Has the “quarantine 15” got you thinking more about the need for restoring to your pre COVID-19 weight? It’s no doubt that there’s a growing trend around the world to lead a healthier lifestyle, and this desire has likewise spawned a segment of the population to be focused on health and wellness.
While vacations are an escape from everyday life (although many are put on hold at this time), they’re an opportunity to enhance and explore the important and positive aspects of daily life. So, when it’s time for you to relax, rejuvenate and restore, Kent County, Maryland, has many ways you can adopt a healthier lifestyle with its holistic approach to living in a safe manner.
Safe and Friendly Oasis
Monika Wisniewska
Tucked away on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and nearly surrounded by water, Kent County is a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle. “Chestertown has become a hub for a talented group of health and wellness practitioners attracted to the area for its beauty, its value and its cost-of-living advantages,” according to the Chester River Wellness Alliance. Pair those healthy resources with the area’s abundant tourism-related activities and, “you’ve got a new way of looking at your vacations, long weekends or day-trips that’s really nourishing in several different capacities.”
Although not officially designated a Blue Zones Project area, Kent County has lifestyle characteristics that support healthy choices for locals and visitors alike. So, if a long and vigorous life is important to you, start your journey—or continue it—during a getaway to Kent County. Here’s how to implement the secrets of longevity in your next Kent County visit:
Identify Your Purpose
Think about the reasons you’re taking a vacation and plan your itinerary accordingly. Kent County offers a variety of accommodations and activities, including outdoor recreation, attractions, the arts, dining, shopping and events to satisfy every type of getaway (girlfriends, day-trip, etc). The key is to identify the purpose and then honor it.
Family First
As we’ve been spending more time indoors with our families, we’ve had to find creative ways to keep the whole gang engaged. With 209 miles of shoreline in Kent County (Chestertown, Rock Hall, Betterton, Millington and Galena), the therapeutic effects of water practically (and literally) surround you. The peace and tranquility of a beautiful sunrise or sunset are sure to energize your quest for more family-bonding activities outside the confines of your home. Another option that provides a fun-filled family adventure is to make it an equestrian day so your clan can disconnect from social media and get acquainted with a 2,000-pound, four-legged friend.
Move Naturally
Put on your walking shoes and stroll the county’s quaint, historic towns. Chestertown, an original Colonial port, has one-of-a-kind shops, galleries and restaurants along brick-paved sidewalks with plenty of historical and cultural attractions. The first Friday of every month, businesses in the Chestertown Historic District stay open late.
Flat and lightly traveled county roads make bicycling a breeze, so plan a route and bike through the idyllic countryside. For a daylong, more challenging ride, consider the Rock Hall Ramble, a 50-mile circuit that takes you past notable sites from Chestertown to Rock Hall.
Downshift
It’s important to balance movement with rest. The quiet solitude of watching (and listening) to birds is a great way to rest and relax. A varietal assortment of birds and other animals can be spotted at several wildlife management areas around the county: Millington Wildlife Management Area, a woodland habitat stretching across 4,000 acres; Sassafras Natural Resource Management Area and Turner’s Creek County Park offering spectacular views of the Sassafras River and the Chesapeake Bay along with opportunities to see blue herons, bald eagles, bank swallows and yellow warblers; and Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge host to thousands of tundra swans now through late February.
Belong
A visit to Kent County is sure to have you feeling like a local as you experience a sense of community that’s as authentic as it is rejuvenating. What is started as a quick sojourn could develop into an adventure of lifestyle exploration.
So when it’s safer to travel and you find you need time to relax and escape, come to Kent County and reset to a holistic approach to living.
