St. Mary’s County is a peninsula in Maryland that extends into the Chesapeake Bay between the Patuxent and Potomac rivers. Much of the new housing and development is centered around “Pax River,” the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, within easy reach of St. Mary’s City and College, St. Mary’s River State Park, and Route 4 North into the town of Solomon’s Island.
The county was also recently ranked first in the state for job growth and personal income growth – primarily from the influx of high-tech talent. But though it has emerged as a world-class center for maritime aviation research, development and testing, it maintains a wonderful, rural Old Maryland charm.
Things to do near California MD:
Drum Point Lighthouse
This screwpile, cottage-type light is only one of three remaining from forty-five that once served the Chesapeake Bay at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Cove Point Lighthouse
Cove Point is a beautiful site on the Chesapeake Bay where one can look back at the Calvert Cliffs, see across to the Eastern Shore, and observe the LNG (liquid natural gas) platform to the north. There is a small observation platform that lets one look over the fence for an unobstructed view of these sights, as well as maritime traffic going up and down the bay.
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Visitor Center
Founded by zoologist Reginald Truitt in 192, this is the oldest state-supported marine laboratory on the East Coast. A part of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, CBL allows visitors to experience the scientific atmosphere of the research facility, learn about the ecology and natural resources of the Chesapeake Bay and the important contributions made by CBL scientists to our environmental heritage.
For additional information on our California, MD communities visit our Browse by Community interactive map and choose a community within Calvert County.
