Meet the MRT Team: Emily’s Biked and Boated Her Way Around Maryland

We’re pulling back the curtain to introduce you to the team behind Maryland Road Trips! Meet our publisher, Emily Dorr.

I grew up in Middletown and spent much of my childhood traveling the state to visit relatives. I have many happy memories of waterskiing with my cousins on the Severn River and packing up the car for much-anticipated visits to Deep Creek Lake or the beach. Now, I adventure with my husband and our two dachshunds, whether to bike, camp, or boat. Supporting Maryland tourism isn’t just part of my job—it’s my life!

What does travel mean to you?

A love of travel and experiencing new things is part of the DNA my parents passed on to me. I have fond memories of piling into the family station wagon, my dad plotting our course using the Rand McNally book of maps, the car games my mom would entertain us with, and of course, all the enjoyable places we visited. And when the trip was over, there were pictures of all we experienced to put into an album for flipping through and reminiscing at a later time.

A woman in a Maryland Road Trips t-shirt in front of a sign — Photo Credit: Turner Photography Studio

What made you decide to start Maryland Road Trips?

I have a deep appreciation for people who work in the travel and hospitality industry. Postern, the marketing agency I own, works with a number of destination marketing organizations, restaurants, and hotels. When COVID hit, my team and I wanted to do something that would support Maryland tourism in a new and engaging way—and we loved the idea of sharing the diversity of things to see and do in Maryland.

Tell us about some of your unique Maryland experiences.

I once ran over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge! Pedestrians are only allowed on the bridge once a year for Bay Bridge Run.

across-the-bay-10K — Photo Credit: Emily Dorr

My husband and I are avid cyclists. We’ve done an organized ride called “Tour dem Parks, Hon” that takes you through a bunch of parks in Baltimore. We did it on our tandem bike! We’ve also done the Civil War Century, a 102.9-mile ride that starts in Thurmont, weaves through northern Frederick County, and goes to Gettysburg and back.

We go biking and camping on the C&O Canal, too, and like to take our inflatable boat to the Monocacy River or Black Hills Regional Park in Montgomery County.

What has to be in the car with you when you’re on a road trip?

Soda water, my cell phone, and my husband. We’ve taken the dogs with us on several trips. They even ride bikes with us! Ella is not happy in the car, and she’s a bit of a whiner. Winnie goes right to sleep. Also, my suitcase. Once, we remembered to pack everything for the dogs but forgot our own belongings.

dog on back of bike — Photo Credit: Emily Dorr

Do you have to fight for control of the music?

I am married to a bluegrass musician, but I find myself wanting peace and quiet when we road trip. For two busy people, it’s a great chance for us to talk or for me to catch up on sleep so I can be ready for the adventure when we arrive at our destination.

What was your most memorable Maryland road trip?

I participated in a raffle at a conference once and won the big prize of the night: several overnight stays on the Eastern Shore. We traveled from Frederick to Salisbury to Ocean City to Cambridge and spent a night in each location.