A Day at the Beach in Anne Arundel County

Sandcastles, sunbathing, and swimming. It’s not summer without a day at the beach. But you don’t have to drive all the way to Ocean City to get sand between your toes. Around Annapolis, there are four public beaches where you can get your feet wet. Both water babies and landlubbers can enjoy the warm weather in the cool Chesapeake.

So slather on your sunscreen and get ready to breathe in some brackish air at these local spots.

Safety First

Before you tell the kids it’s a beach day (once they know, there’s no going back), let’s take a look at some precautions you should take.

Water Quality

After a half-inch of rainfall, the county recommends waiting 48 hours before swimming at one of its three beaches. You can find the current conditions online with the Beach Swim Guide. While it’s just an advisory and not a ban, it’s still strongly recommended. Also, the Department of Health says you should not swim if you have “an ear infection, a perforated eardrum, open cuts, scratches or skin lesions, or a compromised immune system.” You want to bring home memories, not an infection!

Sun Safety

Luckily, we are past the days of slathering up your body with oil to get a deep tan. We know a lot more about sun damage and how to protect ourselves against it.

Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Use “a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least 15 SPF.”
Apply it at least 15 minutes before going outside, every two hours, and after swimming or sweating.
Babies under 6 months should not wear sunscreen, and instead use UV-protective clothing while staying in the shade.

Swimming Safety

All swimming beaches in Anne Arundel County are unprotected swimming beaches. Lifeguards are not present. Sandy Point State Park, run by the state of Maryland, has lifeguards from 10 AM to 6 PM.

Here’s how to stay safe and keep your kids safe near the water:

Start early with swim lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends lessons after a child turns 1. Annapolis Moms community sponsor Center Lane Swim School is a great place to start!
Know the signs. Drowning is fast, silent, and nearly motionless.
Designate a “Water Watcher.” Don’t assume the adults with you have eyes on the kids. Select someone to take ownership of watching the children, distraction-free.
Look into Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
Get CPR/First Aid training. The American Red Cross offers lessons and certification.

More Safety Tips

The Atlantic bay nettle is the species of jellyfish that you’ll encounter at any of these beaches. Check the Sea Nettles Probability Tracker to see if many nettles are expected on your beach day.
A nettle sting hurts (a lot!!), but it is not dangerous unless a person has an allergic reaction or a child has stings over a large part of their body. According to Chesapeake Bay Magazine, recommended remedies include rinsing with seawater, scraping with a credit card or knife, and rinsing with a combo of seawater and baking soda for 15 minutes. Do not pee on the sting!
If there are signs of thunder or lightning, seek shelter in your vehicle. The county recommends that you “[r]emain sheltered for 30 minutes past the last sound of thunder or sight of lightning.”
To protect against heat-related illness, use sunscreen, stay hydrated, and keep cool. See the county’s Department of Health page for signs of heat exhaustion.

Pack Your Bag

A day at the beach on the Chesapeake requires lots of gear—the important stuff, the really important stuff, and the fun stuff.

To help you gather your beach necessities, we’ve got a list of what you’ll need:

Snacks and drinks. But no glass bottles.
Trash bags. All beaches are pack-in, pack-out. You’ll need to carry your trash with you.
Blankets and umbrellas. Umbrellas and canopies are allowed as long as they are less than 25 square feet for county parks, and 10 square feet for Sandy Point State Park.
Sunscreen and bug spray.
Life jackets, water shoes, and goggles.
Sand toys and water toys.
Hats, sunglasses, and cover-ups.
Towels, extra clothes, extra shoes, and wet bags. Your little ones may want to be done with the beach right after arriving. If so, be prepared to wash off, get dressed, and head to the playground.
Wagon or totes. You gotta carry all this gear somehow!
First-aid kit and baking soda. Not only for nettle stings (see above), but for any other scrapes and cuts.
Hand sanitizer, baby wipes, and disinfecting wipes.
After-sun care and lip balm.
Cash for park fees.

Beaches

Sandy Point State Park

This is the beach to make childhood memories. It gets pretty crowded on busy summer days, which is why they require a reservation before visiting on weekends and holidays. But once your family is there, everyone can collect shells, go out for a swim, or play on the bay-themed playground. Lifeguards are present on the beach, unlike the other swimming beaches on this list. If you want to have a cookout, their grills are first-come, first-served. And there are bathrooms in every main area. If you want to escape the heat, go off to one of the shaded trails nearby for a scenic hike.

Address: 1100 East College Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21409
Days/Times: Every day, 7 AM to sunset.
Cost/Access: Weekends and holidays, $5/person. Weekdays, $4/person. Advance reservations are required for weekends and holidays, which can be made on their website up to 7 days in advance.

Fort Smallwood Park

Where the Patapsco River and Rock Creek meet the bay, a former gun battery and barracks now serves as a place for easygoing recreation. The swimming beaches are on the east side of the park, next to the car-top boat ramp. Rock formations create swimming pools that make it easy to keep an eye on little ones. There’s a playground nearby for kids. And anyone who loves fishing or birdwatching can visit the 380-foot pier on the other side of the park.

Address: 9500 Fort Smallwood Road, Pasadena, MD 21122
Days/Times: Every day, 5:30 AM to sunset.
Cost/Access: $8 per vehicle. $5 per vehicle with handicapped tags. More information can be found on their website.

Mayo Beach Park

Down in Edgewater, Mayo Beach Park is a low-key spot for swimming. The beach is small with rocky jetties creating several pools. They have showers and restrooms near the beach for rinsing off after a sandy morning. Then the kids can explore the playground or the pollinator garden. Oh, and you’re not reading those opening hours wrong. It’s only open in the evenings during the week. But after camp season is over on August 8, it will be open all day, every day.

Address: 4150 Honeysuckle Drive, Edgewater, MD 21037
Days/Times: June 22 to August 7—weekdays, 5:30 PM to dusk. Weekends, 7 AM to dusk. August 8 to December 31—every day, 7 AM to dusk.
Cost/Access: Free. Reservation required. Passes available on Thursdays and Fridays for the weekend. Visit this website or call (410) 222-1978.

Beverly Triton Nature Park

Also on the Mayo Peninsula, Beverly Triton Nature Park is just south of Mayo Beach Park in Edgewater. The beach itself is a bit of a walk from the parking lot, so bring a wagon. It’s not too far for kids to walk, but far enough that lugging beach equipment will be a chore. There are restrooms, showers, and a tot lot for the kids. The beach itself is on the small side—it has just enough room for families to set up next to one another. But the waves are calm, and there’s a chance to see horseshoe crabs!

Address: 1202 Triton Beach Road, Edgewater, MD 21037
Days/Times: Every day, 7 AM to dusk.
Cost/Access: Free. Reservation required. Passes available on Thursdays and Fridays for the weekend. Visit this website or call (410) 222-1978.

These four parks may have the only public swimming beaches in Anne Arundel (until you make a friend who has a community beach), but they’re perfect for your family’s day out. Bring some sandcastle buckets, your goggles, your boogie board, or whatever makes a beach day the perfect outing for you. In Annapolis and on the Chesapeake Bay, there are plenty of ways to have fun in the sun.