10 Best Things to do in Assateague Island National Seashore + Where to See the Horses
WONDERING WHAT TO DO IN THE ASSATEAGUE ISLAND SEASHORE?
We are here to help! We love camping at Assateague Island and seeing the wild horses there. We have spent some time here throughout the years and used this information to compile this list of things to do in Assateague Island National Seashore.
The Assateague Island National Seashore is a beautiful part of the Maryland and Virginia shoreline just south of Ocean City and is perfect for your next beach getaway. Assateague Island is a preserved stretch of wilderness that covers about 48,000 acres.
The landscape is filled with sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests, and beautiful bays, making there an endless list of fun things to do on Assateague Island.
It can be kind of confusing to visit because the island is managed by three different agencies and it is split between two different states. Here are some helpful hints that will help you better plan your trip to Assateague Island National Seashore.
Things to Do in Assateague Island
1. Assateague State Park
Whether you’re looking at Assateague Island State Park Camping or just a day trip to the beach, this state park is a great place to go. Assateague State Park is the only oceanfront park in Maryland.
The park consists of two miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches perfect for swimming, playing on the beach, surfing, and fishing. On the sound side, you can canoe or kayak. The marsh area on the sound side is home to deer, waterfowl, and wild horses.
We had a wonderful time playing on the beach and enjoying a campfire in the evening. There are rules to where and when you can have a campfire so make sure to check out the details in the information guide you get from the rangers.
Campfires on the beach were one of our favorite parts of Assateague Island camping. We stayed on the beach well past sunset and then headed back to the campground.
2. Life of the Forest Trail
- Length: 0.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 3 feet
- Route Type: Out & Back
- Difficulty: Easy
This short nature trail will take you through the thick of the Assateague Island mash land. There is a nice boardwalk and dirt paths that will take you out to the open marsh. We enjoyed the easy hike and saw all sorts of birds along the way. At the end of the path, we saw the Assateague Island horses out in the marsh.
It is a very child-friendly trail, and you can take a stroller on it.
3. Assateague Outfitters
If you’re looking for some time to yourself on the water, we recommend heading to the bay (western) side of the island. From our experience, this side of the island is less busy. You can kayak, swim, look for clams and go crabbing in the warm shallow waters. This side of the island is also nice if you’re traveling with little ones because there aren’t big waves.
A great way to explore the sound of the island is with Assateague Outfitters. They offer kayak rentals that will take you through the marsh areas and up close to the Assateague Island Horses. Rentals for kayaks, paddleboards, bicycles, and canoes start at two hours and go up through a week.
4. Assateague Island Kayak Tour
Want a unique experience on Assateague Island? Add this Kayak Tour around Assateague Island to your itinerary.
An experienced guide can take you to some of the more remote parts of the island during a kayak tour. There is no guarantee of seeing the herds of wild ponies, but they do see them on most days and know the best places to look for them.
Plus along the way, you will get to see the Assateague Lighthouse, potentially some bottlenose dolphins, and spend some time out on the beautiful water.
5. Life of the Marsh Trail
- Length: 0.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 6 feet
- Route Type: Loop
- Difficulty: Easy
This is another easy trail to take if you want to take a quick stroll along a wooded boardwalk. There is a little beach along the way with lots of wildlife viewings. There are jellyfish, horseshoe crabs, a variety of species of birds, bald eagles, and fish.
6. Verrazano Bridge
If you’re on the hunt for the Assateague Island ponies, we recommend driving over the Verrazano Bridge. We saw the ponies every time we drove over the bridge. Lots of times they were just on the side of the road. A few times they were out in the field, but we still could see them. There is not any parking on the side of the road so you will just get to see the ponies as you drive by.
7. NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitors Center
On the way to the other side of the island, you will pass the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitors Center. It is a quick stop but one that will be filled with plenty of aeronautics. There are exhibits about the Wallops Flight Facility like exhibits about the programs there and group activities. If there is a rocket launch from Wallops Island, the visitors center is a great place for viewing the launch.
8. Wildlife Loop
The Wildlife Loop is a 3-mile loop at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. It is a paved vehicle road but before 3 pm it is only open to hikers and bikers. It is about a one-hour bike ride or a two to three-hour walk.
After 3 pm traffic is limited and pretty slow moving so there are still opportunities to walk or bike during that time. If you’re biking or walking, there is a parking area off of Beach Road.
The Wildlife Loop is a great place to see the birds at Assateague Island National Seashore. It’s a good idea to bring some binoculars to view the wildlife at a distance.
9. Assateague Lighthouse
The Assateague Lighthouse is found on the Virginia side of Assateague Island near Chincoteague Island. There is a short trail from the parking lot to the lighthouse. Along the path, we saw lots of frogs jumping around.
The lighthouse is 142 feet tall with 175 steps to the top. From the top, you will see beautiful panoramic views of Assateague Island and Chincoteague. The lighthouse is open on the weekends from April through November, between 9 am and 3 pm.
Admission to the lighthouse is free but donations are accepted.
10. Assateague Beach
Assateague Beach is found at the end of the Beach Access Rd on the Virginia side of the island just past the Tom Cove Visitor Center. There is a large parking lot next to this beautiful beach. We had fun playing in the waves and building sandcastles. This was our last beach stop on our east coast trip so we soaked up all of the beach time that we could.
If you’re looking for another island to explore and even camp on, look into Hunting Island State Park.
Read More: Hunting Island State Park – Camping and Things to Do
Map of Things To Do in Assateague Island
If you click the star next to the title of the map, this will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps. Then click on the menu button, go to “Your Place” and click on Maps. You will see this map added to your list.
Things to Know Before You Go
If you’re planning on visiting both the Assateague Island National Seashore and Assateague State Park, there will be two different entrance fees. The fee for the Maryland side, managed by the national park service, is $25 per vehicle for a 7-day pass. The fee for the Virginia side is $10 per vehicle per day or $25 for a 7-day pass.
The best time to see the Assateague Island horses is from late April through mid-October. 300 ponies live on the island. Sometimes the ponies are far away out in the marsh, so it is a good idea to bring a good pair of binoculars with you.
Lifeguards are in designated beach areas in Maryland and Virginia from 10 am to 5 pm during the summer months.
You cannot drive down the island between the Maryland and Virginia sides of the park. The drive between the two sides of the park is about 90 minutes. If you have time, it is worth it to visit both sides of the park. Assateague is known for its beautiful beaches and ponies. Chincoteague is known for its wildlife refuge, forests, and marshes. We camped in Assateague but went over to Chincoteague for the day.
Assateague is a pretty rural area with no real restaurants or grocery stores. Chincoteague is more populated with restaurants, shopping, lodging, and activities.
Assateague Island National Seashore Campground
If you have the chance to camp on the island during your visit, we highly recommend Assateague Island Camping. It was nice to be a few minutes from the beach – we were on the sound side and we had so many more opportunities to see the Assateague Island horses. We saw them every day in the campground and even woke up to evidence that they had been right outside our motorhome and picnic table.
There are state park and national park campgrounds. The campgrounds do fill up, so it is a good idea to make your reservations in advance. The Assateague Island State Park camping has hot showers and flushing toilets, but pets are not allowed.
The national park campground has cold water and chemical toilets, but pets are allowed. Amenities vary at each loop within the campgrounds.
Conclusion: Things to do in Assateague Island
We hope you have found his guide helpful in planning your trip o this beautiful long barrier island on the Atlantic Coast. If you need additional information when you get there, be sure to stop by the Assateague Island Visitor Center which has great information.
We had a lot of fun exploring Assateague Island during the late summer. There is a great paved bike path as well as lots of opportunities to see wildlife like the feral horses, migratory birds, and sea life. Camping on the island is the best way to experience all of the fun things to do in Assateague Island.
Pin for Later –
It definitely looks like a beautiful place!
It is SOO gorgeous there! We find the coastlines never disappoint.
You have really amazing photos here. Looks like so much fun.
Oh thank you Rachael. I appreciate it! It was so pretty there.
That looks like the perfect place for a family holiday. Anywhere with wild ponies has to be great!
Right?!? You really can’t go wrong with wild ponies walking through your campsite!
It looks like your family had a wonderful time in Assateague. I would visit as a child and have the best memories from visiting the wild horses.
It was such a beautiful place. I wish we lived closer so we could visit more often. Nothing like seeing wild ponies on your bike ride through the campground.