MD 33 begins at the start of state maintenance 0.10 mi (0.16 km) south of Wharf Road and Phillips Road on Tilghman Island.
 The roadway continues south as Black Walnut Point Road, a county highway that leads to the namesake point at the south end of the island.
 MD 33 heads north through the village of Tilghman Island as two-lane undivided Tilghman Island Road, passing Tilghman Elementary School and many businesses before leaving the island by crossing Knapps Narrows on a single-bascule drawbridge that is the busiest of its type in the United States in terms of bridge openings.
 Shortly after leaving Tilghman Island, the state highway runs through a mix of forest and farmland, passing the hamlets of Sherwood and Wittman and several pieces of old alignment of the highway.
 MD 33 curves to the east around the head of Harris Creek and passes through McDaniel before reaching Claiborne Road, which was formerly MD 451 and heads northwest to the village of Claiborne.

MD 33 continues southeast as St. Michaels Road.
 The state highway passes the northern terminus of MD 579 (Bozman Neavitt Road) and around the head of Broad Creek before curving south and passing through the town of Saint Michaels and its namesake historic district.
 MD 33 is known as Talbot Street within the town, where the highway passes the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, marked by the previous drawbridge over Knapps Narrows.
 The state highway curves to the southeast within the town and passes southwest of St. Michaels Middle/High School before it continues straight out of town through a mix of farmland and forests until the hamlet of Newcomb, where MD 329 (Royal Oak Road) splits to the south towards Royal Oak and Bellevue while MD 33 curves east to cross Oak Creek along the shore of the Miles River.
 MD 33 continues northeast, collecting the other end of MD 329 before passing a few riverfront subdivisions ahead of the intersection with MD 370 (Unionville Road).
A park and ride lot is located at the northwest corner of this intersection.
Shortly after entering the town limits of Easton, the state highway crosses Tanyard Branch at the intersection with MD 322 (Easton Parkway), a bypass of the town that connects with US 50 in both directions.
 MD 33 continues east as Bay Street toward downtown Easton, where the highway reaches its eastern terminus at Washington Street.

MD 33 is a part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial from the west town limit of Easton to Washington Street.
MD 33 begins at the start of state maintenance 0.10 mi (0.16 km) south of Wharf Road and Phillips Road on Tilghman Island.  The roadway continues south as Black Walnut Point Road, a county highway that leads to the namesake point at the south end of the island.  MD 33 heads north through the village of Tilghman Island as two-lane undivided Tilghman Island Road, passing Tilghman Elementary School and many businesses before leaving the island by crossing Knapps Narrows on a single-bascule drawbridge that is the busiest of its type in the United States in terms of bridge openings.  Shortly after leaving Tilghman Island, the state highway runs through a mix of forest and farmland, passing the hamlets of Sherwood and Wittman and several pieces of old alignment of the highway.  MD 33 curves to the east around the head of Harris Creek and passes through McDaniel before reaching Claiborne Road, which was formerly MD 451 and heads northwest to the village of Claiborne.
MD 33 continues southeast as St. Michaels Road.  The state highway passes the northern terminus of MD 579 (Bozman Neavitt Road) and around the head of Broad Creek before curving south and passing through the town of Saint Michaels and its namesake historic district.  MD 33 is known as Talbot Street within the town, where the highway passes the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, marked by the previous drawbridge over Knapps Narrows.  The state highway curves to the southeast within the town and passes southwest of St. Michaels Middle/High School before it continues straight out of town through a mix of farmland and forests until the hamlet of Newcomb, where MD 329 (Royal Oak Road) splits to the south towards Royal Oak and Bellevue while MD 33 curves east to cross Oak Creek along the shore of the Miles River.  MD 33 continues northeast, collecting the other end of MD 329 before passing a few riverfront subdivisions ahead of the intersection with MD 370 (Unionville Road). A park and ride lot is located at the northwest corner of this intersection. Shortly after entering the town limits of Easton, the state highway crosses Tanyard Branch at the intersection with MD 322 (Easton Parkway), a bypass of the town that connects with US 50 in both directions.  MD 33 continues east as Bay Street toward downtown Easton, where the highway reaches its eastern terminus at Washington Street.
MD 33 is a part of the National Highway System as a principal arterial from the west town limit of Easton to Washington Street.
Maryland Route 33