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Calvert County offers charming rural destinations only an hour’s drive from Baltimore and Washington, D.C. “We are located on a peninsula between the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay, so planners have their choice of venues in pastoral or waterfront settings,” says Hilary Dailey, Calvert County tourism program specialist.
Rod N’ Reel Resort in Chesapeake Beach recently completed renovations and additions, creating new banquet space for up to 500 people. It also offers several dining options, a marina, and other amenities. The 113-room Solomons Inn Resort and Marina Hotel features more than 20,000 square feet of function space; its largest space can accommodate up to 450 people for banquets and up to 600 theater style. The resort offers easy access to historic downtown Solomons, which has several locally owned restaurants, pubs, and shops.
Other options include the 100-room Hilton Garden Inn Solomons, which has 3,352 square feet of event space with a capacity of 200 people for receptions, and the 87-room SpringHill Suites Prince Frederick, with 2,000 square feet of event space.
Unique venues include Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, a 30-acre attraction with sculptures, native gardens, and an arts building; its largest space can accommodate up to 500 people for receptions. The Barn at Parkers Creek in Port Republic offers indoor and outdoor space for up to 80 people, and the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons has indoor and outdoor venue options. In Prince Frederick, Running Hare Vineyard Tuscan Villa features flexible indoor and outdoor spaces amid picturesque vineyards. Guests also can enjoy premium wine tastings, catering options, and customizable arrangements. Overlooking the Patuxent River, the Pier Restaurant and River Bar in Solomons offers an extensive menu of fresh local seafood and banquet space for private events.
Historic St. Mary’s City in St. Mary’s County is an outdoor museum and archeological park on the site of Maryland’s first European settlement, established in 1634. In addition to group tours, the attraction features indoor and outdoor event spaces, with a capacity of 200 people in its largest space.
For more history, groups can visit Historic Sotterley, a 300-year-old National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO “Site of Memory for the Routes of Enslaved Peoples.” The attraction features exhibits detailing life on a 17th-century Tidewater tobacco plantation. In Charles County, adventurers can kayak through maritime history at Mallows Bay’s Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, featuring Civil War shipwrecks and 12,000-year-old artifacts. Charles County also has important landmarks associated with the Underground Railroad and African American History.
