Hi there

We're going to be staying in Salisbury, MD for a weekend but I know nothing about the town, what it has to offer and how far it is from the Bay or other cool sites (we're not Ocean City types and we're interested in artsy, ecological, and just plain cool things to see and do. Love the Bay! Any advice? Thanks,

You'll be about 1/2 hour from the Maryland portion of Assateague Island. There is both a state park and the National park there.
You'll see signs for a decoy museum (I can't think of the name right now) that is definitely worth seeing. The nearby town of Snow Hill is cute. You can rent kayks to paddle on the river there.

Cambridge (not too far away) is home to Blackwater Wildlife Refuge:
http://tinyurl.com/rkhrc

Salisbury is the site of Ward Brothers museum (waterfowl carving):
http://tinyurl.com/s6f6g

If you are there the weekend of Nov 10th, you should go to Easton for their world renouned Waterfowl Festival (http://www.waterfowlfestival.org/).

Also check out:
http://www.wicomicotourism.org/portal/

Salisbury has a nice small zoo.

Other sites, see here:

http://www.salisburyarea.com/tourism/things.html

other close by areas:

http://www.wicomicotourism.org/portal/

http://www.tourdorchester.org/

http://www.visitsomerset.com/location.html

http://www.visitworcester.org/

I graduated from Salisbury State College twenty-five years ago so Salisbury is familiar. The Zoo is very nice for such a small town. My kids love the Salisbury Zoo. Salisbury's Ward Museum is on campus and takes about fifteen minutes to peruse. Salisbury has little else to offer to visitors.

Ocean City is half an hour down Route 50. Asateague and Chincoteague are within striking distance. For an old waterman's town, you can visit Crisfield, which is about forty minutes away. About fifteen miles off Crisfield is the ultimate crabber's island of Smith Island. It is served by a ferry. A little over an hour away is touristy St. Michael's, a very walkable town that has a nice feel in the Fall. The Waterman's Museum is in St. Michael's and is well worth an hour of one's time. The Blackwater Refuge south of Cambridge is nice to drive through with the beverage of your choice. The 300 year old Robert Morris Inn in Oxford is a pleasant place for a dinner.

you've got lots of good replies - will add Berlin, MD a charming small town that will be a stop on your way if you go to Assateague. Julia Roberts' Runaway Bride was filmed here.