February Vacation is a popular time to travel. We wanted to go somewhere, but were having difficulty choosing a place due to the weather. We usually go cross country skiing, but with lack of snow, this was not an option. After some research and reviewing my places to visit folder, yes I have one of those, we settled on Chincoteague Island in Virginia. It is a small island south of Ocean City, Maryland and north of Virginia Beach.
When researching Chincoteague Island I got the Outer Banks vibes, but less commercialized. We could not wait to check out this island. When I told friends we were going, they said, “you must have read the book when you were younger.” I had not heard of the book, but Misty of Chincoteague is now on my to read list.
Monday:
We left Southern New Hampshire early Monday morning. We made the mistake of driving through New York City which added extra time. After a ten and half hour drive we arrived on Chincoteague Island.
Lodging: Key West Cottages located right off the bridge on Chincoteague Island are adorable with views of the bay. We had a two bedroom, two bath cottage with kitchen, living room and small balcony.
The resort has a pool, which was open, free bike rentals, a small snack shop and a fire pit with chairs over looking Chincoteague Bay. The staff was very friendly and helpful.
After checking into the cottages we walked Main Street. Most of the shops and restaurants were closed. We enjoyed Waterfront Park, with its big chairs and beautiful views.
I loved being able to enjoy the sunset.
Tuesday:
Daisy Island Cruises was the only pony boat tour I found open at the end of February. We took a six person pontoon boat, but the three of us were the only ones on it, so it was like having a private tour. We cruised around the bay seeing where NASA launches rockets, many birds and the star of the show, the wild ponies.
We saw a total of 17 ponies. Chincoteague is famous for their pony swim where thousands of people come to Chincoteague Island to watch the ponies be rounded up on Assateague Island and swim across the bay for health checks and some of them are sold. Some of the ponies sold are returned to Assateague island.
We spent two hours cruising around the bay. Our tour guide was wonderful providing history and showing us points of interest along the way. We were also fortunate to see a seal.
After our wonderful boat tour we grabbed lunch at Famous Pizza. The food was good, especially the Old Bay Fries and the staff were friendly. Finding restaurants open was a little bit of a challenge as many were closed for the off season. The restaurants that were open this time of year were closed certain days during the week. The staff at the Key West Cottages told us about a Facebook Group, A Girl Loving Food on Chincoteague, where she has a spreadsheet of what was open for food each day of the week.
After lunch we took advantage of the bikes our resort offered. We rode around the Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island. It was about two miles from our hotel to get onto Assateaugue. It was flat and easy to navigate. One thing I should point out is there are two islands. Chincoteague is where the houses, restaurants, hotels etc are. Assateague Island is a Wildlife Refuge that has bike paths, hiking trails, beaches, wildlife and the ponies. There are no businesses or residential properties on Assateague.
We stopped and walked the beach. There were so many shells. The views were beautiful.
On the ride back to our resort we stopped for ice cream at Island Creamery, so good. We rode a total of ten miles.
Dinner was at Ropewalk, which seemed to be one of the only restaurants opened. It was packed. My husband was hoping for oysters, but they ran out. We were disappointed in the service as we found the waitress unfriendly. The food was decent. Nothing outstanding, but due to the service we would not return.
Wednesday:
We started out on another bike ride, but once we got onto Assateague Island the wind was so strong that we had to turn around. We were able to get in almost 7 miles. The bikes were beach bikes with baskets. They were easy to use.
We drove our car back into the refuge. There is a $10 fee to drive onto the island. Bikes did not have to pay, but I do not know if that changes during the busy season. We could see some wild ponies in the distance, they were not as close as they were on the boat tour.
We visited Assateague Beach. This is a large beach with so many seashells. We walked a couple miles along the beach. The wind was strong so the waves were impressive. With the exploring we did this was the only beach we could drive to. The beach we visited on Tuesday was a little further north and seemed to be accessible only by bike or foot.
We also did a short hike around a marsh loop.
Dinner was at Steamers. The staff were friendly and prompt. I had one of the best adult beverages I have ever had, a Key Lime Slushie. We also enjoyed some fresh seafood. The rest of the evening was spent enjoying the cottage.
On Thursday we got up early and drove home. We went around New York City and it took us nine hours and that was with a couple stops.
Takeaways from staying on Chincoteague Island.
In the off season, many businesses were closed. We did not feel like we were missing out on anything. We loved the laid back feel.
A boat tour is the best way to see the wild ponies.
The weather was cloudy and with some rain. The temperatures were in the 50’s and 60’s.
If you are looking for a beach vacation this may not be it. The only beaches are on the Refuge. I would think it can be very busy in the warmer months.
The island is very laid back. There is a movie theater, mini golf, at least three campgrounds. Bike rentals. Various food trucks and restaurants, most were only open spring thru fall. We enjoyed the low key vacation as our lives are usually busy with work and activities.
We found it helpful to have water bottles, a small cooler, binoculars for wildlife viewing and a small backpack.
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