The Chesapeake Bay

Planning your time on the Bay?

Dreaming Bay helps you enjoy the Chesapeake in Maryland and Virginia: find a town to visit, check today's tides and the marine forecast before you go out, and pick a beach, a boat trip or a fishing spot.

Chesapeake Bay map Tides today

Travel

Beaches, cruises, places to stay and the two big crossings of the Bay.

Chesapeake Bay Beaches
Camping on the Chesapeake Bay
Can You Swim in the Chesapeake Bay?
Chesapeake Bay Bridge: Traffic, Tolls and Tips
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel: Guide

Explore Chesapeake Bay Towns

Town guides for Maryland and Virginia, each with today's tides at the nearest station.

Annapolis, Maryland
Solomons, Maryland
St. Michaels, Maryland
Chesapeake Beach, Maryland
Havre de Grace, Maryland
Cambridge, Maryland
Chestertown, Maryland
Crisfield, Maryland

Boating

First trips, marinas, paddling and safety on open water.

Chesapeake Bay Cruises and Boat Tours
Boating on the Chesapeake Bay: Beginner's Guide
Chesapeake Bay Marinas
Boating Safety on the Bay
Paddling and Kayaking the Bay

Fishing

Species, seasons, licenses and the weekly fishing reports.

Chesapeake Bay Fishing Guide
Maryland Fishing License and Regulations
Virginia Saltwater Fishing License and Regulations
Striped Bass (Rockfish) on the Chesapeake
Blue Crabs: How to Catch, Cook and Eat Them
Chesapeake Bay Fishing Reports

Learn About the Chesapeake Bay

History, lighthouses, traditional boats and how to protect the Bay.

About the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay History
Captain John Smith on the Chesapeake
The Powhatan and Native Peoples of the Bay
Chesapeake Bay Lighthouses
Skipjacks and Bay Boats

Annapolis harbor and Dock Street from above at sunset, Maryland — Photo: Don Ramey Logan · CC BY 4.0 (license), via Wikimedia Commons, resized