smith island

Smith Island has been in the news a lot lately due to rising sea level. First settled nearly 350 years ago it is isolated geographically and prior to modern marvels of electricity and computer, culturally. Most of the houses date to the late-19th or early 20th century when comfortable livings could be made oystering and crabbing. The condition of some now illustrate the opposite.Tourism is a fairly modern concept here. The Captain Tyler is the "tourist boat" that seasonally makes a round trip from Crisfield. Its owner also operates the restaurant that does a good job of serving up local cuisine. The other "ferries" are used by locals and also carry freight. During the summer you may be sitting next to boxes and bushels of crabs headed to market. On Ewell Ruke's grocery and Otis' Store are where the locals gather and the best place to eavesdrop on the famous accent. Both serve good sandwiches, with Ruke's possessing an authentic rustic charm acquired over decades. Tylerton's Drum Point Market is the only show in town, but fortunately for the visitor very good--especially the crab cakes. Other reviewers are correct that there is not a lot to do unless you bring a kayak or bike. There is a small museum and golf carts can be rented. Walk around, listen to the voices, watch the work boats come in, visit the cemeteries (especially the old graves at Rhodes Point) and feel the presence of 13 generations of inherited traditions. Imagine what life has been like through the centuries for the people living on this small island in the middle of the Bay.

Smith Island has been on our bucket list for years. Come for several days, like we did, to get to know the residents. We ventured here on Halloween weekend, decidedly out of season. Most attractions were closed, but The Ewell School hosted an all-Island Halloween party for kids of all ages. It was a hoot! In another night, the Ewell Community Center produced its annual waterman's dinner ($15 of wonderful 'down-home' cooking on the 1st Saturday in November). The entertainment was good local fun. I'll be posting video. We stayed at the modern, cozy Smith Island Inn, from whom we rented a golf cart. Bird watching here is a must. Wild turkeys occasionally cross the road. The marsh and the sunset from Rhodes Point are tremendous. Relaxing? We slept like the dead and still napped. Come if you love nature, peace & quiet. The folks are VERY friendly. We'll be back. This is a unique place everyone should experience before a way of life dies and the Island disappears.

This was on my list of places to see & I finally gathered up the kids to make the trip over to the Island...a great afternoon! The quiet atmosphere stands in contrast to the hustle & bustle of the Shore towns to the east - a throwback to an earlier time. Granted, this isn't a place for a whirlwind of touristy glitz, but it is a place where you can arrive, grab something to eat & stroll around streets of the small town via foot/bike/golf cart...and really get an appreciation of what the Chesapeake Bay used to be like. The boat ride to & from the Island is also a great experience as well - I'd definitely recommend Smith Island for a family visit or for someone wanting to do something different while visiting the Eastern Shore!PS - try the cake!

$40 x 5 poor senior ladies = $200 wasted!! The ride over was boring! The shipmate or whatever his title was, was very rude and never smiled . As soon as we arrived at Smith Island we were ushered into a restaurant . The menu was high so we 5 seniors moved on to look at whatever else was there. A museum and a shack of a restaurant where we afforded a crab cake and fries for $14 . The crab cake was delicious! People who worked there and anyone else involved with this money making racket were not inviting and did not make you feel warm and welcome. Do not waste your hard earned money on that sickening 'cake'. Go have crepes at Bob Evans or somewhere . It was awful! Please find something fun and worthwhile to spend your money on!

Took the ferry over ($25/pp RT + $2 per bike). "Ferry" was really a small commercial boat. We shared the aft deck with a washing machine. Pleasant ride, nice skipper---calm seas and sunny. About a 45 minute ride over, about 2 1/2 hours on the island. 2 restaurants, the 9-Layer cake factory and a museum are about it. Ate at Ruke's--lots of fried seafood--soft shell crabs were outstanding. Very friendly people, but a serious lack of....island pride? I know the sea takes its toll on things, and the economy is really tight, especially here, but could someone take the time to stand up signs about the island history? We wanted to come because of its endangered status and to help the locals by spending $$ .... but not much to offer. We enjoyed riding our bikes the 5 miles of roadways---beware if you're coming at high tide--they won't rent the electric carts due to the bad mix of batteries and sea water. It was very interesting to watch the tide rise, especially on the outer roads...

What a disappointment this trip was. First there was a slow 3 hour boat ride. You pass an old Liberty ship that is so far away it's hard to see. Then when you do get to the island you can pay for an over priced lunch. Afterwards there are bicycles and golf carts for you to rent. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. There is nothing to see. No people were out and even if they were you could see the same things taking a walk around you own neighborhood.

Very remote and isolated trip. Very few people on this island. No shop or restaurants, just you and the handful of inhabitants. We stayed at the Inn of Silent Music B&B. Linda and Rob we're fantastic hosts. Wonderful, wonderful experience, but may not be right for every one.

Smith Island is a waterman's village that is on a unique spit of Chesapeake Bay low country. There is a feel you get here that I have never experienced anywhere else. There is a gentleness in the way the marshes, water and sky merge together. It's as pure and unpretentious as any "tourist" destination I've ever visited. Biking from Ewell to Rhodes Point across the long marsh road was a highlight. At one point we saw a tanker and high mast sail boat in the distance and it appeared as if we were looking up at them. Nature is the entertainment in a place like this and gaining a glimpse into a true waterman's village is the reason to visit. Best soft shells I have ever had and Smith Island Cake is excellent. It's a place that soothed my soul and peaked my imagination.

Smith Island is actually a cluster of islands and accessible only by boat. It's one of the last locations in the Chesapeake Bay that maintains the traditional waterman's culture. Staying there for a few days began to give us a greater appreciation for a lifestyle that may disappear in the not too distant future. Rising water levels are inundating these low-lying islands and disappointing yields of crab and oyster catches in the Chesapeake Bay are causing island populations to dwindle.Nevertheless, Smith Island still survives, and is a wonderful place to visit. We stayed at a charming B&B called the Inn of Silent Music in the small village of Tylerton. The B&B has three rooms available. The owners, Linda & Rob, made our stay a delightful experience, with a beautifully furnished room and delicious complimentary breakfasts. Kayaks and bicycles are available. Be sure to also make a reservation for Linda's seafood gourmet dinners at the B&B. It's very well worth it, especially when it's topped off with a slice of the famous Smith Island multi-layer cake!

We decided to go there for our 28th wedding anniversary. A Bed and Breakfast is the way to go. We compared a few available and choose Michele's place. After seeing and hearing about the famous Smith Island cake, (and making my own from the You Tube directions) it made sense to visit the island. We went before "busy season" and Michele had to ensure the ferry boat was available. She made it happen. Great customer service. The Inn was beautiful, beds were comfy, and John and Pam the Inn keepers that week, were GREAT. I have been on the bay and crabbing for years for fun and wanted to see the slow life style of the island folk. We enjoyed soft shell crab for lunch and crab cakes for dinner at Rukes. We walked around, rode bikes, read books, and took John and Pam's Sunset cruise. We enjoyed a beverage and toasted the beautiful sunset from the bay. Not much else to do. But we knew there wouldn't be. Bird watching, canoes, walks...busy, busy, busy.

Go there if you want a quiet, relaxing place to visit. Not much to do except read, play games, visit with friends and look at the water and watermen.Perfect!

Growing up in Maryland, I'd always wanted to visit this remote island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. With the advent of global warming, this place likely will vanish in time because nothing is more than about 3 feet above the water line. There is regular, if expensive, boat service out to the island from Cristfield ($25/round trip). It is a place out of time, surrounded by lush marshes, making it one of the top places in the world for harvesting soft shell crabs. Everyone on the island is somehow related to crab fishing or harvesting oysters. For tourists, there isn't a lot to do here in the 2.5 hours between boats, but it is an interesting throwback to a simpler life based on the water. A walk from Ewell to Rhodes Point takes you past marshes, many homes in disrepair, fighting off the ravages of the tides and weather. That said, it is eerily quiet, with herons and white ibis fishing in the marshes. We ate at the only place in town, Rukes, and had excellent crab cakes and soft shell crab sandwiches. Having spent many years on islands along the Maine coast, this was an excellent compliment to the hardiness of the Mainers, both eeking out a living from the sea. This place isn't for everyone, but is pretty cool nonetheless.

Great scenery, nice venue. You MUST eat at the family-style restuarant--super food! Nice Museum! Friendly people. Must ssee the Smith Isle Cake Factory & buy a unique 12 layer cake!

Started our trip from Crisfield on one of the Jason charter's. The boat ride over was very charming with a very nice captain and the grocery delivery! We arrived on the island about 40 minutes later. Not a whole lot to do here. We enjoyed the museum ($3) which was very informative. Had a nice lunch in Rukes across the street from the museum. Met John, who gave us a lot of town history. We walked the neighborhoods in Ewell. We came to the Smith Island Bakery and wanted to buy a cake, but the lady advised us to wait and buy it in Crisfield @ The Cove where they ship the cakes. That way we wouldn't have to carry it around with us. My advise is to buy the cake on the island if you can. The Cove wasn't open and we were told they don't sell cakes there. Overall, we enjoyed our day. My recommendation is not to take kids. They would be bored 10 minutes after arriving.

Took a wonderful and interesting van tour driven by John, who was a great source of historical and present-day island info. Had delicious crab cakes at Ruke's. Time well spent!!!