From organic produce fresh from the farm to climbing the rigging aboard a replica tall ship, Kent County offers visitors much to see and do--and whether you arrive by boat or car, the waterfront is almost always where the action is. Moreover there's always something new in the growing list of activities and celebrations that Kent County is famous for. This year look for an expansion of the popular Chestertown Farmer's Market. Traditionally open on Saturday mornings, the farmers will gather again on Wednesday afternoons at 4 p.m. Look for the hand-crafted work of local artisans for sale alongside the fresh bread and produce. Then stroll down Water Street to the historic Customs House and take in the new multimedia tour of the Chestertown waterfront on Fridays and Saturdays (owned by Washington College, the building is closed on college holidays).

Maryland's picturesque "County of Kent" is nearly surrounded by water. Kayakers can navigate the water trail around Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge or paddle up the scenic Chester River to Chestertown, rich with Colonial architecture and full of interesting shops and dining opportunities. Larger boats can meander up the Bay shore from Eastern Neck Island north to the Sassafras River, stopping at Rock Hall, Worton Creek, Fairlee Creek and Still Pond. And they can wend their way past the celebrated beach at Betterton and up the Sassafras River to the "twin" towns of Georgetown and Fredericktown, where the legendary Miss Kitty Knight is reputed to have defied British raiders and saved her house from flames during the War of 1812.

Whether you're seeking history, a weekend festival or an evening's entertainment, Kent County has much to offer, and small wonder that so much of it centers around the area's rich maritime heritage. The Waterman's Museum in Rock Hall (adjacent to Haven Harbour Marina; open daily; 410-778-6697) highlights the area's long connection with the water. The Geddes-Piper House Museum in Chestertown preserves one of the area's many architectural gems and serves as the starting point of a town walking tour (and the office for the Historical Society of Kent County). The Chestertown Tea Party and Memorial Day Celebrations (May 28-31) salute the area's revolutionary past. Rock Hall Harbor dazzles with fireworks on the Fourth of July weekend (this year the parade and all festivities will be on Saturday, July 3), and later in the season high-seas roguery mixes with plenty of family fun as colorful pirates and their lasses stroll the town streets during Rock Hall's Pirates and Wenches Fantasy Weekend (August 14-15). The first Saturday in August ushers in Betterton Day, when people celebrate this sandy nettle-free beach with parades, contests, music and the now-famous "Cow Plop Bingo." Every fall, the Chester River waterfront teems with tall ships under sail, gathered for the Schooner Sultana's Downrigging Weekend (October 28-31). Live acoustic music is an on-going feature at the Mainstay in Rock Hall; the Prince Theatre in Chestertown showcases music, film and theater.

Aside from the historic towns and waterfront villages along Kent County's shoreline, boaters will find plenty of quiet gunkholes, steeped with natural beauty and teeming with wildlife. It's not unusual to watch white-tail deer drinking at the water's edge, or to be surrounded by a flock of migrating geese in the spring or fall. (Boaters will be especially pleased to discover a lack of stinging jellyfish in the relatively fresh water of the Chester River.) Whether bird watching or boat watching, visitors can spot rarities--not the least among them being the fabulous Chesapeake Log Sailing Canoes. Tucked here and there, boaters will also find well appointed marina facilities, with full-service boatyards, on-shore dining and club-like amenities.

Before heading out, contact the Kent County Tourism and Economic Development Office for a free visitor information packet at 410-778-0416 or e-mail them at tourism@kentcounty.com. Check out all there is to see and do at www.kentcounty.com, including performance listings for the Prince Theatre and the Mainstay. When you arrive, be sure to visit the Kent County Visitor Center, on Cross Street and Maple Avenue in Chestertown or the Rock Hall Visitor Center on Main Street.