Maryland's Newest Waterfront Park In Annapolis Has Gorgeous Beaches, Scenic Fishing Spots, And Woodland Trails

Say hello to your newest waterfront park, Maryland. Holly Beach Farm Natural Resources Management Area will start taking online reservations on November 6, 2026, allowing 20 guests a day the chance to explore this ecologically fascinating plot of land on the Chesapeake Bay. If you need a new spot in the Mid-Atlantic to go birding, hiking, fishing, and paddling, head over to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' site and try to snag a reservation.

About 10 miles from the heart of Annapolis in Anne Arundel County, this 293-acre park and offshoot of the nearby Sandy Point State Park sits on a peninsula in the shadow of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Formerly a dairy farm and horse breeding site, originally cobbled together from several small properties by a Louisiana businessman in the early 1900s, the land was acquired by conservation groups in 2001 and eventually donated to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in 2024. After upgrades, the park is ready to start welcoming guests to its hiking trails, freshwater pond, and sandy beaches. Additionally, a two-story home that has sat abandoned since 2001 is being restored into a meeting space. However, the new park will enforce a low daily attendance so as not to unsettle the delicate balance of its nature. When the park is fully up and running, access to the shoreline will likely be limited to boats and hikers, with no direct car access.

The Maryland Park Service has had a busy 2026, opening six new sites to date. It's not resting on any laurels, though; officials still have millions set aside for further upgrades to Holly Beach Farm, which they view not just as an opportunity to preserve this unique ecosystem and educate the public, but also as part of a larger Chesapeake National Recreation Area that — if all goes according to plan — will sprawl throughout Maryland and Virginia. Holly Beach Farm seems like a good start.

Two facts underline why Holly Beach Farm makes such sense as a park. First, 98% of the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay — North America's largest estuary — isn't accessible to the public, so any public access is valuable. Secondly, Holly Beach Farm includes a freshwater pond right next to the saltwater bay, making it easy to see the diverse wildlife that depends on either ecosystem. That proximity to both a pond and the bay also ensures that the new park has a plethora of water activities.

Small beaches ring the park's 5-mile shoreline, with a thin strip of sand running for most of its perimeter and some spots offering gorgeous views of the bay and its bridge. Guests will be able to explore that shoreline and go paddling in kayaks around it. Fishing is expected on the menu, too, and an expanded, 450-foot pier is in the plans to replace two older, smaller ones in disrepair. That bigger pier will also allow larger boats to dock at the park — including ferries, which could one day become the primary way for guests to arrive. And with Annapolis, a cozy East Coast beauty with old-town Europe vibes, so close, the hope is that Holly Beach Farm won't just be popular with outdoorsmen and field trips, but with tourists as well.

You won't have to get in the water to appreciate Holly Beach Farm's nature, though. You can catch a good look at the park's range of flora and fauna on its walking trails, which wind through oak trees and hardwood forest, and near marshes and wetlands. The peninsula is a birder's delight, as it's a stopover for waterfowl on their migrations; bald eagles and herons are also known to nest here. In the future, hunting blinds are expected to be added to the shoreline for a controlled hunting environment.

Fortunately, Holly Beach Farm itself isn't a hike from major cities. In addition to being right down the street from Annapolis, it's less than 40 miles from both Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. It's also mere miles away from the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway, the "All-American" road on Maryland's shores that goes through cute towns and historic sites; if you're planning a road trip after November 6, consider snagging a reservation for Maryland's brand-new park.