Tag Archives: ocean

Virgin Islands

Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve

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Overview

When the U.S. Virgin Islands chose a National Park Service (NPS) site for their quarter (see below) in the America the Beautiful coin collection they selected this undeveloped park, which we would rank worst of the five NPS units there.  Established in 1992, it contains the only place in the United States where Christopher Columbus’s men set foot 500 years ago (although that is now underwater).  The region is still recovering after Hurricanes Irma and Maria did extensive damage in 2017, including the removal of the NPS contact station here.

Highlights

Mangroves, bioluminescent bay

Must-Do Activity

On St. Croix Island, the NPS has exhibits about this park at Christiansted National Historic Site, including descriptions of the western hemisphere’s first violent resistance by natives to European encroachment in 1493.  The park is completely undeveloped, including the archaeological sites.  The must-do activity is a kayaking trip after dark to Mangrove Lagoon to see the bioluminescent organisms there.  Plan your trip around a new moon when the darkness helps them show up better.  Do not bother bringing your waterproof camera, since it is nearly impossible to capture on film.

Best Trail

None

Instagram-worthy Photo

The long roots of mangroves help protect the shore from storm damage and provide a safe hiding place for small fish.

Peak Season

Spring

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/sari/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

None, except for guided tours of the bioluminescent bay

Road Conditions

Access roads paved

Camping

There is no official campground, but locals have semi-permanent camps set up on the beach within Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve and other parts of the island.  We found the best deals on St. Croix Island were available through Airbnb.

Related Sites

Buck Island Reef National Monument (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Christiansted National Historic Site (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Virgin Islands National Park (U.S. Virgin Islands)

  • Tiff at the beach
  • Drift wood on the beach
  • Scott and mangroves
  • Looking across Salt River Bay
  • Tiff and mangroves
  • Mangrove tree
  • Magnificent frigatebird
  • The clear kayaks that we paddled to the bioluminescent bay
  • Sunset on the Caribbean Sea

Explore More – This park contains the only Taino ballcourt in the Caribbean built before Columbus’s arrival; when was it discovered?

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Virginia

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

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Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Virginia

Managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Established 1943

14,000 acres

Website: www.fws.gov/refuge/chincoteague

Overview

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge was established to protect migratory birds, like the greater snow goose. To the north, Assateague Island National Seashore was authorized 22 years later and in combination with Assateague State Park they protect a 37-mile stretch of undeveloped shoreline that crosses the border of Maryland and Virginia. The National Park Service comanages the visitor center at the refuge. Unlike Assateague Island National Seashore, no pets are allowed in the refuge, even in vehicles.

A serene sunset over the ocean with vibrant orange, pink, and purple hues reflecting on the water.

Highlights

Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center, film, Assateague Lighthouse, wild ponies, kayaking, swimming, beachcombing

Must-Do Activity

Assateague Island’s most renowned residents are its wild ponies, purported to have swum ashore from a wrecked Spanish galleon.  Every year since the 1700s, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company has herded the ponies that live on Assateague Island for an auction to raise funds for firefighting.  This annual event was chronicled in the classic children’s book Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry (which made our Top 10 NPS Novels list).  The ponies can often be spotted by hikers on the Woodland Trail, a three-mile loop hike.  Nearby there is also a free NASA visitor center at Wallops Flight Facility where they launch rockets and 343-acre Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge, which offers hunting opportunities with a permit.

Best Trail

We mentioned the Woodland Trail above, but this park is all about walking the beach, especially the ten miles of wild beach only accessible by foot. Unlike Assateague Island National Seashore, no pets are allowed in the refuge, even in vehicles.

Watchable Wildlife

Atlantic horseshoe crabs are one of the iconic species of the beach, and you will see their shells even if you miss a spawning event correlated with the highest tides of the warmer months. Wild ponies and sika deer are non-native species to the island. Native animals commonly seen include red foxes, Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrels, piping plovers, and brown pelicans. A wide variety of birds migrate through this area in the spring and fall (also a good time to see monarch butterflies). There are touch tanks for visitors to dunk their hands into at the Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center.

Instagram-worthy Photo

The first Assateague Lighthouse was built in 1833, while the structure seen today was completed in 1867.

A tall striped lighthouse with red and white bands standing against a clear blue sky, accompanied by a small red building at its base.

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/chincoteague/visit-us

Fees

$25 per vehicle or America the Beautiful pass

Road Conditions

The access road is paved, and with a permit you can drive Wildlife Loop Trail from 3:00 p.m. to dusk (always open as a hiking and biking trail). Over-sand vehicle zones within the refuge are managed by Assateague Island National Seashore. It takes about 1.2 hours to drive the highways between the north and south bridges to Assateague Island.

Camping

Outside the refuge on the island’s northern portion in Maryland, the National Park Service (NPS) operates two campgrounds with cold showers, and the one nearby in Assateague State Park offers hot showers.  Two oceanside backpacking camps and four bayside kayak-in camps are also available by permit in the north.

Related Sites

Assateague Island National Seashore (Maryland-Virginia)

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park (Maryland)

First State National Historical Park (Delaware)

Cape Hatteras National Seashore (North Carolina)

A vibrant sunset over the ocean, with orange and pink hues reflecting on the water, under a cloudy sky.
Sunrise
A person standing alone on a beach at sunset, wearing a warm coat and red gloves, with waves gently lapping at the shore and a cloudy sky.
Tiff collecting shells on the beach. It was pretty cold in February, in the low 40s with some serious wind.
A marsh landscape featuring dry grasses, small water channels, and distant trees, with a lighthouse visible in the background.
Woodland Trail
A serene view of a body of water with ducks swimming, surrounded by trees and distant flying birds under a blue sky with clouds.
A serene beach scene at sunset with colorful clouds, reflecting light on the water, and several seagulls walking along the wet sand.
A woman standing in front of two informational panels depicting wildlife; one panel illustrates a deer and various birds, labeled 'Shrub Thicket Fall-Winter,' while the other panel shows tree illustrations with birds, labeled 'Forest Spring-Summer.'
Tiff in the visitor center
A tranquil beach scene at dusk, featuring soft sand and a gradient sky transitioning from blue to orange, with distant trees lining the horizon.
Bay side
A person interacting with a touch tank filled with marine life, smiling while reaching into the water.
Tiff in the visitor center
A tall lighthouse with red and white stripes against a clear blue sky, featuring small windows and a bird flying nearby.
Turkey vulture flying by the lighthouse.
Front view of the Assateague Lighthouse with a red brick facade, featuring a white door and staircase, and a plaque displaying historical information.
The lighthouse was rebuilt in 1867
A heron standing by the water's edge, reflected in the calm water, surrounded by tall grasses and sparse trees in a marshy area.
A great blue heron in breeding plumage
A vibrant sunset over the ocean, with dramatic clouds in the sky reflecting warm colors.
A brown horse grazing among yellow flowers in a grassy field.

Explore More – Not just a safe haven for wild ponies, where in the refuge do seahorses anchor to underwater grasses?

California

Channel Islands National Park

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Overview

Off the coast of Ventura, California a rugged archipelago is protected as Channel Islands National Park.  There is an airplane landing strip on Santa Rosa Island, but most visitors arrive to the five accessible islands by ferry.  Often referred to as the “Galapagos Islands of California,” the biodiverse kelp beds are popular with scuba divers and the sea caves attract kayakers.

Learn more in our guidebook to the National Parks, A Park to Yourself: Finding Adventure in America’s National Parks (available on Amazon).

Highlights

Anacapa Island, Inspiration Point, Arch Rock, wildlife

Must-Do Activity

Most visitors arrive by boat, with the majority taking a day trip to tiny Anacapa Island, which you can walk all the way around in about an hour.  The ferry ride is exciting in and of itself with gray whale watching, a close swing by Arch Rock, and an unforgettable landing at a dock where it is far too rough to tie up.  If you want the chance to see an amazing sunset and sunrise, you have to overnight on one of the five islands (see Camping below). We also highly recommend the kayaking tour of the sea caves on Santa Cruz Island.

Best Trail

On Anacapa Island, a 1.5-mile loop trail leads around the perimeter and accesses iconic Inspiration Point.  There are many miles of trails on Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Cruz Islands (and all have designated campsites).

Instagram-worthy Photo

From atop Anacapa Island’s steep cliffs, we watched swimming sea lions warm their flippers in the air and flying brown pelicans catch thermals below where we stood. 

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

There is no entry fee, but reservations are required for all overnight camping ($15 per night) and ferry prices vary by island.

Road Conditions

No roads

Camping

A few years ago, we stayed at the tiny backcountry campground (with no water available) on Anacapa Island in early April when the giant coreopsis flowers were completing their spectacular blooming period.  It was a noisy night since the island is a rookery for thousands of western gulls, plus the lighthouse’s foghorn rumbles out a warning four times per minute. There is a large campground near the dock on Santa Cruz Island frequented by endangered island foxes.

Related Sites

Point Reyes National Seashore (California)

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (California)

Cabrillo National Monument (California)

Arch Rock
Ferry boat “docking” at Anacapa Island
The stairs climb from the dock up to Anacapa Island
Sunrise lights up the giant coreopsis flowers on Anacapa Island.
Western gulls and the lighthouse foghorn can make for a noisy stay.
Sunrise on Anacapa Island
Scott and Tiff at Inspiration Point
A crow sits on the mast of the NPS boat docked at the visitor center in Ventura
Kayaking around Santa Cruz Island
Scott under the dock on Santa Cruz Island
Kelp forest
Inside a sea cave on Santa Cruz Island
Sea lion
An endangered island fox
Dolphins following the ferry boat
Raven about the park
This design we created to celebrate Joshua Tree National Park is available on a variety of products at Cafe Press and Amazon.
Cafe Press

Explore More – The largest in the archipelago, Santa Cruz Island is 62,000 acres and 76% owned by which non-profit organization?

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Florida, Mississippi

Gulf Islands National Seashore

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Overview

Gulf Islands National Seashore is renowned for white sand beaches on the barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico, but there is more than beaches on the shores of Mississippi and the Florida panhandle (yes, Alabama is in the middle but is not part of this park).  The white sand that attracts beachgoers here originated as quartz in the Appalachian Mountains.  This coastal region was originally purchased by the U.S. from Spain in 1821 and 150 years later Gulf Islands National Seashore was created. 

Highlights

Fort Pickens, Naval Live Oaks Area, Fort Barrancas, West Ship Island ferry, white sand beaches, wildlife

Must-Do Activity

The National Park Service (NPS) has four visitor centers for Gulf Islands National Seashore, one on the mainland in Ocean Springs, Mississippi and the other three are south of Pensacola, Florida.  The most developed area is around Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island with its popular campground.  Nearby, Fort Barrancas sits next to the free National Museum of Naval Aviation on the military base.  The Naval Live Oaks Area protects the first federal tree farm started for shipbuilding purposes in 1828.  In Mississippi, only Davis Bayou can be reached by road, with (seasonal) ferry service limited to West Ship Island.  Otherwise, bring your own boat!

Best Trail

The 1,300-mile long Florida National Scenic Trail starts at Fort Pickens then runs east across Santa Rosa Island.

Instagram-worthy Photo

Fort Pickens dates back to 1829 with additional batteries upgraded during World War II.  Inside the fort there is a nice museum explaining the history of Santa Rosa Island.

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/guis/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

$25 per vehicle or free with America the Beautiful pass

Road Conditions

All access roads are paved

Camping

Reservations are highly recommended for the NPS campgrounds on Santa Rosa Island, Florida and Ocean Springs, Mississippi.  Primitive camping is allowed on undeveloped East Ship, Horn, and Petit Bois Islands.

Related Sites

Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

Canaveral National Seashore (Florida)

Everglades National Park (Florida)

  • A steady breeze helped us fly our kite
  • The big guns at Fort Pickens guarded Pensacola Bay for over a century.
  • A bird’s eye view of Santa Rosa Island from Battery Worth.
Blue Angels flyover
A crow joins in on the flyover
Ruddy turnstone
Naval Live Oaks Area
Naval Live Oaks Area
Naval Live Oaks Area

Explore More – What are the four species of sea turtles that nest on the park’s beaches?

Massachusetts

Cape Cod National Seashore

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Overview

Northernmost of the ten National Seashores in the National Park Service (NPS) system, Cape Cod National Seashore includes 40 miles of shoreline on the narrow glacial deposit that sticks out of Massachusetts like a fishhook.  Its 44,000 acres are interspersed with towns that manage (and charge for) many of the beaches along the coastline.  Watch for gray seals playing in the surf, which attract predators like great white sharks to the shallows.  Even if you want to swim in the chilly ocean water, if you see gray seals it is best to go somewhere else so you are not confused with food.

Highlights

Nauset Light, Three Sisters Lighthouses, Old Harbor Life-Saving Station Museum

Must-Do Activity

The best place to start your visit is Salt Pond Visitor Center, which has a museum run by the NPS.  Located right off Highway 6, it is also a great place to stretch your legs on the Buttonbush or Nauset Marsh Trails.  From there, it is a short drive to Coast Guard or Nauset Light Beaches that offer tram service when parking lots are full.  Lifeguards are on duty at specific beaches from late June through Labor Day, which should give an indication of the short season when it is actually warm enough to enjoy the water.

Best Trail

There are 12 self-guided trails within Cape Cod National Seashore, plus three bicycle trails up to 7.3 miles long.  Our favorite was the one-mile Beech Forest Trail near Race Point Beach at the tip of Cape Cod.

Instagram-worthy Photo

If the red-striped Nauset Light looks familiar that is because you might have seen it on a bag of potato chips at the grocery store.  While there, take a walk over to the Three Sisters Lighthouses that have also been moved inland from their original eroding clifftop locations.

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

$25 per vehicle or America the Beautiful pass

Road Conditions

All roads are paved and a permit from the Oversand Station at Race Point is required for those wishing to drive on designated sand routes.

Camping

No camping is offered through the NPS, but there are several private and state-run campgrounds, plus countless motels and vacation rentals.

Related Sites

Salem Maritime National Historic Site (Massachusetts)

Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (Massachusetts)

Fire Island National Seashore (New York)

  • Tiff on Nauset Light Beach
  • Tiff thought the water was pretty cold for September
  • Gray seal in the surf
  • Scott at Nauset Light
  • Two of the Three Sisters Lighthouses
  • Beech Forest Trail
  • Beech Forest Trail
  • Sunset at Race Point Beach
  • Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, Massachusetts

Explore More –Who was the famous Italian inventor that transmitted transatlantic radio signals from massive antennas on Cape Cod in the early 1900s?