Welcome to Assateague Beach

There isn’t anything better than going to the beach on a sunny summer day. 

Unless you happen to be in the path of five galloping wild horses being herded away from beachgoers. Then you might feel time slow down while you debate the best way to get out of these beautiful yet massive animals’ way. My response was to freeze and hope the horses chose to not go into the waves.

Assateague Island is part of the National Parks as a National Seashore. It’s one of the barrier islands on the east coast of the United States - especially it runs from Ocean City, Maryland to Chincoteague, Virginia. The island is divided by the Maryland State Park, the Maryland side National Seashore, and the Virginia side National Seashore.

It is also most famous for its wild horses. 

About 300 horses live on the island. Most are allowed to roam freely (on the Maryland side), while the Virginia side horses, or ponies as they are sometimes called, are behind fences as they are “owned” by the Chincoteague fire department. Last year, in April, I went to both ends of the island for the first time and wrote a post (which you can view here).

This year, my sibling decided to come visit me and go on a bit of an adventure. We stayed at a historic and supposedly haunted hotel in Berlin, Maryland - “the coolest small town in America”. The movie “Runaway Bride” had been filmed there and we stayed in the room Richard Greer had stayed in (sadly 1999 Richard Greer was not included). Another movie, “Tuck Everlasting” had also been filmed near the town. There’s a mermaid museum in town that I would call quaint and the book store is run by a woman who used to be an undertaker…and wrote about her experience as one. Ocean City, Maryland (not to be confused with the far superior one in New Jersey), is about 20 minutes away. 

We did not see or experience any ghosts on the trip.

Unfortunately, it rained most of the trip. So we explored the town and enjoyed the different restaurants. Though today was nice and sunny (and I got a bit crispy). Which is why we ended up going to Assateague Beach. 

Sure, Ocean City is also close by, but if you want something a little nicer, so to Assateague.

Plus you have the horses. They are really cool. Just don’t get too close as they will bite, charge, and stomp on anyone who gets too close. I saw a lot more horses (and babies) this trip than back in April last year.

The beach is very nice and decently guarded. There’s a long sandbar, so the water doesn’t drop off too quickly. Surfing is allowed, but I’ve never tried it and the east coast just doesn’t seem like the place to surf. The horses hang around the parking lot, so you’ll need to dodge the horse poo, but the actual beaches are very clean of human and animal debris. You can even bring your dog.

It was foggy when we arrived at 9:30am. The tide was coming in and you could hardly see ten feet out. The water was cold, but refreshing once the sun broke through the haze. Other than the horses, I saw deer, different birds, a horseshoe crab, and a mermaid purse (which are shark, ray, or skate eggs - depending on the species).

My sibling and I would have been happy to spend all day on the beach, but sadly we did have to drive the three hours home. 

Oh and the horses did in fact turn away from where I was standing. They ran along the water edge until they were safely away from people. It was really cool, but a bit nerve wracking to see and experience.

I’m happy to recommend Assateague beach to anyone who wants a unique beach and wildlife experience. Just stay at least 40 feet away from the horses. They bite.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a message. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome Local and State Parks

I know I’ve mentioned the National Parks quite a bit in this blog, but in my area there are also a lot of local, regional, and state parks that are wonderful to spend time at. Earlier today, I met up with a college friend and her family to hike around Leesylvania State Park. 

It was a lot of fun seeing my friend and meet her daughter and husband. I hadn’t seen this friend in about ten years, but we’d been keeping in touch through letter writing and social media. We met up at Leesylvania because my friend’s family is trying to go to all 41 Virginia state parks before their daughter turns five. With Leesylvania, they passed the 25% mark.

Leesylvania holds a special place in my heart. It’s the state park I spent the most time at growing up. I had Junior Ranger camp there (a day camp associated with the National Wildlife Federation), many Girl Scout and church event, friend’s birthday parties, and general days spent outside in that park. Going back today was a lovely nostalgic trip and I was glad to share the park with my friends.

Leesylvania State Park was packed today, with it reaching capacity well before noon. We’re pretty sure there was a big church event in one area of the park and we could occasionally hear music while on the trails. However, the train we were on was deserted and, with how lush the growth was, felt like we were in a world of our own. We sadly didn’t see many animals (though we did spot a snake skin that had been recently shed). I think I spotted a heron and there were a few butterflies. By the pond we heard some very noisy frogs that as I child I would have tried to catch.

There’s also old ruins along one of the trails with the foundations of a few houses still standing and an overgrown graveyard that’s mostly covered in poison ivy. A ruined Confederate fort is also on one of the outlooks. The trail we took includes plaques with information on each historic site, which is good because the map is incredibly unhelpful.

Leesylvania is now about an hour away from where I currently live. There aren’t too many State Parks close to my current home, but there are a lot of regional parks and one National Park. Some of these parks do cost money to go into (Leesylvania just raised their rates to $10 per car), some have seasonal costs and are free in the off season, and a few are free year round. The best resource for the northern Virginia area is the NoVa Parks website.

State parks, like National Parks, typically have an annual pass you can invest in. At least they do in Virginia Though there is one Virginia state park on the Virginia/Kentucky boarder that isn’t park of the pass system. That one is Breaks Interstate Park and it’s way off in the foot of Virginia (the southwestern most point near Tennessee).

And new State Parks continue to be added all the time in Virginia. Leesylvania was established in 1989, which isn’t that long ago. And our newest State Park, Seven Bends, opened over the last couple of years. 

Regional parks depend on the counties that encompass the area. NoVa Parks is run with help from Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria, and Loudon Counties. Their parks are typically marked with a brown fence board with yellow gold letters. They also maintain a few water parks, golf courses, tennis courts, and botanical gardens.

My specific city also has local parks and wildlife trials that are clearly marked and provide safe places for people to spend time outside. These parks and trails are maintained by the city. They also connect different parts of the city without worrying about major roads and highways for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Parks are an important part of our society. They provide a safe area with access to nature and help preserve the environment. While at Leesylvania, my friend’s husband pointed out and identified many of the native plant species that keep the ecosystem there healthy. While walking around my city’s trains, I often see foxes, deer, and other wild animals.

We need parks for recreation and as communal spaces to meet up and spend time with each other. Keeping them clean is also a priority to maintain them for future generations. National Parks are some of America’s most amazing examples of wilderness, but state, regional, and local parks are just as important. Some might have historical sites, others are  habitats for animals, while all have areas for people to spend time.

Parks are important. If you don’t have any in your area or you don’t feel yours is safe, contact your local governments. If there’s a green space you’d like to protect, see if you can make it a priory for your community. Protecting these spaces is good for the environment and our mental health and creates jobs. 

I hope you can spend some time at your local parks this summer. I know I will.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this list (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.