Things to do with Kids on Virginia's Eastern Shore: Explore Chincoteague Island

Ready to experience one of Virginia's prettiest places? Check out Chincoteague Island on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Chincoteague Island is Virginia's only resort island, and it has unspoiled views of nature, gorgeous sunsets over the Chincoteague Bay, and, of course, the famous wild ponies.

Chincoteague Island is about 3 hours & 23 minutes from RVA, 2 hours from Virginia Beach, 1 hour & 20 minutes from Cape Charles, and 1 hour from Ocean City, Maryland.

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Never been to Chincoteague? Here's a little information about this area of Virginia!

Chincoteague Island has a relaxed, small town atmosphere. The quaint town occupies the entire island, and it stretches about 8 miles long and 2 miles wide. It's connected to Assateague, another barrier island, and it's home to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague National Seashore.

This is a nature lover's dream! There are miles of sand dunes, and no high rises. You'll find bald eagles, so many dolphins, and, of course, the famous wild ponies.

Peak season to visit is between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. It gets especially busy during Pony Penning, a yearly event that brings over 20,000 people to Chincoteague. The Pony Swim is the last Wednesday in July, and there are festivities that entire week. This year's event is the 100th annual Chincoteague Pony Swim, and it will be on July 30-31, 2025.

You may have also heard of this island from the book series and the movie Misty of Chincoteague.

Where To stay with Kids in Chincoteague, Virginia:

We've stayed on two different properties on our trips to Chincoteague Island, and both have their perks for families.

1.Refuge Inn: A family owned property, Refugee Inn offers standard and deluxe rooms with outdoor patios. They also provide guests with a daily continental breakfast of cereal, baked goods, yogurt, and it serves fresh AmaRin Coffee starting at 7am each day. Refugee Inn has a pool, fitness room and dry sauna. You'll find a stocked gift shift with ornaments, books, t-shirts, and toys for children.

I love the location of this inn - it's a short walk from the bridge that connects Chincoteague to Assateague with a bike lane. This makes biking around the island very easy! Next door is the The Bike Depot, which provides daily bike rentals. It even has ponies next to it, and you can purchase feed at The Bike Depot.

My children loved being able to see the ponies at our hotel every day!

*We stayed at the Refugee Inn during a Media Trip.

2.Key West Cottages: Located on Chincoteague Bay, the Key West Cottages are a nautical-inspired place for families to stay on the Eastern Shore. These pastel cottages have all the perks of a hotel with all the privacy of a vacation rental. The private retreats have one room or two room layouts. Each cottage has views of either the Chesapeake Bay, the pool or the private beach. With 38 cottages & all different layouts, you can find accommodations that work for your family.

The hotel is very family-friendly! We saw a lot of families with children of all ages. The pool is zero entry, going from 1 foot to 5 feet. There’s also a private beach. While there’s no water access, it has stunning view of the bay, yard games, chairs & grills.

*Check here for my review of Key West Cottages.

Things To Do with Kids in Chincoteague:

1.Daisey Island Cruises: Chincoteague Island offers one of the most magical experiences in Virginia — you get to see wild ponies!

We gone on two tours with Daisey's Island Cruises, and their scenic wildlife tours are one of our favorite! These tours go around Chincoteague & Assateague Islands. On these 2-2.5 hour excursions, you’ll cruise around the southern-most tip of Assateague Island, Tom’s Cove & Chincoteague Inlet - saltwater marsh is gorgeous. You may see bald eagles, shorebirds & dolphins, too. The highlight of this experience is seeing the wild Chincoteague ponies - we got to watch two herds from just a couple feet away!

You also learn about Chincoteague’s history, Saltwater Cowboys & The Pony Swim! The Pony Swim happens every July on the last Wednesday of the month (2024's events are July 21, 2024-July 24, 2024). During this event, the Saltwater Cowboys swim the ponies from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island across the channel. This year is the 98th year of Chincoteague’s annual Pony Swim!

*Check here for details on Wildlife Tours.

2. Visit Assateague Island Nation Seashore : The national seashore is about 5 minutes from Chincoteague - just over a short bridge. It costs $10 per vehicle for a day or you can get a week pass for $25.

A swimming beach: you’ll find swimming beaches with lifeguards, restrooms & a storm shelter. It also has a rinsing station for feet outside the Visitor Center.

The waves and current are similar to Virginia Beach, and maybe a little rougher. You will also find Surf Zone Conditional Flags: double red means the beach is closed, single red means strong currents, yellow flags mean moderate hazards, and purple flags mean marine life is present like stinging jellyfish and sea lice.

Heads up: the water is usually too cold to swim in between November and April. But it definitely depends on your preference and the current weather.

A NPS visitor center: The visitor center is next to the beach, but it has it's own parking lot. When you visit inside, you'll find some activities for children plus small aquariums with native wildlife. The park rangers will also host children's activities and story times. During our recent visit, the rangers led children in decorating their own pony craft and they taught them about the history of the Chincoteague ponies.

The Coast Guard Lighthouse: You can go inside the lighthouse on weekends between 9am-3pm from April to November. It has free admission. You can always hike the trail and walk around the lighthouse, too.

There's a parking lot almost when you enter the park for the lighthouse. You will see plenty of signs! The walk to the lighthouse is on gravel with a little bit of an incline, but it will take you less than 5 minutes to walk with kids.

Walking trails: Assateague National Seashore has paved and unpaved trails for hiking, and it has 37 miles of beaches to explore. Swan Cove Trail is 1/2 mile, and it's one of the more popular trails. The Lighthouse trail is 1/4 loop, and it's very easy with kids. The Black Duck Marsh Trail is 1 mile.

If you're hiking on the beach, be aware that it's harder than on hard surfaces. The sand is soft and uneven, and there aren't as many landmarks on the beach walks.

Heads up: You definitely need bug spray, sun gear and water!

3.Bike around the Island: The town is very bike and walker friendly with special paths for non-motorists around the town.

The Bike Depot offers bike and beach rentals. You can rent these items by the hour or by the day. Prices are between $5 and $32, and you can pick from items like a cruiser, kids cruiser, a child seat, kiddie kart, helmet and more. You can also rent boogie boards, chairs and umbrellas.

*Pro-Tip: If you are visiting for The Beach Walk, the easiest way to see it is riding a bike into the Assateague National Seashore. You can leave your hotel room around 5:45/6ish, and still find a spot on the beach without waiting in the car traffic. The ponies usually arrive to the beach around 7AM/7:15AM.

4. Go Fishing: Since Chincoteague is a barrier island, you can find great spots to fish all around! If you're staying at The Refugee Inn, one of the easiest spots to fish is on the bridge to Assateague. It's less than a 5 minute walk from the inn with kids.

5. Try Shark Fishing Experience: Captain Pete's offers 3 hour shark fishing excursion around Chincoteague and Assateague. This is a kid-friendly fishing trip, and your team is very hands on to help you fish. Your captain and first mate will help you with as much (or as little) as you need, from getting the lines ready to reeling in your fish. They also have a special fishing belt to help children reel in sharks.

Sharks native to the area include Sand Tiger, Dusky, Hammerhead, Bonnethead, Finetooth, Dogfish, Sandbar, Thresher, Blacktip and more. During our excursion, we caught an Atlantic Sharpnose Shark.

These excursions costs $325 for three people for three hours. Each extra person is $89.

Captain Pete's also offers 2 and 4 hour fishing trips and an Eastern Shore Adventure. This second experience includes crabbing, fishing, clamming and more.

Heads up: the boats do not have bathrooms, and they have very little shade. Wear your best sun gear and pack snacks/drinks. Since you're on the water for 2+ hours, I'd recommend this with children who are 4 years old and older. But you know your kiddo best!

Where To Eat with Kids in Chincoteague:

Most restaurants are only open during the summer months - Memorial Day through Labor Day. If you stay at Refugee Inn, you will get complimentary breakfast each morning. If you stay in Key West Cottages, your room has a small kitchenette.

1.Main Street Coffee House: This is an easy spot to grab hot or cold coffees, smoothies, and other light breakfast items. You can sit on the patio, under umbrellas or inside.

2. AmaRin: This coffee shop serves hot and cold coffee drinks, fruit tea and slush, milk tea and baked goods. While they have light pastries like muffins and croissants, you can also order breakfast sandwiches like a bacon, egg and cheese on a bagel.

3. Ropewalk Chincoteague: This waterfront restaurant has beautiful views of the Chincoteague Bay. You can sit inside or outside, and the kids meals are served on frisbees! This is such a fun place to eat with kids. The outdoor dining area has a sandy bottom, it has playground and outdoor games!

4. Famous Pizza and Sub Shop: This family-owned restaurant serves up Greek fare, wraps, subs, seafood and pizza. Famous Pizza and Sub Shop also has a kids menu with grilled cheese, chicken tenders, pizza and spaghetti. We've ordered this pizza for delivery on both trips, and we love it!

5. McDonald's: I know this is a chain, but this McDonald's is right next to the ponies and Refugee Inn. You can pick up your meal, and then visit with them outside. My kids LOVED doing this. Grab your feed from The Bike Depot!

Where to get treats in Chincoteageue:

1.Island Creamery: Open since 1975, this treat shop makes frozen desserts right in its shop on Chincoteague Island daily. You can get single scoops, sundaes, root beer floats and homemade waffle cones! They also serve cappuccinos, lattes and other espresso beverages. Island Creamery has inside and outside seating, but expect a crowd! This is on e of the most popular spots in town.

2. Mister Whippy: Open since 1991, Mister Whippy serves up donuts, bagels, shakes, and soft serve. They offer dine in with seating inside or on the covered patio. You can also drive through the drive thru. Make sure to bring cash - they don't accept card!

The Annual Pony Penning Week: Pony Penning Week is the biggest week in Chincoteague, and it draws nearly 20,000 people to the island the last week of July.

There are two herds - the Virginia herd and the Maryland herds. The Virginia herd is owned and managed by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. This herd has about 150 adult wild ponies, and bout 60 to 70 foals that are born in each spring. The Sunday before the last Wednesday in July, the Saltwater Cowboys round up the Northern Herd and Southern Herd. This starts around 6AM, and you can watch this experience via boat. Then, on Monday around 7AM, the Saltwater Cowboys lead the Northern Herd down the beach to the pen at Assateague National Seashore - this is called The Beach Walk.

If you'd like to watch the beach walk, you need to leave your hotel by 4:30AM to get in line outside the National Seashore, and you need to be on the beach by 530/6AM to get a spot. The easiest way to get into the seashore is bike, and you will bypass the car line outside the park. If you are riding your bike, you could leave your hotel around 5:30AM.

During annual Pony Swim the Saltwater Cowboys swim the ponies from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island across the channel. This year is the 99th year of Chincoteague's annual Pony Swim! 

(photo description: Daisey Island wildlife cruise, the boats at the marina, and The Refugee Inn)

Ready to visit another area of Virginia's Eastern Shore? Check out my guide on Virginia's Beach Beach for Kids: Cape Charles.

Looking for more family-friendly vacation destinations around Virginia? Check out my guide on The Best Virginia Getaways for Families.

For more things to do with kids in Virginia and North Carolina, follow our family on @thewestendmom on Instagram!