We have a campsite on Assateague Island for 5 nights this August. I've never been to the area, so I'm looking for potential activities for us to do. Staying on the island, we should have plenty of beach time and we'll want to get out to check out the area a couple of times. Our kids are 12, 10, and 6 and we enjoy just about everything. So far I have potential choices of visiting the Ocean City boardwalk, ferry from Lewes DE to Cape May, and if we want to drive far, visiting Fort Delaware. We probably won't decide what to do until the day of, but it will be nice to have some options. Thanks.

The NASA Wallops Visitor Center may be of interest. IIRC it's about a 30 mile drive south. There are also trails and bike paths at the southern end of Assateague Island near Chincoteague.Just as a heads up, we have been to Assateague several times and you need to be aware that there are issues with ticks there. Keep the kids and yourselves out of any deep grass or bushes and check for ticks occasionally.

Ask for a copy of the National Park ranger talks that will be given during the week you're there.We took our grandson to quite a few. One was on clamming,where they showed the kids how to clam and then let them do it.One was on the Assateague Ponies and one night they built a campfire on the beach and told stories.They usually have one or 2 each day.

The kids will love Ocean City, They will love the ponys on the island,they can catch crabs with a hand line and net

Head north of Ocean City to Fenwick Island and check out the lighthouse and the Lifeboat Station. They have a great little museum at the station that really shows how the Coast Guard lived and worked at lifeboat stations that were up and down the coast. Rehobeth beach also has a boardwalk...smaller than Ocean City.

CloudDriver wrote:Just as a heads up, we have been to Assateague several times and you need to be aware that there are issues with ticks there. Keep the kids and yourselves out of any deep grass or bushes and check for ticks occasionally.There are some big, biting flies, too, maybe from the horses, that actually draw blood. So bring repellent and good screens.Love that area - we used to go every summer and anchor a little boat off the island in the bay to swim ashore for the beach.

Family activities near Assateague Island/Ocean City

Wishbone51
Explorer
Mar 19, 2015
We stayed at Chincoteague (Tom's Cove RV Park) and kayaked to Assateague a couple of years ago.. Fantastic place to go. We also saw wild ponies. Friendly, but we didn't get too close. The Chincoteague museum is a fantastic place to go to get a bit of the history. Watch out for the mosquitos in the summer. Most vicious buggers I've ever seen.
Scooter86
Explorer
Mar 19, 2015
We did a week at Assateague National Seashore a few years ago. Some of the highlights were the ranger led programs, mini golf and boardwalk in Ocean City, farmers market and an afternoon in Berlin. Mosquitos were pretty bad when we were there, so we didn't use our bikes at all. Good news is they didn't follow you past the dune, so beach time was nice. My kids were about the age of yours now. I think the most fun they had was chasing those silly little ghost crabs around at night.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Mar 19, 2015
X2 on the Salisbury zoo. A very good small town zoo.

A stretch but within the possibilities of a day trip, St Michaels & the excellent maritime museum there. Have lunch at the Crab Claw, right on the water. No McDonalds in St Michaels or anywhere near. It is that kind of town.
All_I_could_aff
Explorer
Mar 19, 2015
Michigansandzilla... I really hope you and the family do take the ferry over to cape may. If I recall, seeing dolphins was a big deal for the kids, and that is extremely likely on the ferry.
Lantley
Nomad
Mar 05, 2015
There is a neat zip line at Frontier Town and a Zoo in Salisbury.
D___M
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
CloudDriver wrote:

P.S. Just because the horses seem tame doesn't mean that they are, as the rangers will advise when you enter the park.

Don't try to touch them or hand feed them. THEY BITE AND KICK!
Magua
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
spoon059 wrote:
Rehoboth Beach to your north is a much more "family friendly" boardwalk than OC. Lots of alcohol and young kids making stupid decisions in OC. Rehoboth has good food, a clean beach, a nice amusement park and fun shops. Great safe fun place to walk around.

Lewes is also a great little town. Lots of restaurants and cool shops, historic houses and family friendly walkability. We love Lewes.

Cape Henlopen State Park is also up at that little corner and our family LOVES it. It costs a couple dollars to get in but has great bike trails, a restored WW2 army base and observation tower you can climb and look out over the ocean and coast.

I could have written every last word of this! Agree...Rehoboth is FAR better for families than Ocean City. As an 18 year old living in OC, MD for the summer it was mecca...as a mom...there's no way I'm taking my kids there. Lewes is a GREAT town and Cape Henlopen is my favorite beach in the Mid-Atlantic.

ENJOY your trip!
spoon059
Explorer II
Mar 05, 2015
Sure is worth bringing your bikes. Lots of flat terrain and roads to ride on. You can also take them to Ocean City, Rehoboth, Cape Henlopen, Lewes, etc. Lots of bike trails out there.
michigansandzil
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
CloudDriver wrote:
Just remembered one additional heads up about Assateague. The horses may be wild (sort of) but they are used to being around people and like people food. Don't leave anything that looks like or smells like food outside your vehicle when you are away. And yes, they do know how to open coolers. The woman in the picture was trying to chase them off, with little success until others in her party came to help.

P.S. Just because the horses seem tame doesn't mean that they are, as the rangers will advise when you enter the park.

Can't wait to have stories that begin with, "Remember that time when the wild pony......" From the stories I've heard, they sound like an overgrown raccoon!

Thanks for the advice on ticks. I'll try to keep the kids out of the grass.

Can anyone verify if it's worthwhile for us to bring our bikes while we're here?

Thanks for the info!
CloudDriver
Explorer
Mar 04, 2015
Just remembered one additional heads up about Assateague. The horses may be wild (sort of) but they are used to being around people and like people food. Don't leave anything that looks like or smells like food outside your vehicle when you are away. And yes, they do know how to open coolers. The woman in the picture was trying to chase them off, with little success until others in her party came to help.

P.S. Just because the horses seem tame doesn't mean that they are, as the rangers will advise when you enter the park.

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