Top 15 Activities and Attractions in Easton, MD

Easton, a refined escape on the western side of the Delmarva Peninsula, is positioned inland yet connected to the Chesapeake Bay by an intricate network of rivers and creeks.

Officially established in 1710, the town’s history dates back even further, as illustrated by the Third Haven Friends Meeting House, which has been in operation since the 1680s and continues to serve as a place of worship on Sundays.

The charming historic district features lush greenery and boasts 200-year-old residences, exceptional dining options, a nationally recognized art museum, upscale boutiques, and a plethora of year-round events.

Notably, one such event is the Waterfowl Festival in November, which highlights artistic endeavors coinciding with the arrival of thousands of geese, ducks, and other migratory waterfowl to the local tributaries.

1. Downtown Easton

Easton’s historic commercial district is a delightful area to explore leisurely, ensuring that visitors do not overlook anything noteworthy.

A wealth of Colonial and 19th-century architecture resides here, along with stylish galleries, antique shops, sophisticated home design boutiques, and hidden gems like a concealed garden curated by the Talbot Historical Society.

To experience local culture, aim to visit during the First Friday of the month when downtown buzzes with activity and businesses extend their hours.

The culinary landscape in Easton has garnered national recognition, and for a comprehensive overview, consider participating in the Eating Easton tour on Saturdays, which provides behind-the-scenes access to the city’s highlights.

History abounds, and the city has published the Historic Easton Walking Tour to ensure that all significant sites are visited. A particularly poignant location is the Talbot County Courthouse (1794), where the esteemed abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass was imprisoned following an escape attempt from slavery in 1836.

2. Academy Art Museum

This remarkable museum was established in 1958 by a collective of artists, led by renowned sculptor Lee Lawrie, celebrated particularly for his work “Atlas” at Rockefeller Center.

Relocated to its current venue, a former schoolhouse from 1820, the Academy Art Museum has since built an impressive collection of over 1,500 works, with a focus on artworks on paper.

Notable artists featured include Goya, Cézanne, Picasso, Joan Miró, Mary Cassatt, Man Ray, and a significant array of late 20th-century art by Larry Rivers, Judy Chicago, Robert Rauschenberg, Anne Truitt, Kiki Smith, and Richard Diebenkorn.

The museum also hosts significant traveling exhibitions, having previously showcased works by Mark Rothko, Rubens, Van Dyck, Bill Viola, and Norma Morgan over the past decade.

An annual highlight is the nationally juried New Photography exhibition, which presents some of the most captivating contemporary voices in photography today.

3. Avalon Theatre

No expense was spared in creating this opulent vaudeville theatre and cinema, which was inaugurated as the New Theatre in 1921.

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, it was referred to as the Showplace of the Eastern Shore, hosting three world premieres, including The First Kiss (1928) featuring Gary Cooper. The theatre underwent an Art Deco renovation in 1934, followed by a name change a few years later.

Although it closed in the mid-1980s, it was revived as a performing arts venue and acquired by the city in 1992.

Today, it serves as the premier venue for live arts in the area, offering a dynamic array of classical concerts, touring music artists, theatrical performances, musicals, dance, festivals, and various community events.

4. Waterfowl Festival

During late fall, migratory birds converge on the Delmarva Peninsula to find shelter and food along the intricate network of creeks and rivers surrounding Easton.

Simultaneously, an influx of visitors arrives in Easton on the second weekend of November for the Waterfowl Festival.

Having been established for over fifty years, this three-day event showcases the work of hundreds of the world’s top wildlife artists, displaying paintings, sculptures, photography, carvings, and other crafts across 18 venues in Easton.

Attendees can engage directly through talks, discussions, masterclasses, hunting demonstrations, and duck and goose calling contests. Since its inception, the Waterfowl Festival has raised significant funds for local conservation initiatives.

5. Talbot Historical Society

Established in 1954, shortly after the Chesapeake Bay Bridge linked the Eastern Shore with the Capital Region, the Talbot Historical Society documents the rich history of the county and its surroundings.

Housed in the elegant Mary Jenkins House (c. 1783)—considered the oldest frame structure in Easton—the society serves as the main exhibit space, featuring well-curated exhibits covering themes such as the African American experience in Talbot County, historic decoys, maritime history, railroads, canning, historic residences, agrarian life, healthcare, and individual communities.

The society also possesses the James Neall House (c. 1804), located nearby but currently closed to the public.

However, its award-winning gardens are open and accessible, featuring a collection of fruit and flowering trees, mature boxwood, an herb garden, a terraced shade garden, and perennial beds.

6. Easton Farmers’ Market

This area of the Eastern Shore boasts fertile farmland and a network of waterways that nourish the Chesapeake Bay, fostering a long-standing tradition of self-sufficiency.

This legacy aligns well with contemporary concepts such as farm-to-table dining, food provenance, and the support of local enterprises.

Taking place on Saturday mornings, rain or shine, from mid-April to mid-December, the Easton Farmers’ Market is located in a downtown parking lot. The extensive array of vendors might pleasantly surprise visitors.

Expect a selection of local and seasonal fruits and vegetables, blue crab, fresh roasted coffee, pasture-raised meats, honey, cut flowers, bulbs, homemade sauces, cheeses, breads, pies, preserves, and a variety of handmade goods. Live music typically begins at 10:30 each week.

7. Pickering Creek Audubon Center

The premier location for birdwatching can be found to the north of Easton, adjacent to Pickering Creek.

The 400-acre Audubon Center encompasses a variety of habitats, featuring over a mile of shoreline along the creek, along with pine forests, hardwood forests (100 acres), brackish marshlands, agricultural fields, meadows, scrub/shrub areas, and both tidal and non-tidal wetlands (120 acres).

With more than four miles of trails complemented by hides and viewing platforms, the main creekside observation area offers a picturesque spot, complete with a pier, a waterman’s shanty, and a canoe/kayak launch for those who have their own vessels.

The bird species at Pickering Creek vary by season, with highlights including wood ducks in spring, nesting coots, ducks, snipe, and songbirds in summer, majestic monarch butterflies in fall, and a splendid array of waterfowl gathering along the shore in winter.

8. Idlewild Park

Easton’s community park, located just south along Washington St from downtown, spans 15 acres and serves as a recreational hub.

The standout feature for parents is the expansive playground, constructed by community members, which includes a variety of safe equipment for children from toddlers to 12 years old.

For sports, Idlewild Park offers a basketball court, a short track, two baseball fields, and three tennis courts with a rubberized surface.

For more tranquil activities, several picnic tables, grills, a gazebo, and charming flower gardens can also be found.

9. Easton Point

Now accessible by foot or bicycle, Easton’s gateway to the Chesapeake Bay is located just a mile west of downtown, situated in a scenic area along the Tred Avon River.

A boat ramp is available for those wishing to visit solely for the views in summer, and this location is also a prime spot for observing bald eagles in winter.

Adjacent to the boat ramp is the modest Easton Point Marina, offering a range of services for boaters, including repairs, as well as hauling and land storage.

Kayaks can be rented from the marina, with Easton Cycle & Sport providing additional options for kayak and paddleboard rentals for durations as short as half a day or as long as one week.

10. Easton Amish Market

Located at the Easton Plaza shopping center, just north of downtown, the Easton Amish Market features more than 20 vendors.

Opened in 2007, this market showcases several Amish vendors from Central Pennsylvania as well as various small businesses from Easton.

Visitors can find expertly crafted Amish furniture, fresh produce, and an enticing assortment of Amish-prepared foods and ingredients, including smoked brisket, cheeses, cakes, pies, pasture-raised meats, soft pretzels, and chocolate-dipped fruits. Additionally, local vendors offer handmade gifts, home decor, fragrances, cosmetics, artisan jewelry, and hand-carved writing implements.

11. The Third Haven Friends Meeting House

The Quaker community has been part of the Eastern Shore heritage since the mid-17th century.

This long-standing presence is exemplified by the Third Haven Friends Meeting House, which has been in continuous operation since its construction in the 1680s and may be the oldest wooden worship house in the United States.

Furthermore, it is recognized as the oldest surviving meeting house of the Religious Society of Friends. Its name is derived from the Third Haven River, now referred to as the Tred Avon.

The main structure underwent modifications in the late 18th century, with an additional brick Meeting House constructed in 1880. Aside from that and a number of cottages, little has changed at this historic site for approximately 340 years.

12. Hog Neck Golf Course

Known as the “premier public golf course on the Eastern Shore,” Hog Neck Golf Course is located just past the airport in northern Easton. This championship course spans 255 gently rolling acres and includes a par 72 course alongside a par 32 executive course.

The 18-hole layout is characterized by a striking contrast between open and breezy front nine that features numerous bunkers and water risks, and a back nine framed by a dense forest of loblolly pines.

The 9-hole executive course provides an excellent opportunity to refine approach play, complemented by extensive practice facilities that include a large putting green and a driving range equipped with both grass and synthetic hitting stations.

13. Easton Rails-to-Trails

Continuously expanding, the multi-use trail extends north to south through Easton for over three miles.

Easton Rails-to-Trails follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way and passes by a beautifully preserved railway station located a few blocks east of downtown off Goldsborough St.

The trail initially spanned from the A. James Clark Sports Complex in the north to Dutchmans Ln near Idlewild Park in the south, with subsequent extensions reaching south between Wayside Ave and Walnut Ln, as well as westward to Easton Point.

14. Tuckahoe Steam and Gas Association

This entirely volunteer-driven organization was established in 1973 and operates from a 70-acre site situated five miles north of Easton.

The Tuckahoe Steam and Gas Association is dedicated to collecting, restoring, displaying, and operating a plethora of historic agricultural tools and industrial machinery.

Featured items include large stationary steam engines, gas and oil engines, horse-drawn and antique agricultural machinery, a functioning sawmill, miniature railroads, and various early 20th-century Eastern Shore artifacts exhibited at the Rural Life Museum.

The grounds are open to the public throughout the year for various events, with the highlight being the annual four-day festival held in July.

This longstanding event has provided spectacular live demonstrations, flea markets, crafts, an auction, and live musical performances for over fifty years.

15. Old Tyme Fourth of July

Each year, Easton commemorates the Fourth of July with a grand celebration, featuring amusement rides, carnival food, live entertainment, and an impressive fireworks display.

This festive occasion includes rides and games suitable for all ages, leading up to the carnival, which sets up ten days prior to the event near the Target store at the intersection of St. Michael’s Rd and Easton Pkwy, operating from 6 pm to 10 pm nightly.

On the day of the celebration, the carnival opens earlier at 4 pm, with musical performances beginning at 7 pm, culminating in a breathtaking fireworks display at approximately 9 pm, with provisions for rescheduling in case of inclement weather.