Ed shared his journey to Assateague - his first experience with an RV - in This Is How We Roll. Now, the destination:

We arrived at Assateague State Park long after the welcome center had closed, but we had no trouble finding our oceanside site. The back-up camera made maneuvering the RV onto the pad effortless and, with the parking brake set and a fair-sized road trip’s worth of pent-up energy to expend, we emerged from the RV to thrust ourselves onto the landscape in the full moon’s light. That’s when we spotted the first horse.
Maybe it’s my military family upbringing, or maybe it’s the suburban aesthetic that surrounded me during my formative years that commands my brain to perceive life in neatly delineated segments, but I was shocked that there were no fences separating the horses from the general population. I’m not sure whether I imagined the fences would save us from the them or them from us, but it had simply never occurred to me that wild horses and sightseers would be allowed to so freely share each others’ worlds.
(Of course, the next day in the Visitor’s Center, I would be sobered by a wall of warnings addressing human/horse interaction, complete with several rather graphic photos of horse bites, that served to illustrate the inherent risks of such a co-existence. And as I scanned the display, I could hear my mother’s voice in my head: “See? That’s why they make fences.”)

Still, personal demons aside, to be this close to such a wild and beautiful animal is a truly humbling experience. Like popular girls in high school, they do not regard your presence in the least. This is their island, and you are their guest. As we stood mere yards from this magnificent creature, my mind’s movie screen immediately flashed scenes of my kids taunting it, yanking on its tail and fighting over who would get to ride it (I feel your pain, horse). But as I turned to gauge their reaction, I witnessed only their calm deference. The respect these horses command is palpable, communicated silently through the atmosphere, imprinting itself upon your psyche in monosyllabic words: Right. True. Pure.

My family stood there in collective silent awe, none of us wanting to spoil the moment. But soon, as quickly as he came into our view, he disappeared into the shadows, and the surreal gave way to the practical. We still needed to set up camp.
Our campsite was separated from the ocean by a series of dunes, parted by a narrow boardwalk path leading to the water. After we set the RV up, I broke out the tent and sleeping bags, and we hurried to see the ocean.
 
As the dunes parted, the sight of the full moon reflecting off the water stopped me in my tracks. I scanned the beach, spotting to the south a few fellow campers whose presence was balanced to the north by the glowing lights of the more urban Ocean City. I felt lucky to be counted among the few in this mix. To have so much beach and so few demanding their share of it is not a common condition where I’m from—not even in the wee hours of the morning. And this place, this time truly felt like the right place to be. 
 
If You Go
During our stay, I was reminded of a few facts that had caught my attention during my research phase, some of which bear repeating here.
First, sunscreen. Apply liberally and often as the ocean and bay breezes conspire to mask the sun’s intensity.
Second, insects. Specifically, mosquitoes and biting flies. They care less about the quality of your time on the island than the horses do. Bring repellent.
Third, birds. Sometimes lost in the shadows of their famous horse friends, Assateague’s second-greatest claim to animal fame is its bird population. The island is home to rare and/or endangered species and is situated at the convergence point of many a migratory path. Bring binoculars.
Fourth, entertain thyself. There are plenty of attractions and restaurants nearby, but the island itself is intentionally free from “shore” stuff. Bring handheld games for the kids if they bore easily.
Lastly, be patient. It may take you awhile to get to Assateague, but I’m here to tell you it’s worth every second.

Please click here to learn more about camping on Assateague Island.  Click on the map to see the area in TripTik Travel Planner, along with nearby attractions and accommodations.

This article originally appeared in AAA World magazine.