I loved visiting Chincoteague, VA as a child—the land of wild ponies running free. None of my children share my love of horses, but I still felt amiss that we hadn’t taken a trip to Chincoteague as a family. So we finally headed down for a long weekend, and despite the miserable weather, we had a great time!
If your family loves nature, birds, ponies, rocket ships (you read that right), and/or beaches, it’s time to start planning a Chincoteague family vacation. Read on for tips on visiting Chincoteague, VA with kids, from fun Chincoteague activities to Chincoteague kid-friendly restaurants. And since it likes about three hours south of DC, we also share some great Chincoteague hotels for families.
Our Guide to Family Day Trips and Weekend Getaways for DC Kids has even more fun travel ideas, including our list of the best family road trips from DC.
At Assateague Island National Seashore, you can literally wander around with the ponies, while at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, the horses are kept separate from visitors. Both Chincoteague and Assateague have a similar landscape, visitor centers, hiking trails, and lots of birds and ponies to see.
Fees
As of press time, Assateague Island National Seashore cost $25 per private vehicle and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge cost $10 per private vehicle to enter. However, both are free if you walk or bike in.
Restrooms
Restrooms are located at the visitor centers.
What to Wear and Bring
In the summer the area is hot and extremely buggy—I mean tons and tons of mosquitoes! So, be sure to pack plenty of bug spray and sunscreen. It’s best to wear hats and lighter long sleeves when possible. Wear sturdy, comfortable shoes on the trails.
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Have fun on the beach decorating driftwood trees with seashells.
Things To Do at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge with Kids
The Beach
The Wildlife Loop is a paved loop you can drive around, and we stopped to take a short hike to the beach from it. Our kids enjoyed finding shells and horseshoe crabs and decorating the driftwood “trees” we came across on the beach, which were already adorned with shells. Note: Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge allows each person to take up to one gallon of seashells each day.
Hiking
While you can explore Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge by boat, car, or bike, we mostly hiked. The hikes are well-marked, flat, and fairly easy. While most are not paved, the Woodland Trail is a paved, stroller-friendly loop. In order to see the ponies, we had to go on smaller trails that branched off from the main trail. The wild ponies are a spectacular sight, even from a distance.
Bird Watching and Wildlife Spotting
The Marsh Trail was excellent for bird watching. We saw herons, geese, and two bald eagles! Bird lovers should also drive slowly along Beach Road between the two visitor centers and look for herons, egrets, and a variety of ducks. And while walking around, keep an eye out for silver-gray Delmarva Fox squirrels, which are unique to the area and noticeably larger than gray squirrels.
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During the high season you can go up the Assateague Lighthouse.
Assateague Lighthouse
While the US Coast guard still maintains the light as an active navigational aid, the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is responsible for preserving this iconic lighthouse. From April through November, visitors can climb to the top of the lighthouse and enjoy scenic views. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
Visitor Centers
Both visitor centers are worth checking out. The one closest to the beach, Toms Cove Visitor Center, is smaller, but in the high season it has a touch tank and a scavenger hunt for kids to enjoy. The larger visitor center, Herbert H. Bateman Educational Center, has many hands-on activities and informative displays as well as bathrooms. Both visitor centers offer junior ranger booklets that kids can complete for a badge or sticker.
Boating
Boat trip run spring through fall, and a lot of the companies get great reviews. From the boat you should be able to see birds, wild horses, and marine mammals, although seeing wildlife is, of course, never a sure thing.
Biking
Bike Depot looks to be the closest place to rent bikes and gets great reviews. Children’s bikes and bike trailers are available, as are beach chairs, coolers, and binoculars.
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Downtown Chincoteague is small but adorable.
More Activities for Families in and Near Chincoteague
Downtown Chincoteague
Chincoteague’s downtown area is tiny and adorable. You can walk along the water and see the bed and breakfast where Marguerite Henry supposedly wrote her famous novel, Misty of Chincoteague, as well as a sculpture of Misty the pony. You can also check out some quaint shops.
Chincoteague Pony Swim
Made famous by Misty of Chincoteague, the Pony Swim Is an annual event during which wild ponies are rounded up by “Saltwater Cowboys” and swim from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island. You can join tens of thousands of other visitors to watch the swim, enjoy a carnival, watch Misty of Chincoteague in the Island Theatre, and participate in other celebratory activities.
Assateague Ponies
We visited Assateague Island National Seashore on our way back home. On Assateague, you can potentially see the horses EVERYWHERE—on the beach, on the roads, on your hikes, etc. Just remember—the Assateague ponies are wild animals, so do not feed them and do not go within 10 feet of them.
At Assateague Island National Seashore, you can walk to the beach from the parking lots. There are many hikes, including short boardwalk trails, that go out over the water and are especially nice at sunset. Be sure to check out the non-native Sika deer roaming around the area. The visitor center has bathrooms, informative placards, fish tanks, a theater playing an educational film, and a small store.
RELATED: Best Museums for Kids in the DC Area
Wallops Island Space Center has plenty of hands-on activities for kids to enjoy.
Wallops Flight Facility
About five miles west of Chincoteague, Wallops Flight Facility is a great stop if your kids are interested in space. We were easily able to spend 1.5 hours here. Best of all, it’s FREE! The highlights were the globe theater, which projected movies about the environment and space exploration onto a giant globe, and the hands-on activities such as flight testing and stepping in an astronaut’s footprints. We also enjoyed going on the roof and having a view of the “rocket garden” and the actual place the rockets launch from.
There is a self-guided tour of the decommissioned rockets in the rocket garden, and bleachers to sit in if you come for a launch. Wallops mostly launches sounding rockets, or rockets that collect data. There are several other spots from Maryland and Virginia to see the launches from, so check the website and the schedule of launches. Be aware that launches can be scrapped suddenly.
Note: Wallops is only open Thursday through Saturday from 10am-3pm.
Kid-Friendly Restaurants Locals Love in Chincoteague
Mr. Baldy’s Family Restaurant
This family-owned spot is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in spring and summer, but closes at 2pm in fall and winter. It’s perhaps best known for its all-day breakfast offerings, from mouth-watering pancakes to delicious omelets. There’s also a kids menu with lunch and dinner favorites.
Ropewalk Restaurant
This beach-side spot has an awesome outdoor area with a playground. The menu features seafood, meats, and more, and there’s a kids menu of entrees served on a souvenir frisbee.
Cosa Pizza
This food truck serves up Chincoteague’s first and only wood-fired, brick-oven pizza. We got some, and it was delicious! There is an outdoor eating area if you don’t want to take your pizza to go.
Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Chincoteague
Hampton Inn and Suites Chincoteague-Waterfront
This is where we stayed, and it was economical, in a great location, and ideal for kids. There is an indoor pool, breakfast is included, and it is located right on the water, which was perfect for my bird-watching son.
Key West Cottages
These adorable cottages are also located right on the water, but are a bit pricier. They each have one or two bedrooms and sleep up to five. Enjoy an outdoor pool, fire pits, complimentary bikes, and a private beach.
Jellystone Park Chincoteague Island
If your family is into camping or glamping, Jellystone would be a big hit. You can stay at an RV site or camp site, or in a safari tent or cabin. Jellystone has an awesome water park, a pool, a jumping pillow, and plenty of kid-friendly activities. See our review of Jellystone Park at the Delaware beaches to get an idea of what a stay at Jellystone is like.
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All photos by author Lisa Warden
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