The charms of the Chesapeake Bay are best enjoyed on the water. At the far northwestern part of the bay where Elk Neck cuts the bay in two fingers, is a water taxi worth checking out.
The Wellwood Water Taxi cruises the Bay’s northern reaches most days of the week. Whether the taxi is picking up and dropping off customers, or on a charter trip, this pontoon party boat is a winner. What makes this water taxi special is that it lets guests ride for hours, space allowing, as the captain takes you on a tour of this hidden gem.
An historic restaurant
First, a bit of history about the Historic Wellwood Restaurant is in order. Founded in 1872 by men wanting a hunting club on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, this humble club blossomed into a restaurant, hotel, marina, and water taxi over the years. The hotel is long gone, but the restaurant is going strong. Voted the best crab house in Maryland by USA Today, the Wellwood Restaurant served over 90,000 customers last year. In 2018 the addition of a water taxi gave customers a way to enjoy exploring the Northeast River, just in front of the Wellwood near Charlestown.
To make the most of your visit, plan on staying for three to five hours. This way you can enjoy live music at the restaurant on the weekends, eat lunch, or dinner, and take a cruise on the bay in style. The water taxi operates on Fridays (3:30-9:30 pm), Saturdays (3:30-9:30 pm), and Sundays (1-9 pm) from its dock just steps from the restaurant. To secure a ride, call the captain who is on-call to pick up and deliver customers from any dock in the Northeast River area to the restaurant. You are welcome to ride along just for the scenery as the taxi picks up and drops off customers. The cost is reasonable, only 10USD per person, and they allow well-behaved dogs.
A classy water taxi
If no one else is onboard, the captain will take you almost anywhere you want to go on the Northeast River. See majestic osprey hunt for fish, statue-like great blue herons staring at the water, swimming and flying waterfowl like cormorants, plus beautiful waterfront homes. One gorgeous home is designed to look like the historic Thomas Point lighthouse, the last screw-pile lighthouse still in its original Chesapeake Bay location near Annapolis.
Onboard the water taxi, you’ll travel in comfort on the restored pontoon boat the Wellwood’s owner, Larry Metz purchased. The wooden seats are covered by an awning in case of rain or intense sunlight. Most passengers prefer to stand so as not to miss any of the action. Bring your camera and be ready for osprey snatching a fish out of the water.
A tiki bar on board
An onboard tiki bar serves beer, wine, and mixed drinks. If desired, you can bring your own snacks. Bringing your own alcohol is not allowed due to liquor license laws. With the restaurant serving a full menu, you probably won’t need to eat onboard. Tuesdays, May-September, feature a ladies night cruise from 6:30-8 p.m. for 25USD. The cost covers one drink, light appetizers, and a memorable boat ride.
In May and June, nesting osprey babies are tended to by their parents. In July, the baby osprey are most likely learning to fly and hunt on their own. It’s thrilling to see these magnificent birds of prey grab a fish from just below the water’s surface. In the fall, be sure and take a trip around the shoreline to witness the spectacular colors of the hardwood forest in full blazing glory. Sunsets on the bay are spectacular most of the season. Plan to ride just after dinner to catch the red and golden glow over the bay.
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Bring Fido with you
If you have a particular family or group outing in mind, the water taxi will take you out for 125USD per hour with a two-hour minimum. What a great way to have a family reunion, and bring the dog too! If you have more than the 15 person limit, your group can take turns hanging out at the restaurant while others ride the water taxi.
For guests staying overnight, there are several lodging options. The Wellwood has a three bedroom house near the restaurant available as a vacation rental. This three bedroom house can also be rented as a two bedroom or one bedroom unit. A few Airbnb properties dot the bay near the Wellwood. In the town of Northeast are three modern hotels near Highway 40. If you’re staying at a hotel or vacation rental in Charlestown or North East, the Wellwood will pick you up in their bus or water taxi, and then bring you to the restaurant for free. What a great way to travel, especially if everyone in your party plans on drinking.
A tasty trip
There might be faster, and longer boat rides on the Chesapeake Bay, but only the Historic Wellwood packs in such a tasty trip at the top of the bay.
History
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