mid Atlantic camping

Pacamper17407 wrote:
thanks we go to the national seashore from castaways but don't camp there because of the bugs

That's interesting sine we were there 4 years ago in August and had no bugs.It was hot,but no bugs all.

Cape Henlopen State Park or Indian River State Park, Delaware. Short walk to the beach at both parks.

We adore Seashore Campsites in Cape May. It is not on the the beach but is a short drive to town. Sites there are nice and the pool and other amenities are great. Here are pictures from a weekend trip last fall:

http://livelylittlecampers.com/2013/09/this-is-how-the-summer-ends/

Kiptopeke State park has full hookups and cable.Short walk to the beach.Assateague State and national parks.No hookups in NP but most loops allow generators.They have both bayside and beach campsites.They have water hydrants and dump station and cold water showers.One loop in the SP has electric.While not beach front,Maddox Campground in Chincoteague has full hookups and pool under tall pine trees.Close enough to Assateague National Wildlife refuge where there are paved trails where you can see the ponies and nice beaches.Chincoteague is a nice old shore town with great shops,restaurants and an old movie theater.Wallops Island Visitor Center is close by.

Pacamper17407 wrote:

ependydad wrote:
The southern NJ Shore campgrounds (Cape May) fit the bill for what you seem to be looking for. The problem is- none of them are really "on" the beach or water.

We go to Sea Pines because we're Thousand Trails/Outdoor World members:
http://learntorv.blogspot.com/2013/08/sea-pines-swainton-inland-from-avalon-nj.html

Looks promising, can you recommend a beach location that might not be in the heart of the chaos?

As Bill & Kate indicated - Avalon and Stone Harbor are your two closest places. Yes, they do charge beach tags ($14/week or $25/year per person). My wife's grandmother prides herself in avoiding the beach tag inspectors each year.

That said- even if you end up at the public beach in Avalon or Stone Harbor, it isn't anything like OCMD crowded-ness. A "busy" day in Avalon is like a slow area of OCMD.

If you go a few blocks in either direction from the road in from Avalon- that's 30th street, I think. Either 25 and lower or 34 and higher are going to get less and less people until you get near hotels.

--

A free beach is Strathmere just north of the campground a bit.

Pacamper17407 wrote:

ependydad wrote:
The southern NJ Shore campgrounds (Cape May) fit the bill for what you seem to be looking for. The problem is- none of them are really "on" the beach or water.

We go to Sea Pines because we're Thousand Trails/Outdoor World members:
http://learntorv.blogspot.com/2013/08/sea-pines-swainton-inland-from-avalon-nj.html

Looks promising, can you recommend a beach location that might not be in the heart of the chaos?

The closest beach to that campground is Avalon. There is a large public parking lot at the beach end of the causeway coming into Avalon from the mainland, and there are restrooms and such there. If that is too crowded for you, there is free street parking throughout town, as well as the neighboring town, Stone Harbor, to the south. You need to buy beach tags for anybody over 14 in either town, but they are reciprocal, so you can use them either place. There are "Beach Inspectors" roaming the beach who will be happy to sell you tags - daily, weekly, or seasonal ....

The next town to the north of Avalon is Sea Isle City which also offers free street parking, but you purchase beach tags, but is generally more crowded than Avalon or Stone Harbor. At the very north end of Sea Isle City is Strathmere, again with limited free street parking, but you don't have to buy beach tags, and it is a little more laid back and less crowded.

The only other place for free beaches is the Wildwoods, but you will have to pay to park. You do have the added attraction of the boardwalk in North Wildwood and Wildwood ....

ependydad wrote:
The southern NJ Shore campgrounds (Cape May) fit the bill for what you seem to be looking for. The problem is- none of them are really "on" the beach or water.

We go to Sea Pines because we're Thousand Trails/Outdoor World members:
http://learntorv.blogspot.com/2013/08/sea-pines-swainton-inland-from-avalon-nj.html

Looks promising, can you recommend a beach location that might not be in the heart of the chaos?

thanks we go to the national seashore from castaways but don't camp there because of the bugs

The southern NJ Shore campgrounds (Cape May) fit the bill for what you seem to be looking for. The problem is- none of them are really "on" the beach or water.

We go to Sea Pines because we're Thousand Trails/Outdoor World members:
http://learntorv.blogspot.com/2013/08/sea-pines-swainton-inland-from-avalon-nj.html

Just down the road. Assateague Nat Seashore.