Smith Island

For more than three centuries, Smith Islanders have made their living coaxing creatures from the Chesapeake Bay. Today, the tiny island's three villages (Tylerton, Ewell, and Rhodes Point), made up of simple homes, churches, and a few stores, remain reachable only by boat, fiercely independent, and fairly remote (cable TV didn't arrive here until 1994). A midday visit by passenger ferry allows ample time for a stroll around the island and a leisurely meal overlooking watermen's shanties and workboats. Stop by Ruke's, a venerable general store that serves excellent fresh seafood. And don't skip the island's nationally known cakes—stacked 8 to 10 layers high and frosted—and recently designated Maryland's state cake by lawmakers.