Marsh and forested wetlands, hiking trails, museums and festivals: Wicomico offers a variety of ways to explore nature and culture. The experiences also differ considerably in format—from a guided tour to a tasting tour or multi-day events. You can plan your visit around whether you want to spend time outdoors, explore cultural topics or enjoy a festival featuring music and crafts.
Landscapes and Trails
Pemberton Historical Park covers 262 acres of natural areas and wildlife habitat. Its seven trails total 4.5 miles and are designed for walking and hiking. The park’s size and trail network offer two concrete points of reference: a natural area of a specified size and a stated total trail length.
Ellis Bay WMA is located in southwestern Wicomico County, along Muddy Hole Road. The 3,200-acre area consists of marshland and forested wetlands. The figures reflect different scales: 262 acres for Pemberton Historical Park and 3,200 acres for Ellis Bay. At the county level, there are also more than 50 parks and facilities for outdoor activities.
Culture, Collections and Animals
Poplar Hill Mansion offers free open-house-style tours on Fridays and Sundays from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Additional tours are available by appointment on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Confirm the schedule before you arrive if you want to plan your visit around a tour.
The museums also focus on different subjects. The Franklin P. Perdue Museum is one of the few university-affiliated museums in the United States to focus on business decisions, primary sources and interpretive exhibits. The Nabb Research Center preserves more than 6,000 artifacts relating to Delmarva history, Salisbury University and archival collections. History enthusiasts will find both an examination of business decisions and their sources, and an extensive collection covering several subject areas.
The Salisbury Zoo offers free admission and naturalistic habitats for animals from North America, South America and Australia. The three continents represented give the zoo visit a distinctive theme.
Festivals and Culinary Experiences
The Wicomico County Fair continues to take place every August at WinterPlace Park. If you want to plan your visit around the fair, August is the relevant time. The Maryland Folk Festival in downtown Salisbury offers a different format: this free, large-scale, three-day outdoor event celebrates American culture. Traditional musicians, dancers and craftspeople take part in performances, workshops and demonstrations. Event details may change, so check current dates and program information before traveling.
The Good Beer Festival features unlimited tastings of craft beer, along with music, games and food, as well as vendors offering handcrafted and specialty goods. The Salisbury Foodie Tour offers a different kind of tasting experience: it takes you on foot between several restaurants in downtown Salisbury, with a tasting at each stop. The tour also shares insights into Salisbury and its history. Food and local history come together in a single tour.
Bordeleau Vineyards & Winery is located on Wicomico Creek. Tours are free; tastings are subject to a fee. This gives you a choice of different culinary experiences: restaurant stops with a historical connection to Salisbury, or a tour and tasting by the creek, where each offering has its own cost.
Cycling and Baseball
The Sea Gull Century starts and finishes on the Salisbury University campus. Cyclists can choose between two routes: 100 or 65 miles. The stated distances provide a concrete basis for comparing the options when planning your ride.
Baseball is another sporting highlight: Perdue Stadium in Salisbury is home to Shorebirds baseball. The Eastern Shore Baseball Hall of Fame showcases Eastern Shore legends, including Jimmie Fox, Frank “Home Run” Baker and Julius “Judy” Johnson. Together, these offerings show two different sides of sports—a cycling event with two route lengths, and baseball as both a current sporting event and part of regional history.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Salisbury, Pittsville, Fruitland, Worcester, Saint Mary's County, Somerset, Caroline County, Calvert County
For the main travel overview: Maryland.
