My Internet absence has been due to preparing for and participating in a group camping trip to Assateague Island National Seashore. We have camped here for a couple of years now and find it to be one of the best (and least expensive) trips we take all year. Sun, friends, surf and sand.

If you’ve ever read the book Misty of Chincoteague then you’ve heard of Assateague Island. Wild ponies inhabit Assateage and roam freely along the beaches and among the camp sites and they used to be rounded up and then lead over to Chincoteague to be domesticated and tamed. They are absolutely beautiful creatures but can be ornery this time of year so you always have to be on guard and as the rangers tell the kids “keep a school bus distance away” from the ponies.

We camped on the sand and gorged ourselves on hot dogs and smores and sang around campfires. In total there were about 60 people in our group with slightly more children than adults. We pitched camp in the sand on Friday and stayed through Sunday. We spent all day Saturday over the dune at the ocean, which was bone chillingly cold refreshing. This year our kids were old enough that we had to be vigilant but not worry about the smallest wave sucking them out to sea and we even went out past the breakers with them. One of the families even hosted a fire starting activity where we tried various methods of fire starting, flint and steel, magnifying glass, etc… The kids loved it. Overall we had an amazing time.

If you live on the east coast and have never been to Assateague you’re missing out. You can reserve campsites and get more information at the National Park Service website.

Assateague related posts from the past:

• The Great Assateague Camp Out
• Assateague National Seashore Mini Vacation
• Camping on the beach is fun, despite the sand