Sandy Point State Park
Swim, picnic, fish, or watch boats beneath the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at one of central Maryland’s most accessible bay beaches.
Artwork inspired by Aaron Sopher
Sandy Point turns the Chesapeake Bay into a straightforward day trip from Annapolis. Its beach gives a close view of the Bay Bridge, while picnic areas, fishing and boat access offer other reasons to come. The bridge is more than a backdrop: its enormous span makes the scale of the bay and its busy crossing instantly clear.
Summer weekends can fill, so this is a place where planning changes the visit. Vehicle day-use reservations are required on peak-season weekends and holidays, and admission switches between per-person summer pricing and a lower off-season vehicle charge. Bring shade and check swimming conditions; bay beaches are not the same as lifeguarded pools. The privately owned Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse offshore is a view, not an accessible building tour.
- Landmark
- Chesapeake Bay Bridge
- Beach type
- Bay shoreline
- Off-season fee
- Per vehicle
Quick guide
- Reserve the car
- Peak-season weekend and holiday entry requires an online day-use reservation.
- Look offshore
- The small shoal lighthouse is private and not a walk-up attraction.
Know before you go
- Set up early
- Popular summer days fill the beach and parking.
- Use the bridge view
- Watch vessels against the span to judge the bay’s scale.
- Check water conditions
- Swim with attention to advisories and changing weather.
- Try another use
- Fishing and boat access extend beyond the beach day.
Good to know
The offshore Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse is not open for public touring. Peak-season weekends and holidays require a vehicle reservation, and a processing charge may apply.
Notice these
- Bay Bridge panorama
- Swimming beach
- Picnic shoreline