Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a hidden gem on the East Coast: Chincoteague Island. My in-laws go there every year for a week in July and some of them own houses there and go there throughout the year. After the visit, I understand the charm of Chincoteague – a place I had never heard of before!
Our long weekend on Chincoteague Island was filled with family, laughter, experiences, mosquitoes and, of course, fresh crab! We stocked up on our trip and will definitely be back! I hope that by reading this impressive list of things things to do in Chincoteague, you’ll want to make this one of your East Coast weekend getaways! If you have any tips or things I should add for what to do in Chincoteague, please let me know and I’ll add it as a reader favorite!
Where is Chincoteague Island?
Don’t feel bad if you don’t know where it is – I didn’t either! It’s often overlooked in favor of Virginia Beach, which is two hours south of Chincoteague. Located on the east coast of Virginia, Chincoteague is about three hours from Washington, D.C., and three and a half hours from Philadelphia. Honestly, it’s this little peninsula in Virginia that looks like Maryland on a map. In fact, Assateague Island (where the horses are, but we’ll get to that) runs from Ocean City, Maryland to Chincoteague. The best way to get to Chincoteague is to drive.
Best times to visit Chincoteague Island?
Chincoteague’s mild climate makes it a great place to visit year-round. However, many restaurants and activities may be closed during the winter season. You can visit the Refuge and watch the birds! Spring and early fall (before October) are ideal due to cooler temperatures, fewer mosquitoes and less crowds. Summer is hot but ideal for a beach getaway without the crowds of Ocean City or the Jersey Shore.
The best things to do on Chincoteague Island
The wild ponies of Chincoteague (or their REAL name – Assateague Horses)
If you mention to someone that you are visiting Chincoteague, chances are they will ask if you are going to see the ponies. However, they are real horses, not ponies. And they live on Assateague Island, not its neighbor, Chincoteague. Made famous by the children’s book Misty of Chincoteague, horses are a wonderful sight.
Legend has it that the horses are descendants of the survivors of a Spanish galleon that sank off the coast in the 1700s (like the horses of the Outer Banks). Others believe they are descended from animals released by settlers to avoid livestock laws and taxes. Anyway, the horses are there and they are beautiful, so enjoy. Horses are smaller due to their diet (which is not very nutritious and sometimes includes salt water). As it is a small herd, there has been some inbreeding.
The Chincoteague Fire Department (which deals with horses) introduced a few new breeds to mix up the gene pool a bit. The department also holds a Pony Penning Day in which horses swim from Assateague to Chincoteague and a few of them are auctioned off to cover care costs. It also helps to control the population.
Sometimes they are near the road on the way to the beach. Access to the Assateague Island National Seashore is paid for by the National Park Service. It’s $10/day, $25/week or $45/year for a vehicle pass. If you are walking or cycling, admission is free.
How to see the horses of the Assateague
You may have to take a cruise or kayak ride to spot them! There are several different options on the island. You might be able to spot the horses in one of the corrals! Be sure to follow the rules and do not approach or feed the horses.
Legend has it that the horses are descendants of the survivors of a Spanish galleon that sank off the coast in the 1700s (like the horses of the Outer Banks). Others believe they are descended from animals released by settlers to avoid livestock laws and taxes. Anyway, the horses are there and they are beautiful, so enjoy. Horses are smaller due to their diet (which is not very nutritious and sometimes includes salt water). As it is a small herd, there has been some inbreeding.
The Chincoteague Fire Department (which deals with horses) introduced a few new breeds to mix up the gene pool a bit. The department also holds a Pony Penning Day in which horses swim from Assateague to Chincoteague and a few of them are auctioned off to cover care costs. It also helps to control the population.
Sometimes they are near the road on the way to the beach. Access to the Assateague Island National Seashore is paid for by the National Park Service. It’s $10/day, $25/week or $45/year for a vehicle pass. If you are walking or cycling, admission is free.
How to see the horses of the Assateague
You may have to take a cruise or kayak ride to spot them! There are several different options on the island. You might be able to spot the horses in one of the corrals! Be sure to follow the rules and do not approach or feed the horses.
Chincoteague Pony Bath
Since my in-laws are visiting Chincoteague the week before the Pony Swim, I haven’t seen it (yet!). The Pony Swim was made famous by the book Misty of Chincoteague and has since attracted visitors from all over the world. Horses swim across the Assateague Channel during a “calm” tide so the youngsters can swim in the current. This event usually takes place the last full week of July – the swim is on Wednesdays and the auction is on Thursdays (it was canceled in 2020). Be sure to book your accommodation early, as this event gets very crowded.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
Chincoteague’s other claim to fame is the National Wildlife Refuge – a 14,000-acre haven of beaches, dunes, marshes and even maritime forest. It’s easy to find something to do in nature here. Fishing, crabbing and clam fishing are very popular! You can also practice hunting (with the right license), horseback riding and bird watching!
Toms Cove Visitor Center
This center is an excellent source of information, with a marine aquarium, a touch tank and exhibitions. You can also get fishing permits, sand vehicle passes (you need to have the right kind of car and deflate your tires a bit), and campfire reservations. The center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Assateague Lighthouse
The red and white lighthouse is an icon of Chincoteague and Assateague. It was built in 1833 and is still in use today. The lighthouse tour is FREE and is open April through November from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (except for a half-hour lunch break from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.). I highly recommend that you bring mosquito repellent. The walk takes about 5 minutes but we were eaten alive. By eat alive, I mean I was an all-you-can-eat buffet for all mosquitoes within 5 miles. Without exaggerating, I had about 40 insect bites in this short walk.
Assateague Island National Seashore
You didn’t think I was going to spend all this time talking about an island without talking about the beach, did you? Assateague Island is a 37-mile-long barrier island that stretches from Maryland to Virginia and is managed by the National Park Service. It is one of best beaches for East Coast families – the waters are calm and there’s plenty of space! Even at high tide, my nieces were able to ride the waves without getting swamped (which I don’t think would happen on Jersey Shore). The seaside has a lot to offer visitors – from breathtaking views to
