In one family’s ownership since 1940, four generations have enjoyed the opportunity to see waterfowl and upland shooting at its finest on the Honga River and Chesapeake Bay. Now under new ownership, the Lodge is open to the public for the first time ever. The deeded 1,000 acres of land consists of marshland and woodland with 9 large ponds and endless miles of waterfront. The Lodge will be available year round as an all-inclusive resort that will provide many additional activities that include but are not limited to some of the best striped bass (Rockfish) fishing in the region, crabbing, jet skiing, kayaking, day trips to Smith Island and Solomon’s Island, relaxation on a beautiful white sandy beach, and much, much more.
The main lodge has been on this site since the early 1900’s. After a devastating fire in 1967, the current lodge was reconstructed in 1968 to its original flavor of the great gunning clubs from the days of Walter Chrysler in Dorchester County, and has been meticulously maintained with the original decor. The Lodge has a large wood paneled living room with a grand fireplace and bar. The entrance hall gives each hunter or visitor his or her own gun rack and personal locker that can be used for everything from hunting gear to storing personal belongings. The formal dining room has murals depicting the waterman’s life on the Chesapeake Bay, and there is no describing the experience and ambiance of the candle lit dinner served by a staff that has been preparing authentic Maryland Eastern Shore cuisine from scratch at the lodge for more years than they wish to admit. The meal is positively second to none. The open feeling of the large enclosed climate controlled porch is the perfect spot for a crab cake and soft crab lunch or a crab feast after a morning of crabbing on the Honga River. Each of the five double occupancy bedrooms has a private full bath and either two single beds or a king size bed upon the guest’s requests. The widows walk provides spectacular views of the Chesapeake Bay, the Honga River, and the lodge property. The pier at the lodge offers quick access to boats, kayaks, and jet skis.
Formerly known as the Hoopers Island Gun Club, the Riverside Lodge on Hoopers Island is a destination rich in Eastern Shore history and tradition. The Lodge is only twenty-five miles from Cambridge, through the marshlands and woodlands of the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. As you travel over the bridge onto Upper Hoopers Island leading to the small fishing community of Fishing Creek, you feel the history of a place that has remained unchanged for generations. Leaving Fishing Creek, you will find the causeway and Ferry Bridge that leads to Middle Hoopers Island and the even smaller community of Hoopersville, where the Lodge is located. Upon arriving at the Lodge, you will feel like you have stepped back in time to a day when the crazy hustle and bustle of modern times just didn’t exist. Instead of turning the television on, you will simply take in the bounty and views of wildlife and nature native to the Chesapeake Bay and Honga River. The sunrises and sunsets at the lodge are spectacular. It’s about the camaraderie you will enjoy scanning the skies with fellow hunters, trolling the waters in search of Rockfish with your fisher-buddies, and teaching the younger generations how to tempt blue crabs into their baskets. It’s about exploring a pristine secret of Maryland that will feel like your own private world.
Your visit to the Riverside Lodge will be an all-inclusive experience where you will be pampered while enjoying the great outdoors of the Maryland Eastern Shore. We understand it is a necessary evil, so WIFI is available. Our staff promises to do all we can to make you long for a return visit upon your departure.
At the end of your stay, a minimum of 15% gratuity for our dedicated staff is customary if you feel so inclined. 100% of the gratuities will be divided evenly among the staff.
A note from the new ownership
For whatever reason, God has blessed Peggy and I far more than we deserve. First and foremost he has given the gift of life and the peace of knowing life on earth is only a moment in time and simply a stairway to eternity in heaven. We have been blessed with a marriage of almost thirty years; a daughter who at twenty five has always made us proud; a son, no longer with us, whose spirit keeps us grounded and reminds us of what is really important in life; and family and friends that have helped to mold our lives in more ways than they will ever know.
As yet another door of opportunity presents itself; we again are blessed to enter another chapter in our lives as we have become the new owners, and most importantly caretakers of the Riverside Lodge on Hoopers Island. We pray that we continue to be good stewards of this small portion of God’s masterpiece just as the Doeller family did for generations before us.
Hoopers Island and the local island residents have become such a special part of our lives, that we wish to share this little paradise on Earth with those of you who would never have had the privilege of experiencing this very unique and spectacular community on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
God Bless,
Gary and Peggy McQuitty