Grapes at the Running Hare Vineyard in Calvert County, Md. Photo by Andrew Helms.

Written by DCist contributor Andrew Helms

Sandwiched between the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River south of D.C. and Prince George’s County, Calvert County can be the perfect spot for those looking to reclaim a little youth during a day out on the water. While Annapolis and the Eastern Shore get more attention from day tripping D.C. denizens, Calvert County offers the same array of edible sea life and sun-stained beaches, only closer to home (and without Bay Bridge traffic).

Getting there is easy. Head south down Pennsylvania Avenue until it turns into Maryland Route 4, below Anacostia. Route 4 will be your main artery into and out of Calvert County.

On the way down, we checked out Running Hare Vineyard in Prince Frederick, Md. Turning onto the property, a winding gravel road leads past a man-made lake where flocks of ducks and geese crowd the side of the road. The owners of Running Hare were in the midst of hosting an alumni event during our visit, but their “Tasting Room,” a covered patio nestled between two fields of vines, remained open. We were served nine different wines, some featuring only locally grown Cayuga and Chambourcin grapes, the others blended or composed entirely of imported grapes (the Maryland climate just can’t support certain types of vines). I’d never tasted Maryland wine before and had few (read: low) expectations, but the Running Hare wines weren’t bad. My favorite was their Malbec. The grapes are imported from Argentina and Chile and give off an almost burnt orange hue in the glass. If you decide to go, bring a picnic lunch and traipse through the vines sagging low with bundles of grapes.

Running Hare Vineyard is one of five vineyards stretching down Calvert County known as the Patuxent Wine Trail. For the nautically averse, these vineyards are a great option for exploring the county and avoiding all living marine life. But I wanted to get in some fishing, so we got back on Route 4 and continued the trek south, stopping off at Nick’s of Calvert, also in Prince Frederick, for supplies. Good sandwiches are available from $2.99 at the deli counter. Try my favorite, the Beef Eater. Grab a few for when you are sunburned and angling for rockfish. Those interested in some recreational crabbing can purchase frozen chicken necks by the pound.