Travel to Chincoteague
on something like a pilgrimage. A celebration of the freedom and companionship contained in the paradoxical notion of having your own wild pony. It always struck me as magical that they were actually going to Chincoteague--as if they were going to Narnia.
Chincoteague, Virginia always felt mythical to me. I read Misty of Chincoteague when I was a little girl living in Central Florida, and I can't remember much about the plot, but the setting stayed with me. Over the years, few of my friends have taken their daughters to Chincoteague on something like a pilgrimage. A celebration of the freedom and companionship contained in the paradoxical notion of having your own wild pony. It always struck me as magical that they were actually going to Chincoteague--as if they were going to Narnia.
My daughter lives in Virginia now, and when she and I were looking for places to spend a couple of free days, I discovered that Chincoteague was only 4 hours from her home in Stafford. Not only that, but there is a great place to stop about half-way--The Inn at Chesapeake Bay Beach Club in Stevensville, Maryland--which meant we could leave after work and make the most of her two-day break.
I was prepared to be disappointed, but Chincoteague lived up to my nostalgia-fueled hopes (even though we didn't manage to see any of the famous wild horses). The town feels simple and timeless. Even the small billboards that line the bridge over to the island seem like they are from the 1960's.
Chincoteague Island is shielded from the Atlantic by the barrier island of Assateague. Because all of Virginia's barrier islands are protected from development, Chincoteague is the only developed island on the coast of Virginia. Even if you haven't read Misty, there are several reasons that Chincoteague is worth the drive to get there. (And the drive itself is quite lovely and relaxing through the farmlands of the Delmarva peninsula.)
We were there on a Tuesday night in early April so many of the beachy places were closed. We stopped in at a local shop--Wine, Coffee and Gourmet--for some coffee and to buy some local beer as a souvenir. When I asked how crazy it got there during the summer, the woman behind the counter said it really only got crowded during pony-penning. That's the week-long event when the Volunteer Fire Department rounds up the wild horses on the Virginia portion of Assateague and swims them over to Chincoteague. Some of the new foals are sold, and all of the horses given veterinary care. She also thought everyone should see Chincoteague in the off-season at least once.
Our visit would have been better if we had been there over a weekend when a few more restaurants and shops are open, but we found a nice dinner at AJ's on the Creek. My local clams were a little gritty, but the sauce was delicate and let the flavor of the remarkably fresh clams show through. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed her harvest salad. The ice cream at the Island Creamery was fantastic.
We stayed at the Island Resort. Our room was immaculately clean and had a retro feel that went well with the whole experience of being on Chincoteague. I couldn't get over the view of Chincoteague Bay.
Chincoteague makes a great base for exploring the Wildlife Refuge on Assateague. We had scheduled a boat tour of Assateague but it was cancelled because of high winds. We still explored on foot. We didn't see any wild horses, but we did see a lot of birds. I'd love to go back with my kayak and bike to explore even more of the Refuge.
One thing I didn't expect at all about Chincoteague is the nearby Spaceport on Wallops Island. Seeing a rocket launch would also be nostalgic to me since I grew up in the 1970's and 80's in Florida when launches from the Kennedy Space Center were special moments. Maybe I'll get back someday to see a rocket launch and actually see the wild horses.
