Activities for Kids

The Nearby Beach Town to Visit This Fall

Grab your outdoors-loving family and leave the monoliths of D.C. behind—trade them in for a bed-and-breakfast on Chincoteague Island.

By Ayren Jackson-Cannady September 25, 2014

About three and a half hours east of D.C., you’ll find the quaint town of Chincoteague, Virginia that’s a perfect getaway for a long weekend. The crisp fall air draws fewer crowds (and thankfully mosquitoes) but shops and wildlife on Assateague Island are still bustling. So grab your outdoors-loving family and leave the monoliths of D.C. behind—trade them in for a bed-and-breakfast on Chincoteague Island.

Come on ride the trolley, just ride it

Want to take a gander at all of sights Chincoteague has to offer? Then let someone else do the driving and hop on the Ride the Pony Express Trolley at any of the dozen or so stops. It only costs $0.25 a person, and you'll pass by all of the major sights, including downtown, views of the Lighthouse, the Pony Center and Museum of Chincoteague Island. If you're in town for the Oyster Festival (October 11th), the trolley will be free from 10 am to 4 pm! Tip: Make one of the island's delectable creameries—Island Creamery, Mister Whippy (Island Creamery's neighbor), or Muller's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor—one of your stops. Just because it's fall doesn't mean you can't have ice cream! See brochure for trolley stops, or look for the green and red signs

Ride the Pony Express Trolley
(757) 336-6529
Open: Fridays and Saturdays in September; Saturdays in October
Cost: $0.25 ages 5 and up
Online: chincoteague-va.gov

Have you ever visited Chincoteague? Tell us about your experience in the comments section below.

—Lisa Ng

Photos courtesy of Lisa Ng