Whether it’s a full week of August vacation or a three-day weekend before the kids return to school, overnight boating trips allow families to go farther, explore new places, and spend more time together. There’s no better way to escape the office and household chores than to load the whole clan on your vessel and shove off. With a little experience cruising parents develop a keen sixth sense for locating kid-friendly marinas or anchorages—places where youngsters can run, jump, climb, and hang out with other kids. We’re talkin’ sandy beaches, swimming pools, ice cream shops, hiking trails, and interactive museums. And when it comes to provisioning, seasoned family cruisers know what’s essential and what to leave at home. We’ve pulled together some of their best tricks and a few of their favorite destinations to help with planning your next family cruise. It's all about quality family time. Planning Short cruising days and lots of time off the vessel will go a long way to working out the wiggles that afflict all kids. Mixing up overnights at marinas and anchorages will help too. Remember, variety is the spice of life. Review a cruising guide and chart book, and let everyone have input on where to go. Look for playgrounds, ice cream shops, standup paddleboard and kayak rentals, festivals, sandy beaches, water parks, casual restaurants, and museums. Provisioning Make sure everyone has a cozy berth filled with pillows, blankets, flashlights, and books. Bring a small treat or toy to be given to each child daily. Along with safety and navigational equipment, licenses and registration, phone and laptop chargers, cookware, cleanup supplies, TP, extra dock line and fenders, don’t forget the kids will want multiple bathing suits, sunscreen, water toys, beach towels, and fishing poles. Kid-approved snacks and beverages are a must! Playtime's not just for the kids. Underway Avoid the likelihood of meltdowns by letting children know what to expect each day. Tell them when, where, and what you’ll be eating, as well as when and where they’ll be able to fish, swim, or kayak. If you’re going ashore, prep them about what amenities will be at each stop. Many hands make light work, so give each child a few age appropriate chores. Encourage them to keep a journal, either on paper or electronically. Anchorages The Bay is filled with seemingly endless places with pleasant anchorages. Look for protection from the weather and room to swing. Ideally, choose a spot where kids can take a dinghy to shore. You’ll find nice places to drop the hook in a cove or creek off the Sassafras, Chester, Magothy, Severn, South, West, Rhode, Miles, Choptank, Little Choptank, Wye, Wye East, Swan Creek, Patuxent, Potomac, Rappahannock, James, Piankatank, Mobjack Bay, or Fairlee Creek to name just a few. Baltimore Cruising to an urban area such as Baltimore affords the opportunity to grill off the stern while listening to great music. An urban marina gives everyone lots of reasons to disembark. Canton and the Inner Harbor are dotted with ones that have pools. Within walking distance, families can enjoy major league baseball, concerts at Pier Six Pavilion, Little Italy, paddleboat rentals, National Aquarium, Port Discovery, the Museum of Science and Industry, and all manner of shops and restaurants. Annapolis Hit Main Street Annapolis by day, then tie up in a quiet creek off the Severn River overnight. Take the tikes on the charter pirate ship for some high seas adventure right in Annapolis Harbor. In the Historic District, kids can run and climb at the public playground just across the street from Ego Alley. Cool them down with ice cream at Annapolis Ice Cream Company or Storm Bros. Teach them some history at the State House or U.S. Naval Academy’s museum in Preble Hall. To beat the heat or rain, paint pottery at family-friendly Clay Bakers on Main Street. Rhode River Just south of Annapolis and the South River, the Rhode River is a favorite for kids and pets because it’s scenic and protected, and Big and Flat Islands provide opportunities to romp on land. Because of the many shoals in the area—especially the sunken High Island—keep speeds low and watch the depth meter and marks. If you hear laughter and see a bunch of kids in canoes, they are the happy campers from YMCA Camp Letts. Time to nap. Solomons and Calvert Cliffs Continue south on the western shore, and at the mouth of the Patuxent is Solomons, a favorite cruiser destination, where families will find the Calvert Maritime Museum and Drum Point Light, tours of Cove Point Lighthouse, the riverwalk boardwalk, and outdoor dining. Just north of town, Calvert Cliffs State Park offers trails, a playground, a fishing pond, and a sandy beach known for the plentiful sharks’ teeth. Unfortunately there’s not an anchorage, but if you can find your way by land, your kids will thank you for it. Norfolk Slip into one of the many full service marinas and then set out on foot to enjoy family fun at the interactive Nauticus Museum and the Battleship Wisconsin. Hop aboard a boat tour of the naval base, or visit the animals at the Virginia Zoo, situated along the Lafayette River. Soak up the AC while visiting restaurants and shopping along the waterfront walk. Crisfield and Janes Island The Chesapeake? Yes, this is Tangier Beach in the Southern Bay. Photo by Tom Hale Continuing south along the Eastern Shore you'll come to Crisfield, the southernmost town in Maryland. Just across Tangier Sound lies Janes Island State Park and five miles of beautiful sandy beaches. Crisfield is known for its watermen and seafood, and the state park offers canoe, kayak, and cabin rentals, plus more than 30 miles of marked water trails. On the Tangier Sound side of the island the family can swim in areas only accessible by boat. Just be sure to bring bug repellant, and consider yourself forewarned about the local mosquitos. St. Michaels St. Michaels is a favorite stop for cruising families. Photo by Tom Scilipoti Over to the Eastern Shore and one of the most popular cruising destinations for families, St. Michael's, where you'll find the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Justine’s Ice Cream Parlor, Miles River YC, casual waterfront restaurants, and lots of quaint shops. Make sure the kids have plenty of time in the old-fashioned toy store. Restock your provisions while you're "in town" before shoving off for the Wye and then cruising south. Wye River and Wye Island Allow plenty of time to explore the 2800-acre island between the Wye River and East Wye Rivers where kids will be kept busy all day hiking, fishing, and exploring coves in dinghies or kayaks. Look for exceptional anchorages in Granary Creek and Dividing Creek off the East Wye and in Shaw Bay off the Wye. Rock Hall After docking up, kids can enjoy the sandy beach and a public pool in Rock Hall. Photo courtesy of Mark and Suzanne Einstein Slow down and anchor in beautiful and protected Swan Creek on the north side of town, and then spend a night “in town” at one of the many local marinas. Rock Hall has a public pool and a great swimming beach. Make your way to the Watermen’s Museum, and be sure the kids visit Darding’s Store to get a milkshake and see the old authentic marble and steel soda fountain. by Beth Crabtree