Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia, United States

5Catocop 5:00 PM Sep 3, 2022

Hiking, biking, birding, beach!
This wildlife refuge is located on the southern portion of Assateague Island. You can get in for free with a National Park Pass. We visited both visitor's centers and walked the three mile loop around Snow Goose Pond. Come early on weekends, as traffic builds on the entrance road from Chincoteague Island because there's a hugely popular beach. We weren't there during a good time for viewing birds, but we did see egrets, pelicans, herons, cormorants, ducks, and of course gulls. Lots of bicycle trails.

4Edward M 5:00 PM Sep 13, 2020

Tips on a Unique Seashore Place
Tips: Best to combine with Assoteague, which is much larger. Take SERIOUSLY the signs about bugs. In a short walk to the lighthouse and the crabbing bridge, got multiple, bloody mosquito bites. Re dining, Maddox St. has many places, but the bistros such as the Rope Walk on the town's waterfront seemed classier and better, if pricier. There are also open-air bars near the waterfront bridge into town. The well-run Island Creamery is a very popular place for ice cream desserts. The BYOC Build Your Own Cookie (with ice cream) up Maddox toward the beach looked awesome for sugar overload. The ocean beach is very nice, but don't neglect the bay side; quiet, especially nice for families. The pricier lodgings are on the bay along South Main, the middling stuff along Maddox. A drive around the island, via Chicken City St. and back via South Main St., is short and interesting.