Fun fact: Accomack is from the native word Accawmack, meaning “on the other side.”

We took our inaugural trip to Accomack County in the month of July. We spent a blissful 2-day weekend at fun and quirky Chincoteague Island.

Scooby Van at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park, 6742 Maddox Blvd, Chincoteague, VA 23336

We learned that with its beaches, wild ponies, and Virginia’s only launch site, Chincoteague Island is a hard act to follow. However, we really needed a 4-day weekend to properly see all the sights.

We rated our impressions below. Ratings are based on diversity and quality of each category. We rated most categories as 5 of 5 stars.

We didn’t award 5 stars to the Dog Friendly category because only service dogs are allowed in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. (No hiking with Fido.)

• Recreation ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
• History ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Sightseeing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Restaurants ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Accommodations ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Dog Friendly ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Day 1: Biking & Hiking

I brought my bike which turned out to be a good decision because Chincoteague Island is covered in paved bike paths. On the first morning, I hopped on my bike and rode to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the bike path goes directly into the Refuge and also bypasses all of the cars lined up to pay. I pedaled right in, saving both time and money.

Once inside the park I followed the Wildlife Loop (about 3 miles) but took a brief detour onto Swan Cove Trail. This also turned out to be a good decision, as this trail deposited me onto a deserted beach.

Seeing this empty beach during the height of tourist season rates as a highlight of the trip.

After finally pulling myself away from paradise, I completed the loop and biked the short way into town along Main Street. Here, I stopped to snap a photo of the Chincoteague Island LOVE work.

I returned to the Refuge, this time with Mack, to hike the trails with the goal of spotting wild ponies. Instead, we saw mosquitoes.

I believe mosquitoes are attracted to dark colored clothes because I wore black and I was covered with mosquitoes despite applying loads of repellent. Meanwhile, Mack wore light colored clothing and the mosquitoes barely bothered him.

That night, I stopped counting at 50 mosquito bites.

The specks way off in the distance are ponies, so we technically did see some ponies.

I managed to see the Assateague Lighthouse before I ran back to the truck to escape from the mosquitoes.

Day 2: Kayaking & Fishing

We brought our kayaks on this trip, which turned out to be a wise decision. After a lazy morning, we drove to the boat launch at Donald J. Leonard Park across from the Chincoteague Combined School on North Main Street.

We spent a few heavenly hours paddling around, with Mack catching flounder and whatever else would bite.

Dining

There are many dining options on Chincoteague Island and if you like seafood, you’re in luck. We ate a fabulous lunch at the Ropewalk Restaurant, went to Capt. Zack’s Seafood for a superb meal, and on our last night, we treated ourselves to an incredible dinner at A.J.’s on the Creek.

I Messed up…

We missed seeing a few things.

If I had a do-over, I would have planned a 4-day trip to allow time to tour the Wallops Visitor Center and to take the ferry to Tangier Island. Thanks to the Center for New American Media for their video about one of the unique aspects of Tangier Island.

Also with better planning we could have toured the Museum of Chincoteague Island to learn about the island’s history and culture.

We could have seen a space launch if we were outside at the right time. However, I was inside taking a shower during blast off.

Not researching Wallops launch schedule before our trip is my other main regret. Fortunately, the PenguinSix YouTube channel posted a video of the launch I showered through.

Know before You Go

As we learned, there is no guarantee that you will see wild ponies and if you visit Accomack County in the summer, beware of mosquitoes. I have never seen so many mosquitoes.

Maybe this would have helped. (Available at bugbaffler.com)

If you don’t see wild ponies in the Refuge, other options are:

• Charter a tour boat.
• Visit Chincoteague Island during its annual pony swim event.
• Drive to Assateague in Maryland to view the ponies along Bayberry Drive from your car.
• Launch your kayak from Veterans Memorial Park. This episode of the Virginia Outdoor Adventures podcast about Virginia Water Trails gives all the details beginning at 44:27.

Road Trip Reads

These books, all available at Audible, for easy road trip listening, provide different insights into the history and culture of Accomack County.

Eastern Shore SPCA

When you visit Accomack County, be sure to show your LOVE at the local animal shelter. Say Hi to the dogs in the kennels. Get ignored by the cats. You might even find your soul mate. Just be sure not to wear flip flops or high heels during your visit. These are not allowed due to safety reasons.

Cold Case Corner

Please review and share the details of one of Accomack’s unsolved homicide cases. Somebody knows something.

Photo Source: findagrave.com

Source: https://coldcase.vsp.virginia.gov/virginia-state-police/case/virginia-state-police-case-13-18249/

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