As a native Marylander, I’ve gone to Ocean City, on the Atlantic Ocean, every year of my life. It can be crowded and loud and sometimes just too much, but I still look forward to it each summer. You could say I’m an “everything bagel” sort of person: I like pretty much any kind of travel, with the exception of cruises on enormous ships. (I admit I have never taken one, but I have claustrophobia and don’t like the idea of spending most of my vacation on a floating United States.)

So the idea of visiting a secluded strand on the Chesapeake Bay piqued my interest.

In April my husband and I spent a weekend camping at Janes Island State Park, where the only way to get to their several miles of beach is to take a boat. That’s right—canoeing or kayaking on one of the park’s water trails is how you earn your beach time.

The day we went wasn’t exactly warm and sunny, but we still enjoyed beachcombing and soaking in some nature sans humans.

I wrote about my experience for the Washington Post. The paper didn’t include any of my photos, but here a few of my faves!