Assateague State Park Headquarters — Local services in Berlin

We are used to camping at nearby Assateague National Seashore, which is a bit more rustic than Assateague State Park, so having hot, running water and (very clean) flushing toilets felt like a luxury. For tent camping, I think I still prefer the National Park side, but this time we camped in our pop top, which I think the more well-groomed state park side is perfect for.

The state park is split into a public access beach with its own parking and then a campers area. To enter the campsite area, you'll need a code to enter the gate. Once inside, the campground is composed of a series of loops that include a large driveway and a patch of sand or grass. In my opinion, the sites are decently spaced, especially in the loops closest to the entrance. There aren't that many sites per loop, so it doesn't feel too packed. However, the sites in the last loop which accommodated the longer RVs was super packed. I wouldn't want to camp in this loop.

Some tips: Please please please please DO NOT FEED, TOUCH, OR TAKE SELFIES WITH THE WILD PONIES. We visit Assateague every year, and sadly, every year we see the same thing: people petting the horses, climbing in the dunes (when there are signs clearly stating to keep off dunes), or getting close enough- as in right by the horse's head - to take selfies. On the National Park side, I've seen volunteers monitor large groups of horse (and the people that try to touch them), but I didn't see this on the state park side. If you love animals, then please don't do this.

Horses are smart. They will get into your plastic bins and will definitely eat any food that is left out in a bag. On the National Park side, you can lock your food in a gated area underneath the picnic tables, but on the state park side they don't have a place to lock up your food. Do not assume that your plastic storage bins or coolers are safe unless they are stored in your car or have a strap around them that prevents them from being opened. I have seen the ponies open and dig through so many picnic tables, coolers, and bins through the years. Once the horses realize they can get food from campers, they become bold and unafraid. Next thing you know, they're approaching cars and people for food, and as a result, getting hit by cars and/or biting/kicking people who get too close.

It's windy, sunny, and buggy. I've never camped in this area without it being super windy. Also, bring some form of shade bc there isn't any. And finally, the bugs - sand flies and mosquitoes mostly - are no joke. Let me put it this way: in the summer months, you will need the DEET. We've camped on the bayside in the National Park as well as the ocean side, and I'd never ever in a million years camp on the bayside again. We also try to avoid the peak summer months because in addition to being way too crowded, there are just too many bugs.

The camp store isn't open year-round, but you can buy firewood and ice at the registration area.

There are 2 different parks - the State Park and the National Seashore Park. They are operated independently of one another and have separate fees associated with each park. If camping at the state park, the entrance fee to the state park side is included. On the National Park side the entrance fee is not included w/camp site fees.

We have never been to Assateague - National or State Park - and not seen horses. They can usually be seen in the early morning and around dusk, munching on grass around the bay and along the side of the road, but they also come into camp. We saw a lot more horses while camping on the National Park side. I don't know if this is always the case, but that was our experience.

Assateague is one of our favorite places and one that we try to visit every year. This was our first time camping on the state park side and as much as we loved tent camping amongst the dunes on the National Park side, I think we are now converts. Having running water makes camping with our little kids that much easier and...

We absolutely loved our stay at Assateague State Park. Our campsite was right across the dunes from the beach, park employees were very helpful, and needed information was easy to find. We stayed in a generator-free loop and loved falling asleep to the sound of the ocean. We saw a LOT of horses, and two galloped right through our campsite at one point. We also saw several osprey, two with fish in their talons; a horseshoe crab; and dolphins. The bathrooms at Assateague State Park were beautiful and well maintained, with clean showers.

My biggest concern with recommending Assateague as a place to visit, is that it can be so confusing to sort out online what is what, between the State Park, the National Seashore, and access to southern Assateague through Chincoteague in Virginia. Once we had reserved our campsite, finding it was straightforward and we had beach access from there. To get into the rest of the state park I believe we would have needed to pay an extra fee, the National Seashore did have a separate fee ($25 per car and they would only accept a PRINTED copy of our 4th grade National Park pass, which we had forgotten). I would highly recommend bringing bikes if you visit, because they seemed to be able to get around just about everywhere, even more easily than cars (in terms of potentially avoiding some of the gates/fees...maybe) and could even be ridden across the bridge to the mainland/visitor center.

The visitor center was also very interesting, with some of the history of Assateague, conservation efforts, souvenirs, and the staff were very helpful with explaining the different parts of the park.

So, with all that said, I HIGHLY recommend a visit. ...

Visited the beach and took a tour.... The drive and walk were great, and definitely for those looking for a glimpse or long look at wild ponies/horses. The beach was an interesting mix of shells and crabs and gulls.... A good experience if you're looking to avoid the crowds on the OC beaches, and certainly for shell seekers very nice. There is a bar that makes the undertow a little unpredictable and it can surprise you with the u shape in the middle, but the water is not overly fierce by any means. I was looking for a place that wasn't as brimming to keep social distancing intact and found this fit the bill. A couple of notes, it isn't free but may be worth it for the fewer people there. There are swaths of the beach that only has life guards swimming, jogging, driving through, so some of the dare devil's may think twice with less of a safety net. The people collecting the fees are knowledgeable and willing to answer your questions, but PLEASE come back around and don't hold up the car line when getting a ticket. A lot of the wait are people asking opinion oriented questions and it just takes time..... The rest behind you in line are really not happy in the twenty or thirty minute query fest. Also, the only thing I will say is there are some people who seem to think the beach is a big garbage can for their personal use.... No.... It is not. Please be respectful and clean up...