Hours & Fees

Sandy Point State Park is open from 7 a.m. to sunset every day of the year except Christmas Day. From mid-November to January 2 the park closes to day visitors at 4 p.m. while the Lights on the Bay show is set up and running. Entry is charged per person in summer: $5 on weekends and holidays and $4 on weekdays from May 1 to September 30. From October 1 to April 30 it is $3 per vehicle. On summer weekends and holidays you also need a day-use reservation made before you arrive.

Park Hours

• Regular hours: 7 a.m. to sunset, year-round. Closed Christmas Day.
• Mid-November to January 2: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., because the Lights on the Bay drive-through runs on the park roads in the evening.
• Fishing: open 24 hours a day, all year, but everyone in your group, children included, must be actively fishing after hours. See fishing and crabbing.
• Boating: the boat ramps are open 24 hours a day, all year.

Maryland DNR asks anyone planning to be in the park before or after posted hours for another reason, such as hunting where it is allowed, to check with the park office first at 410-974-2149.

Entry Fees

Maryland DNR lists these as the day-use admission fee.

May 1 to September 30

• Weekends and holidays: $5 per person
• Weekdays: $4 per person

October 1 to April 30

• $3 per vehicle

Fees are not refundable. If you leave the park, you pay again to come back in. Payments made through the state park point-of-sale and reservation system carry an extra processing fee, which is shown before you pay. There is no separate charge for the boat ramps once you have paid to enter.

Day-Use Reservations on Summer Weekends

On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, you cannot just drive up. Maryland DNR added Sandy Point to its day-use reservation system because cars waited in line for hours and were turned away once the lots filled.

How it works:

1. Book online at parkdayuse.maryland.gov, up to 7 days ahead. Same-day drive-ups are not allowed on those days.
2. Pay the regular entry fee at checkout by card or online payment.
3. Show the QR code at the entrance when you arrive, along with your park pass if you have one.
4. Change or cancel until 8 a.m. the day before your visit.

Weekdays in summer do not need a reservation. Annual pass, Golden Age pass, veteran and disability discounts still apply when you book; the passholder shows the pass at check-in. For help, the state reservation line is 1-888-432-2267.

Passes and Discounts

• Maryland State Park Passport (annual pass): $75 for Maryland residents, $100 for out-of-state residents. It covers day-use entry for everyone in the vehicle, up to 10 people, plus unlimited boat launching, and it is valid for a year from purchase. Buy it at the park headquarters, at the entrance contact station, or online through the DNR store.
• Entry card for passholders: Sandy Point has automatic gates. If you have a pass, pick up a magnetic entry card at park headquarters so you can get in when the contact station is not staffed. Buy the pass at the park and the card is issued with it.
• Golden Age Pass: $10, a lifetime pass for visitors 62 and older. It covers the cardholder only, not the whole car. The National Park Service Golden Eagle Passport and AARP cards are not accepted.
• Active military: active-duty members and their dependents get in free with ID.
• Disability pass: the holder of a Maryland Park Service Disability Pass and one guest get in free. A disability tag on the car does not count.
• Youth groups: $3 a person on non-holiday weekdays for organized groups under 18.
• Buses: a $17 bus reservation, made in advance. The park takes up to 5 buses a day on weekends and holidays and 10 on weekdays.

When to Go

Summer weekends are the busiest days, which is why reservations exist. From October through April the per-car fee is the best value, and the beach, trails and fishing jetties stay open.