The Daily Howler: Visiting Chincoteague Virginia
A look at Chincoteague Island a hidden Pearl on the Eastern shore of the United States. It Has Ponies, beaches, Oysters and much much more! Come check out the place that inspired Misty of Chincoteague.
For those looking for a secluded getaway this year I would recommend going to Chincoteague Virginia. The small town is wonderful for those that want to spend time at the beach, but also don't want to deal with large crowds. The Island has a large wild pony population that inhabits its marshes. Due to population controls set in place the foals are rounded up by the Chincoteague Fire department every year and auctioned off to pay for the fire departments expenses and to maintain equipment. Also fear not this also goes to taking care of the pnies such as giving them yearly checkups and medical care along with Hay in the winter and anything else they might need.
For those of you who are equestrian minded, consider yourself a Brony or have a pony/horse fursona I highly recommend visiting the Island to see for yourself. The Island was made famous by a book called Misty of Chincoteague authored by Marguerite Henry. Who wrote it while staying on the Island.
The Island also has a national park that is home to numerous forms of wildlife. Such as Egrets, Blue Herons, pelicans, squirrels, seagulls, Bald Eagles and the Chincoteague ponies just to name a few.
I will also warn you to bring Bug spray specifically with Deet on the label because in some areas of the Island Mosquito populations are rampant and out for blood. It is the age old trouble of being near a marsh and wetlands.
The area relies heavily on Tourism so you will find Restaurants and bars, food trucks, ghost walks and walking tours of the Islands history, museums, boat tours, bus tours, a nature center that has a full list of the Islands wildlife and the park rangers who protect them from poachers and overzealous hunters.
Chincoteague is also known for its Oysters and other seafood fair that comes in from the many individuals who work its many waterways. Due to its connections to the sea and Bay area you can find many stories connected to pirates such as Black beard and Spanish Galleons
The Island is also an important hub for Nasa where it holds launches off Wallops Island. There is also a Nasa Museum that goes over various Aerospace news and technology and explores numerous topics from Rocketry to aviation and even weather. The museum is free to enter and the only cost would be if you decided to buy a patch from the gift shop.
There is much more to this Island to explore, but for now this I think is a good start to get your feet wet.