Want to get away to the islands? Maryland is home to hundreds of islands just waiting to be explored! Some are uninhabited or strictly nature preserves, while others are bustling with shops, restaurants and museums. Here some local favorites to get you started.

This charming island town was named one of Americas Happiest Seaside Towns by Coastal Living, and its no wonder. Waterfront restaurants and shops dot Solomons Island Road, while the Calvert Marine Museum has exhibits on ancient fossils and a lighthouse you can climb inside. More info....

This tiny island in southern St. Marys County is the site of the first battle on Maryland soil during the Revolutionary War, and was later occupied by the British in the War of 1812. Today, its a popular bird watching and kayaking spot. More info...

The 45-minute ferry ride to this island from the mainland is truly worth it for foodies: Smith Island is renowned for its crab cakes as well as Marylands official state dessert, the eight-layer Smith Island Cake.

Life moves slowly on this Eastern Shore Island, although things ramp up each June for the legendary Seafood Festival held by the Tilghman Volunteer Fire Co. More info...

More about Tilghman Island Seafood Fest 2016

Type: Events

Location: 5979 Tilghman Island Rd. Tilghman, MD 21671 410-886-2677

Located just 45 miles south of Washington, D.C., in the Potomac River in Charles County, Cobb Island is a vacation home paradise. Nature abounds here where swans, ospreys, herons and crabs outnumber residents. The small island boasts great seafood, including the famed crabs at Capt. John's Crabhouse. More info...

More about Captain John's Crab House

Type: Seafood

Location: 16215 Cobb Island Road Newburg, MD 20664 301-259-2315

This quiet island on the Tangier Sound in Somerset County provides a wonderful opportunity to slow down. There are just a few hundred residents here, and the island is famed for bird watching, sailing, canoeing and the annual Labor Day Skipjack Race.

More about Deal Island Skipjack Races & Island Fest

Type: Events

Location: Deal Island Harbor Deal Island, MD 21821 410-784-2785

Continue reading here:

Touring the Islands of Maryland | Visit Maryland