Sandy Point State Park

I gave the park 4 out of 5 because the bathrooms are nasty and smelly. Sand and the gravel will hurt your feet. Beach is not clean. People throw garbage like savages. Water is very great and calm. No huge waves like ocean city. But the fee is a little pricey. But you will have fun for sure

This review is for the beach. It was very dirty during my visit as it looked like it was not combed for a while when we visited. There were a lot of feathers and seagull droppings everywhere. It was gross walking through it. Also, kind of gross to stick your feet in the sand considering there’s that mess all over. Some parts seemed cleaner than others. The central part of the beach was a lot busier than the left and right wings. The sand is very dark yellow and unusual. There are facilities there for showers, bathrooms and also some fast food. Smelled like fried food. On a Friday $ 4/​pp for MD residents and $ 6/​pp non-​MD residents to enter. If they’re charging, the beach should be cleaner.

Such a wonderful beach and only 40 minutes from Dupont Circle! My boyfriend and I took a trip there today. We had a great time in the water. I was so impressed with how clean the beach and water was, despite the beach being packed with people (it was not too crowded that you couldn’t enjoy yourself). Just be warned that the bathrooms are nasty, but that is typical in public beach bathrooms. We arrived at the beach around 1 p.m. and did not have to wait in traffic for long to get into the park, but as we left a couple hours later, we noticed long lines, so I would recommend getting there earlier. It is important to know, that they do not allow pets here, but I heard there is a dog beach a mile away. The beach was a mixture of people of all ages, lots of families and young people. There are life guards along the beach which I thought was great. There are spots in the park to fish, put a boat in, and jet ski too (this area was separate from the beach but could be reached from the same parking lot). There is also a separate volleyball and grass picnic area when you first enter the park, but lots of people had barbecues going in the area near the beach. I highly recommend checking this beach out, my bf and I definitely plan to return many times this summer!

Stopped off here to have a picnic lunch on our way to OC and found plenty of parking and benches etc. It costs $ 3 to drive in, but it’s worth getting off the highway and the view of the Bay Bridge is truly interesting. We exited off at Exit 32 but really had some trouble getting back onto Rte 50 afterwards as we didn’t find the signposts very helpful and found ourselves about a mile back in the wrong direction, but it really wasn’t such a big deal as we weren’t in a hurry and the weather was great.

This is my first time at this park. Me and my wife and other UnilocalERS came here for the Polar Bear Plunge. WOW is the only thing I can say the water was really cold and my wife was a real trooper.
Speaking of troopers, Since this event was sponsored by the Maryland State Police they came out in force. I could not count the number of State Troopers that I seen at this event.
I give the Maryland State Police and all of their partners for throwing a great event for Maryland Special Olympics.
I was surprised to see the amount of people that took the plunge in sub-​freezing water but it was for a good reason in helping to raise money for the special Olympics Maryland.
Their was one thing I was disappointed about their was no lockers for plungers to store their personal items.
Over all me and my wife and our fellow Unilocal had a good time and YES we will be attending the plunge next year.

As a kid, I spent many happy weekend afternoons playing in the orange sand at Sandy Point State Park. It had water, sand, sunshine, a playground and a grilling spot. What more can a kid want?
As an adult, I see it from a completely different set of eyes. Sure the view of the Bay Bridge is beautiful but the lot is a bit smelly and the bathroom/​changing room is in third world condition (and I’m from the Third World so i can say that!).
But it’s our closest beach so what the heck, pack up your cooler, spread out a beach towel and enjoy some fun in the sun! For $ 7 entrance fee what else do you expect?

Nice small beach to stand at the edge of the waters and let the waves wash away the sand and troubles beneath your feet

I like being near the water, but I rarely go into the water, so I can’t speak to the quality of the experience at Sandy Point. My friends tell me that areas of the beach drop off pretty quickly and there is a strong current at points. It’s not a beach where your toddlers can safely play at the edge without constant and close-​to-​the-​child adult supervision.
I love Rehoboth, but Rehoboth makes it nearly impossible to enjoy a single day at the beach. No changing areas and the parking is difficult.
So Sandy Point is perfect for a day at the beach.
Weekends are crowded, so if you’re hoping for a picnic table near the water, with a grill, and with some shade, better plan on lining up before the opening hour of 8 am. Come in at 9 and already you’re inundated with the odors of food cooking on charcoal.
There is a food stand near the bathhouses. It’s okay, not great.
There’s also a nearby Marina store with basics and gear for crabbing and fishing. The crabbing is off the nearby pier. Do not be sucked into buying a crab trap. If you didn’t bring a net, spend your money on a net. You’re on your own as far as getting crabbing advice. The locals do not share their expertise. That being said, there are some days the crabbing is easy; others you’ll get nary a bite. I have no idea why.
This park has lots of activities we’ve never explored such as walking the trails or riding our bicycles.
This is a clean park, so plan on hauling out your own trash.
There are bath houses, but by the end of the day, they are pretty gross. I am surprised by the amount of things (like baby diapers) that simply get left for someone else to pick up.
If you’re a Maryland resident, the fee is $ 5; non-​residents, $ 7.
If you’re disabled or over 62, you can apply for a pass that lets you in free.
Warning: the application doesn’t ask for your phone number, if there’s a problem, the application will sit on someone’s desk forever, so be sure to add your phone number. Also the disabled pass requires the nuisance step of getting a doctor’s statement. That may seem like common sense, but most permanently disabled folks have plenty of other documentation that should work (the simplest is a copy of Medicare’s determination). Asking for a doctor’s statement is a waste of your doctor’s valuable time and means an unnecessary appointment and co-​pay. In my daughter’s case, I had to take time off work to take her to the doctor, then make another trip to pick up the signed statement. Please, I spent months working to get Medicare to state she was disabled; why not simply use that documentation.

$ 6 per out of state person for a state park like this is not worth it. From the highway and bridge the place looks intriguing but when you get there it’s a disappointment. Facilities smell and is filthy, the grounds and patio/​walkways are littered with leaves, trash, and sand. There are also puddles to carefully walk around or across to get to the beach and Canadian geese to watch out for. If you’re into bridges then this has a view but it’s not worth $ 6. Other than swimming there’s fishing and boating here but I’m sure there are other places you can go that is free. All I’m saying is that this place is not worth the trek.

A little pricey (charges per person in season) but if it is close to you, it may be worth it to just sit by the water and watch all the ships go under the Bay Bridge… fish.,.cook out… swim or launch your trailerable boat. The sand is not the white kind, but the dark yellow orange kind with lots of stones.

Sandy Point State Park is in my opinion one of the hidden treasures of the DMV. Everyone during the summer heads to the beach in Ocean City, Rehoboth Beach, Atlantic City, Virginia Beach, and even North Carolina. However, few people know about this hidden beach 45 minutes outside of Washington DC.
Granted, it’d not a full on beach that you would expect, but perfect for a day trip. I went here on a Sunday with a group of friends and were amazing to find hundreds of people here grilling by noon. There was even a line to get into the park.
It’s $ 5 admission pp (Maryland resident), or $ 7 (out of state). Not a bad deal considering the beach and park is overall pretty clean. There are an abundance of grills and looks like a common place for families to hang out on the weekend. People bring tents, beach chairs, food, music and hangout here all day.
There’s a small concession stand for traditional boardwalk fare like chicken tenders, hamburgers, hotdogs and ice cream too if you get hungry.
Also, there’s an amazing view of the bay bridge too which adds to the quality of this beach.

$ 10 admission for two MD residents last year it was a $ 1.00, the women’s bathrooms are nasty. The beach is clean and you can grill as well. I would go back just wish they paid more attention to the restrooms. Also admission is high. We got there very early which was great no crowds and easy to get in and out. When we left at noon there were long lines trying to get into the park. My tip would be to go early.

I’ll preface this by saying I hate the beach. The sun is uncomfortably hot, makes you sweaty, you get filthy sand all up in your toes and towels (and maybe elsewhere), you have to wear gross and oily sun screen that reeks to high heaven, and you just lounge around doing nothing. Plus you’re surrounded by huge crowds and bratty kids and exposed flab. There’s just nothing redeeming about the beach. That said, I found a significant other who is wonderful in just about every way, except she has one massive character flaw: she loves the beach. So I get dragged there every once in awhile, and this past Saturday was one of those times.
Thankfully, she is accommodating to my needs and picked up a nice loungey beach chair with a cup holder and all. We buried a giant umbrella deep in the sand, and I propped my chair up right under it. We were there two hours, and I was able to completely avoid the sun and water. Best beach visit ever. It was relaxing enough for me to get some errands done on my phone, too. This place is about an hour drive from DC, so it will let you avoid wasting your whole weekend on the beach.
Let’s run down the experience: admission is $ 5 per person for Maryland residents and $ 7 per person for non-​residents, though they didn’t make us show proof. If you’re not as prepared as we were, you can rent umbrellas and chairs, though it will cost you. They have a little shop steps from the sand selling soft serve, slushies, and boardwalk food (fries, hot dogs, etc.). They provide a giant container of Old Bay to douse your fries in, which was heavenly. Despite my hatred of beaches, I’ve been to a few, so I have some points of comparison. Sandy Point has predictably gross bathrooms. The sand is a little coarser/​dirtier than your average beach. I’ve seen some reviews complaining about the traffic on the Bay Bridge, but I think it makes for a nice view — the bay with the bridge running over it is a nice backdrop that provides more interest than miles and miles of water, if you ask me. They have grills set up as well, and a lot of people were enjoying a family barbecue.
All in all, it’s a fairly small, nondescript beach, but it’ll get you a beach experience if that’s what you crave. And if you don’t, they offer enough accommodations to get you through.

Went here on Christmas Eve (12÷24÷13) to see the light show & it was very nice! The sponsor of the light show was the Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC).
Admission is $ 14/​car
3D Admission is $ 17/​car
Highlights:
This is a Christmas lights drive through the Sandy Point National Park. It’s worth the $ 14! So many things to look at from the comfort of your car. Linked with 92.1 radio with all the holiday music!
Check this out next holiday season! It’s a must see!

Scenic and serene, Sandy Point State Park has the makings of a perfect day everywhere you look. I can’t believe it took me this long to get here, but now that I know what I have been missing, I will be back every chance that I can get. I was most recently there for the MD Seafood festival which was packed with vendors and festival goers, but that didn’t distract from the beach and the atmosphere in the least. Still, I couldn’t help but imagine and make plans for later when the crowds would be away and I could just bring a little bagged lunch for a Sunday on the water with the hubs. Swim, fish, run, hike, canoe… you name it. Sandy Point has got it all. Looking forward to exploring more so I can up this review to a 5-​star ASAP! :)

What a great option to have when you don’t feel like driving to Ocean City for the day.
Seeing as I live in Baltimore, Sandy Point is about an hour’s drive away– which is fantastic.
It’s $ 5 to $ 10 per person (depending on if you’re in-​state or not) which stinks, but it’s worth it. Also, no pets allowed– understandable.
The beach is pretty clean (be careful though, the sand is pebbly rather than smooth and soft), the employees are visible (if you had any questions or concerns), it looks and feels fairly crowded, but there’s plenty of space for parking, picnicking, and beaching. There’s an amazing view of the Bay Bridge, as well as a really neat looking lighthouse off in the distance.
Ultimately, I’d recommend it. It’s a great substitute.

Yay Sandy Point! I loved it here! It took us about 45mins to get there. Admission was $ 5 per person (Maryland rate) not including my 3yr old. We were also able to rent a umbrella and two chairs for $ 40 bucks; all day! Yes Sandy point isn’t the cleanest place on earth but common it’s the B A Y, NOT a resort!
I do recommend you wear water shoes; the sand is super HOT and when you get into the water its rocky (ouch). If you enjoy boogie boards or floater’s you should totally bring them! Oh and DO NOT wear white! I wore a white bathing suit and it is now BROWN :-(when after I washed it… yikes!
Even if you don’t get in the water you should definitely go enjoy yourself. They have plenty of places to grill, the have a basket ball court, volleyball net, snack bar, restrooms, a playground for the kids, and the view is beautiful!
I will def. be back next summer for some more fun

Bf and I came to Annapolis for the day and decided to drive away from downtown for a little while. I saw a sign for this state park as I drove on 50 West and we decided to stop and take a look.
Lo and behold, there is a beach! It’s not the cleanest, and yesterday it was crowded. Lots of large groups having BBQs and trying to beat the heat.
The sand is a dark tan. For someone who has been going to beaches in the Caribbean lately, this was a little gross, but it’s not terrible for a place less than an hour from DC, where we were coming from.
There are a bunch of picnic tables and a few parking lots. When we arrived around 6 pm, the place was still crowded. We were going to rent two chairs and an umbrella but were told we would have to return them at 7 pm so we passed and sat on a picnic table. There are fire pits where you can cook, and we saw one person dumping their hot coals in the designated area after they finished.
It was still bright when we left around 7:45 pm and there were still lots of families on the beach.
They charge $ 7/​person for DC residents so I think if you’re from MD, it would be cheaper, not sure.

Sandy Point Beach is less sandy, and more gravelly. It, however, serves the purpose if you want a quick escape from the District without going the Ocean City/​VA Beach route. I don’t recall ever paying to enter a state park before, but my experiences with this could be limited. I believe the entrance fee is $ 5-​$ 7, depending on if you’re a Maryland resident or not.
For those visiting with small groups, there are picnic tables and play areas for kids. A lot of people fish at Sandy Point, as well. There is an area for chair/​umbrella rentals, and snacks for those who didn’t plan ahead. There is ample parking and a fair number of restrooms (which are as clean as you would expect a public park/​beach restroom to be).
I don’t know about the waves (or lack thereof). I am the «venture out only as far as my collarbone will allow» type, so I can’t give a real overview of the depths of the ocean. I will say that there is a nice stretch of beach for a brisk run. I also can’t offer any insight about the park, itself. I do know that it’s best to avoid the area on major holidays (just like any other local beach/​park), unless crowds are fun.
Overall, when it’s time to ‘get back to nature’, Sandy Point is a quick (er) drive from the city.

Visited Sandy Point last weekend and loved it. Overall, it was pretty clean and not overly crowded. The views can be nice; I advise securing a spot facing the lighthouse; much more scenic than staring at the Bay Bridge. I don’t suggest spending the day in the water. I went to relax in the sun and chill with friends but I did hear some people complaining about getting stung by jellyfish. I got my toes wet but that was about it. I will say that the restrooms are a little shady; I would like to see them updated.
They do charge $ 5 per person which sucks. Luckily, they allow you to bring your own beverages and food so you can cut down on costs that way.
Sandy Point is great for families, groups, or individuals. It was pretty quiet when I was there; except for some guy who had one too many beers. I was impressed at how quickly park officials were on the scene. He was «removed» from the beach area and no one seemed disturbed by the incident.
Although you may bring your own food/​beverage, they have a concession stand and I suggest trying their funnel cake. It was delicious! Definitely a summer classic.
Yes, the sand is brown and the water is murky. What do you expect for a beach on the Annapolis shore? If Sandy Point doesn’t meet your expectations, Rehobeth or Ocean City is a one-​tank trip away.