Chincoteague Island is a year round vacation destination, located on the northern end of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Featuring 10 miles of pristine beach at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, areas and trails for wild pony watching, swimming or beach walking and endless recreational activities, this Island Resort attracts more than a million visitors each year and is ideal for “off season” getaways.
Summer offers wonderful opportunities for family activities, be it biking, hiking, kayaking, boating, and miniature golf, swimming in the Atlantic surf or sharing Shore traditions with hunting and fishing guides. Tour the quaint Chincoteague Island by trolley or take the one-hour history tour each Tuesday and Thursday. Bird watching on the barrier islands of Chincoteague and Assateague is one of the best you will find on the entire Eastern Seaboard. Our barrier islands have been distinguished as an International Shorebird Reserve. From April to early September, thousands of birds nest on the beaches of Assateague Island. On bayside, the countless estuaries and tidal mudflats are the East Coast's "safe haven" for migrating shorebirds. Clusters of dense woodlands also provide a central rest stop for migrating songbirds and the topography and location of our islands are a paradise to raptors.
Autumn, when the crowds leave, is the time to enjoy the golden seas of marshes and the tranquil water trails (a kayaker's dream), as waves of songbirds head south along this globally significant migratory flyway. This is a great time to enjoy long walks on uninhabited beaches.
The Chincoteague and Assateauge Islands are remote backcountry destinations worthy of a winter hike and birding opportunities for sighting trumpeting geese, and dozens of bird species that winter on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
Spring breaks on Assateague Island with lilac-hued wisteria warming the woodland’s edge, is a perfect time for biking, hiking or birding with the warm sunshine and the fresh scented blossoms filling the air.
