13 Reasons To Visit Chincoteague Island, The 'Happiest Seaside Town In America'
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

13 Reasons To Visit Chincoteague Island, The 'Happiest Seaside Town In America'

Chincoteague has that small town charm with great beaches and seafood.

3774
13 Reasons To Visit Chincoteague Island, The 'Happiest Seaside Town In America'
Kimberly Burton

Chincoteague Island, Virginia wasn't voted the "Happiest Seaside Town in America" by Coastal Living without reason. There are so many things that make Chincoteague a unique and fun town that is great for any visitors.

I've been visiting Chincoteague since I was a little kid, and these are the things that I love about the island, and I wish people could experience as well.

1. The seafood festivals

Every Fall there is the Chincoteague Oyster Festival and in Spring there is the Seafood Festival. You can't beat all you can eat seafood, live music, and the company of friends.

2. The Ponies

The legend is that these ponies came to the island off a Spanish shipwreck. They are their own unique breed and eat the salt grass on the Assateague marshes. The local Chincoteague fire company takes care of the ponies year round. The best places to view them are by taking a hike off the wildlife loop, getting a boat tour or by kayaking in the bay, but you can also view them right off Beach Rd. on the way to the ocean!

3. Pony Penning

The world famous pony swim occurs every single July on the island. The saltwater cowboys corral the ponies and swim them across the bay to Chincoteague at slack tide. The foals are then auctioned (some to pony lovers and some as buybacks who will return to the island.) This fundraiser pays for the pony care throughout the year and the fire company.

4. The fireman's carnival

Craving an old-fashioned carnival? This is your place. Clam and oyster fritters are the staple food. There are tons of old-fashioned games, plenty of rides, and even raffles and bingo.

5. The rocket launches

Wallops Island NASA base is right across the bay on the mainland from the island. Not only do they have a visitors center with exhibits, but there are also multiple rocket launches per year.

6. "Misty of Chincoteague"

"Misty of Chincoteague" was written by Marguerite Henry in 1947. It was also turned into a movie. It tells the story of a Chincoteague pony and the two children who take care of her. You can visit the museum of Chincoteague to learn about Misty and her daughter, Stormy, and their former home, the Beebe Ranch, is sometimes open for tours. You can even see her hoof prints outside the island's movie theater.

7. The amazing beach

Chincoteague is right across a bridge from the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague National Seashore. This means the beach is totally natural and other than some visitors centers, bathrooms and the lighthouse, there is no construction on Assateague.

8. The great seafood

This goes back to the seafood festivals a little bit, but because of where Chincoteague is on the Eastern shore, there is so much great seafood--from oysters to clams to blue crabs.

9. Small town culture

It's a super close-knit community where everyone is friends. There are plenty of awesome community events like second Saturday art strolls, Main Street Fun Fridays, the farmer's market and movies in the park, which visitors can definitely take advantage of.

10. Island life

You can walk or bike anywhere on the island (including the beach) since it is only seven miles long and three miles wide, which makes it easily accessible.

11. Variety of food places

From the Build Your Own Cookie truck to Pico Taqueria to Sandy Pony Donuts to Don's Seafood, there are all kinds of food places for any style of dining. Pico Taqueria was ranked by Buzzfeed as one of the best taco places in the country. In addition, the only chain on the whole island is McDonald's, there aren't any others.

12. Homemade ice cream to die for

Island Creamery is the place on the island to go if you want unique flavors. They make all their ice cream themselves. My personal favorite flavor is marsh mud, but there are so many to choose from. Not to mention HuffPost said it is one of the best ice cream places in America.

13. The stargazing

Because of how little light pollution there is on the island, the stars are extremely vibrant. This is especially the case as you drive over to Assateague Island. The best way to spend the night looking at the stars is to go to a stargazing workshop or get a beach fire permit.

Whatever your interests are, Chincoteague has that small town charm with great beaches and seafood, which are definitely something worth checking out.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71077
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132634
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments