Ask an OC Insider

I see the horses probably every 3 out of 4 times I visit Assateague, but the odds are even better in the summer when there are more people there because the horses like the attention. But please remember not to get too close!

You will need to drive there especially with that much gear. Every time I have been there I have seen the horses so you will have a great shot.

Assateague is a beautiful place, please enjoy but leave the horses be.  They are wild and need to stay that way!

You will need a car to get from OC to Assateague. Once you are on Assateague, you can park in one of the lots at Assateague State Park or Assateague National Seashore. Note that their is a fee in each case. Once you park, you walk over the dunes to the beach, much like you would do in places north of the boardwalk in OC.

You can drive a few miles in the free area of Assateague before you reach the entrance and pay-station to the National Seashore. I almost always see the wild horses when I drive through this free stretch.

We drive to the federal side of the Island from Ocean City - it takes about 25 minutes from the Boardwalk to get there.  We have always seen horses - without fail. The parking areas, beaches and trails are an easy walk.  BRING BUG SPRAY!  We take a blanket, a picnic and enjoy the day.  

Another idea is to take the Assateague Adventure out of the Talbot Street Watersports.  That is a boat trip and an easy 1.5 to 2 hour trip.  We have always seen horses on the boat trip as well.   

These websites may make planning your trip easier: https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/eastern/assateague.aspx

or https://www.nps.gov/asis/planyourvisit/index.htm.  

Yes, you will need to a vehicle to get to Assateague Island, but once you are there it is super easy to get around! There are plenty of flat paths & sidewalks that would be easy to navigate with a stroller. I almost always see horses on the Assateague State Park side of the island, but if you go to the Assateauge Island National Seashore you are almost guaranteed to see them! Also, the pathways to the beach on National Seashore side are some of the nicest around. They are long & level, super convenient for hauling beach gear! They also have plenty of bathrooms & snack stands nearby as well!

Please remember to always stay at least 40 feet away from the horses!

hey meagan, as Karl mentioned if you do see horses which you most likely will remain in your vehicle as the horses tend to get scared by humans. do not pet or feed any animals. you can get to beach access and there are fees for that. visit http://www.ococean.com for more.