Orientation Explore!

Guided by naturalists from our local Sultana Education Foundation, you will embark on a series of canoe trips on the Chester River. Each day will be spent exploring a different section of the river. Fishing, swimming, tromping in the mudflats, and learning about the natural history of the Mighty Chester River will keep you engaged by day. Evenings will be spent on land enjoying music and small group socials back in Chestertown. Great memories await. 

Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall

Spend your days kayaking, fishing, and exploring this rural Chesapeake tributary. Your group will visit an historic tidewater nature preserve and hike along shoreline trails. Evenings will include riverside campfires and moonlit paddle outings. This three-day and two-night camping trip along the lovely Sassafras River is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.

Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Camping

Into wildlife? Love the outdoors? Ever want to know exactly who or what you're sharing your space with? Come dive in deep into surveying all the organisms residing on our River and Field Campus! Led by wildlife biologists, work on your field skills while enjoying good company, hike by moonlight while doing moth surveys, cool off in the Chester River while seeking aquatic species & fishing! There's so much to explore at RAFC and this is a great way to see it all!

Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall

On a voyage aboard the 18th-century Royal Navy schooner Sultana, students will explore the rich history and landscape of the Chesapeake Bay region. They will help the captain by being a part of the crew itself (no sailing experience needed!), while also learning about the maritime and piratical lives of the past. With camping, sailing, sunset canoe expeditions, and an epic naval battle to highlight our trip, students will also enjoy some leisurely time and excellent cookout food while admiring the scenic waterfront views. The Sultana will sail down the Chester River and dock at The Reward, a historic colonial estate that offers students the chance to play games, relax, and take an evening hike. Participants will sleep in tents near the water. The program is geared toward students with an interest in history or American studies, although all are welcome to participate. This program is limited to 10 participants, first come, first served.

Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Camping

Navigate the Chester River with Echo Hill Outdoor School (EHOS) on their historic wooden workboats. Live aboard the skipjack Elsworth and buy boat Annie D and experience these living legacies of Maryland history while on this three-day, two-night expedition, led by EHOS captains who spend much of their lives on the Chester River. Spend your days fishing, meeting local watermen, swimming, and exploring the ecology of rural coastlines along the Chester River.

Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Camping

Immerse yourself in an ecologically rich and adventurous bayside retreat. On Echo Hill Outdoor School's extensive challenge course participants have the opportunity to set goals, design individual challenges, and support one antoher. Climb the Giant’s Ladder -  Soar down the Zip Line - Swoosh through the air on the Giant Swing - Boost your confidence and support your group in this great outdoor adventure - Make meaningful memories bonding with friends and exploring in nature. All activities are by choice - students reside at the air conditioned retreat lodge.

Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Rustic Lodge

Are you interested in home gardening or kayaking? How about river boat rides and horticultural masterpieces? Whether you’re a green-things enthusiast or a waterway wanderer, there's an adventure waiting for you! Start your adventure by visiting our lush campus garden, where you can practice your gardening skills by propagating your very own plant to keep. After that, immerse yourself in the beauty of the Eastern Shore's flora and fauna on an afternoon kayaking trip. As we continue our journey, prepare to be awe-struck by the landscapes of Longwood Gardens, one of America’s most impressive botanical gardens, with over 1,000 acres of formal gardens, woodlands, and meadows, as well as a magnificent indoor plant conservatory. To cap off the experience, live the local life by visiting the Chestertown Farmers Market and browse the charming farm and small business vendors, before taking the afternoon to relax on a river boat ride along the Chester River.

Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall

Sailboats, big and small, have long been a part of the working and recreational environment on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Come learn about the history of sailing on the bay and learn the basics for recreational sailing on the Chester River. No prior sailing experience needed to enjoy this adventure.

Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall

Participants of this program will EXPLORE everything Football. Focus will include interactive activities related to the NFL and Fantasy football. This will be a great way to connect with your classmates who love the game and want to learn more about it. 

Stamina: Active
Location: Mix of Indoors and Outdoors — Time in a city
Housing: Residence Hall

Whether you're interested in tabletop rpgs, board games, card games, dice games, or some other kind of game, we've got you covered. With dozens of physical game offerings with Washington Interactive Gaming Society (WIGS) you'll find something that sparks your interest. Washington College and the Chestertown community has a rich offering of games and gamers, so please come introduce yourself and join us for a few days packed full of games.

Stamina: Low key
Location: Mostly Indoors — Time in a city
Housing: Residence Hall

Join us for a 3-day exploration of regional food focusing on Chestertown and Kent County! Visit local farms and learn about the food they are producing and processing. Take a downtown tour of restaurants and engage with local business owners and their customers. Spend an evening cooking a meal for yourself and your Explore! companions. Check out the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market in Chestertown. And spend your final evening taking a cruise on the Center for Environment and Society’s boat, the Callinectes.

Stamina: Moderate
Location: Mix of Indoors and Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall

How do you want to change the world? How can you create change right here in your new home at Washington College? What opportunities, obstacles, and models exist for college students to build ethical and collaborative relationships with community partners? In this program, led by the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, you will learn about the long history of political action that has happened right here in Chestertown, Md. You will explore the history of Civil Rights here on the Eastern Shore and along the Chester River. You will meet the individuals who are making a difference here today through public service. Most of all, you'll find ways to get involved in the community and find ways to make a difference beyond our campus.

Stamina: Moderate
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall

Over three days you will tour art galleries, watch art demonstrations, work with clay, dabble in photography, paint a mural, and gain an appreciation for the rich visual arts that abound in Kent County. Sessions will be led by the professional artists of Chestertown RiverArts. RiverArts is a local nonprofit in the heart of Chestertown that offers Community Creativity and Connection through the Arts.

Stamina: Low-Key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall

Stamina: Low Key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Halls