The Local Area

Located on Maryland's beautiful Eastern Shore, Salisbury University is located only two hours from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia, and only 30 minutes from the ocean. Nestled at the crossroads of Delmarva, Salisbury is a thriving small town where the traditional culture of the Chesapeake Bay region exists side-by-side with big-city shopping, dining, and recreational amenities.

Salisbury: An All-American City

Salisbury is one of ten cities selected in 2010 as an "All-America City" by the National Civic League. Often called the "Crossroads of Delmarva," Salisbury is the largest city on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Situated along the scenic Wicomico River, Salisbury is Maryland's second busiest commercial port. Salisbury is at the center of a growing region and has a current population of some 70,000 residents.

Notable features of the Salisbury area include the free Salisbury Zoo, Centre at Salisbury shopping mall, touring concerts and performances at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, and the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art. Popular local events include the Salisbury Festival and Pork in the Park each spring, the Sea Gull Century 100-mile bicycle tour, and the Autumn Wine Festival in Pemberton Park.

Ocean Resorts and Quiet Beaches

The Atlantic coast of the Delmarva Peninsula is only 30 miles from Salisbury. Due east is Ocean City, Maryland, one of the most popular beach resorts on the east coast. "OC" offers an old-fashioned beach boardwalk; ten miles of wide, free, white sand beaches; amusement parks and arcades; and hundreds of dining, shopping, and nightlife options. Events such as the White Marlin Open, Springfest, Sunfest, and the OC Air Show draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the resort every year.

South of Ocean City is Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Assateague Island is famous for its herds of wild ponies, which legend has it swam ashore from the wreck of a Spanish galleon. The town of Chincoteague’s tradition of Pony Penning was made famous by the book Misty of Chincoteague. North of Ocean City are a number of coastal communities in the adjoining state of Delaware. These include Bethany Beach, Dewey Beach, and Rehoboth Beach.

The Chesapeake Bay Region

Maryland's Eastern Shore is deeply tied to the Chesapeake Bay. This is the land of skipjacks, watermen, blue crabs, and Michener’s Chesapeake. Enjoy the region's fresh seafood at any number of local restaurants, or take to the waterways yourself – sailing, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing are popular pursuits. Salisbury is only a short drive to a number of access points to the Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. Quaint fishing villages, wildlife refuges, and historic sites are easily accessible as well. Points of interest include the town of St. Michael's, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, and the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.

Town + Gown: Partners for Progress

Our Salisbury neighbors stay connected with SU through campus events. In turn, our students are connected to the surrounding area - and the world beyond - when they welcome local business owners and politicians into their classrooms, participate in community service through clubs and teams, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, intern at a company whose owner is an alum, or use their GullCard at one of over 30 establishments near campus. Salisbury University is committed to community engagement and fostering positive town/gown relations - the Partners for Progress initiative supports those efforts.