For more than a mile, Thompson Creek, an offshoot of the Chesapeake Bay, winds alongside a sprawling 220-acre tract of land that once belonged to the family who gave the creek its name. Amid the verdant, rolling hills stands the historical Kent Manor Inn, a cupola-crowned wooden mansion restored to reflect the original building's 1820 design. Through the lobby, where soft floral prints and dark wood impart an aura of stately elegance, visitors head upstairs to find rooms waiting with complimentary champagne.

Views of the waterfront and the sweeping grounds surround guests as they step out onto their rooms' private balconies—perhaps creating a desire for outdoor exploration. Luckily, there's plenty to do. The hotel loans out paddle boats and bicycles, so guests can roll through woodland trails before locking up bikes to fish off the pier or search for land-based fish in the flower gardens.

Those same grounds also set the stage for weddings, while the manor's chefs open up their dining room to the general public during their signature Champagne Bayside Brunch. Each weekend, the culinary team comes up with a new menu of fine cuisine such as blue-corn dusted chicken, cheese blintz, and other entrees ideal for pairing with a glass of champagne or mimosa. A stroll through the buffet line also takes diners past stations for prime rib, waffles, omelets, and other made- or carved-to-order foods.