Families who are used to mountain camping sometimes complain about the sand everywhere and the hot sun and lack of shade.īeach camping is only available on the Maryland side of the island at Assateague State Park. Reservations are required for camping April 15-October 15 and the reservation system becomes available six months in advance. Some families love beach camping and make it an annual event. If you haven't tried beach camping, it is an experience quite different from mountain camping. Reservations are recommended six months in advance for the popular beach camping at Assateague Island. The surfing area is much less crowded (and therefore less intimidating) than Ocean City. My husband and teenage daughters love to surf, so Assateague Island is our favorite beach for a day-trip from Washington D.C. The swimming beach has life guards from 10:00 a.m. Assateague State Park is open from 7:00 a.m.Occasionally you will find umbrellas and chairs available to rent but it is not a regular service so do not count on it.When the parking lot is full, they will not allow anyone else to enter the park. This popular beach will fill to capacity on holiday weekends and many other summer weekends. Maryland State Parks are trash-free, so bring garbage sacks and plan to pack your trash in and out.My only complaint about the beach was the biting flies and pesky mosquitos that bothered us.
Bring mosquito repellant and plenty of sunscreen.Here are my tips for enjoying Assateague State Park: The park also has a camp store, grill and ice cream shop. We came to body board, surf, and play in the sand, and we loved our two days visiting the island. There are large bathrooms with changing stalls and showers to clean off before you head home. Tips for Assateague State ParkĪssateague State Park is a great day trip for East Coast residents, or a vacation destination in itself. Watch young children around the ponies to keep them safe. I watched them kick and head butt one another and then wander over and poke their heads right under someone's beach umbrella. These horses are used to people and are not shy. Plan to keep your food in zippered bags or secure coolers. Remember these wild ponies are wild, and they will bite so keep your distance.
They tried to open bags and coolers looking for food and were fairly agressive. There are signs posted everywhere warning you not to feed the horses ($100 fine) and not to pet or ride them. The ponies greeted us in the parking lot by poking their noses in our car as soon as we opened the back of the van. I really had high hopes of seeing the wild ponies when we visited Assateague Island and worried that we might miss them. The Virginia side of this island is known as Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. We visited Assateague State Park in Maryland. Best of all, this popular beach is easily accessible for East Coast residents. Bird watchers can enjoy over 320 species of birds in this protected sanctuary. Families will enjoy the nature center and lifeguarded beach. Assateague Island is known for its wild ponies, excellent surf, and popular beach camping. Assateague Island National Seashore, a 37-mile long island along the coast of Virigina and Maryland, boasts some of the best beaches on the East Coast.
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