Oceanside Drive-In Campground — Hotel in Assateague Island

Car camping here is magical. We visited here in Oct and March, and love this campsite so much that we are already planning our next camping trip! It was too windy and cold in March, but early October was perfect. Kayak and bike rentals were not available in March.. We want to do that next time we come and try out the bayside drive in campground also.

The oceanside spots we stayed at, in two separate times, were 19 (loop 1) and 30 (loop 2). Both oceanside drive loops are very nice. Site 19 is very spacious but not as close to the water as site 30. It is also a further walk from the bathroom.

Site 30 is smaller but it has sand dunes and plants that help block the wind and provide some nice privacy. It is also close to the bathroom but not too close to feel uncomfortable. Site 30 is also right next to the walkway to the beach. People were friendly and many other campers were in their RV/trailers.

We drove through the bayside loops and felt the oceanside provided more privacy and were spaced apart better, giving the feeling of having your own little area. Bayside mostly felt like an RV park, but we checked and spotted a couple bayside spots that felt more private and will try those out next time.

We prefer visiting during less popular months to avoid large crowds, bugs and the heat. We like the feeling of having the beach to ourselves. We also like company, but just not too much.

Some fun activities to do include flying a kite on the beach, Easter egg hunting for the kids in your own campsite, walking the 3 short but beautiful trails, biking, crabbing, kayaking, roasting...

Assateague Island offers a combination of pristine ocean beaches, hiking and biking trails, and daily exposure to the wild horses on the island. There are no hook-ups in the campground, but fresh water, dump station, trash bins, and well maintained pit toilets are available. An added bonus is that the island is within close proximity to Ocean City, Maryland and the boardwalk. Verizon cellular service clocked in at 33.5 Mbps download speed and 3.24 upload speed. AT&T clocked in at 5.95 Mbps download speed and 3.85 upload speed. If you visit this National Seashore, please respect the rules and stay at least 10 feet away from the wild ponies and horses. Too many folks were hand feeding these horses and even petting them, which is dangerous for both the horse and people. These animals may be corralled and no longer be able to freely roam the island if visitors continue to violate the well...

We came in for a camping overnight trip as we were able to find a reservation for a lot with assigned parking. The area is very private feeling for a national park because the lots are very well spaced.

The beach at night is so calming and magical feeling that it feels like it took you to another place entirely. Come during a full moon and it will feel like it's almost a twilight hour. We sat at the shore and just watched the tide, it felt so surreal.

Can't forget to mention the wild horses that roam about. They are very beautiful and add great character to the area.

Word of warning, bring the best bug repellant you can find on market and keep applying it because the flies here are...