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ASSATEAGUE STATE PARK CAMPING - Campground Reviews (Berlin, MD)
My husband and I tent camped two nights. This is a very unique paradise as there are wild horses! The camp sites are spacious and have a picnic table and fire ring. Our stay was windy and rainy but we are seasoned campers and really enjoyed the adventure! The bathrooms are spotless and the showers are clean but the water is cold. I would advise to arrive during the daytime so you can set up camp and properly anchor your tent. Be sure to store your food in your vehicle and not store in the picnic table cupboard as our dry goods were raided by a fox. The horses roam randomly around and didn’t invade our camp. Keep your dogs on leashes as the horses are wild and have been known to kick! We loved falling asleep with the sound of the ocean, wind and rain. A large umbrella is helpful with wind break.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We just spent the last four nights at the Assateague Island State Park campground, it was outstanding!! We had a great clean site. Clean well taken care of bath houses and two very pleasant and nice camp hosts. The prices are very reasonable. The beach is clean and amazing!! We also had several visits from the wild ponies!
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Know and follow the rules of the campground so that you and the members of your party may have an enjoyable experience. The rules are in place for a reason to protect you and the horses. Stay 40 or more feet away from the horses. Avoid stopping your motorized vehicle while driving to gaze at them. Enter the Visitor’s Center, watch the 2 videos about the horses and the demographic. Also, know when your check-out time is. Properly take care of your food. There is a lot to do here if you like outdoor activities. Have a plan for bad weather.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Avoid checking into your campground early. Avoid checking out of the campground late. Bring bug...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Camping at the beach~ mostly RVs. I would like to return after school is back to have a quieter experience. Bathhouses are clean and even have outdoor showers, my fave. The ponies roam the campground so some care needs to be taken.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We love this place. BUT over the years we have learned a few things: 1. Reserving a site has become insane. Most people sit at a computer on opening day waiting to reserve the site they want, because the parks (both State and National) fill up so fast. July and August get filled VERY quickly. Even so, 2. AVOID the far right side of loop G or the left side of loop H (the RV toilet dump is between these rows and smells to high heaven in July and August despite the winds). 3. One of the things we love is that the state police take alcohol and other violations very seriously. If you want to be rowdy, go to Chincoteague. 4. The loop A (and even loop B) beach section can get over-run by day visitors in July and August. 5. We have been to Assateague every month it is open, and by far the best time to go is late September and early October. Everything about it is perfect, and it is not crowded. 6. May is rough. The winds and weather are consistently pounding, and we have seen many tents blow away, and had sand dunes at the base of our wheels when we have woken up. 7. It is NOT a great campground for RV's. Only one loop (H) has electric, and only 2 (thank God) H and I are "pet friendly". The paved sites in all loops are short, and good for popups, but squeeze RV's. 8. If you need lots of convenience, go elsewhere. There is a grocery way down the road, and hotels and restaurants are spotty unless you go to the wonderful Berlin (several miles away) or West Ocean City. Also, there is really no wi-fi (even though you will be told it is available at the camp store, it is often down or so slow the connection fails frequently). 9. Our kids love camping, and the roads/loops are paved. BRING BIKES to get around best. It's flat and you can ride into the national park. There is a small play ground, and a newly rebuilt nature center that has lots of activities as the summer progresses. 10. The showers are hot (the National Park showers are only cold), and the bathrooms big. But you can wait in line for a while in July and August. Sometimes it's best to just bike down to the showers at the camp store where there are fewer lines in the early AM. 11. The camp hosts have all been fantastic. Utilize them for info about weather, fishing, safety, or anything else. Invite them for a meal at your site. 12. We always seem to get a site when there is a big group of French Canadians vacationing. Often we have been the only mono-lingustic campers on our end of the loop! They have been superbly well behaved, friendly, and interesting to speak with. Don't be afraid to politely introduce yourself to the campers on either side of you. 13. Kites. Books. Water to drink. Food. Sun block. Firewood- from just outside the park, or from the rangers station. Know how to swim (the ocean can have unforgiving currents, despite the lure of big sand bars). 14. Things to leave at home: anything needing to be charged every day. Generators are a HUGE nuisance at such a bare bones place. You will quickly annoy everyone with smelly, noisy generators. Alcohol, drugs, guns, or loud music. Pets (this is a personal opinion, but I have seen far too many pet owners ignore leash laws, waste cleaning, and common sense. They annoy people and the wild animals that wander the park. Seriously, leave them at home). 15. Canoes and other things can be rented at the adjacent National Park. Unless you are an expert, stick to the bayside for canoeing. Even then, do so on a day that has low wind. 16. Crabbing and hunting for shell fish can be fun on the bay. You will have the best luck in late June, July, and August. BUT beware the stinging nettles and other stinging sea life. Know how to deal with it if you get stung. 17. It is pretty common to see pods of dolphins swimming past the beach in late July, August, and especially September and early October. 18. Yes, there are sharks. Mostly out beyond the sand bar, but we have seen "baby" sharks in the surf. Get a field guide for the ocean (for sale at the National Park visitors center just before the entrance to the park) and learn about the wide variety of wild things that live in the water and around the island. 19. DO NOT approach the horses. They have soft feet and can sneak up and WILL steal fruit, or anything else you leave out. They WILL BITE. We have seen lots of people learn the hard way that the horses don't particularly like people, being spooked, or denied food. 20. The National Park visitors center is fantastic. There are lots of things to do, ranger led activities, and a touch pool. The kids love it and the rangers are wonderful, kind, funny people. 21. The State Park Rangers are terrific too. They can get overwhelmed in July and August, which is the time to drop off a bag of homemade cookies to the ranger station, or a case of soda. A little kindness is a great salve to harried, good people. 22. Know how to make a fire, contain it, and put it out properly. Seriously people. I will never forget the D.C. group that came into the Shenandoah Park campground after dark and tried to swing a camping axe at the ground to pull up an old stump to burn for fire wood. Enough said. 23. Get or make LONG TENT STAKES. A little planning goes a long way when dealing with sand. 24. Yes there are ticks. Of many varieties. Also flies and mosquitos. They are at their worst in July and August. Deet is for mosquitos, but does nothing to ticks. Permethrin is great for ticks- I get the yard/garden solution at my Ace and thin it with water, and spray it on our shoes, long pants, camp rug for outside the pop-up door, tents, sleeping bags, etc. Google recipes for thinning. 25. There is no laundry at the park, State or National. There is a small one in Berlin that we use. Go to the bank and get rolls of quarters. SHAKE your things out first, before washing. Seriously- if I had any investment money I would build a big new laundromat on the highway between Berlin and Ocean City that was also a coffee shop and used book store. It's a much needed thing that would fill a niche. 26. There is a hospital in Berlin. Bare bones, but that's where your emergency medical help is. 27. Berlin is a nice day trip for a restaurant lunch and walking around. Ocean City is big, extremely touristy, and all that implies. If you buzz through OC up to Rehoboth Beach, you'll find lots of smaller, less touristy villages with excellent restaurants and beaches between the two if you need a day trip. 28. Getting to the peninsula (The Del-Mar-Va) is either via outer DC drive/Annapolis, up from Norfolk, VA, or down from the Newark-Wilmington PA area. You must drive either way. There are several other state parks on the peninsula, such as Janes Island, that are terrific. There is little else. 29. Everything from tents to big RV's are for rent in the region if you balk at driving with all the equipment. Most people we have spoken to have had very good luck with the rentals. 30. Have fun!
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Date of stay: August 2014Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Been here twice, and loved it. Have stayed at many Oceanside campgrounds, and this one is the best. This is one of those campgrounds where if you are lucky enough to get a site (book early) there is no need to take a cooler with snacks and drinks to the beach; you are that close. And not crowded. Only the people camped in your loop use your beach. The beach itself is beautiful, the ocean has a gradual slope, but still good waves, and the horses that roam freely through the campground, and even on the beach sometimes, are a beautiful sight. All the guide books say go to Chincateague to see wild horses, but if you want up close and personal, Assateague is the place to be. Lots of easy bike riding on paved roads and is within easy driving distance of the hustle and bustle of Ocean City if you need a break from peace and quiet. Loops b and c are the best.
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Date of stay: August 2013
Location
Cleanliness
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I camped at the State Park for about half a miserable day last week, after a few days of camping in the National Park. I've camped there before, and enjoyed it very much, but last week, the beach was swarming with biting black flies (completely immune to my 40% deet bug spray), and the camp site wasn't much better. It's probably just a matter of the direction the wind was blowing, but I can't help thinking it wouldn't be so bad if the vegitation in the camp ground were cut back a bit.
If you're planning on camping on Assateague, and aren't sure if you should stay in the National Park, or the Maryland State Park, my advise is go to for the National Park, but here are the pros and cons, so you can decide for yourself...
National Park: Pros: Bigger park, bigger camp sites, nice beach, really nice bay beach too, 2 beautiful clamming/crabbing areas, more places to see the horses, less rules (alcohol is allowed, the dogs are allowed anywhere in th park, longer leashes ok, camp fires on beach ok), well maintained. Cons: No hot water in the showers, no flushing toilets (all pit toilets, but well maintained), $15 fee per car to get into the park, even if you've already paid for camping (only have to pay the fee once)
Maryland State Park: Pros: Nicer beach, longer quiet hours, bath houses with hot showers, and flushing toilets, nice playground for kids, no fee to enter the park. Cons: Smaller camp sites, costs more per night than National park, a lot of rules (dogs are only allowed in very limited areas and have to be on short leashes, no alcohol allowed, no fires allowed on beach), no clamming/crabbing spots.
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Date of stay: September 2013
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Get a spot as close to the ocean as possible. When the wind is blowing in from the ocean, the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Assateague is a barrier island, connected by the Verrazano bridge to Berlin, Maryland. It has three campgrounds. Bay side and beach side campgrounds are part of the Assateague Island National Seashore, operated by the National Park Service which we visited four years ago and drove through during this visit. None of the sites have hookups nor are there flush toilets or hot showers. Wild horses roam the entire island which is part of its attraction.
The third is this beach-front state campground operated by the State of Maryland. A large parking lot adjacent to the check-in office welcomes campers. Amenities offered in this campground include modern showers, flush toilets and some sites with 30-amp/20-amp electric hookups. All of the campsites are spacious, paved, mostly level and just a dune or short walk from Assateague Island’s beautiful beaches. We arrived at about 8:45 on a Friday evening on the last weekend in October.
The campground’s on-line system informed me, when I made our reservation, that there were no electric hook-up sites available, but the welcoming staff at the check-in office was able to give us the option of upgrading to a pet-friendly site with an electric hook-up for a slightly higher rate. That enhanced our camping experience. There was a convenient well-illuminated place to fill our fresh water tank next to the parking lot at the check-in office. A dump station on the campground offers a convenient place to empty waste tanks but it gets backed-up at check-out time. There is a nearby additional station for refilling fresh water tanks.
For someone seeking to camp within walking distance of pristine beaches and enjoy nature without sacrificing comfort and security, this campground is nearly ideal. There are extensive paved biking, hiking trails, the protection of an entrance gate and regular but not intrusive patrols of this campground by state park rangers. This is one of very few campgrounds along the Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York Atlantic coast that offers beach-front camping, which explains its popularity even late in the camping season.
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Date of stay: October 2016
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Site H-13 is closest to the beach and has electric hookup
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Not sure why folks camp over at the National park with cold showers and outhouses when the State Park is right next door and has all the wonderful amenities. Perhaps I am supposed to keep that a secret.
Got to book campsites months in advance, especially if you want the electric loop or the ocean-side sites. But all the sites are spacious and nice and you can hear the ocean from all the spots. We came in May and there were NO bugs, so we didn't spray. Ooops. Ticks. So, spray. Always.
The ocean is gorgeous. The horses are lovely and, yes, they steal your food like Raccoons, but they're still so fun to see hanging around doing their thing. Bring bikes for the nice trails.There's NO shade so pack sunscreen. If you come off season there's also no camp store unless it's the weekend. Nights can be chilly and windy depending on when you come.
Ocean was too cold for swimming in May, but we didn't mind that. The ranger said mid to late September was nice -- slightly less bugs, less people, and warm ocean. I'd recommend this camp trip for sure. We'll be back.
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Date of stay: May 2012
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I went to Assateague State Park (MD) for a 4-night camping experience on June 20th with my husband and several close families. This was a wonderful experience for us. This would be a wonderful experience ONLY IF YOU ARE AN ALL-ROUNDER person who is not fussy and picky, just like us. This is a secured camp by the beach. It’s quiet and clean, except for the wild horses’ manure. (You need to remember that you would be in their habitat, not the other way around!). Each loop has clean bathhouses and restrooms which were updated last year and their maintenance is superb. Behind them there are trash containers and sinks to do the dishes and utensils. There are external showers as well. Each campsite has a fire rim/pit; however, not all of them have a grill. I suggest you bring your own. I recommend coming June because the weather won’t be so hot (which translates into mosquitoes and flies) and there could be a nice breeze, sometimes a little chilly, and rain. I suggest you bring fresh clothing, a raincoat and a sweater for cold nights. Waterproof clothing is better. Since there are no trees to provide shade, I highly suggest you bring a canopy, preferably with all-covering mesh. We also brought a cart, which proved very helpful to transport all the beach gear (cooler, beach chairs, umbrella, rackets, etc.) and the dirty diches for cleaning. Last, but not least, NEVER EVER LEAVE FOOD ON THE TABLES OR IN THE TENTS. The wild horses will simply come and eat it. We didn’t have any trouble because we always stored the food in the car. I recommend you bring three coolers, a big one for the ice (maximum refrigeration), a small one for the meats and the third for dairy products. This worked nicely for us. Bonus tip: if you can, check-in on Thursday and check-out on Monday (as we did), otherwise you will be trapped in infernal traffic for many, many hours (which happened to one of my friends – 8 hours from Woodbridge, VA!). This is especially true for the campers coming from Virginia, DC and Maryland, since the Chesapeake Bridge collapses on the weekends. When you reserve a camp site, read the MD park service email thoroughly. It has plenty of information and suggestions. We already reserved for 2019! Happy Camping!
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Date of stay: June 2018
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Probably yes. We have verizon wireless and the coverage worked just fine. I understand that the carriers share their cell towers, so you should be ok. I would suggest to check with TMobile to be on the safe side.
Good luck!
There are more places to choose from in the Berlin area.
LOCATION
United StatesMarylandBerlin
NUMBER OF ROOMS
350
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