I moved to DC 3 years ago, and have long been looking for a local beach to go to. I've always been…read moretold there's no local beaches, and I'd have to drive to Ocean City or Virginia for a beach. I don't like long distance driving, so that was never really going to happen unless I planned it out in advance. Recently, my sister in law mentioned I check out North Beach, and it was about a half hour away. I couldn't believe no one had mentioned it to me before, specifically those who had lived in DC for years or who were locals and raised here. As she stated, it was exactly a half hour away and it was in Calvert County, MD. I've never visited this side of MD before and I really liked it. It reminded me of beach towns in MA. The beach, itself, though is more of a local beach for residents and quite small. There is also a $25 out of county fee for non-residents, so that was a bit of an annoyance. I don't know that I've paid a beach fee that high before for any beach I've ever visited. I will say I enjoyed my day there, though, and just laid out on the beach with my headphones in while I read a book. It's definitely a family beach and the water is not deep at all. They almost fence it off so you don't go in too far and the water reached knee level for most people. I went in to wade for a bit and saw jelly fish and there was lots of moss. After the beach, I walked the board walk and got some nice photos. I also checked out the local ice cream shop and saw they have little boutiques and a few restaurants. I defiantly would come back again, especially once I have children.

Day trips to nearby beaches from the DMV, put it on your to-do list…read more Our weekends are usually spent marking off bookmarks and going to eat at places our Yelpies recommend. We ended up in North Beach this past weekend, how pretty! Small but nice! Boardwalk and all! There is a private beach but it's for locals. Very very cute quaint neighborhood surrounding the "beach" area. Looking at water will never get old. If you're a water baby, or just love looking at water (lakes, oceans, ponds) then this is it! Super beautiful. Love this! Romantic for couples!

Beware tiny cordoned off swimming area!! The deepest part is…read moreup to your knees! Small beach. Nice sand, clean bathrooms

Had a grand time at Rocky Point yesterday with my boyfriend and our friend, Justin. It's off…read moreseason, so there's no one manning the entrance. But that also means there aren't any lifeguards or the services that you would find here during the summer months. Swim at your own risk. We weren't there for swimming, though it was 80 degrees and there were several people splashing around and having a good time. There was also a church baptism going on, which made my heart smile. There seemed to be many family and church members there to witness and celebrate, and I love seeing that kind of support and community. I also like the idea of feeling that close to God that you would take that step, to hopefully strengthen that bond. Ariel, the little mermaid, was also there, randomly, having a photo shoot. We wandered a bit, for about an hour. In the back of the park there's a crumbling path that we all decided was some Indiana Jones sh!t. There's some caution tape there, but it's just flapping in the shrubbery, not doing much good. Most of the park is quite wheelchair accessible, though several of the paved paths are so steep that I didn't venture down them. I could have, if I had been determined. I like that option. The playground is looking a little worse for wear. I didn't get close enough to take any pictures because the gnats are serious right now. But there were also some lovely butterflies. Those are always nice to see, especially with their populations dwindling. We've been checking out a lot of local parks these days, and this one is pretty decent. Gunpowder Park: Hammerman Area off Ebenezer Road is still our top rated park, though. I'd put Rocky Point third, after North Point State Park in Dundalk (that jetty!). Would recommend

Well kept lake and beach area! The grounds were also well kept…read more Tons of lifeguards on staff! Loved that you could swim out past the roped off area if you are experienced. The swing and high dive are a must if you want to try an adventurous task! Tons of shade! Overall this place is a great time! we love that you can bring your own food, you can leave and come back, and they have a place where you can wash your feet off before exiting! Two cons in my opinion: The snack bar is lackluster and expensive. 4.50 for a hot dog....the slush puppy was good! Approximately $30 dollars for admission, a little steep. Think about it, family of 4 is 120 dollars....

Absolutely beautiful. I honestly had low expectations but wow it was so peaceful and fun! People…read morecomplain about the prices but I don't mind if it means they are constantly cleaning and maintaining the grounds -- which they were. The water was clean and not crazy cold. Lifeguards were very on top of keeping everybody safe. Just an incredible experience. My new favorite summer activity!

Dont appreciate the scummy business practice of not disclosing the fact the water is inaccessible…read moreBEFORE charging us $60. The pamphlet on how to treat jellyfish stings on the way OUT but not the way in is also atrocious. The water was packed completely with jellyfish. No one could go in the water. We left immediately as sitting on the sand meant being swarmed by biting flies. To get a refund apparently we have to MAIL our receipt to their office? Bull.

Everything could improve here! From the employees and lack of customer service to the route cops…read morethat patrol the area, nasty stinky toilets, dirty waters& areas, no music allowed not even for you to play on your phone!!! All of this and you have to pay $10 to get in each person!! are you out of your minds!? Look at the reviews unless you're looking for shark teeth or something like that, do not bother.. heck, even then there's better free beaches. It should be free. It's public waters. Does not belong to the people to try to make money off of! Paying for beaches in general is a joke it's part of mother, nature, & we're there trying to enjoy This bitch should definitely be free !! If you're going to charge, don't be stingy and ask for $10 or even $7 -Even some of the best beaches I've been to have all of them free. The only time I paid a fee it was $3 and it was a very well-maintained clean area with food on beach, trash, cans, and clean bathrooms and an amazing beach. Stop profiting off of people in these deceitful ways! This is where we go to be dressed free to listen to music to enjoy mother, nature to get away from the everyday struggles of fees, and payments in the real world!

Absolute bliss all summer long! Gorgeous huge pool with a separate diving well. Set in the hills…read moreof Braddock Heights, surrounded by trees and beautiful Victorian era homes. The water quality is always perfect, cool, clear and very little chlorine odor. Please note that you must become an annual member of the pool to swim there, or be lucky enough to be invited as a guest ($5 guest fee). They do not issue day passes, and guests must be there with a member.

Enough said, relaxing atmosphere, . . . nice hidden jewel. I like that only a certain number of…read morepeople are allowed on the beach, just wished small portable grills were allowed.

Shhh, Mayo Beach Park is my favorite local beach in the state of Maryland. You have to register…read moreonline prior to visiting. Helpful tip: Don't forget your sunscreen and a bag to dispose your trash.

The good: Parking was spacious, free and had shaded spots…read more It was a short walk from the parking lot to the beach. The path was lined with tanbark. It's a small beach with a short shore and there is shallow water. I saw herons and folks using metal detectors. The sandy area had cool shells and some interesting bugs. I liked that there was a clean bathroom between the parking lot and the beach. There were picnic tables on the sand where we enjoyed snacks. They were shaded so it was nice. The bad: There are lots of jelly fish that can definitely sting so you basically cannot get into the water. No tents are allowed. The interesting: I saw lots of dogs here running around in the water. It looks very dog-friendly despite other reviews saying there are signs that don't allow dogs.

Quick note for potential beach goers: Only single-pole beach umbrellas are allowed on the beach. We…read morekind of learned the hard way that beach tents are not allowed. Originally, we were interested in Matapeake Beach because of the dog beach. However for our first visit (of hopefully many visits), we decided to leave the dog at home because it was super hot. But, I think in the future, we will take the dog if we can arrive to the beach around 8 am. The second reason we were interested in this beach: It is fairly close to Silver Spring, MD. With a departure of 9am, we arrived at the beach around 10 am on a summer weekday. For the most part, we did not experience too much traffic (on a weekday) in both directions Silver Spring-Matapeake-Silver Spring. Also, I think there were 1-2 tolls in each directions. Overall, I thought the beach/park was very clean and well-maintained. I'll note that there are not very many amenities (if any) on or near the beach the beach (e.g., food vendors), which necessarily was not a bad thing for me. Although parking is limited, it is free (a very pleasant surprise) as of June 2025. I'm not 100% sure, but I think there were like 50 (or less) parking spaces. Since we visited on a weekday, we did not have any trouble finding a spot in the parking lot. However, I can imagine that parking my be a bit of a nightmare on weekends and holidays. Also, the access to the beach was free (another pleasant surprise). The folks at the beach were pretty friendly and respectful of their surroundings -- for instance, I did not hear super loud music (just the soundtrack of waves, a few dogs barking, and a few kids playing); see people acting a plum fool; notice substantial litter (or other not so fun things) on the beach. Even though we were disappointed that we had to take down our beach tent, the park ranger was super nice about it. The water was a pretty smooth with little to no waves so it is nice for little humans and dogs. I think I had to walk about 0.25 miles to get to a point where the water was waist level to me, but that was a VERY minor inconvenience. Overall, I think this is a great beach for a quick day (or half a day) trip.

Still only open to Chesapeake Beach residents only even if you live in North Beach. They really…read morehave ruined this park by being so unwelcoming even to nearby residents. Large signs saying you will be trespassing and so on. They need to do better than this, makes both towns look very unwelcoming.

A free park with a small beach and a large boardwalk. Very small parking area that fits perhaps 20…read morecars at a push. No services here at all. But it's hard to complain when it's free. Great spot for shells and pretty stones and simply looking out over Chesapeake Bay.