Animals on Assateague are plentiful and easy to spot if you keep your eyes open. ย Assateague Island is just south of Ocean City, Maryland and is home to both a State park and the National Seashore Park. There is camping available for RVs and tents as well as wilderness sites. The State park has a concession stand and is the first area you reach once you drive onto the island. The Visitors Center is on your right just before you get to the Verrazano bridge onto the island. There are kayak rentals on the island provided by SuperFun Ecotours. Wildlife is abundant. You will see schools of fish swimming off shore.
The world-famous Assateague Island wild ponies graze all over the island and the beaches. You might even see them standing in the water or sleeping on the beaches. Guard your food, however, and stay away from the ponies. They are wild and can hurt you. You will also be fined if you are seen attracting or petting the ponies.
Birding on the island is amazing. Eagles, osprey, herons, shore birds of all types, owls, geese, and pelicans are everywhere. Other mammals are abundant as well. In addition to the ponies, there are red foxes, the endangered Delmarva Fox squirrel, Sika deer, white tail deer, dolphin, raccoons, river otters, and rabbits.
Come to surf, relax on the beach or walk the miles of paths, both paved and wild. Bike the island, make a bonfire on the beach and watch the sun go down and the moon come up over the Atlantic ocean. While the beach is less crowded than Ocean City’s beaches just north of Assateague, plan to get there a little early on busy weekends when the weather is spectacular so you won’t have to wait to get through the toll booths. Better yet, pay for your annual pass (only $45 for the year at the National Seashore) and breeze through the left lane into your favorite beach retreat.
