Dream Honeymoons: Crabs, Yachts and Maryland Magic

 

You’ll call it your personal “Love Boat.” The splendorous 55-foot Hinckley yacht awaits on Pier 7 Resort Marina in Annapolis, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Polished, with wood inlay and leather flourishes, it bobs on the water. You take her hand, and she throws off her four-inch heels (why did she wear them anyway?) to step gingerly aboard. Her silky dress flaps in the wind, and she grins at you, beaming joy. You follow her from the pier, holding those shoes. After all, that’s what you signed up for when you asked her to be your wife. A neatly dressed skipper and his crew, some of them multi-tasking as white-gloved butlers, welcome you into the elegant craft. The two of you settle in, finding seats. She looks out to sea, and you admire the sleekness of this boat. The staff pour champagne and proffer a picnic basket. You toast one another, gazing into each other’s eyes as if you are the only couple on earth. Suddenly a dolphin, as if prearranged, leaps from the water. She giggles with glee, over the moon. Before you’ve arrived, you’re certain. You made the right decision when you decided to woo her with a nautical honeymoon at one of the Atlantic Coast’s most luxurious waterside resorts, The Inn at Perry Cabin.

After a 90-minute ride across the waters of Chesapeake Bay, scooting beside the charmingly colonial town of St. Michael’s (founded in the early 17th-century and famous for its Maryland blue crabs as well as for thwarting an attack by the British during the Revolutionary War by hanging lanterns at night), you arrive at the inn, which edges the Miles River. You hear her gasp, and she grabs your hand. The butlers-cum-sailors pour you another glass of champagne. Before you, the gorgeous resort, built as a manor house in 1816, spreads out over 25 acres. Piers poke into the water, and six house sailboats and yachts pepper the shore. It looks like every room faces the water, but you aren’t worried, you requested a suite with a terrace and views. Thankfully you read about this hotel estate a few months ago and learned about its “Skip the Bridge Package.” That’s what you booked. That’s why you’re here. That is how you arrived regally by yacht! How could you possibly resist?

Since VIP check-in comes with your “arrival by water, “white-short wearing valets delicately haul your luggage to your suite. So, you take a moment to sip some more Veuve Clicquot, while you stroll the property, en route to your room. You watch some birds (herons, perhaps?) land gracefully on the water, then walk the property, discovering the sprawling lawns (she sees the croquet mallets and begs you to play, which you do), immense pool, tennis courts and evocative pathways. The yacht’s captain mentioned a golf course, but you discover it lies a short distance away. When you finally get to your room, you both swoon. Sophisticated but comfortable, stylish and palatial, the suite exudes history. She says she can feel the stories the inn can tell. You want to make sure you make your own stories. When you say that, she smiles — slyly.

Ipc Exterior Jay Fleming
Credit Jay Fleming

Your first dinner is romantic and exclusive. You’ve reserved one of the River Houses, re-imagined glass greenhouses that sit on the shore. You’ll dine here alone — just the two of you, watching the sun set over the water, sipping more champagne, nibbling on crab and an unforgettable gastronomic rendition of wild Maryland rockfish. You hold her hand and try to discuss the next few days. What does she want to do? Ride bikes into town? Learn to sail at the resort’s sailing academy? Visit a rum distillery or brewery? Kayak? SUP? Hit the links? Go to the spa? All of the above? You promise her that a week will be enough to do everything and more. She raises her eyebrows. You love it when she does that.

In the end, you do everything and more. Somehow, you even manage to relax after the wedding, which had been a tiring affair. You roast marshmallows late at night, sip cocktails in the nostalgically characteristic pub, read books in Adirondack chairs, shop (you are as delighted as she is to discover that St. Michaels has a slew of tempting boutiques), get nerdy at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and rent a car (with the help of the concierge) to check out some surrounding sites, including the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Church Creek, Maryland, located only 45-minutes away from the resort. But, the coup de gras is Assateague Island a 90 minute drive from St. Michael’s. Touted for its famous shimmering beach, it also has — wait for it — wild ponies. This is your biggest surprise. As a child, her favorite book was “Misty of Chincoteague,” which was set here. When you take her here (the resort packs you a picnic), she’s so happy she starts to cry. You vow to read the book yourself someday. You love it when she cries a happy cry. So, you cry, too.

Inn At Perry Cabin By Belmond
Inn at Perry Cabin

If You Go:

Inn at Perry Cabin is an intimate, waterfront resort nestled along nestled along the Chesapeake Bay in St. Michael’s, Maryland. Home to 78 contemporary guest rooms and suites by renowned designer Alexandra Champalimaud, the boutique estate is grounded in classic American design, casual elegance and a celebrated nautical identity. A coastal culinary adventure, award-winning Stars restaurant offers seasonal, local specialties and exquisite wines in a sunny setting on the water’s edge while the charming Purser’s Pub provides Chesapeake Bay favorites, an inventive cocktail menu and leafy garden courtyard. Additional guest amenities include the botanical spa, sauna, full-service fitness center, outdoor pool and High Tide bar, kayaking, paddle boarding and bicycling. theinnatperrycabin.com

 

 

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