There are several great parks on Chincoteague - Memorial Park has a wonderful playground for youngsters along with picnic tables and a short trail along the Assateague Channel; Reed Park is downtown, where the old drawbridge used to be, and has covered picnic tables, the LOVE chairs, and wonderful views of Marsh Island, the causeway and new bridge, and a lot of docks; the Leonard Park, almost opposite the High School on north Main Street is great for picnicking and watching sunsets.
* Next to Reed Park is the Chincoteague Public Library, with Tales for Tots as a weekly draw.
* Shopping is spread out all over the island - the Historic Downtown area, where the Library and Reed Park are located, is a great way to get a feeling of Chincoteague. The other main shopping area is along Maddox Boulevard, which is now usually called "Beach Road."
* Visit the Chincoteague Pony Center, home of some Misty family ponies; have a pony ride; take a riding lesson. See their website at http://www.chincoteague.com/ponycentre/
* If you're really interested in ponies, and want some great island facts thrown in, take one of the boat tours with Captain Dan's Around the Island Tours (piloted by Captain Dan or his Dad, Captain Ray. They specialize in getting you up close to the ponies grazing freely on Assateague Island in the CNWR. I've taken and hugely enjoyed tours with both of the Cap'ns. see their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Captain-Dans-Around-the-Island-Tours-189293917790114/
* There are multiple other water tours and/or you can charter a boat for fishing - see the websites
http://www.chincoteague.com/scenic-cruises.html
http://www.chincoteague.com/charterboats/
http://www.chincoteague.com/boat-rentals.html
* Take a Teaguer's Tump Tour - owner/operator Denise Bowden is a native Chincoteaguer, is a working member of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, has worked with the Pony Penning committee and with the ponies themselves for years, and is the current Vice-Mayor of the island. See her website at http://www.chincoteague.com/teaguers-tump-tours.html
* Go kayaking, paddle-boarding or canoeing.
* Go see the Leonard family ponies in their pasture on Maddox Blvd, between the McDonald's and the Refuge Inn. Be very careful, even though these ponies are tame, they can bite and kick without warning.
* Visit Funland on Maddox Blvd - mini-golf, an arcade, go-karts, and tons of other fun things - http://gotofunland.com/
Off the islands and on the mainland, within a 30 minute drive are:
* Queen Hive Farm - take a trail ride, or have a riding lesson in Assawoman, Virginia. See their website at http://www.chincoteague.com/QueenHive/
* Visit the NASA Wallops Visitor Center on 175 - https://www.nasa.gov/content/wallops-visitor-center/about-us
* Visit the Chincoteague Bay Field Station at Wallops Island - http://www.cbfieldstation.org/
* Visit the Delmarva Discovery Center in Pocomoke City, Maryland - http://www.delmarvadiscoverycenter.org/
For much more information visit the Chincoteague website at: http://www.chincoteague.com/activities.html
I really miss my old home....... Chincoteague sand doesn't just get into your shoes, it forms sandbars in your soul.
Showing posts with label activities on Chincoteague. Show all posts
Showing posts with label activities on Chincoteague. Show all posts
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Friday, June 30, 2017
Things To Do On Chincoteague With Children - Part 1
When I write about things to do on Chincoteague Island in Virginia, I must make it clear that these items include things to do on and in the waters surrounding both Chincoteague and Assateague Islands in Virginia, as well as some wonderful places to visit on the nearby mainland of Virginia. The island of Chincoteague is, due to it's very nature, tied to the water and marine life. The portion of Assateague Island located in Virginia is both a seashore and a wildlife refuge - Assateague National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (which, confusingly, is located on Assategue, not Chincoteague). People live on Chincoteague Island; people visit Assateague Island.
As a former teacher of kindergarten and third grade, as well as being an assistant in high school classes, and being a step-mother and grandmother, I know very well that each child is unique, each has his/her own interests, and that attention spans can vary wildly - pretty much the same as adults. As a parent, you know your child's likes and dislikes and attention span. I am providing a list of multiple items that you can do with your child while on the islands of Chincoteague and Assateague.
* If you have never visited the island before, the first thing that I recommend that you do is - open all of your vehicle's windows (weather permitting) as you go around Pump House Turn on 175, having passed the NASA Visitor's Center, and once you see the causeway and bridges that will lead you to Chincoteague. If it's high tide, you can smell the salt air and listen to the calls of the gulls and other waterfowl. If it's low tide, you'll be hit with the very distinctive smell of Chincoteague marsh mud, along with the smells of salt water, salt air and the sounds of local wildlife. Also, be aware of turtles on the causeway and try to avoid them - they are precious usually only one son or daughter will survive to reproduce.
* Depending upon where you are staying, your choices immediately multiply upon arrival. People visit for a great many reasons, and it depends upon your interests as a group, as to what you do. If you're staying at a hotel/motel or residence with a pool, and either are afraid of the ocean, or don't like to be sandy, then the pool is the best place to swim, period.
* Once you have checked into your residence for the visit, I suggest that you visit the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce, where friendly island natives will answer your questions, and can provide brochures and information on just about everything on the island. You can also visit their website - http://www.chincoteaguechamber.com/ and get up-to-date information.
* Chincoteague has been the home of people who make their living on the water since the late 1600s (when my family arrived there) - the people are called watermen, and they fish, shrimp, crab, clam, oyster, and now aqua-farm for their livelihoods. Up until 1920, people lived on Assateague, and horses, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs had free range there. We also hunted ducks and geese and deer there. In 1921 most of the village of Assateague was moved by raft and barge to Piney Island and the East Side of Chincoteague.
If you are interested in learning about sea life and the ecology of the waters surrounding Chincoteague and Assategue Islands, the best thing you can do is take an eco-tour with Barry Frishman. Captain Barry's Back Bay Cruises is a hands-on experience for young and old (or if you prefer to sit back and just watch, that's OK, too), and each time you go out with him you have a different experience. Since the waters, shoals, sandbars and tumps are always in flux, you never know exactly what you'll see and/or do. Barry is an experienced waterman, a previous tug boat captain, has been a Red Cross volunteer around the world, has a huge crew of grandchildren, and is a well-known artist, as well. He is an extraordinary man, and his excursions never fail to delight - many people return for his cruises each summer. His website may be found at: https://captainbarry.net/ and he is also on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Captain-Barrys-Back-Bay-Cruises-155032211287774/
Captain Barry is a must do each and every time I revisit my old home.
* Bike all over the islands - bring your own or rent one by the hour, day, or week.
* Hike the trails on Chincoteague and on Assateague.
* Go to the beach - swim, sunbathe, collect shells, fly a kite, picnic.......
* Visit the Museum of Chincoteague ( http://chincoteaguemuseum.com/ )
* Birding - the CNWR is on the Atlantic Flyway, and over 300 species of birds may be seen over the course of the year. Last year, the Fall Flight Index estimated that over 90 million ducks passed through the area...
Much, much more tomorrow.
As a former teacher of kindergarten and third grade, as well as being an assistant in high school classes, and being a step-mother and grandmother, I know very well that each child is unique, each has his/her own interests, and that attention spans can vary wildly - pretty much the same as adults. As a parent, you know your child's likes and dislikes and attention span. I am providing a list of multiple items that you can do with your child while on the islands of Chincoteague and Assateague.
* If you have never visited the island before, the first thing that I recommend that you do is - open all of your vehicle's windows (weather permitting) as you go around Pump House Turn on 175, having passed the NASA Visitor's Center, and once you see the causeway and bridges that will lead you to Chincoteague. If it's high tide, you can smell the salt air and listen to the calls of the gulls and other waterfowl. If it's low tide, you'll be hit with the very distinctive smell of Chincoteague marsh mud, along with the smells of salt water, salt air and the sounds of local wildlife. Also, be aware of turtles on the causeway and try to avoid them - they are precious usually only one son or daughter will survive to reproduce.
* Depending upon where you are staying, your choices immediately multiply upon arrival. People visit for a great many reasons, and it depends upon your interests as a group, as to what you do. If you're staying at a hotel/motel or residence with a pool, and either are afraid of the ocean, or don't like to be sandy, then the pool is the best place to swim, period.
* Once you have checked into your residence for the visit, I suggest that you visit the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce, where friendly island natives will answer your questions, and can provide brochures and information on just about everything on the island. You can also visit their website - http://www.chincoteaguechamber.com/ and get up-to-date information.
* Chincoteague has been the home of people who make their living on the water since the late 1600s (when my family arrived there) - the people are called watermen, and they fish, shrimp, crab, clam, oyster, and now aqua-farm for their livelihoods. Up until 1920, people lived on Assateague, and horses, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs had free range there. We also hunted ducks and geese and deer there. In 1921 most of the village of Assateague was moved by raft and barge to Piney Island and the East Side of Chincoteague.
If you are interested in learning about sea life and the ecology of the waters surrounding Chincoteague and Assategue Islands, the best thing you can do is take an eco-tour with Barry Frishman. Captain Barry's Back Bay Cruises is a hands-on experience for young and old (or if you prefer to sit back and just watch, that's OK, too), and each time you go out with him you have a different experience. Since the waters, shoals, sandbars and tumps are always in flux, you never know exactly what you'll see and/or do. Barry is an experienced waterman, a previous tug boat captain, has been a Red Cross volunteer around the world, has a huge crew of grandchildren, and is a well-known artist, as well. He is an extraordinary man, and his excursions never fail to delight - many people return for his cruises each summer. His website may be found at: https://captainbarry.net/ and he is also on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Captain-Barrys-Back-Bay-Cruises-155032211287774/
Captain Barry is a must do each and every time I revisit my old home.
* Bike all over the islands - bring your own or rent one by the hour, day, or week.
* Hike the trails on Chincoteague and on Assateague.
* Go to the beach - swim, sunbathe, collect shells, fly a kite, picnic.......
* Visit the Museum of Chincoteague ( http://chincoteaguemuseum.com/ )
* Birding - the CNWR is on the Atlantic Flyway, and over 300 species of birds may be seen over the course of the year. Last year, the Fall Flight Index estimated that over 90 million ducks passed through the area...
Much, much more tomorrow.
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