Chesapeake Bay Bridge

The only bridge across the entire Chesapeake Bay and the signature drive of the day. Two parallel suspension spans of about 6.9 km each cross the narrowest point of the bay between Kent Island and Sandy Point near Annapolis. The first span opened in 1952 as the longest continuous over-water structure in the world at the time; the second followed in 1973. The roadway climbs to a maximum of about 57 m above the water, which gives a dramatic, slightly exposed feeling, especially in wind.

The bridge transformed the Eastern Shore from a remote, ferry-dependent region into an easy weekend destination for Washington and Baltimore, and it now carries around 80,000 vehicles a day, close to 100,000 on summer weekends. Expect slow traffic westbound on Sunday afternoons and eastbound on Friday afternoons. A toll is collected electronically in the eastbound direction only; westbound (our direction) is free. There is no stopping on the bridge, so the viewing spots are Matapeake Pier on the east side and Sandy Point State Park on the west side.