This post is in partnership with Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort. All opinions are my own. You can read my full Disclosure Policy here.
Last fall I attended a conference on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and as many times as my family has visited our neighboring state, we had never seen this part of it. I was in awe. It’s GORGEOUS and if you’ve never been, you definitely need to check it out. The Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay invited my family to spend a weekend at their amazing Four Diamond luxury resort and share our experience with you.
We had an amazing time together as a family. The resort is just stunning with tons of fun things to do, and while we didn’t get to enjoy the outdoor pools (the weather just didn’t cooperate- May can be cold!), there was plenty to keep us entertained. And I will say it made for some nice photos of the pools without tons of people in them, so there’s a silver lining!
Take a little tour with me in the video below, then read on for more photos and the inside scoop!
Such a beautiful property! If you want to do a really nice vacation with your kids, but don’t want to deal with passports, plane tickets, all the details of a going a distance from home, you can get all of those things right here at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay. Close to home, but you’ll feel a world away!
Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort
The Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay is located in Cambridge, Maryland. I mentioned that it’s on the Eastern Shore of the state and this resort is actually located on the Choptank River, a major tributary of the Bay. The Resort is WOW as soon as you walk in the door. And it’s about to get even better.
They are currently undergoing a $7 million renovation that will include upgrades to all of the 400 guestrooms, plus common areas like the lobby. They’re going to incorporate the look and feel of the surrounding area, the Bay and River, so I’m really excited to see how this all looks when it’s done!
The guest room we stayed in was a double, so two double beds. Each of these double rooms will be upgraded to a queen room when the renovations are complete. Many of the new rooms will be done by June 2017, and the entire renovation is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year.
We had a water view room (so ask for that when you book your reservation!) and had a seriously amazing view. The front our out balcony overlooked the Choptank River, and the picture above was our view from the side. Gorgeous!
The resort is on 342-acres with so much to do. Obviously the swimming was a favorite for my kids! The Sago Salon & Spa is a nice getaway for mom, and dad might like to check out the 18-hole championship golf course on the property. We spent a lot of time walking around and exploring and everything is so beautiful.
There are 6 dining options on property. The hidden gem for us was the Bay Country Market. This is the gift shop, but there’s also a little cafe in there and they serve Starbucks, so my Frappucino addict child was happy.
We grabbed lunch here one day and had salads, soups, and wraps. It’s very affordable so it’s a nice option for families.
The Water’s Edge Grill is on the lower level of the resort and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They offer a breakfast buffet but I had tunnel vision for this French toast. All of our food was amazing!
Be sure to pack a jacket or hoodie because it can get cool at night when you’re on the water, and you don’t want to miss taking a walk around the resort at night. The pools and fountains are lit up and it’s such a neat atmosphere. (Scroll down to read about the s’mores!)
This picture was taken from our balcony. We walked out on this dock a few times, which is really used to break up the waves in the River to protect the ‘beach’ area, but it provides a beautiful view. I love how it’s lit up at night.
See how the water is choppy on the left, then hits the pier and is calm on the right? To the right of the pier is the swimming area (again, too cold for us during this visit). Be advised, there are likely jellyfish swimming in there with you! There are signs on the beach to remind you to be careful.
Water Activities
The Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort includes 3 pools: Two are outside and one is inside. This is the indoor pool which is tons of fun and I love that a good portion of it is really shallow, just 3.5 feet deep.
If you look in the back left corner of the above photo, you can see the hot tub. This is only half of it! The other half is outside and you can swim under the windows to get to it, or hop out and go through the door. Guess which option my husband and I chose, and which option the kids chose?
Dive In Movies are shown on select evenings on the screen hanging on the back wall. This is SO cool. The first night we were there Moana was playing! The kids love being able to swim or float on a raft and watch a movie at the same time.
This outdoor pool is the more ‘serene’ pool. Children are allowed in it but it’s sectioned off so that adults have a splash-free zone to enjoy.
You have an amazing view of the River, plus I love how the water goes right up to the wall. Beautiful! I definitely want to get back here when it’s warm and enjoy this from INSIDE the pool!
The other outdoor pool is better for kids. Check out the fun water slide in the back! There’s tons of seating here for your whole family to enjoy a day poolside. And if you think you’re getting too much sun, you have options: That glass building is the indoor pool, so you can either hop in there for a bit and swim indoors, or there’s a pool shop on the side of the building that sells sunscreen and any other pool-related item you need (floats, goggles, etc).
There’s a 150-boat slip outside of the Resort so if you’ve got a boat, you’ve got a place to keep it. There’s also a place to rent jet skis and little paddle boats for the family. And as I mentioned, there is a beach sectioned off closer to the Resort. So if your family loves the water, there is plenty to do here to keep your toes wrinkled!
Family Fun
One of the things that sets the Hyatt apart from other hotels are all of these bonus activities. Included with your stay is SO much to do with your family. It feels like so much more of a real vacation than just an overnight in a hotel.
Just inside the door of the indoor pool, you can grab what you need to go play frisbee golf (which would not be pretty for me – I have zero frisbee skills), or mini golf. This is more my speed! There’s a 9-hole mini golf course right near the outdoor pools that’s fun and easy! My kids each got TWO holes in one!
When you check in you’ll be given a paper that has all of the Resort activities listed on it. We actually took a little tour with the Assistant Recreation Director and they take FUN seriously. There is so much to do! They plan pool activities like relay races and cannonball contests; hula hoop contests and beach blanket bingo; and coloring and jump rope contests. You will not hear one, “I’m boooored” while you’re here!
After a day of mini golf, tennis, and a hot bean bag toss contest, we hit the pool. Swimming is my kids’ favorite activity and they had so much fun together. (Isn’t it nice when they don’t fight? One of the many perks of family travel!)
The place to be after dark is outside by the fire. They light it up around 6:30pm or so, but wait until the sun goes down, hit the Bay Country Store for a bag of s’mores necessities, and go roast yourself a gooey marshmallow.
We had so much fun at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay. It is truly a gorgeous resort and really feels like a family vacation because of all the amenities and things to do. And I love that it was just a few hours from home for us!
Note: Parents, if you are looking for a little adult time, ask about Camp Hyatt at Pirate’s Cove. This is an activities program for kids ages 4-12 that offers kids some really cool experiences, and you can go for full-day, half-day, or just an evening of camp.
Nearby Attractions
Before we went home we hit a couple of local attractions. The Hyatt is located in Cambridge, MD and there are a few things nearby that are worth venturing out for. We walked out to the Choptank River Lighthouse, which mostly just made for cool photos. We couldn’t get inside of it (of course we walked down the wrong pier so that might have something to do with it!).
My son is in 2nd grade and had just done a report on Harriet Tubman. Dorchester County is her home, and you can stop to see what is believed to be her birthplace. You can’t walk right up to the house, so again this is more of a photo opp but still pretty cool.
There is a whole Harriet Tubman Visitor Center that’s close by and if you’re interested in this, the Hyatt is currently offering guests “A View North: History, Nature and Lunch in the Park”, which is a package that includes admission to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is definitely worth checking it out. You can bike through if you’d like but we drove through (there’s a $5 donation per car at the entrance) and got to see some really neat wildlife including herons, bald eagles (so beautiful to see them in the wild!), and this red-winged blackbird that seemed to have a lot to say.
Learn More
You can learn more about the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort on their website, and by following along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
If you’re planning a family vacation and looking for that luxury resort feel but want to stay close to home, this is where you need to be!
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