We visited Assateague Island in October 2024. We first came here in April 2024. One of the most educational and visual visitor centers I ever visited. The center has bathrooms, museum, theater,and a gift shop. The exhibits & their information are fascinating. Assateague Island is famous for its wildlife preserve, beautiful seashore, nature, and wild horses. We collected a lot of information about where to go and what to see on the island. Children can embark on a scavenger hunt on the island and receive a wood badge after completion. A movie named Misty was filmed there and on my to see movie list. We spent two days exploring the island and the hiking trails. Tourist season is in mid April till the end of September and can be busy. If you prefer less crowds, off season is better yet some of the places around the island are closed. We had a lot of questions and the rangers in the visitor center answered all of them. We got maps of the trails on the island and learned about the park's rare bird, the plover. We bought a book to identify each of the horses on the island with the names of each horse and colored photos of all the horses. We were able to identify all the horses we photographed there. We were instructed to stay a bus length away from the horse and not to feed them. The movie about the wild horses in the visitor center was cute and funny especially how they shot vaccine & birth control injections into the horses with a gun from a distance. The wild horses are everywhere and great to photograph. I loved how pristine the beaches were. To camp on the island is $40 a night. Vehicle permits are required to drive on the beach of the island. Admission to the park on the island will require that you pay $25 for your vehicle. Active duty military get free passes to the island. read more

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This is the visitor center for the National Seashore on the MD side of Assateague Island. It's run by the National Park Service. It's separate from the Assateague Island State Park run by the State of Maryland. This is a small visitor center with bathrooms, several exhibits including a short movie, a gift shop, and loads of helpful NPS staff. For those who participate, they have a NPS Passport stamp station located in the shop area. There is a small viewing area a short walk up a boardwalk overlooking the bay between the mainland and the island. There are seasonal bike rentals located next to the main building also. Staff was full of information about what was open etc (I visited in winter), information on the wild horses, along with the usual NPS pamphlet for the park. Visitor center is free, the National Seashore does charge a fee (at the entrance to the island, not at the visitor center). Worth a visit for info, souvenirs, and to fill up your water bottles. read more

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Assateague Visitor Center Thank you US National Parks Service for creating a very informative family and tourist friendly exhibition. This visitors center has everything in it inside out, a museum with impressive wildlife displays, a theater with documentaries films, very knowledgeable park rangers, a gift shop, and when breathtaking views to the ocean when you sit on the porch or walk outside on the bridge. NB: never feed the wild horses as that will harm and make them sick, always keep at least a 'bus length' away to take selfie from the horses Location: 11800 Marsh View Ln, Berlin, MD 21811, United States Time: daily 9AM - 4PM Ticket: free entry, but the gift shop varies $$ Restrooms: located outside the visitor center, and accessible for both strollers and wheelchairs. Accessible: for strollers and wheelchairs Parking: free parking lot around the building ℹ nps.gov/asis #assateaguenps #assateagueisland #assateagueislandvisitorcenter #assateagueislandnationalseashore #marylandbeach #preservefootprints read more

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The rangers are knowledgable, polite, and seem to love working here! We asked them a few questions about the trails and they knew the answers immediately without even looking at a map. I wouldn't be opposed to some updated educational movies about the island and the horses. The ones currently showing are fun and informative, but not modern and the visual quality isn't impressive. Still, they made the rest of our stay on the island more enriching. Definitely stop in here before you visit the island! read more

Assateague Island Visitor Center - Wild horses right before the entryway into Assateauge Island - Visitor Centers Near Me - Berlin, Maryland

This is one of the finest national park visitor centers I've ever been to, and my spouse and I have been to a LOT of national parks. Truly a great place, breathtaking coastal views, fully accessible, friendly rangers and a good little park store. Always great to get a new passport stamp! I would highly highly highly recommend checking out this lovely little spot. It was a nice surprise!!!! read more

This was a must stop on our vacation as it's my 1st time ever visiting here. Staff and Services: The staff here was extremely helpful especially when answering questions about the wildlife and best places to go. Views: The views here are absolutely breathtaking. There are so many animals to see here and then the landscapes are absolutely beautiful. Information: Inside the visitor center is an amazing setup of informational displays with loads of information. I was extremely impressed with all the wildlife displays. Prices: The prices in the gift shop are in the range of $-$$ depending upon what you would like to get. Overall Experience: Our overall experience here was amazing if your visiting Maryland you definitely need to stop here it's a mistake see. Rating: 10/10 Recommendation: I recommend everyone to come visit here if you get the chance it's absolutely amazing. Family Friendly: It's extremely family friendly. Stroller/Wheelchair Friendly: Yes, it's very accessible to those with strollers or wheelchairs. read more

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Very nice building, love the store, lots of assateague gifts, lots of information, clean rest rooms, friendly staff

The National Park Rangers are helpful, but the visitor center closes at 4pm. It always seems too early to me. Luckily the restrooms, which have actual flushing toilets, are open 24 hours. There is also a water bottle filling station. read more

Great displays about Assateague. There are hands-on programs--like the touch tank program that is led by rangers. The exhibits about the area are very informative. They also have comprehensive maps that hat outline all of the activities that you can participate in at Assateague: camp, swim, explore the Marsh Nature Trail, Forest Natire trail or Dunea Nature Trail, hike, paddle, fish or have a bonfire! read more

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I was blown away. First went to the beach and it was gorgeous not as packed like Ocean City. The purpose of going was to see the wild horses. At first we looked and waited, walked (watch wear you walk horses leave gifts). There's a camp site if you love the outdoors. The island has a lot you could do. Was about to leave and give up and Boom . It was amazing to see all the horses they were beautiful. If you're on that side of the Bay Bridge it's a must see. Also, right next to Ocean City. read more

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We love visiting here. The informal tours were closed. The gift shop was open. A ranger stood outside the front door, passing out maps and answering questions. The parking lot is a convenient place to park when walking over the bridge. read more

Assateague Island Visitor Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Berlin, Maryland

I absolutely love when the US National Parks service goes the extra mile in creating a tourist-friendly visitors center for places other than the more well known national parks such as historic sites, nature preserves, battlefields, or in the case of Assateague Island, a national seashore. This visitor center has it all...a museum, a theater (with films), a gift shop, restrooms, a staffed park ranger station, maps, expansive parking lot, and lovely chairs facing the waterway towards Assateague Island. While the exhibits are great, the films really do justice as to going into the history of the island, it's diverse ecosystem, and the background of the wild horses. I only watched the 20-minute "Back to the Wild" film, but they also offer another "Saving Assateague" film which is 15 minutes. The rangers were very informative as to what to expect when visiting, and gave great advice on how to maximize my time in the area, and as a result, was able to view wild horses within the limited time I had to visit Assateague Island. It's definitely worth the trip out to visit when in the Ocean City area. read more

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This has to be among one of the best visitor centers. It has aquariums, touch tank, muppet shows to entertain the kids and a film about wild horses that is well done. The staff is very friendly and helpful. There is also a deck with a beautiful view. Definitely worth the stop when visiting Assateague Island National Seashore or the state park. read more

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The Visitor Center at Assateague Island is really great! It is on the mainland before you actually enter the park, so it's good to visit either before or after your time at the park. They have a really nice series of exhibits in the park, with history of the development and how the land was preserved, and they have some very useful maps. The rangers here are super helpful, happy to answer any questions you might have. It also has a pretty good gift shop, with the usual T-shirts and coffee mugs and other things you might want to pick up to remember your visit. read more

This should be the first stop on your journey to visit the island of wild horses. There are some interesting exhibits, a few movies that explain the islands history and how it's handled. The Rangers there have extensive knowledge of the island and things to see. I figured that my chances of seeing a wild horse was slim, but I was wrong. We ended up less then 10 feet from a grazing horse! We saw many others there, they aren't afraid of humans. Well worth the time. They have lots of camp sites and you can kayak if you like on the bay side. read more

We had such a fun time at this visitors center. The large patio and big rocking chairs overlooking the bay was a wonderful place to sit. It was also secluded enough and had enough of a breeze that I was able to sit and nurse the baby uninterrupted. The girls loved the tough tank and exhibits inside, we got to all stamp our National Parks Passports, and watch a very interesting video on the history of the island. We missed the wild horse video, though :( read more

This Visitors Center is a good one. It's located at the bridge for Assateague Island and is backed to some marsh and bush coverage so the telescopes they have on site should show some interesting things going on you might miss just looking out the window. I loved the Table Map outside at the entrance. Gives great perspective. I wish they had more things available in the gift shop. What they had was good but didn't see a lot I wanted to buy really. I DID buy a little plastic bottle of bug spray! (non areosol) a quick spritz of this and you're good to go. I for one am so glad they sell this as I did not bring any with me and it is needed out there. Even if you are wearing clothes, spritz some on the fabric anway, some of these big flies can bite right through your work out clothes and bathing suits. Spray your socks in case of ticks. Anyway.... they had some good artifacts there and some interactive projects as well. This is where I learned of the Wolf Spider's home. I had no idea they borrowed in the sand! I mean, I have seen these gagly things in a tree hole at the Manassas National Battlefield Park in Manassas VA but in a hole in the sand? All this time I thought they were all crab holes... Good to know! Good place to go. read more

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The staff was very friendly. The displays were very informative, so was the session re: the wild horses. Picnic tables and lounging chairs were available outside the center. read more

A great center! Full of education and exhibits... the drive in the park is another unforgettable experience. #ponies #eastcoastroadtrip read more

Assateague Island Visitor Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Berlin, Maryland

I love the assateague island staff and rangers. Helpful and I have held OSV and park passes for years. I am concerned that the controlled OSV and park is not open as we customers who pay should be informed and our passes extended for this unfortunate situation. Controlled openings now is more then over due. read more