From Ocean City, the route turns inland around Assateague Island and Chincoteague Bay, following US-50 west for eight miles, then turning south on US-113 through the dark cypress swamps along the Pocomoke River. Just southwest of the US-50/113 junction, the remarkably well-preserved town of Berlin offers a look back at a slower-paced era. Redbrick buildings house antique shops around the 1890s landmark Atlantic Hotel ($95 and up; 410/641-0189) at 2 Main Street, where the row of rocking chairs along the open-air front porch all but demand you to sit and stay a while.
Another 15 miles southwest of Ocean City, detour west from the highway to take a look at the 250-year-old town of Snow Hill (pop. 2,200). The Julia A. Purnell Museum (Tues.–Sun. April–Nov. only; $2), housed in an old church at 208 W. Market Street, features a range of exhibits tracing Eastern Shore history. Pick up a walking-tour map of Snow Hill’s many significant structures, or if the weather’s fine, paddle a canoe through the surrounding wild cypress swamps with the Pocomoke River Canoe Company (410/632-3971), at 312 N. Washington Street, next to the drawbridge.
