In a state with this much coastline, spending a lot of time by the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean is almost inevitable. Pleasure boaters ride the waves alongside the professional fishing crews, while others relax on the beaches or shop and sightsee in the shore towns. The inland regions of the state have their own kind of beauty, though, ranging from the pastoral mountains of the western panhandle region to the rolling farmland of central Maryland. All areas of the state are rich in historical landmarks, a result of Maryland's central role in the development of the United States.