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Waldorf began as a crossroads village on the road and rail line south of Washington, and from 1949 to 1968, when slot machines were legal in Charles County, it was a roadside gambling stop along US Route 301. The slot parlors are long gone, and Waldorf is now the largest community in Charles County, about 25 miles southeast of the capital.
The main reason history fans come is the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House, where John Wilkes Booth stopped to have his broken leg set after shooting Abraham Lincoln in April 1865. Baseball fans fill Regency Furniture Stadium on summer nights to watch the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, while St. Charles Towne Center is the county's main mall.
Waldorf also works as a gateway to rural Southern Maryland. Cedarville State Forest protects the headwaters of Zekiah Swamp, the paved Indian Head Rail Trail runs west toward the Potomac, and colonial Port Tobacco, the Thomas Stone National Historic Site and Smallwood State Park on Mattawoman Creek are all within a half-hour drive.
The farmhouse where Dr. Samuel Mudd set John Wilkes Booth's broken leg in April 1865, later leading to his conviction and imprisonment. Costumed guides show family furniture and tell the story of the escape and trial. The museum opens seasonally, usually spring to autumn weekends; check hours first.
Haberdeventure, the plantation home of Thomas Stone, a Maryland signer of the Declaration of Independence. Rangers lead tours of the restored house, and trails pass the family cemetery, tobacco barn and fields. Entry is free; check the National Park Service site for current house tour days.
Once a busy colonial port and the county seat, Port Tobacco is now a tiny village with a reconstructed brick courthouse housing a museum, a one-room schoolhouse and historic homes. Archaeology exhibits explain the lost town. It is a short drive from Waldorf and pairs well with the Thomas Stone site.
Home of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic League, a friendly ballpark with affordable seats, a kids' play area, fireworks nights and crab-themed snacks. The season runs from spring to early autumn. Lawn and box seats are easy to get on weeknights.
A large state forest at the headwaters of Zekiah Swamp, with marked trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding, a stocked fishing pond and a campground. An old charcoal kiln recalls its past. Trails can be muddy after rain, and ticks are common in warm months, so wear long socks.
A park on Mattawoman Creek built around Smallwood's Retreat, the restored home of Revolutionary War General William Smallwood. A marina offers boat launches and rentals, and the creek is known for bass fishing and spring birds. Guided house tours run on some summer weekends.
A paved trail of about 13 miles on a former Navy railroad line, running from White Plains near Waldorf west to the town of Indian Head on the Potomac. It crosses woods, wetlands and Mattawoman Creek, with good birding. It is mostly flat and shaded, so it suits families on bikes.
A Charles County park built around Wheatley Lake, where you can rent kayaks, canoes and paddle boats in summer or fish from the shore. Wooded trails loop around the water, and there are picnic shelters and a playground. It is a quiet escape about 20 minutes south of Waldorf.
The main enclosed shopping mall of Charles County, with department stores, national chains, a food court and nearby restaurants along Route 301. It is a practical stop for supplies or a rainy afternoon. Parking is easy, and most sit-down restaurants are on the surrounding roads.
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Photo: F Delventhal from Outside Washington, D.C., US, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: F Delventhal from Outside Washington, D.C., US, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
