Assateague Island National Seashore | OCEANSIDE DRIVE-IN CAMPGROUND

Oceanside Drive-In Campground at Assateague Island National Seashore

Oceanside Drive-In Campground at Assateague Island National Seashore

CAMPING SEASON

The Oceanside Drive-In Campground at Assateague Island National Seashore is open year-round.

TYPE OF CAMPING

Both tent campers, RVs, and other self-contained sleeping vehicles up to 50 feet long are welcome at the Oceanside Drive-In Campground. All sites have back-in parking.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a “drive-in” campground is one where you park your car at the site.

NUMBER OF SITES

There are 41 campsites divided into two loops. Each site can accommodate up to six people, three tents, and two vehicles (or one vehicle and a trailer). All vehicles must park on the paved driveway. Any vehicles that cannot fit in the driveway must park at the North Beach parking lot.

AMENITIES

There are no electricity or water hook-ups at any of the campsites. The campground does have drinking water, compositing toilets (fancy portable toilets), and cold water showers from March 15th through November 15th. There is also a dump station for RVs.

Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring / grill.

Boardwalks lead over the dunes and to the beaches from the campground. These beaches are located between North and South Ocean Beaches.

TERRAIN

Of the two drive-in campgrounds at Assateague Island National Seashore (the other being the Bayside Drive-In Campground), the Oceanside Drive-In Campground is the busiest, as everyone seems to want to camp near the beach. However, there is no camping on the actual beach. The closest campsites are separated from the beach by sand dunes and some vegetation, while the others sites are closer to the road. The farther from the beach, the grassier the campsites, though nowhere are you camping on pure sand. Long tent stakes are recommended due to the sandy soil.

The sites at the Oceanside Drive-In Campground are fairly large and without shade—you aren’t crammed into tiny spaces.

During the summer, if the wind is not blowing, mosquitoes and other biting insects are a BIG BIG problem. Be sure to bring mosquito repellent.

Oceanside Drive-In Campground at Assateague Island National Seashore--boardwalks to the beach can be seen in the background

Oceanside Drive-In Campground at Assateague Island National Seashore–boardwalks to the beach can be seen in the background

RESERVATIONS

Reservations are required for all campsites at the Oceanside Drive-In Campground from March 15th through November 15th. At other times the sites are available on a first come, first served basis. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance online at Recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777. All campgrounds at Assateague Island National Seashore are rolled into this one online reservation web page, so be sure you choose from the Oceanside Loop 1 or 2 Standard Nonelectric campsites. Sites for the weekend are usually taken the day they become available.

All campers must check in at the Ranger Station located near the entrance to the park before proceeding to the campground. Campers who arrive after hours must check in by 10 AM the next morning. Failure to do so will result in you being considered a no-show and your campsite being put back up for sale on the reservation system.

From March 15th through November 15th, campsites not reserved in advance are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of your arrival for that night only. Stop at the Ranger Station located near the entrance to the park to see what is available. If you arrive after hours, there should be a list of available campsites. You must pay at the Ranger Station by 9 AM the next morning (cash or credit card). If you wish to stay longer, you can use your phone to book a campsite via Recreation.gov or hope that a site is available on a day-by-day basis.

FEES

At the time of this writing, campsites are $40/night. Owners of a Senior or Access pass receive a 50% discount on individual campsites.

But be sure to get the current rates on the National Park Service’s Camping at Assateague web page.

CAMPGROUND RULES

  • CHECKOUT TIME: 11:00 A.M
  • CHECK-IN TIME: 12:00 PM
  • STAY LIMITS: Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days and a total of 28 cumulative days per year.
  • GUESTS: Guests who plan to park at a campsite must register their vehicle at the Ranger Station.
  • ENTRANCE PASSES, CAMPGROUND PARKING PERMITS: After entering the park, campers must have in their possession a valid entrance pass and display on their vehicle a valid campground parking permit (hangtag).
  • HORSES: Visitors observed to be 40 feet or closer to a horse may be subject to a minimum fine of $100.00. Touching, feeding, or enticing Assateague horses is ILLEGAL.
  • FOOD/DRINKS: All food and beverages must be stored in a hard-sided container (e.g. vehicles, locked coolers, or other latched storage) when not in use. Food items in use must be closely guarded by campers and their guests to prevent consumption by any wildlife, especially horses. Food items and unlocked coolers left out and unattended are subject to search and may be confiscated.
  • QUIET HOURS: Quiet hours are from 10 PM until 6 AM.
  • GENERATORS: Generator use during quiet hours is prohibited. Idling vehicles during quiet hours to charge batteries is also prohibited. Generator noise levels must not exceed 60 decibels at 50 feet as measured on the A-weighted scale.
  • CAMPFIRES: Fires must be started and contained inside the provided fire ring or a privately owned, self-contained grill. Do not move provided fire rings. Only firewood purchased within 50 miles of the park, or down and dead wood, may be used for fires. Fires are permitted on the Atlantic Ocean beach (excluding lifeguard beach area) ONLY below the high tide line. Do not cover beach fires with sand. All fires, regardless of location, must be completely extinguished with water. All debris and unburned fire wood must be properly disposed of and the beach restored to its natural condition.
  • PETS: Pets must be physically controlled and on a leash no longer than six feet at all times. Owners are responsible for removing pet waste and for the health, welfare, and behavior (including barking) of their pet. Pets must never be left unattended in vehicles or elsewhere in the park. Pets are prohibited on lifeguarded beaches (in season), in backcountry campsites, on nature trails, in Assateague State Park and north to the Ocean City Inlet, and within Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia.
  • WASTEWATER: Gray and black water must be emptied at designated dump stations.
  • TRASH: All trash must be properly discarded in the dumpsters provided in the park. Please separate trash and recyclables.

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Last updated on October 4, 2023
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