Fast facts

• Located 33 miles northeast of Baltimore, where the Susquehanna River joins the Bay.
• Founded in 1782, and is Maryland’s second oldest municipality after Annapolis
• Named by Marquis de Lafayette, who was charmed by the natural harbor
• Was nearly destroyed in the War of 1812

What Makes It Unique

This quiet little town up at the mouth of the Susquehanna River has a singular, colorful past. The town was named in the 17th century by visiting general Le Marquis de Lafayette, who was reminded of the French port Le Havre. In the 19th century, it became a nationally known center for duck hunting, and a sporting ground of the rich and famous, from presidents to robber barons. In the early 20th century, “the Graw” horserace track brought gamblers and mob bosses to see legendary racers like Seabiscuit, and thirsty visitors to enjoy Maryland’s relaxed stance on Prohibition. And in the 21st, it settled down to become what it is today: a charming, friendly and relaxed city full of graceful Victorian homes, curious antiques shops, interesting restaurants and one-of-a-kind museums.

Getting There

By boat

The channel into Havre de Grace is easy to follow but you will find it more than a little circuitous due to the broad, shallow expanse of the fish- and fowl-rich Susquehanna Flats. Boaters with shallow-draft boats who know the waters can find their way across, but the rest need to dutifully follow the channel markers around the shoreline. The Havre de Grace/Susquehanna River Channel leaves the main Chesapeake Channel just after green “5” and red “6”. You can begin cutting over any time after green “3”. There’s plenty of water here at the grand intersection of the Bay with the Elk and Northeast rivers and the Havre de Grace/Susquehanna River Channel. Just make sure you pick out the red-green intersection buoy “A” and treat it as a red, keeping it to starboard as you enter the channel. The next marker, green “1S”, is a mile and a half north-northwest. There is plenty of depth on both sides here, but the channel narrows after “1S” and the water around it shallows. The markers are spaced closer together, though, so it’s easy to follow.

From there, the channel skirts the Flats and shadows Spesutie Island, a restricted area of the U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground. As you turn north toward Havre de Grace,…