I spy an April weekend in the 80s. I showed the weather forecast to Perry and asked, ‘What do you think we are doing on Sunday?’ He knew the correct answer… Beach!

I took the little babes to check out Hammerman beach which is in Gunpowder Falls State Park. So far this is my favorite new beach. Let me explain.

First thing’s first. There are service charges to get in. $5/person weekends during peak season, $3/person weekdays during peak season. Offpeak it’s $3/vehicle.

If you can get past the cost and you are seeking out a beach nearby, then this may be a winner. The drive in the park is quite lovely; a very well kept state park with plenty of nooks with picnic tables and grills, wide open fields, and woods.

But let’s get to the beach. I drove all the way to the end of the parking lot at the beach. You will know when you are there. If you park at the end, you will be close to a playground but further from the restroom facilities. There is a large grassy field before you get to the water. It’s kind of wonderful and makes everything feel more wide open and larger than it may be. At the same time, the walk from the car to the sand was over grass. Not ideal but not bad either.

The beach is a great size, it’s not as narrow as many of the bay beaches, and the sand was soft and clean. The water was pleasant and calm. The view was of water and green, and small boats passing by.

The parking lot was about half full and we still had no trouble finding a spot on the sand with unobstructed views. There was someone playing fantastic music that contributed to the beach vibes. Wish I had a margarita or something to complete the scene. A bunch of people had tame dogs enjoying the weather as well. And the sand was clean! There were some sticks and stuff but I didn’t see any litter.

There are tons of picnic tables and plenty that are shaded, as well as grills. And! There are plenty of picnic tables right there, where you can stare at the water and beach. Right within view and access. Soo great for those that don’t like to eat from their beach chairs.

Somehow there were no flies attacking me. Saw some sand spiders but unlike other bay beaches, I was left with not a mark and no need to swat away anything!

I didn’t use the facilities, but there was a building that I believe has concessions and possibly a bathroom. I saw several portapotties, and it appears that they have a snack bar or maybe even a Grille. I am excited to come back and take advantage of the kayak rentals. Appeared to be quite a number of people enjoying that.

What we liked:

• A good sized, soft sand beach
• Wasn’t attacked by flies
• Apparently not many jellyfish (mostly freshwater)
• Access to boat rentals
• Concession stand

Not a fan of:

• Probably gets full and crowded early during the summer
• The playground is not within view from the sand (I don’t want to go all the way to the beach and stand in front of a playground)
• The bathrooms would be a bit of a hike if you park at the end

Concluding thoughts…

I will definitely be back. This may be my go-to beach, especially when I just need a break for the day during the week. If we go during the summer we would probably have to go early and just leave when it gets too hot.