Assateague Island National Seashore Campground

I camped here with my pre-teen kids in August. We love Assateague Island. The beach and bay are beautiful and the kids had a great time boogie boarding in the ocean, and fishing and crabbing in the bay. This campsite is tucked in behind the sand dunes, so disappointingly, we were too low to see the ocean from our campsite. The upside is that it is protected from the wind, so we did not have to worry about our tents blowing away. I never even used the sand stakes I brought. I would recommend this campsite on the shoulder season if it is cold and you want a bit more wind protection while still being on the ocean side. But I would not pick this site again in the summer--it was a long walk in with all our camping gear and the beach wagon did not work in such soft sand, which doesnt seem worth it to me unless I am going to be right on the beach with an ocean view. Also, the bathroom facilities are terrible. It is embarrassing that in 2024 the federal government is not able to do better than pit toilets. The smell was terrible and the whole thing is very unsanitary, with flies living in the pit toilet feeding on feces. My son even got bitten on the butt my horse flies while using the pit toilet. I imagine that must pose some disease risk.

That said, we really love Assateague Island and will continue coming, though we will likely stay at the Maryland state park campground in the future.

The weather was great. Saw a bunch of horses. Parked on the road and camped on the beach. Had a nice fire in the fire ring. Went swimming in the ocean. I love coming here. We do it three or four times a year. I tell people about it all the time.

Enjoyed the campsite!!! Although I just had one small tent, there is enough space for three tents without being crowded. After setting up camp, I had a relaxing stroll on the "Life of the Dunes Trail". Great stroll!! Recommended activities: The scheduled Rangers' activities such as the "hands-on" crabbing and clamming sessions. Very interesting and fun!

We were so pleasantly surprised at the campsite and the interactions with horses! What an amazing campsite, we will be visiting again and again!

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Shower was a little cold at night but other than that we had a great time.

Bayside sites are private with easy access to the ocean, as well as various interpretive trails in the park. Bikes made moving around easy!

Outstanding! (except for one minor thing)
The park is obviously beautiful. I camped in the A loop Bayside camping area. The camp host graciously welcomed my son and I. They were so friendly and helpful. I was concerned about the mosquito/fly situation. While they were present, it wasn't bad at all. The poor horses seemed more bothered by the bugs than the people.
My only negative comment is the fact that everytime you leave the main gate of the park and return, you must represent you park pass and driver's license even though you are issued a large, blaze orange, dated window placard denoting your registered camper status. With the long lines at the park entrance to begin with, it would make more sense to have a "fast track" lane for already registered campers. (?)
Otherwise a wonderful experience!

Had a great time. Weather was good and saw plenty of horses without having to look. Also got to see new colt, approximately 24 hours old. Great neighbors helped us back our, new to us camper, up in the dark. We have been tent camping previously. Also, only saw a few idiots not obeying the rules but rangers were on them pretty quickly.

So nice that we can camp on the beach. The horses were just roaming around. We brought our dog with us, it is great that this area is pet-friendly even in season. Loved our stay, would love to come back soon.