Bayfront Park

Went to this beach after labor day so it was free to get in. During the summer months it’s $ 16 per adult to enter if you live outside of the county… Which is absolutely ridiculous. This beach is not worth a $ 16 entrance fee so if your not going in the off season when it’s free I suggest going to another nearby beach. With that being said, parking is also not the best for this beach. It has one VERY small parking lot and I can only imagine it filling up quickly in the summer months. It was a short walk to the actual beach and when we arrived I was pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness and beauty of it. To the left is a small boardwalk and to the right of the beach are the cliffs. The beach itself is pretty small so we went by the cliffs to look for some sharks teeth. We found about 25 small teeth but no big ones. Mind you, this was our first time looking for sharks teeth ever so I was ecstatic with what I found. You can also walk out pretty far (50ft give or take) into the water because it’s so shallow (about mid calf to knee length) perfect if you have a dog! Oh and watch out for the jelly fish and horseshoe crabs!

I love this little beach – such a pretty spot! The seasonal (Memorial Day through Labor Day) pricing does seem pretty outrageous, but since I’m visiting in the off season it doesn’t matter. I like that it is leashed-​dog friendly, and that you can sometimes find tiny fossilized shark teeth in the sand. The beach is fairly clean, but is sometimes crowded even after the summer. Also I went two days ago and they had porta-​potties and then yesterday they didn’t…

I would love to take my daughter here more often because I feel it’s safe for young children & toddlers, but the town of Chesapeake Beach is extremely unwelcoming. First– they want to charge me $ 25.00 for just a few hours. I mean, it’s just me and my daughter, she’s currently 3. They increase the prices every year because they claim «they do not want non-​residents there» wow, do I want to come to your town at all? IT IS A PARK, GET OVER YOURSELVES.
Second– There are no amenities. None. The «bathroom» aka port-​a-​potty isn’t even near by & it’s summer, you think I want to use one in the summer?
Third– There’s a small boardwalk entrance in the neighborhood, you can’t park there though. I once unloaded a few things there & the residents were SO rude & so nasty. They even called the police while we were unloading, WE WERE NOT PARKED! There were people BY the cars the entire time. The cop seemed so annoyed by the residents even calling, as we can read signs.
I used to love coming here about 3 – 4 years ago, but now I cannot stand the attitude of the residents and their casual nasty demeanor about «their beach.»
my visits to this beach & town will be less and less if this continues. They even have a waterpark in town, but I have zero desire to even go there because of their bad attitudes.

Beach is nice, residents are angry and make it difficult for you to have a nice day with your family. Remember that scene from pretty woman in Beverly Hills? I think those snobby sales ladies moved here. I suggest Flag Pond Park, just s few miles south. The beach is great, and I always find shark teeth there…

This is like a sanctuary. Private and calm. Is a good place to get your feet wet and walk on the sand.
The sunrise at this park makes my walk more enjoyable. You will love it!

That’s right folks, during the summer season it IS priced to keep out non-​county residents, and in my humble but local opinion, fairly so! Plus, they need some way to pay the five teenagers at both entrances. CB residents don’t have many luxuries, decent food or places to shop. We should at least be allowed some space on our narrow coast line! Even with the fairly new price structure over the last couple years, we still have to make sure and arrive early on the weekends to secure one of the 15 parking spots. They strictly enforce towing, so don’t think you’ll just park on the shoulder or in the grass.
This little park by the bay is great for kids. The water is shallow for as far out as you’d consider walking. As others have alluded to, the fossils are plentiful, and with one scoop of my child’s sifting toy, I can find a couple teeth. There’s a port-​a-​potty and a trash can. You can bring your dogs. Get there early to get a spot!

I love fossil hunting and the beach, so this little park is made in heaven for me… USUALLY. But I tend to go in the off season, as I know there is a charge to use the park… however, I went against my judgement and decided to try to get a beach trip in this summer here. I was completely and totally shocked by the OUTRAGEOUS fees being charged here for Out of County residents. $ 16.00 a PERSON (not a car, but per person!!!) to visit a crappy beach that isn’t even on the ocean? And that doesn’t even have picnic facilities or TOILETS??? That is over the top greedy, and not only did I not pay today to visit the park, I also refused to spend any money in town either. Stupid and greedy, I will NEVER be back during the summer. See you after Labor Day!

A free park with a small beach and a large boardwalk. Very small parking area that fits perhaps 20 cars 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.

Summertime prices are steep ($ 13 per adult), especially considering the beach has porta-​potties rather than real bathrooms, no drinking water, and no showers. On the other hand, the beach is dog friendly and it only takes about 40 – 50 minutes to drive there from DC. The views to the north and the south are pretty, and there are some little slices of shade to be had.

I visited this secluded, beautiful little beach several times years ago and a few times in the last several years. The Calvert County cliffs make a lovely backdrop to the small, quiet beach. The water is unbelieveably shallow and warm with very little wave action, it’s almost more of a cove or lagoon. That is very family friendly if you have little ones, but there is no lifeguard on duty. For fossil lovers, there are shark’s teeth fossils to be found. This is one of the reputations of the beach. A nice distraction for the kids. You can also bring your dog, which we have not done but hope to do some day.
Today, my family decided to spend the day and we were dumbfounded with regard to the fees. For non-​Calvert County residents: $ 13 per adult and $ 9 per child; $ 44 for a family of four — really? Yes, I would pay to park, but the only ‘amenities’ this beach has are a couple of trash cans and porta-​Johns. If the idea is to keep people away, it’s a great idea because although we love the rustic, quiet little place, I doubt we will be back. Sad, because from what I can see, the fees are not being used to do much for the beach itself.

We spent a slice of Christmas Day at Bayfront Park. Nothing else is open and we needed a bit of breathing room from the family and the farm. Voila, a nice 45 minute drive over to Chesapeake Beach, MD… and we’ve found ourself a little gem.
And, I implore you… do not judge a beach by its cover, my friends. As this is a little chunk of the Calvert Cliffs, it allows not only a little glimpse into the natural phenomena, it is also a veritable goldmine for fossils.
Particularly, shark teeth. Yes, shark teeth fossils.
As Andrew R points out, this is not really a beach to come for white sandy frolicking. It’s not super groomed. There are trees fallen down. It’s got a lot of shells that are sharp. It’s a nice beach, and you can certainly swim here when it is warm enough (not on Christmas, obviously), complete with a stretching boardwalk that curls around the left side (when you enter the beach). There are some benches up there and it’s a really lovely view, quite peaceful. It’s not a beach in Mexico at a resort.
As for the fossil combers, this is obviously not a secret anymore. On this somewhat chilly December day there were no less than 20 folks combing the beach looking for the elusive shark teeth (which look like little black triangles, for the record… not huge carnivore teeth).
Pro-​tip from my fossil fiend husband (he polled the natives): the shark teeth actually exist inside the cliffs, so the highest potential for finding them along the beach is after a heavy rain. Sometimes they wash up, but they do not originate in the bay, they are in the cliffs.
Bonus: I found a shark vertebrae, which for me… pretty good. I lose patience so it was pretty fun to find something.
The views are gorgeous, dogs are allowed (please clean up after them), and there are some fees during «beach season.» But none in the offseason (between Labor Day and Memorial Day, I believe). You’ll find the rules listed on the sign near the entrance (which is a bit hard to find so do keep an eye out as you are driving!). You’ll park and then walk down a cement path to reach the beach. There are a few porta potties, but otherwise save the boardwalk and the shark teeth… this is pretty bare bones. Pun intended!
Apparently it gets very crowded in high season and there is a bit of a battle over the admission fees charged by Chesapeake Beach community. They are high to prevent crowding and all the fossils being picked over by non-​locals. Fair enough. If you are super into fossiling, pay the fees and consider it a donation to the sharks. If you want a white sandy beach, find another one with lesser fees. Seems fair. Regardless, free in the off season.
Make a quick stop, if you can find a few shark teeth… you can call it a good day. Or ya know, be like me and just enjoy the view and the fresh air.

Hah!
That one star review is hysterical.
Yeah, if you come here to sun bathe or swim, you will be disappointed.
Go to Flag Pond instead.
If you come here to collect fossils, you’ll be amazed.
I’ve been all over the country and this is one of the best places you’ll ever find.
Tip: When you get stung by a jellyfish, DO NOT pee on it. That is an urban legend that just won’t die. Instead, use white vinegar.
Tip: The teeth get bigger the farther down the cliffs you go…

Narrow, dirty beach. Prices for non-​residents are high during the summer. We went on 9÷21÷12 and it wasn’t clear whether the fee would be charged since it was off-​season. We couldn’t find the information online. Before we went, we wrote email to the person who seems to be in charge of the park and asked what the fees would be on 9÷21÷12. He didn’t answer the question, and told us to call Town Hall. In planning a whole bunch of stops for that day, I didn’t need yet one more thing to do to get information. Why can’t they put the fees online?
Anyway, we took one look at the beach and left.
But the biggest downer is the distance from the car to the beach. It’s a long walk downhill — which means a long walk uphill later — and you may not be ready for that if you’re dragging beach gear, kids, etc. on a hot summer day. Find a beach where you can park the car closer, and walk on a level path in both directions.