Assateague Island National Seashore Campground

Great experience.

This was our second time camping here. This is my happy place we will definitely be back next year.

The grounds are very clean, campsites are nice. No shade - a screen room would be great to provide shade and also keep the bugs out. You definitely need DEET bug spray - the natural stuff really didn't help and we had several different kinds. Mosquitoes are worse at dawn and dusk. The beaches are beautiful and the facilities are good. The beaches are windy so bring sand stakes.

The flies made our stay a little unpleasant but overall it was fabulous. We saw lots of wildlife and lots of the horses. The view of the bay from the old ferry point was marvelous. We stayed in a bayside campsite. We will try for an ocean side campsite next time and hope that the flies will be less bothersome.

The beaches were fantastic and we really enjoyed the wild horses, kayaking, and biking the island. The rangers were lovely and informative. We will be back, but will try to camp on the beach because the bayside has LOTs of bugs. Thank you!

Provide some better bathrooms.

Absolutely idyllic!!! Gorgeous, clean, quiet, pure magic! Can’t wait to make more memories here:)

Walk in ocean site was fabulous- in the water by 8 am! Showers & bathroom were better than expected.

The campsite #78 is in an area surrounded by bushes. The campsite itself sits in a little dip—kind of like a shallow hole or depression—nestled between dunes and thick bushes. It adds to the sense of seclusion and privacy, but there’s not a lot of ventilation and it also traps heat and bugs like crazy. That would be a good thing if you’re camping in the colder months (not the bug part), but in the hot summer, it feels about 10 degrees hotter in this campsite specifically. Again, all of the flies get trapped in there—and raccoons love that spot. If you’re reserving this campsite, make sure all your food and trash are secured.

The horses didn’t bother us at all. We stayed for a week, and not once did they enter the campsite.

The fire pit is super rusted, so I suggest bringing something to place over the grill if you plan on cooking. Also, make sure to bring a wagon with sand wheels, since it’s a bit of a walk through a sandy area.

One big plus: it stormed while we were there, and a lot of the tents out in the open area either got flooded or blown away—but because we were protected by the bushes, the storm didn’t bother us at all.

Important tip: the bugs are insane in this campsite #78. More than the rest of park. If you’re camping here, especially during summer, I highly recommend bringing a bug zapper to hang up, fly sticky traps, or even better, a screen house to eat and relax in without being swarmed.

Also, the ticks were no joke. Definitely spray your gear and clothes with permethrin ahead of time. I know that should be done regardless of where you camp, but something about this site—maybe the higher concentration of raccoons?—made the tick situation feel especially intense.

Excellent!