Assateague Magic: Horses, Herons, & Happy Hour Cruise
Ready for an enchanting adventure? Step aboard the Bay Hopper and set course for Assateague Island — where wild ponies roam, majestic herons soar, and happy hour is always in full swing.
As we cruise toward this magical island, keep your eyes peeled for the famous wild ponies. Do they secretly moonlight as lifeguards? Your captain will unravel the mysteries and share fascinating facts about the island and its incredible wildlife. Spoiler: you can't pet or feed them, but they absolutely love posing for photos!
And here's the best part — our cruise features a selection of delightful alcoholic drinks for sale, and your first drink is on us! Grab a cocktail, relax, and let the magic of Assateague wash over you. Sip your drink while herons glide gracefully overhead, and maybe even spot a dolphin or two playing in the waves.
Departure Location, Parking & Boarding — This trip leaves from our Downtown Marina location at 307 Dorchester Street, Ocean City, MD. Look for the blue and orange covered shed. There is a free parking lot near the OC Bay Hopper Shed; if that is full, there is usually some street parking available. Look for OC Bay Hopper flags! You will board from a floating dock, which tends to make it easier to get on the boat.
Departure Time — Please plan to arrive about 5–10 minutes before your trip. If you do not see the boat, please don't worry — we are probably off making memories with another group! Uptown and Downtown locations are staffed by OC Bay Hopper. We typically do not have staff at Ocean Pines Yacht Club or Mid-Town 53rd Street. Our captains are trained to leave ON TIME. If you are running late, you can attempt to contact us but if there are other parties on your trip it is unlikely that we will hold up a trip for you!!!
Bathrooms — Our Bay Hoppers do not have bathrooms onboard. There are available restrooms near all of our locations for use before the trip but we share these facilities with other businesses except Uptown, where the bathroom is inside our Kiosk.
What to Bring — Sunscreen and a camera, snacks and/or drinks for longer trips, and always take into account weather conditions on the water. (Dress in layers if you are not sure!)
Weather — Unless the weather poses a threat to passenger safety (e.g., lightning, high winds) or would make the trip extremely uncomfortable (e.g., heavy rain), the trip will proceed as scheduled. If the captain cancels due to weather, you will be notified and your money refunded. If the conditions are unpleasant but remain safe, we will run the trip. Sometimes if this situation arises we will offer to cancel/reschedule/refund but as long as the trip is safe then our Captains generally want to make this happen!
Trip Minimum — Please be aware that we cannot run this trip if fewer than 4 people book. We will notify you at least one hour (usually earlier the morning of) before departure if the minimum has not been reached and offer a full refund or try to rebook you onto another cruise if you prefer.
Additional Details — This cruise features a selection of alcoholic drinks for sale, and your first drink is on us!
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There are 228 "Assateague Magic: Horses, Herons, & Happy Hour Cruise" trips available this season. Select a date from the calendar to view the specific time, price, and seats available.
Similar/Related Experiences
This is our most popular trip — and for good reason! Hop aboard the Bay Hopper and cruise to the magical Assateague Island, home to wild ponies, breathtaking scenery, and gumdrops falling from the sky! (Okay, we made that last one up.)
How did the ponies get there? Did they swim? Can you pet them? Can you feed them? Your knowledgeable captain will spill all the secrets about the island and its incredible wildlife — from the ponies to the birds to the dolphins that love making cameo appearances.
Bring the kids on this one and they'll love you forever. Seriously. Don't overthink it — just book the trip.
Produced by the pros at Blue Bimini, where safety, reliability, and top-notch customer care come standard. Every time.
Want to trade the crowded Ocean City beaches for nearly 10 miles of untouched, undeveloped shoreline? The Assateague Hike & Hideaway is your ticket to the wild side — literally.
We'll drop you off on the north end of Assateague Island National Seashore, just a five-minute boat ride from our Downtown location. From there, it's your call: lace up the hiking shoes and explore miles of pristine wilderness beach, or plant a chair in the sand, crack open a book, and let the rest of the world disappear. No boardwalk. No crowds. No noise. Just you, the ocean, and the wild ponies.
Morning or early afternoon drop-off — you choose. When you're ready to come back, there are two pickup windows: early afternoon or later afternoon. You'll arrange your return with our staff and captain when you depart, so there's zero stress. Just pure, uninterrupted beach time on one of the most beautiful barrier islands on the East Coast.
This is what people mean when they say "getting away from it all."
What happens when OC Bay Hopper combines their two most popular trips? Oh wait — WE DID!
Picture this: you're kicking back on a boat with mouth-watering gourmet ice cream while soaking in the breathtaking beauty of Assateague Island. That's not a dream. That's a Tuesday (or any day we're running this cruise).
Departing from our Downtown location, this one-hour cruise serves up serious bird watching, close-up views of wild ponies, and maybe even some playful dolphins. Got little ones? We've got binoculars, bingo cards, and bubbles — the Triple Bs!
And the cherry on top? We serve award-winning Taharka Bros ice cream — Baltimore-made, with unique flavors like Honey Graham, Mintflix and Chillz, and Coffee Oreo. If you haven't tried Taharka, prepare yourself. Want major brownie points with your kids? Look no further!