Camping by the East Coast Ocean

[Keri]

Hi all !!!  I need your favorite places to camp near the ocean on the East Coast..  We are in Ohio and wish to see the ocean this summer.  We do not want a long drive as a 8 hr drive would be nice.  Quick walk to the beach but not blown away by the ocean breezes.  Also would want to make a camp fire in the pm.  Suggest away please ..............  WE were thinking about Maryland or Deleware to stay away from the Myrtle Beach crowd.  Is that a good choice

[dthurk]

Check out Assateague Island National Seashore.  Lovely place.  Wild horses all around, sometimes in your campsite.

[MotherNature]

Assateague National Seashore is definitely a great place!  We try to go every season.  The oceanside loops (where you are literally over the dune from the ocean) get booked up fast; they do not allow campfires on those sites though you are allowed to have one on the beach:D (a plastic toboggan is great for hauling your beach goods and/or firewood over the sand)! However, those sites do have what I call a 'box grill', it's like an iron box set up about 3' off the ground on a post with a grill on top - I've seen people lighting wood fires in those.  I don't remember if the bayside sites have fire rings; we only stayed there once years ago (site #35 on Loop B is right on the bay and has a beautiful view), if you stay on the bayside you will probably want to drive to the beach.  None of the Assateague campground loops have flush toilets or hot showers (porta potties and cold showers; the shower stalls are basically situated in the middle of the campground; there is no changing vestibule, just a public-restroom-type door).  At the same area there is a teeny sink with supposedly potable water.  Needless to say, there are no hookups.  That said, the park is very laid-back and there is the added attraction of the horses, sika deer (they're about the size of a laborador retriever) as well as egrets, pelicans, and dolphins.  Canoes, kayaks, and bicycles are available for rent (it's pretty flat, you don't need a geared bike).  If you would like pictures of the oceanside loops, I have a few, I'd be glad to post them as well as site suggestions.

The Maryland parks system also has a campground on Assateague; I've never been there but from driving by it looks like the sites are extremely crowded together on a dirt/sand parking lot.  However, you can probably walk to the beach.  There is a privately-owned campground on the bayside of Assateague called Frontier Town (it has a western theme); they have a website though I forget the address.    

If you stay in the area, many people (including myself) enjoy Smoker's BBQ on Route 50; I can also recommend a place to buy firewood - other than that, we haven't been anywhere outside the National Park so I can't recommend other restaurants, nightclubs, etc.

I go to the Delaware's Cape Henlopen and Delaware Seashore State Parks at least every other weekend during the summer - I'll write back about those in a little while (I'm in the middle of making vegetable soup).

[MotherNature]

Delaware Seashore State Park is another option if you want to be within walking distance of the beach.  It's about 25 miles north of Ocean City, MD.

The campground has full hookups and you can walk to the beach or the Inlet (very popular for fishing, seems like a lot of black drum is caught there).  If you are interested in fishing, I can give you the web address of the state-sponsored DE fishing report.  The restrooms usually always have hot shower water and are usually clean except in the height of summer.  Google Earth might give you a better idea of the setup.

That said, most of the campsites aren't scenic or private - it's like camping in a parking lot with a patch of grass in between campers.  The campsites on the edges of the campground look out over the marsh or inlet and are great for birdwatching (white egrets, cormorants, occupied osprey platforms), but these get booked early and there is the added complication of construction of the inlet bridge, so construction equipment is often parked at the campground edge which blocks the otherwise nice view.  This bridge construction also creates a good bit of noise that sometimes goes late at night and starts early in the morning (great if you are interested in observing big machinery, not so great if you aren't).  People also can create a bit of noise; they often set up pavilion-type tents and have large gatherings - it's kind of like 'party central' during the height of the summer, but in early spring or fall it's rather quiet.  Springtime (late April/early May) is also when the diamondback terrapins hatch; the campground is often overrun with both quarter-size babies and salad-plate size mamas!

Your post mentioned having a fire; there are no fire rings here but there is a 'public' one (I guess first come first serve); people also bring portable fireplaces and/or light fires in charcoal grills (I've never seen anyone reprimanded for doing this though I'm not sure if it's 'legal' or not).  

We never leave the campground (except to go to the tackle shop) so I can't recommend anything nearby, but if you are interested in the club scene Dewey Beach (just to the northern boundary of the park on Route 1, which bisects park land) seems to be lively, but that's only my speculation.  North of Dewey is Rehoboth - I've never been there, but they do have a boardwalk with amusement rides (not sure about quantity/quality).  There are several factory outlets on Route 1 if shopping's your thing ('Tanger' is the complex name; you could probably come up with the outlet's specific shops with a Tanger web search).  Speaking of shopping, the park doesn't have a campstore; they only sell block and cubed ice.  If you run out of groceries, Dewey only has limited convenience-type stores; you will have to drive up to the congested Rehoboth area if you want something like breakfast sausage and it might take as long as an hour altogether (I speak from experience) though items like beer and other alcoholic beverages are readily available in Dewey.

To sum it up, at DE Seashore State Park you can walk to the beach (though it's not right over the dune like Assateague National Seashore), but you have to be creative to have a fire.  If you need more info, I'll be glad to share pictures or answer any questions that you might have!  Have to go check my vegetable soup and will post later about DE's Cape Henlopen (on the tip of DE; has both bay and ocean shorelines).

[MotherNature]

Delaware's Cape Henlopen State Park is another option if you want to camp at the shore.  It's situated at the place where the ocean and Delaware Bay intersect.  The park is a decommissioned military base (Ft. Miles); those interested in WW2 history will find barracks, artillery, reenactments, as well as observation towers (one of which is open to the public, walking distance from campground).  There is also a fishing pier and a paved biking/walking/rollerblading path.

Most campers drive to the guarded ocean beach (the walk might be a little long if you have small children or a lot of stuff to carry).  There are surf-fishing beaches; you need a permit (expensive) to drive onto these but you can walk in and fish (or swim, etc) for free.  You can also purchase a DE license for the week (I should have mentioned that in my post about Delaware Seashore State Park, because it's valid there too - also DE does not allow surf fishing on guarded beaches).  The guarded beach has a cold shower facility and flush toilets; there is usually an open concession stand.  Dolphins, pelicans, and osprey can usually be seen.

The campground has one laundry and two bathroom/bath facilities.  They are usually clean (if a bit shabby) except in the height of the summer season.  There is usually hot water for showers.  Firewood (expensive and often damp)  and cubed ice is available at the campground booth.  The nature center loans bicycles free of charge during limited hours; the bikes don't have gears and this shouldn't be a problem except for a big hill on the bike path near the campground booth.  Kayaks and fishing gear are available for rent at the fishing pier (as well as a tackle shop); these rentals seem pretty expensive.  The WW2 reenactments usually cost; IMHO, they are well worth the $ (such as the battery 519 tour which explores the decommissioned military facility underneath the dune).  There is usually a hayride offered on Tuesdays; we think this is worth the $6 (or so) as well.  The Lewes-Cape May ferry terminal is right outside the park entrance if you wish to visit Cape May; I'm not sure of the cost though.  The outlet/shopping complex that I mentioned in my previous post is about 5 miles south of CHSP on Route 1 if you're into the shopping.  As far as groceries, there is a very small but well-stocked grocery store right across the street from Beebe Medical/the hospital (as well as a Rite-Aid); if you need food or drugstore items you can avoid Route1/Rehoboth traffic.  

The campsites themselves range from really scenic and private to the exact opposite.  With the exception of tents (and there are several tent-only sites), all campers are parallel parked on the roadway (there's ample space, you don't have to squeeze in or anything) with the door facing the site.  There's a picnic table and fire ring provided; there is no lawn-type grass, only sand.  Trees are present on many sites (mostly pine, some leaf) as well as clumps of grasses, but no groundcover-type grass.  There are no electric hookups but most camper sites have a water hookup (though some require a lengthy hose).  As with anywhere else, there are sometimes groups of rowdies, though the quiet time rule seems to be strictly enforced.

If you want park pictures or campsite recommendations, I'll be glad to help.  Good luck in planning your vacation!

[Keri]

TY  Mothernature for your replies and input.  We are OK with no showers and such as we carry our own from home with Coleman hot water on demand and a port o pot.  Pictures would be greatly appreciated !!

[MotherNature]

Sorry for not having the pictures ready sooner; I've been busier in the past 3 days than I've been in the past 3 weeks.  I should have them posted by this weekend; I don't know how helpful they will be - I've just discovered that several that I remember taking apparently vanished when my son thought he would be 'helpful' and 'reorganize' my photo files...

[MotherNature]

I've managed to find a few pictures of Delaware Seashore (DSSP)/Indian River Inlet State Park, Assateague National Seashore Campground (MD), and Cape Henlopen State Park (DE).  I thought I had a lot more pictures of the campsites but it seems that most of them are of the children, beach, etc. - sorry about that!  I have lists of sites that offer the most privacy/nicest views; I will list those in another post.  If you want more pictures of the beaches, CHSP bikepath/great dune/observation tower/fishing pier/Ft. Miles or the DSSP/Assateague beaches, please let me know, I'll be glad to help.  After getting 17" of snow and temps in the 20's, looking through all those pictures made me 'seasick' in a good way!

Here's the link - let me know if it doesn't work:

http://briansullivandesign.com/Photos/MotherNature_pl_FG

[MotherNature]

We haven't camped at the bayside loop in years, but site #35 on Loop B looked out onto the bay and was gorgeous (also had a fire ring).

We usually stay at Ocean Loop 1; sites 17, 15, 13, 11, and 5 are on the dune side and seem to have the nicest view; 18, 11, 9, 6, 3, and 1 are also on the dune side and are still pretty (18, 1, and 3 are bordered by bayberry thicket). The sites across the street (19, 12, 4, 2) are bordered on the back by bayberry thicket.  There is usually a dumpster between sites 16 & 14 (which sometimes gets smelly); sites 10 & 8 are on either side of the portapotty/shower/sink area and attract lots of ponies and people.  If you are in need of a marginally nicer toilet, the Group Area (short walk to the North) has one of the composting types inside a cinderblock building.   There are no fire rings but you can see the 'box grill' in the pictures I posted.  The ponies are known to rummage through campsites looking for food.

We've never stayed at Ocean Loop 2, but I've listed sites 37, 35, 34, 32, 30, 28, and 26 as being on the dune side and scenic/private,  Sites 39, 38, 25, 23, 22, 20 are on the dune side also but might border against the bayberry thicket.  Across the street, I don't have any info except that sites 33 and 31 are alongside the portapotty/shower/sink are which probably attracts lots of ponies and people.

It might be helpful to compare these recommendations against both a park map (from the NPS website) and the Google Earth overhead view to find out what is best for you and your family.

I wasn't able to get one of the prime sites this year; however, my sons reminded me that they don't care so much about the site as the fact that the are there, it's a place like no other.  Everyone is different though; I'll be glad to answer any questions that you might have (or provide more pictures) to help you decide whether this place is right for you and your family.

[MotherNature]

I posted a picture of the Route 1 bridge construction; this now makes up much of the Northern and Eastern border of the campground.  From what I've seen during the 2009 season, sites 206-216, 247, 244, 266, 267, 289, and, to a lesser degree, 289 border the construction/staging area.  On a nostalgic note, what is now the staging area was the first place we ever camped with our children (right next to the phone booth and bathhouse, it's probably demolished by now).  I've been there with the construction noise going as late as 9 at night; this can be heard throughout the campground.

Sites 291-299 look out over the tent camping area which is bordered by the marsh (there are some large houses a couple of miles away though you can still see plenty of egrets and osprey); keep in mind that 299 and 300 are on either side of the dumpster which sometimes reeks (or is set afire by an impatient person dumping charcoal, such as my son :eek:)

Sites 300 (bordering the dumpster) to 305 are alongside the marsh; if you bring a second vehicle or boat, they can be parallel parked here.  There are a few pine trees so the view contains those with the marsh between.  Sites 304 and 305 have a bit of extra 'yard' that looks out on the marsh and osprey platforms.  305's extra yard extends to the flat grass behind the bathhouse, which sometimes is empty and sometimes filled with second vehicles and boats (site 318 views this as well).  The marsh is also bordered by 319, 337, and 338; 338-348 has a dog-walking loop/public fire ring/dump station on its edge as well as a small maintenance garage (you can see this on the destateparks.com site map).  Other than these sites, the place is pretty crowded and un-scenic; the main draw is the hookups (electric, water, sewer) as well as being within walking distance to the beach (you can see from my pictures that you walk under the route 1 bridge to get to the guarded swimming beach).  

This campground tends to be very noisy during the height of the summer; people wake up before dawn to hitch up their boats and have big family breakfasts; the bridge construction can go on till 9 at night (and I've heard it may start going 'round the clock); as well as general partying (I think people go clubbing in Rehoboth or Ocean City MD and bring it back to the campground).  This ongoing racket might irritate light sleepers during June-July-August.  In April-May or October-November, it is generally very quiet.  As far as campground wildlife that may ransack your belongings, I've never seen anything except gulls, squirrels, grackles, crows, cowbirds, and red-winged blackbirds.

If anybody wants to know more specifics, please let me know, I'd be glad to help if I can!

[MotherNature]

This is a hard campground to review as not all sites are created equal.  It would be best to compare a campground map to a Google Earth map; my recommendations might make the decision process a little easier (but shouldn't be used as the end-all since each family is different)!

Sites 1-10 back up against a pine forest and seem to be very private; they are generally on the down-slope of a hill (sites 5 & 6 may have a large drainage pipe running between them).  Sites 34-36 are very private also and border against a pine stand; site 36 is, IMHO, the best of these and one of our favorites.  Site 115, 131, 132, are relatively private as well (115 has a beautiful pine tree in the middle of it; excellent if you have a hammock or are a birdwatcher).  However, these sites seem to be much smaller than those in the 1-10 area.

Less privacy is offered by sites 21-20, 15-13, 26-27, 30-32, 11-12, 37, 94-95, 113, 104, 119-121, 127-125, 129-130, 136-135, though they are still nice enough.

Sites 22, 19-16, 28-29, 59-58, 56-55, 54-52, 67-65, 63, 61, 92-84, 114, 116-118, 128, 124-123, 133, 139-138, 134 offer minimal or no privacy/boundaries between sites.  I try to avoid these but when I do wind up there, making a privacy fence (clothesline hung with towels, which you will probably have several of being at the shore) helps a (very) little.  These sites are popular with large groups of people who don't wish to use the group camping area.  

Sites 34-35, 38-49, 69-83, 148-159 are supposedly tents only but I've seen PUP's on these - might be a good idea to call and ask - they are generally large roomy sites and private; the 148-159 sites are built on top of decommissioned ordnance magazines (the back end of the site has a somewhat sharp drop-off of about 10-10 feet, might be a concern if you have little ones with you); the 34-83 sites are near the observation tower and pretty flat.

It might be a good idea to compare the campground map (from destateparks.com) with a Google Earth view to decide what's best for your family.

If you'd like any additional info, please let me know; I'd be glad to help.

['tiredTeacher]

Cape Hatteras national Seashore has several campgrounds, federal and private. I like Ocracoke.

Teach

[sorohanbrowns]

Cape Hatteras national Seashore has several campgrounds, federal and private. I like Ocracoke.

Teach

You can only dry camp Ocacoke correct? I use to visit the Outer Banks as a child every year. I thought about trying the Ocracoke Federal Camp Ground. Would you have any pics by chance?

Another nice place to drive to from Ohio (I am located near Columbus) is Hunting Island S.C. That is a State Park with site along the Ocean Edge. There are many other sites that are very close to the Ocean side. They have some that are very private, but further back. Everything is just a walk away though. This is the area they filmed a lot of Forest Gump at. There are some good picture slide shows and vids on youtube.com. Good luck, and let us know where you decided to stay.

[tlhdoc]

I give my vote to Assateage Island National Seashore.  I have camped there may times.  I also have a lot of photos of the park in my webshots album.  If you have any questions about Assateague please let me know.

[GeneF]

Bring the bug juice. Ouch.