Paddle Board Destination: Ocean City, MD

In Destinations, SUP Activity Recommendations by Daniel

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Wild Beaches and Wild Ponies

Ocean City, Maryland is a small beach-going town that lies between relaxed family vibes and wild nightlife adventures. It has served as the go-to hub for vacationers flocking from the nearby states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, and even New York. Due to this surge of activity, the community has grown around its service of visitors. And has created one of the best places to experience beach life on the East Coast.

What we wish to focus on is a little-known state and national park that is one of the best places to experience the wildlife in Maryland and paddle board as well as create lasting memories.

Located about 15 minutes outside of the Ocean City strip, away from the local bars, boardwalk and famous Thrasher’s fries stands quietly sits Assateague State and National Parks. Both of these parks are excellent places to catch some sun, waves, open beaches, paddle board, and the famous wild ponies native to the island.

If you want both a taste of the nightlife and the wildlife then a trip to Ocean City and Assateague Island should be on your must-visit list. Especially for summer SUP destinations.

Come with us on this virtual tour of the bay located in Assateague, Maryland. After reading, you will be able to start planning your own paddle board trip - today!

-Perfect Paddles Travel Brief-

Best Time of Year to Visit OC, Maryland: The best time to visit Ocean City is from late May to early September, just be prepared for average highs in the mid-80s and a little humidity. (travel.usnews.com)

Visa: “All travelers entering the United States from all other countries need a passport upon arrival (regardless of their country of citizenship). Permanent residents and foreign nationals may also need a U.S. visa. You must apply for a visa before you start your trip.” (www.usa.gov)

Flight distances from major cities to Baltimore (The closest city to Ocean City - estimates):
New York City: 37 mins
Los Angeles: 5 hr
London: 8 hrs
Paris: 8 hrs
Dubai: 14-15 hrs
Sydney: 20 hrs

Closest SUP Shop Along the Route:
Walk on Water SUP, West Ocean City

Top Additional Attractions in OC, Maryland:

Jolly Roger Amusement Park: Jolly Roger Amusement Park is an amusement park located in Ocean City, Maryland. The park features two locations in Ocean City: one at the pier on the Ocean City boardwalk and one further uptown at 30th Street.
Ocean City Boardwalk: A fun stretch of boardwalk bordering the ocean full of amusements, games, shops, and food!
Splash Mountain Water Park: Kid-friendly aqua park offers a water coaster, half-pipe slide, lazy river & other entertainment.
Lost Treasure Mini Golf: A mining train takes players to these 2 mini-golf courses based on a fictitious 1920s gold seeker.
Seacrets: Lively waterfront nightspot with several dance floors, tropical cocktails & Caribbean-inspired eats.

Member Deals Reminder:

As a member of Perfect Paddles, you will receive a discount at participating shops on our list. Because you know how to paddle board, have skills, and want to spread the stoke of SUP, you deserve a break! Our Featured Member Deal Location on this journey is Walk on Water in Ocean City! To receive your discount, be sure to sign up at Perfect Paddles. And if you are a member, take advantage of this excellent opportunity to paddle board with some of the best people in the SUP community!

Exciting Offerings from Walk on Water SUP in Ocean City, Maryland:

Assateague Excursions
Embark on a new adventure as you paddle board Assateague Island winding through numerous marshes and bays. Explore serene coves and observe the wildlife- bald eagles, pelicans, and many other species of birds. Drift quietly over the calm water for a front-row seat to the home of wild ponies. You can paddle up to the beach and cool off for a dip at any point in this tour.

SUP Yoga
This class will shine a whole new light on what you expect in a yoga class. Ditch the stuffy studio and let the paddle board be your yoga mat as you enjoy yoga while basking in the sunlight. Develop better balance, coordination, and strength by linking your breath to poses. The class ends with a blissful relaxation on your board.

Parties and Special Events
Do you have a corporate outing, bachelorette party, friends weekend, or other special event coming up? What better way to spend some of your time away than with a group SUP event. We love to hear from you on how we can make your event more special by having paddle board lessons, SUP Yoga, or an excursion with us as part of it!

Where to Start

The best place to start is with the experts at Walk on Water. Located halfway between Ocean City and Assateague, it’s the perfect place to stop in, grab a rental paddle board if needed, and ask advice on where to go once inside Assateague.

In addition to expert advice on places to paddle in Assateague and the surrounding areas, they offer visitors a large showroom of brand new paddle boards. All from major brands including Riviera, Starboard, Naish, Evolve, and more! And on the off chance, you are into surfing more than you are paddle boards, they have surfboards available as well!

After you’ve made your first stop in the shop and picked up a couple of paddle boards, it’s time to make your way into Assateague.

Full view of Assateague Island and where to SUP

Assateague Island

Assateague is a 37-mile long barrier island located off the eastern coast of Maryland facing the Atlantic Ocean. While most of the island is located in the state of Maryland, a third of it is also part of the Virginia coast.

Within the park there is a national and state park both requiring an entrance fee. The state park fee is currently $5 to enter while the national park is $20 to enter but the pass lasts up to 7 days after entry.

The state park is perfect for a single beach day where you can spend time on the shore, swimming, paddling, and taking in the sun. But if you want a more immersive experience we highly recommend the national park.

In addition to the ocean, paddlers can also explore the bayside where you are more likely to encounter the herds of wild ponies as well as seafaring birds such as osprey.

However, the best part about a visit to the national park has to be the ability to camp overnight in one of the many campgrounds found inside - tents, trailers, vans, and everything in between - all are welcome!

SUP and camp in Assateague Island

Campsite Information

A short rundown of the campsites:

Oceanside Drive-in: Tents, trailers, and recreational vehicles (no hookups). Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. Sites are $30 per night.

Oceanside Walk-in: Tent-only sites, located 100-200 feet from centralized parking areas. Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. Sites are $30 per night. Walk-in sites are closed from November 16 through March 14.

Bayside Drive-in: Tents, trailers, and recreational vehicles (no hookups). Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. A Drive-In "Generator-Free Zone" is located in Bayside B Loop. Sites are $30 per night.

Group Camping: Organized clubs and affiliated groups must use group campsites. Tent-only sites, located 100-200 feet from the centralized parking area. Sites have a picnic table and fire ring with a grill. Group campsites can be reserved year-round, up to 6 months in advance at $50 per night per site.

Horse Camp: There are 2 campsites for horse camping available from October 16 through April 14. Each site accommodates up to 6 people and 6 horses. The fee is $50 per night per site.

Once situated, it’s time for our route.

Where to Go

For our virtual tour, we will be heading to the national park. As you cross the bridge to the ocean you will first see wide-open views of the bay stretching for miles. The sun is sparkling on the water and a slight wind is rippling through the water. The road leads us to our first right and we take it.

We weave along, driving slowly, watching for deer, horses, and other wildlife living in the untouched dunes. The views of the water come into view as we reach the gates. We are greeted by a friendly smile and a warm hello from the park rangers inside the pay booth. We pay $20 for the entrance and head in.

While the beautiful big beaches leading to the churning ocean lay to the left, we decided instead to turn into Ferry Landing. This uncrowded parking lot is the perfect spot to unload our boards, apply sunscreen and plot out our course.

As we get ready, we carry our rental boards from Walk on Water to the small, rocky beach.  To our right lies a small cove, perfect to get our feet underneath ourselves. And feel comfortable paddling in the open bay. The water here is shallow and safe if we happen to fall in.

Once we are comfortable, we decide to loop around the island to our right and head to open water. Here we are lucky enough to spot a manta ray lying on the sandy floor of the bay before it flaps its fins and takes off. We shout our excitement to others and try to point out what we just saw.

Around the island, we now head left down the bay where we see a small island to our right and a long stretch of land to our left. It’s scattered with withering trees and long seagrass. The wind is a bit more difficult to navigate in this stretch but still, we press on to the end of the canal. And we are thrilled we did.

The Main Attraction

Awaiting us on the shore is a small herd of ponies. Brown and white paints, they huddle on the stretch of grass looking for shade, a reprieve from the insects, and anything to snack on while they sweat underneath the sun. They are unafraid of approaching paddlers. This gives the idea they encounter people just like us on a daily basis

The water here is shallow and warm so we stop and take pictures. It is rare to see wild animals in their natural habitat. But the ponies here are wild and they have adequately adapted to their wild surroundings. We wish we could get closer but know the dangers of approaching these wild ponies. Especially if they have a foal (baby horses) or mare in tow.

This was exactly what we had hoped for in our paddling excursion at Assateague. And we are glad we made the trip.

Note: To have the best chance to see the wild ponies of Assateague we highly recommend signing up for a tour with Walk on Water! Their expert guides are very familiar with the island and the best places to spot the ponies living in the wild!

SUP and see the wild ponies of Assateague!

Conclusion

We hope this short virtual tour inspired you to look beyond the west coast for places to paddle. If you do decide to explore the easter shores of Maryland, we cannot recommend contacting the team at Walk on Water enough.

If you have any questions about this trip, need additional places to go, or wish to check out our featured outfitter, be sure to reach out! Our inbox is always open. And of course, if you wish to see additional articles just like this one about paddling around the world and the best places to see, become a Member today! In addition to a wealth of paddling information, you’ll be able to save money on rentals, lessons, and paddling gear from outfitters around the globe. Until next time, keep the stoke for SUP alive and get out there.

About the Author
Daniel

Daniel

Daniel is a travelling author with a passion for exploring new waterways and sharing his experiences with the world.

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