LEONARDTOWN, Md. – Over Memorial Day Weekend, May 23–25, 2026, the St. Mary’s County Museum Division will offer special cruises to St. Clement’s Island State Park aboard North Star Charters. Visitors are invited to enjoy a scenic trip to the island, along with access to the historic Blackistone Lighthouse on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets are $7 per person for visitors of all ages and include a free tour of the Blackistone Lighthouse (Saturday and Sunday only) and round-trip transportation to and from the island. The first cruise departs from the mainland at 10 a.m., and the final cruise departs from the mainland at 2 p.m. The final return trip from the island to the mainland departs at 3 p.m.
The official launch of the St. Clement’s Island Museum water taxi, a newly acquired and larger vessel for the site, is currently pending final U.S. Coast Guard inspections and certification prior to entering regular service for the 2026 season.
“We appreciate the community’s continued patience as we work through the final certification process for our new vessel,” said Karen Stone, Manager of the St. Mary’s County Museum Division. “While we have experienced some unexpected delays in launching the new water taxi for service, we are grateful to North Star Charters for partnering with us to continue providing transportation to St. Clement’s Island State Park over the holiday weekend.”
The water taxi provides transportation for visitors between St. Clement’s Island Museum and St. Clement’s Island State Park. Currently, regular daily water taxi service is not available while the new vessel completes final certification requirements. Public notice will be issued once the vessel is ready to begin daily operations.
For more information on hours of operation, programs, events, admission prices, and more, please visit: www.stmaryscountymd.gov/museums or follow us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/SCIMuseum.
About the St. Mary’s County Museum Division
The St. Mary’s County Museum Division was established by the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County to collect, preserve, research, and interpret the historic sites and artifacts which illustrate the natural and cultural histories of St. Mary’s County and the Potomac River. These sites include St. Clement’s Island Museum, Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, the Old Jail Museum, and the Drayden African American Schoolhouse. With this as its charter, the Museum Division serves as a resource, liaison, and community advocate for all St. Mary’s County public and private cultural assets. For more information, please visit: museums.stmarysmd.com.