OC Bay Hopper

So happy we did this! We saw a beautiful pinto pony from our tour boat (a small no frills pontoon boat) and stopped in the bay not too far from where he was eating on Assateague Island. Also got fairly close to a couple osprey nests holding ospreys, and one was a mama with babies! It was a peaceful lil’ boat tour. Reserved the 8:45am nature tour of Assateague Island on July 5. Check-in was quick and easy. The boat departed on time. The tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable and answered plenty of my questions about the ponies— but also shared very interesting facts about how the bay was created by men and more. Highly recommend!

We had an outstanding experience on the Maryland Coastal Bays Tour. Captain Kathy was fantastic. She was knowledgeable, engaging, and made a point of ensuring everyone on board, even those at the back of the boat, could clearly hear the narration throughout the trip.

Liz from the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, along with Andrea, made the tour truly exceptional. Their passion for the local ecosystem was contagious, and they shared fascinating insights about the bays, Assateague Island, and the incredible wildlife that calls this area home.

During the 2+ hour tour we were fortunate to see dolphins, Ospreys, Common Terns plunge-diving for fish, Double-crested Cormorants drying their wings after diving, gulls, a Bald Eagle, and, of course, the famous Assateague wild ponies in their natural habitat. One of the highlights was the hands-on net sweep, where we collected and identified local marine life while learning about the important role each species plays in the coastal ecosystem.

This wasn’t just a sightseeing cruise. It was an engaging, educational, and memorable experience for both adults and children. If you’re visiting Ocean City and want to experience the natural beauty beyond the boardwalk, I highly recommend this tour.

This is my 1st OCMD vacation. Today, we decided take the Assateague Island tour with OC Bay Hopper and I'm so glad we did!!! Not only did we get to see the Assateague ponies up close, we also got to sample 4 complimenrary flavor samples of ice cream. Yum! Additionally, we got to see several species of protected birds and habitats and the weather was perfect 👌
For our 1 hour tour, Cathy was our captain and Nate was our mate. Both of them were very friendly and engaging, not to mention very knowledgeable about the OC area, the wildlife, ecosystems and waterways. If you're looking for something to do that's not "run of the mill", is educational, and fun, then don't sleep on the OC Bayhopper Assateague Island Tour! You won't be disappointed, trust me 👍👍