Destination: the Islands of Chincoteague and Assateague, VA

William's birthday was May 20 and I decided to take him to one of my favorite places in VA:  Chincoteague and Assateague Island, VA.

Chincoteague Island is located on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.  I first discovered this place when my best friend Adam moved there with his family.  I had no idea there were islands off the state of Virginia!  Chincoteague is the perfect quiet getaway destination because there are no high rises, no Jersey Shore kids, no board walks, or traffic jams.  Instead you will find cozy B&Bs, small hotel chains with a spectacular view, wonderful customer service and even larger hotel chains (i.e. Comfort Suites and Hampton Inn) which offer a breath taking view of the Chincoteague Bay allowing you to wake up to witness a magnificent sunrise or cuddle on the balcony to fall in love all over again while watching a beautiful sunset. Chincoteague is quite busy during the summer months and especially during the last week of July.  Even with the crowd, the local business owners are still hospitable, the beach is still clean and instead of cars blasting music on the "strip" you will find families following each other on bicycles, scooters or three wheelers. Chincoteague is the gateway to the Virginia portion of Assateague Island, home of the famous Chincoteague Wild Ponies. 

Breakfast in bed

Learning how to play putt putt

Homemade waffle bowls for the homemade ice cream at Island Creamery

The Legend of the Wild Ponies of Chincoteague:  According to the legend, the first ponies arrived on the island when a Spanish galleon sank off the coast of Assateague. The ship was believed to have been carrying a live cargo of Spanish Moor ponies. The ponies that survived the shipwreck swam ashore onto Assateague beach and lived wild and free for many years.

The Annual Pony Swim:  Once a year the island of Chincoteague holds the annual Volunteer Fire Department's Carnival and Pony Swim. The tradition started as early as the 1830's, but was made an official event in 1925 after the town of Chincoteague was nearly destroyed by fire. Realizing the fire fighting equipment was out-dated, the town appointed the Volunteer Fire Department to organize a carnival and pony swim to raise money for new equipment. On the last Wednesday in July of each year, the volunteer firemen, nick-named 'Saltwater Cowboys', round up the ponies on nearby Assateague and swim them across the channel, at low tide, to Chincoteague. Once on land, they parade the ponies down Main Street to the carnival grounds where the younger foals are auctioned off to the the highest bidder. The traditional event has continued to sustain the fire department of Chincoteague, as well as the local economy. 

Assateague Island protects Chincoteague Island from the Atlantic Ocean and the entire Island is a wildlife sanctuary, protected from development. The northern portion of Assateague Island is in Maryland; the southern portion is in Virginia and is accessible via bridge from Chincoteague.  The island includes more than 14,000 acres of beach, maritime forest, saltmarsh, and freshwater marsh.  Caucasians love to venture here to camp on the beach / sand dunes.  They keep inviting me to do this each year and each year I tell them they can find me at a hotel on Chincoteague haha  

Birthday boy

Beach on Assateague

Beach on Assateague

Anyha, it is here I decided to take William for his birthday and our first vacation.  Both of us are always busy with very little “down” time.  We have not been communicating well lately and I thought this would be the perfect place to take a quiet walk, learn how to communicate, talk out our differences and to appreciate each others company.  If we can do this for two days, then we can do it for two weeks, two months, two years and so on.

Lighthouse on Assateague

Boo and I had an amazing time!  We laughed, walked, talked, indulged in delicious food at Bill's, enjoyed homemade ice cream at Island Creamery, he taught me how to play putt putt, I introduced him to Adam's sister and her lovely family ... we truly enjoyed the relaxation and our time together.  It was an amazing two days! Please enjoy the photos from our first vacation celebrating William's birthday.