Eastern Shore Getaways: The allure of a slower pace calls. Discover the mystique of small Maryland and Virginia towns and find places where you can relax and unwind. This is where you’ll find superb seafood, adventurous shopping, and dozens of ways to connect with the region’s pristine natural beauty on land and water.
Sitting 9 miles outside of Ocean City, Maryland, the quaint town of Berlin beckons visitors with its walkable downtown, eclectic shops, and artsy vibe. This friendly jewel sparkles with restaurants and breweries, live music venues, and historical charm.
Main Street, the road that connected the Assateague and Pocomoke tribes in the 1790s, now hosts a mix of businesses that draw more than 40,000 tourists every year. Some are day-trippers venturing with the kids from the nearby beaches of Ocean City and Assateague to see the oddities at The Mermaid Museum, pick up board games at World of Toys, or grab an ice cream at Island Creamery. (Try the Wallops Rocket Fuel, housemade chocolate ice cream mixed with cinnamon and chili pepper.)
Others are looking to relax at the Atlantic Hotel, a Victorian-era inn; catch a meal and a show at The Globe; or do a little antiquing at the Uptown Emporium or Pitts Street Treasures. The two antique malls are home to dozens of vendors who carry everything from cane rockers to oyster plates to hand-painted metal benches.
![Olive oils at Una Bella Salate](https://northernvirginiamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Una-Bella-Salate.jpg)
Checking out the shops on and off Main Street can turn into an all-day adventure. Taste the dozens of extra virgin olive oils at Una Bella Salute (make sure to sample the Alfoos mango white balsamic) and pick up artisan cheese at Gilbert’s Provisions. Find friendly service and chic women’s clothing at Patty Jean’s Boutique, and discover American-made clothing brands and apothecary items at Treaty General Store, which opened last fall. East & Main Shore Supply & Apparel Company and Viking Tree Trading Company specialize in casual clothing for guys.
For art, visit Beach Memories or Jeffrey Auxer Designs for glass-blown works, the Wooden Octopus for fine jewelry and art, and the Worcester County Arts Council gallery for exhibits and gifts. The fairly new Relish Décor sells upscale bakeware and dinnerware, while Sisters Wine Bar and Gift Store has coastal home décor, as well as a wine lounge with open mic nights and musicians.
![Pillows at Sisters Wine Bar and Gift Store](https://northernvirginiamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Sisters-Berlin.jpg)
Berlin, which was incorporated in 1868, brims with Federal and Victorian architecture and has 47 structures on the National Register of Historic Places. Look back at early 1800s life at the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum or take the town’s walking tour. It goes past Whaley House, an 1805 home with original features that include a smokehouse, and Burley Manor, an 1835 home considered one of the most significant in Berlin with its sawtooth arches and fluted medallions. Film buff? Moviemakers filmed scenes from the romantic comedy Runaway Bride and Disney’s Tuck Everlasting here. The Runaway Bride walking tour has 16 stops.
With its population of just over 5,200, people also come to Berlin for street festivals like the Berlin Bathtub Races and the Berlin Fiddlers Convention. Both annual events shut down Main Street. The Berlin Farmers Market (open Sundays, May through September) features at least three dozen vendors, including fruits and veggies from Bratten Farms, flowers from Assateague Farm, and small-batch meads from The Buzz Meadery.
Berlin has become a go-to spot for spirits, beer, and music. Forgotten 50 Distilling is a relative newcomer, just down the road from the always hopping Burley Oak Brewing Company. Both offer food and live entertainment. Other spots to catch some music include Village Lounge and Burn Wood Fired Pizza. Expected to open this spring or summer on Broad Street is Berlin Beer Company, the town’s latest brewery.
![Crab sandwich at Sterling Tavern](https://northernvirginiamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Berlin.jpg)
Where to Eat
Visit 2nd Wave Coffee and Social and On What Grounds? for a java fix, Rayne’s Reef Soda Fountain & Grill for a burger and trip down memory lane, and Jun & Juice for an açaí bowl or smoothie. The chef-owned Blacksmith Bar & Restaurant is a farm-to-table eatery with meals like crab-stuffed rockfish and hand-cut pappardelle pasta with shrimp and lump crab. (Yes, lots of crab. It is Maryland.)
The popular Sterling Tavern offers sandwiches, tacos, and flatbreads, with seating indoors and outdoors. (Try the soft-shell crab BLT, if it’s offered.) At 410 Social, nosh on double-stack smash burgers and wraps. For delicious sweet treats, head to Baked Dessert Café & Gallery or pick up a made-from-scratch pie at Mandala Pies, where the ingredients are organic and locally sourced.
Where to Stay
Find Atlantic Hotel (rooms from $160) in the heart of Berlin. It’s been restored to its original Victorian-era décor. Accommodations include 16 rooms, one suite, and a cottage. With names like The Jane Austen and The Byron, the rooms feature elegant antique furniture and claw-foot bathtubs, as well as modern amenities like TVs and Wi-Fi.
The Atlantic Hotel Bistro Bar (locals know it as the Drummer’s Café) serves lunch and dinner, with entrées heavily favoring seafood. Sit on a hotel porch rocker and watch Main Street or walk to nearby shops. Berlin also has bed-and-breakfasts like the Holland House and the Inn Berlin that offer cozy accommodations.
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Feature image of Berlin courtesy Town of Berlin
This story originally ran in our May issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.