Chincoteague to Cape Charles Day Trip
Directions:
Begin your Chincoteague Island to Cape Charles Va. day trip by taking VA-175 south to Atlantic Avenue. Then go west 2.7 miles to VA-695. Continue west 2.1 miles to US-13. Go south for 51 miles to VA-184, and head west for 2 miles to Randolph Street in Cape Charles. Total travel time will be about 90 minutes.
Cape Charles History and Attractions:
Cape Charles Virginia was established 1884 on the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, thirty-six miles across the Bay from Norfolk as the end point of the New York, Philadelphia, and Norfolk Railroad. Shortly after the opening of the railroad, both freight barges and passenger steamers were making regular trips from the mainland to Cape Charles, opening national markets for the produce and goods produced on the Eastern Shore.
Begin your day in Cape Charles with a visit to The Cape Charles Museum and Welcome Center for an overview of the area history. View area the artifacts, archival photographs, and videos featuring the memories of some of the Cape's oldest residents.
Continue your day trip by strolling or biking through Cape Charles' neighborhoods. You'll witness some remarkably diverse residential architecture. Styles transition from the elaborate gingerbread-festooned Victorian homes built between the 1880's and the turn of the century to the more stately homes which arrived between 1910 and the late 1920s. These homes were financed by Cape Charles' riding economic fortunes, which fell with the arrival of the Great Depression.
You'll also see mail-order homes, Craftsman bungalows, and many homes exhibiting the unique vision of William H. Lambertson, a builder who would often combine different architectural styles in a single house. The Sea Gate Bed and Breakfast, built in 1912, has Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and Victorian features. It's only one of several and is only one of many delightful B & B's where you can enjoy Cape Charles hospitality if you decide to extend your day trip.
The one-half mile stretch of public beach along Cape Charles' Bay Avenue is the only free public beach on the entire eastern Shore. There's no better place to enjoy sunset on the Chesapeake Bay. Notice the Town Pavilion, the most recognizable of Cape Charles' landmarks. Next to the beach is the Fun Pier, where you can saltwater fish for free, courtesy of the Town's saltwater fishing license.
If you have your own boat, take advantage of one of the boat ramps on Cape Charles harbor. Striped bass, trout, black drum, flounder, bluefish, and catfish are all common in the waters off Cape Charles.
Whether you're a birder or simple nature lover, don’t miss a side trip to Kiptopeke State Park in Cape Charles. Hike the Park's Baywood Trail and connect to the boardwalks on its southern beach for a close look at its sand dunes and some saltwater fishing or beachcombing. Or bike the Raptor, Songbird, Mockingbird and Chickadee Trails. As their names suggest, the park is prime bird observation territory.
Don’t conclude your Chincoteague Island to Cape Charles Va. day trip without visiting one of its many fine restaurants. One boasting an award-winning menu which offers truck-stop hearty portions of gourmet quality food is Sting-Ray's on Route 13. It's noted for Crab Imperial, but will have upwards of twenty entrees available each day.