Street as its bustling focal point, it is little wonder why author James Michener—after researching Cambridge for his famed novel Chesapeake—hailed it as one of the most beautiful streets in America.
There are many lodging options along this part of the Eastern Shore. None, however, offers the eye-popping wow- factor combined with the lux-life splendor of the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay. This AAA Four Diamond awarded property is home to a top-rated golf course, an incomparable spa sanctuary and a calm marina to slip your sloop into. They also host a bevy of delicious dining options, which makes this resort a crown jewel of the waterways. Your first impression when walking into the entrance of the Hyatt is nothing less than breathtaking. The grand lobby is replete with masterfully cut stone masonry, its vast field of expertly laid cherry and pine flooring planks appear as though taken from a posh schooner. Plush carpets offer soothing color arrays of corals, sea foam greens and aquatic blues. Furniture is rustic with lots of hewn heavy woods. It all culminates in a spectacular maritime outside view through the huge forty-foot high marina-facing windows that showcase the gem-blue coast beyond. Executive Chef Tony Breeze, a 40 year veteran of the industry (eleven of those years as regional executive chef at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco), helms the dining & entertainment facilities, which range from the casual dockside bar, to exceptionally fine dining. Water’s Edge Grill, with a sea-tinged menu that matches the unparalleled views, is definitely the latter. A short two-minute complimentary shuttle takes guests to Blue Point Provision Company, a modern yet casual to the eye, seafood-centric dining experience. It is a dramatic space with high-reaching sight lines and outer decks; the perfect perch in which to sup on while watching those yachts in the calm harbor just beyond. Like the other restaurants on this Hyatt property, Blue Point specializes in the bounty of the sea with the chefs priding themselves on using local product. The boats literally pluck oysters, crabs and fish right from the very shallows of the Choptank River. The crabs are caught by famed J.M. Clayton Company which is billed as the world’s oldest continuously operating crabbing outfit, circa-1890’s. This commitment to local products, and to the area’s tradition of hearty watermen, is an illustration of how strong the Hyatt’s belief in native food sourcing is — a far cry from the typical “ship it in and freeze it up” mindset of so many other chain operations. In-season now are plump fried oysters, their buttermilk jackets crunch appealingly with each bite, and tanged nicely by a dunk in Blue Point’s house made Cajun-style remoulade. An entrée of rockfish Oscar is a meaty and clean-tasting example of the best the Chesapeake area can yield. It is topped heavily with fresh crab, steamed asparagus and a rich hollandaise sauce. To nightcap or not? You’ll surely be tempted by the crowds gathered in Michener’s Library, the cozy hotel bar named for the famed literary giant. Burn off that hollandaise the next morning in the hotel’s state-of-the-art fitness center. Or better yet, indulge yourself in the year old Sago Spa & Salon. Dedicated to life, vitality and nourishment, and named for the underwater sea grass that resides in the bay’s currents, this incomparable facility hosts massage rooms, scrubs, hydro spas and hair, nail, facial salons, is the perfect place for pampering. Southern Living has named it one of the “best spas in the Mid-Atlantic Region.” Back on busy Route 50, head toward the heart of Cambridge—and bring your appetite. If St. Michael’s is Maryland’s claim to tidewater area fame, then Cambridge is quietly making a go at being their most impressive up-and-comer, thanks to a revitalization effort that has taken hold in, and around its charming-as-all-get-out main street. It’s a very late-19th century looking place, a bit Victorian and somewhat gingerbread-y. The downtown hosts several welcoming shops, cafes and, at its hub, the Dorchester Center for the Arts. For lunch, duck into a “must visit” Cambridge favorite, Jimmie & Sook’s. This is a scupper-y nautical grill, known far and wide for their raw bar, and for creamy crab soup. The latter is the sweetest, most ethereal rendition you’ll ever taste. Or, hit the High Spot, a real-deal gastro pub in the center of town with an impressive regionally-inspired menu produced by Chef Patrick Fanning. Yep, this local watering hole takes their beers and wine selections most seriously. Check out a cool shop called A Few of My Favorite Things, which carries a plethora of giftable items, from interesting kitchen gadgets to tasty cheeses and sweets. Spend the rest of the day touring: The aforementioned Dorchester Center for the Arts hosts gallery exhibits and shows; the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center, and, the Richardson Maritime Museum both offer different views of the history of this part of the peninsula, and the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge—located just south of Cambridge—is home to more than 25,000 acres of tidal marshlands and miles of breathtaking walking and water trails. Or, simply spend the rest of your time at the Hyatt Regency, play a round of golf, get a massage and a manicure, and then partake in another order of raw oysters while watching the sails along the river. Whatever you decide to do, you are sure to enjoy it all in and around this extraordinary Eastern Shore retreat. Photographs courtesy of Ken Alan, The High Spot, and Urbanspoon.
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