Prince Frederick

Battle Creek Cypress Swamp
2880 Grays Rd
+1 410 535-5327
Free
Tu-Sa 10AM-4:30PM, Su 1PM-4:30PM

The country's northernmost cypress swamp has an elevated boardwalk for a walk and wildlife spotting, as well as an informative nature center, open year round.

Jefferson-Patterson Park
1515 Mackall Road, Calvert County, Maryland
Free
From Prince Frederick, drive south on Route 4; take a right on Broome's Island Road, then left on Mackall Road. Follow Mackall Road approximately 8 miles, turn right at the park entrance

Jefferson-Patterson Park is a 560 acre park set on the Patuxent River. It is home to a state history and archeology museum telling the story of the Chesapeake Bay's entire 12,000 year history of habitation. Includes a reconstructed Native American village and extensive displays on Maryland agriculture from the colonial period to the present. The Park is also home to the Maryland Archeology Conservation Lab, a state-of-the-art research, conservation, and collections storage facility. It also has water access to the river; the beaches are small but are often deserted and the sand and water quality is often better than that of the Bay. Very child-friendly, with numerous hands-on displays and activities.