Whether brightening your day by taking in one of the Eastern Shore’s glorious sunrises or toasting the day’s achievements under the deep reds and purples of a spectacular sunset, it’s important to know where to get the best view of a Chesapeake Bay sky all aglow as it casts an ethereal light upon the sparkling water. Here is our guide on where to view the best sunrises and sunsets in Talbot County.
For those wanting to get out on the water to view the light show, visit our How to Cruise the Bay Guide.
SERENE SUNRISES
Bellevue
Bellevue Ferry Landing 5536 Bellevue Road (at the end of Route 329)
Bellevue, a small hamlet that rambles to the edge of the Tred Avon River, has a public dock, small park and tiny beach that offers unobstructed sunrise views in Talbot County. Best of all, in this peaceful place you have a very good chance of having the sunrise all to yourself.
Easton:
Easton Point Marina 975 Port Street (at the end of road)
Greet the day along the only public waterfront in the town of Easton, a spot that delivers magnificent views of the Tred Avon River. From the public landing, you’ll see plenty of geese, but also look to the marshy shallows where you’re likely to spy herons stalking the shallows.
Oxford
Oxford Ferry Dock and Oxford Crabbing Pier 27456 Oxford and Ferry Crossing Slip Roads
Here you’ll find the dock for America’s oldest continuously operating ferry and the adjacent crabbing pier, a fisherman’s favorite. But in early morning, this waterfront turf becomes a prime spot for spying a gentle sunrise since this is one of the few places where you get a 180-degree view of the Tred Avon River.
Strand Beach (AKA as the Oxford Town Beach) Corner of Strand Road and Mill Street
This strip of sandy beach that caps the quaint town of Oxford is popular beach goers on summer afternoons, but it transforms into a calm oasis come the early morning hours. From this vantage point you can watch the sun bathe the Tred Avon River in sherbet hues, so it’s no surprise this has become a favorite spot with photographers seeking to capture a colorful sunrise.
St. Michaels
Muskrat Park 207 Willow Green Street
This tranquil pocket park tucked in the heart of St. Michaels is the backdrop for one of Talbot County’s best sunrise views. The white gazebo, the wooden picnic tables and a bench at the edge of the historic harbor are all perfect vantage points for taking in the sunrise over the Miles River.
Honeymoon Bridge 202 Cherry Street
This small foot bridge in St. Michaels links a charming residential neighborhood of 19th century homes with Navy Point, a small marina. It is one of the most romantic spots to watch the sunrise over the Miles River. Bonus: There’s also a fine view of the Hooper Straight Lighthouse from this little bridge.
SPACTACULAR SUNSETS
Claiborne
Claiborne Landing Claiborne Landing Road
Tucked between St. Michaels and Tilghman Island, Claiborne is a small former fishing village studded with historic homes that happens to be home to one of the very best places to soak in a sundown on the Chesapeake Bay. There’s a public boat landing, a sandy beach, and a wooden jetty, offering plenty of options for closing out the day with a vibrant sunset.
McDaniel
Wade’s Point Inn on the Bay 10090 Wades Point Road
This historic retreat is famous for sunsets over the Chesapeake Bay. Guests of this charming B&B can catch a fiery sunset from the Adirondack chairs perched at water’s edge, one of the many porches that apron the manor, and from one of the inn’s perfectly positioned guestrooms aptly named the Sunset Room with its wall of windows that open to the waterfront.
Oxford
Sandaway Suites and Beach 103 W. Strand Road
This casual boutique hotel is within walking distance of all the attractions in the quaint historic town of Oxford, which happens to overlook one of the most beautiful stretches of the Tred Avon River. With its own private beach, this small resort has cozy cottages with screened in porches facing westward, treating guests to one of the East Coast’s most sublime sunsets. Not staying at Sandaway? Settle in at the small beach beside the inn.
Doc’s Sunset Grille 104 W. Pier Street
Crack some succulent blue crab. Dance to a live band. Chill with a cocktail on a lounge chair. No matter how you choose to celebrate sundown, this is your place. This popular waterfront restaurant and bar perched beside the waterfront in Oxford overlooking the Tred Avon River, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay, delivers a chaser of fun alongside a killer sunset.
Capsize OXMD and Scottish Highland Creamery 314 Tilghman Street
In season (shorthand: when it’s warm) people converge on this special spot to eat, drink and be merry as the sky unveils a showy summer sunset over Town Creek in Oxford. Some arrive by boat, others by bike and most by car. Note: You can also take in the sunset for the price of an ice cream cone around the corner from Capsize, where you can savor frosty award-winning treats at Scottish Highland Creamery from casual picnic tables right on the water.
Oxford Town Park 104 S. Morris Street
A small sandy beach, a charming old-school playground, a great lawn, picnic tables and large shade trees mark this public park as something extraordinary. And then there’s the waterfront, a wide view of the Tred Avon River, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay. This is where you’ll grab those Instagram-worthy photos of vivid sunsets that will make your friends wish they were here.
Sherwood
Lowe’s Wharf Marina Inn 21651 Lowes Wharf Road
Looking to close out the day with a smile? Head to Lowes Wharf Marina, where it’s impossible to meet a stranger in the party-like atmosphere. Although there are simple waterfront rooms, you need not stay overnight. The restaurant has its own beach where you can play a pickup game of volleyball on the beach and at the outdoor bar where can try your hand at cornhole. Share a bucket of beer and snack on oysters freckled with Old Bay while you bask in the sunset glow over the Chesapeake Bay.
Tilghman Island
Black Walnut Point Black Walnut Point Road (at the very end of Tilghman Island)
Black Walnut Point, is a bird sanctuary run by the Maryland Park Service. This calm spot, tucked at the tail end of Tilghman Island, makes the perfect perch for soaking in the Chesapeake Bay’s most memorable sunsets. You can capture both sunrise and sunset by staying overnight in one of the waterfront cottages (some with fireplaces) at Black Walnut Point Inn, which is located at the furthest part of the peninsula.
Trappe
Bill Burton State Park 29761 Boling Brooke Point Drive
At the edge of the town of Trappe, you can explore a 25-acre park with a ribbon of waterside trails. Come sunset, turn westward where a blaze of color alights the sky and often bathes the wide Choptank River in vibrant color.
Wittman
Cummings Creek Landing Bay Shore Drive (at the very end of the road)
One of the quietest towns in Talbot County offers one of the biggest wows when it comes to a proper sunset. Fishermen and crabbers have called Wittman home for generations. Working skiffs, often laden with wooden bushel baskets, bobbing in the water add to the charm as you watch the sun sink beneath the Chesapeake Bay.
