Is Visiting Assateague Island Worth It?

Visiting Assateague Island to see the wild horses has been on my Maryland bucket list since I found out about the island shortly after moving to Maryland.

After living in Maryland for over a year we finally made it to the island to see the wild horses for the first time. Since then we have been back multiple times and we love taking out-of-state visitors to see the wild horses.

If you’re planning a trip to Ocean City you should definitely add a trip to Assateauge Island to your plans. The drive from the beach on Ocean City was only about 20 minutes and totally worth it!

Exploring Assateague Island Maryland #maryland #travel #exploring

Before you actually get to Assateague island your first stop will be the Assateague Island visitor center.

Assateague Island Visitor Center

At the visitor center, you can park your car and walk or bike across the bridge onto the Island for free there is no admission charge if you are on bike or foot.

At the visitor center, you can also purchase a Vehicle Pass for the day, 7-days, or you can get an annual national parks pass if you don’t already have one.

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

We used our national parks pass to get into the national seashore. Having a national parks pass is a great way to save money if you visit multiple national parks or visit the same national parks often. We love having our pass for our visits to Assateague Island, Harpers Ferry, and Fort McHenry as well as other places.

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

The visitor center is not very big, it has some information about the horses and other animals you can find on Assateague Island, as well as a small gift shop.

Outside the visitor center is a row of rocking chairs facing Assateague Island. On a warm day, it looks like a nice relaxing spot to sit and watch the water. (Without anyone sitting there it makes for a cool picture)

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

Assateague Island National Seashore

Once on Assateague Island, the goal was to see Wild Horses! 

Assateague Island National Seashore is known for the wild horses that live on the island. These horses are the size of ponies and live all over the island.

As we drove onto the island we saw a horse in the distance across the water from the bridge. But we were hopeful we could find some horses to see up close.

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

We drove down the island looking for those horses and we found a parking lot with a nature path. From the walkway on the nature path, we could see a group of wild horses in the distance.

Bringing binoculars is a great way to be able to see the horses from a distance as well as other animals on the island.

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

After seeing the horses at a distance and driving around more of the island we decided to hit the beach.

The beach was almost empty, we could see people in the distance but no one was around us. I guess that’s one of the perks of going to the beach in February!

During the summer months, the beach on Assateauge Island can get really busy. To avoid crowds visit in the off-season (spring, fall, or winter) and visit during the week.

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

The beach on Assateague Island is beautiful with miles of white sand. After spending some time on the beach enjoying the sunshine and waves we headed back to the car.

As we started to drive down the road to the next parking lot there was a group of horses crossing the road. We pulled over into a parking lot and were able to see a large group of horses up close, from the safety of our car.

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

Our first trip to Assateague Island was a success! We saw the wild horses both from a distance and up close!

Since our first trip to Assateauge Island, we have been back multiple times and we have seen horses each time. But the first time we were able to see the most.

6 Tips for Visiting Assateague Island Monument with kids #traveltips #travel #maryland

Tips for Visiting Assateague Island

Assateague Island is a fun family vacation destination and definitely a place to add to your bucket list.

Get a National Parks Pass

Get an America the Beautiful National Parks Pass and not only will you be able to visit Assateague Island National Seashore but also more than 2,000 National Parks and other federal recreation sites.

The pass is $80 for a year and covers admission for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle or up to four adults at sites that charge per person.

If you have a 4th grader in your family they can get a 4th Grade Pass for Free.

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

Keep Exploring

You might not see the wild horses in the first place you explore on the island. Have patience and enjoy the beach and trails.

The more time you are on the island and the more of it you explore the greater your chance of seeing the horses.

Bring Water

Summers in Maryland can get hot and humid so be sure to bring water with you and stay hydrated.

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

Keep Your Distance

For both your safety and the safety of the animals on the island you should stay at least 40 feet away from wild horses.

Don’t Feed the Animals

Feeding the horses anything including grass from the park is not allowed. Be sure to store food in your car or locked tight in a sealed container so the horses and other wildlife don’t invade your food.

Visiting Assateague National Seashore #maryland #travel #familytravel

Plan a Camping Trip…Book Early

Camping on the island is only available on the Maryland side of Assateague Island. Reservations are required from March 15 through November 15. Campsite reservations are available 6 months in advance.

Nearly all weekend reservations fill up the first day they become available. So book early! Sites start at $30 per night. Camping facilities include chemical toilets, cold water showers, and drinking water.

Have fun and don’t forget to take photos!

Make sure to have fun, make memories and take a few photos of your time exploring this unique and beautiful beach!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Assateague Island worth it? Yes, it’s worth it to visit Assateague Island. The fee to visit is minimal and the island is beautiful. Plus seeing the wild horses is a unique experience.

Can you just drive through Assateague Island? Yes and No. There are roads on both the Maryland and Virginia side of the island that you can drive on. There are also specially designated sections of beach that you can drive on. But no you can’t drive all over the island and you can’t drive through Assateauge Island from one side to the other.

Assateague Island National Seashore Maryland District #maryland #beach #Wildhorses

What is special about Assateague Island? The wild horses of course! There are 300 ponies that live on the island.

Can you stay in Assateague? Yes on the Maryland side of the island you can camp in either the National Seashore or the State Park.

More Things To Do In Maryland

Along with Assateauge Island National Seashore and Assateague Island State Park, there are so many other fun places to visit and explore in Maryland.

Great Falls

Located on the border of Maryland and Virginia great falls is a series of waterfalls along the Potomac River. Though these waterfalls aren’t tall they are beautiful and do a great job showing off some of the beautiful nature you can find in Maryland.

North Market Pop Shop

Located in downtown Frederick North Market Pop Shop is an interesting place for soda fans to visit. This shop sells glass bottles of soda in more than 400 flavors. Flavors of soda range from classic root beers to fun, quirky, and just weird flavors like pickle, alien snot, and Cheshire vanishing cream to name just a few.

Fort Washington Park

Fort Washington was built to defend the river approach to Washington D.C. The park has artillery demonstrations on select days during the summer.

Western MD Scenic Railroad

Take a ride on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. Excursions start in downtown Cumberland at Canal Place. There are several different experiences you can have including seasonal events.

Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary and Visitor Center

The Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary is the wintering grounds for many Canadian geese. Along with a Visitor Center, there are hiking trails and a self-guided driving tour.

Continue reading about more than 50 places to visit in Maryland in this post.

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Tips for Visiting Assateague Island and seeing the wild horses #maryland #travel #UnitedStatesTravel

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