tell me about anything non-mosquito-related about ssateague/chinocoteague

[Anonymous]

I am still trying to figure out whether you have a choice of going to the MD and VA side or whether you must enter from one point to see the ponies; also is it do-able as a day trip? And when do the mosquitos start and stop being an issues? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

you will see more ponies on md assateague vs chinocoteague. i think the beach is better on assateague but the horses can be an annoyance and they bring big flies (but fascinating).

not a good day trip. you can camp there. also chinocoteague and assasateague are far apart. like 1 hr or more.

mosquitos come and go with the wind.

[Anonymous]

There are also biting flies!

[Anonymous]

I got a tick there

[Anonymous]

lol

[Anonymous]

We camped at Assateague. There was quite a breezy wind there which kept bugs away but was a bit of an annoyance as it never let up.

Horses were a novelty at first but also were annoying.

Still a very nice place for a visit.

[Anonymous]

I prefer Chincoteague, get a hotel and stay for the weekend. You can see ponies on the preserve, plus there is a horse center and more ponies next to the mcdonalds. There is also the Wallops Space Center, and maybe something will launch when you go, but if not, it is still fun to visit too. The only downside is that it is about 1 hour drive to the nearest hospital, so that makes me nervous since my daughter is allergic to peanuts. We played it very safe, and she basically ate cheese pizza or mcdonalds almost the whole weekend. Not ideal, but no reactions, so we were happy.

Camping in the sand at Assateague is no fun. If you do Assateague, stay in Ocean City and go over there for the day.

[Anonymous]

Assateague is a 24 mile long barrier island. There are two entry points - one on the north side in MD, another on the south side in VA, through Chincoteague. You cannot drive the island, so to go from one side to another you have to leave the island and drive along the Eastern Shore. A PP is right - it's roughly an hour, on mostly a country road.

The northern side might be doable as a day trip - a little over 3 hours from DC. VA side is probably 30-40 minutes longer to get to. The MD side is very close to the access points for ocean City Maryland, so you can combine that trip or spend time easily in OC, with the boardwalk, amenities, and all OC has. There is also camping on the north side (but not on island camping on the south side).

The VA side is through the small town of Chincoteague, which is a nice small town, but definitely small. Quaint - some restaurants, some ice cream, but a small town pace of life.

There is a fence than runs across the middle of the island, at the MD/VA border. The northern poise are owned and managed by the national Park Service. The VA ponies are owned and managed by the volunteer fire company of Chincoteague. It's the VA ponies that are rounded up and the foals auctioned in Chincoteague every summer (Pony penning, the last Wednesday and Thursday that both fall in July, so the 30 and 31 of July this year).

I'm more familiar with the south side - you almost always see ponies, but often from a distance as they graze in the marsh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Assateague is a 24 mile long barrier island. There are two entry points - one on the north side in MD, another on the south side in VA, through Chincoteague. You cannot drive the island, so to go from one side to another you have to leave the island and drive along the Eastern Shore. A PP is right - it's roughly an hour, on mostly a country road.

The northern side might be doable as a day trip - a little over 3 hours from DC. VA side is probably 30-40 minutes longer to get to. The MD side is very close to the access points for ocean City Maryland, so you can combine that trip or spend time easily in OC, with the boardwalk, amenities, and all OC has. There is also camping on the north side (but not on island camping on the south side).

The VA side is through the small town of Chincoteague, which is a nice small town, but definitely small. Quaint - some restaurants, some ice cream, but a small town pace of life.

There is a fence than runs across the middle of the island, at the MD/VA border. The northern poise are owned and managed by the national Park Service. The VA ponies are owned and managed by the volunteer fire company of Chincoteague. It's the VA ponies that are rounded up and the foals auctioned in Chincoteague every summer (Pony penning, the last Wednesday and Thursday that both fall in July, so the 30 and 31 of July this year).

I'm more familiar with the south side - you almost always see ponies, but often from a distance as they graze in the marsh.

Nailed it. We have rented houses in Chincoteague, we enjoy the quiet, small town ambiance and naturey feeling at the beach there, but my husband's complaint is that the beach closes at night and you have to drive to the park lot so no late night solitary walks to look at the moon etc. We hiked in 6 miles from the north side access once to camp at the primitive sites and it was awesome, nobody there - but we went in March before the skeeters. We've also camped at the state and national parks. There is not much of a town on the north end, but you can rent a house in OC, Ocean Pines, a bayside community or Berlin, Md. (where Runaway Bride was filmed) and hit both OC or Assateague easily.

[Anonymous]

Check the other threads for advice on the areas, you'll find lots of specific recs for places to eat, things to do with the kids etc.

[Anonymous]

Assateague is completely uninhibited . It has a national and state park. It's not for sissies , pure beach has a four wheel area and two small areas with snack bar and bathrooms. It's very good for surfing as it has natural sand bars and not the rediculous beach replenishment of OC, Delaware and Va beach. Assateague has ponies and flies it's 25 plus miles long. Chincoteague is a small island town not on the beach, you cross over a bridge to go to the beach which is a park.

[Anonymous]

If you stay in Assateague, check on the alcohol policy. One of the parks allows alcohol, and the other one does not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Assateague is completely uninhibited . It has a national and state park. It's not for sissies , pure beach has a four wheel area and two small areas with snack bar and bathrooms. It's very good for surfing as it has natural sand bars and not the rediculous beach replenishment of OC, Delaware and Va beach. Assateague has ponies and flies it's 25 plus miles long. Chincoteague is a small island town not on the beach, you cross over a bridge to go to the beach which is a park.

Do you mean inhabited?

[Anonymous]

On thanksgiving day you can drive into the normally closed area and see the ponies. That's all remember. And DH came down with flu when we were there.

[Anonymous]

The north end of the beach at Assateague State Park in uninhibited, if by that you mean there are pervs who lurk in the dunes up near the bird nesting restricted zone. You have to walk pretty far north to get there though.