50 STATES: Maryland

As you enter the fishing village of Solomons Island, Maryland, a huge sign on your right reads “God Bless Y’All Real Good!” Attributed to the late state comptroller and local Calvert County resident Louis L. Goldstein, it’s a fittingly quirky introduction to a rather atypical Chesapeake Bay town.

Yes, Solomons serves up the usual dose of bayside flavor: There are the quaint cottages, charming marinas filled with bobbing boats and the requisite waterfront restaurants offering crab every which way — soft-shell, hard shell, cakes (broiled or fried).

But there’s also the “world famous” Tiki Bar, a motel turned al fresco drinking establishment that’s done up in high tropical-island style: palm-wood carvings, seashells, sand-covered floors, nautical-themed murals. A guy in a palm-tree-printed shirt strums a guitar and serenades the crowd with classic covers. It feels a whole lot more like Margaritaville than Southern Maryland.

Then there are the Tiki Bar cocktails, made with hand-squeezed juice and plenty of liquor. The signature drink is the Mai Tai — the singer leads a rousing rendition of the bar’s official song, “Oh My Mai Tai Tiki Bar Blues” — though there are seven other equally potent concoctions, including the Blue Tiki and the Kokomo, listed on a large board above the bar. Those brave (or crazy) enough to down all eight in one sitting are said to have “Run the Board.” (Hopefully, they soak up the alcohol with a delivery of spicy, hand-rubbed ribs from next-door’s Grill Sergeant BBQ.)

On opening day (the bar is open seasonally, from mid-April to October), tens of thousands of people flock to Solomons to be part of the “Mid-Atlantic Mardi Gras,” as Tiki’s manager Bill Martin puts it. There’s lots of live music, drinking, food and the ceremonious arrival of the Tiki King, who floats up to the bar on a pontoon boat, as his female Tiki Fans scatter rose petals at his feet.

But on an average night at the Tiki Bar, things are slightly more low-key. As with the rest of the tiny, 2-square-mile island, the watering hole features a comfortable mix of locals (who have a distinct, Cajun-like accent that is unlike anything you’ll hear in the rest of the state) and visitors (who like the easy one-hour drive from Washington, DC). Many visit just for the day, like the group of BMW enthusiasts from Maryland who took over the second floor of Stoney’s Solomons Pier, coming for the crabs and the sunset over the Patuxent River and the Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge.

Fortunately, however, Solomons Island hasn’t succumbed to the tourist trappings that plague many other coastal Maryland towns, such as Ocean City. Likely that’s because of its location, which is somewhat off the beaten track, at the tip of Southern Maryland where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Patuxent. The only road leading to Solomons is Route 4, but there’s very little traffic. The rural surroundings (there are about 50 farms and five wineries in Calvert County) lend an air of wildness to the place. All this contributes to making the island feel less like a destination and more like an undiscovered treasure.

That isolation formed the island’s identity starting in 1865, when Isaac Solomon discovered its oyster-rich waters and established an oyster harvesting and canning business. That, in turn, led to Solomons becoming a center for boat building. And in the early 1940s, the area played a key role in wartime training (the Navy conducted amphibious landings along the nearby Calvert Cliffs because it so closely resembled Normandy’s beaches).

The surprisingly rich history of this pint-sized isle and its environs is detailed at the wonderfully diverting Calvert Marine Museum ([410] 326-2042; http://www.calvertmarinemuseum.com). There, you can check out a variety of boats built and used in the area, climb the squat, cottage-style Drum Point Lighthouse, see historical photos and artifacts (don’t miss the Jules Verne-like WWII-era diving suit) and learn just about everything you ever wanted to know about the oyster.

In addition to the maritime displays, on view are hundreds of prehistoric fossils that were discovered in the 15-million-year-old Calvert Cliffs. These striated sandy bluffs hugging the Chesapeake Bay have yielded more than 600 kinds of fossils, including bones and teeth of mastodons, camels, baleen whales, rhinos and the giant white shark (a model of the 50-foot-long extinct shark is one of the museum’s highlights).

Although the days of plucking oysters from the bay are long gone (most are grown on farms), there is plenty of good fishing to be had in the waters around Solomons Island. The family-owned Bunky’s Charter Boats has been hosting fishing excursions for decades, and depending on how hard-core you are about angling, and how much you want to spend, one of their three boats should fit the bill. Out on the bay, you’ll be trolling for rockfish and bluefish; on the river, you can leisurely bottom-fish for croaker and perch and hopefully avoid catching a grotesque, sharp-toothed toadfish (known as the “mother-in-law” in fishing lingo).

If you prefer to experience your fish cooked and presented with a slice of lemon, Bunky’s also offers non-angling river cruises.

For a wholly different adventure, Sail Solomons will get you out on the water to learn tacking, gybing, lowering the boom and all that would-be sailor stuff with two very patient instructor/captains, owners Lisa and Andy Batchelor. More advanced courses are available, too, including “Instruction for Couples to Sail Safely in Harmony” ($60/hour — way cheaper than couples’ therapy). If you’re already an experienced sailor but don’t have your own boat (where would you park it in the city?), charter one of the yachts in the company’s fleet for as short a trip as two days.

A more leisurely pursuit — like kayaking or canoeing — is a great way to explore the Solomons Island waters up close. Rent equipment for as little as $35, or better yet, get a guide who knows all the tributaries, from Patuxent Adventures. Easiest is the 4-hour backwater tour around several creeks, but more experienced paddlers can head out to the river for open-water paddling. You’ll get an (ahem) bird’s-eye view of the resident ospreys and their nests and maybe spot a heron or two.

Once you’ve exhausted all these water-related activities, there’s another rather unexpected treat: the Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park & Arts Center. The 30-acre public park is dotted with world-class sculptures (many are on loan from the Hirshhorn Museum), as well as pieces by local artists. As you follow the walking path through the woods to view the 30-odd sculptures, be on the lookout for vignettes cleverly painted on the stumps and knots of trees.

Afterwards, stop by the Frying Pan, a classic country diner in Lusby, for an excellent crab-cake or rockfish sandwich. The 19-year-old spot is cozy, comfortable and very affordable. Or, cross Route 4 and look hard for the sign for Vera’s White Sands Beach Club. Don’t be put off by the 2-mile-long serpentine road that winds through a suburban neighborhood; your reward is a spot that may rival the Tiki Bar in eccentricity.

The late Vera Freeman established this paean to Polynesian kitsch back in 1953, and built her fantastically modern villa right next door. The low-slung bar/restaurant is perched high above wide St. Leonard’s Creek, overlooking the water and a deepwater marina. There are several open-air decks (one resembles the bow of a ship), a swimming pool, palm trees, umbrella-topped cocktails, leopard-patterned barstools, statues of Roman gods and mermaid fountains.

You can also get a pretty good sandwich at Vera’s: Try the Crabby Melt Down, a toasted English muffin topped with tomato, melted cheese and — yes, you got it — crab.

THE LOWDOWN

Get there: Approximately 5 hours drive from Midtown. Don’t feel like driving the whole way? Hop Amtrak to Washington’s Union Station, where car rentals are available. From Washington, you’re about an hour by car.

Do: Bunky’s Charter Boats ([410] 326-3241; http://www.bunkyscharterboats.com). Sail Solomons ([410] 326-4917; http://www.sailsi.com). Patuxent Adventures ([410] 394-2770; http://www.paxadventure.com).

Stay: Holiday Inn Solomons (From $124; 155 Holiday Drive, 410-535-6800) offers a great location on the mainland, with lovely views of the creek and Spring Cove Marina. It’s a short walk to the center of town.

More info:
solomonsmaryland.com and visitmaryland.org