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Sam Serio A's Articles in Vacation Trips

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Chincoteague Island Vacation Paradise Chincoteague Island Vacation Paradise Just a short drive off Virginia's Eastern Shore lies an island so stunning that its seven mile length is the vacation destination for more than one million annual visitors, each one of whom arrives to enjoy a taste of Paradise. Chincoteague's Island natural beauty, coastal charm, and Southern down-home hospitality are what draw them from around the globe to this small place big in romance and tradition. If you decide to take a page from their travel itineraries, you'll soon understand how easy it is to succumb to the spell of Chincoteague. That same spell has captivated the Chincoteague colony of artists, who do their best to capture the spirit and substance of life on their beloved island in paint, sculpture, glass, metal, and wood. Chincoteague Island can be your stepping stone to the undeveloped wilds of Assateague Island, the 37-mile barrier island to its east which for millennia has protected Chincoteague from the worst of the Atlantic's legendary gales. Assateague is where you'll find the world-famous ponies of Chincoteague running free. The Chincoteague ponies, except during Pony Penning Weekend, spend their days happily grazing and sunning in and along the marshes, forests, and beaches of the Chincoteague Island National Wildlife Refuge at the southern end of Assateague. They share their territory the over three hundred different migratory bird species which make Chincoteague and Assateague the best bird-watching haunts on the entire Atlantic Flyway. You won't understand why the ancient Algonquin Indians named Chincoteague "The Beautiful Land across the Waters" until you've witnessed the sun setting across its marshes or stood on the Assateague shore at dawn as the Atlantic waves tumble along the pristine sands. Spend as much time as you like exploring the solitude of Assateague's protected waterways by kayak, canoe, or nature cruise. Cast your line from a deep sea charter for marlin and other great gamefish, or dig for a supper of legendary Chincoteague "Lil Nik" clams. Step into the Eastern Shore of yesteryear by reserving your accommodations at one of Chinctcoteagues' exceptional 19th century bed and breakfasts, one of which was built before the Chincoteague Islanders displayed their characteristic independence by remaining loyal to the Union during the Civil War. Drift off to sleep and awaken again to the gentle whispers of the surf and the island breezes, and start your day's adventure with a breakfast of mouthwatering Southern delicacies. Take time to mingle with the local artisans and shopkeepers. View the ceiling mural at wood carver Jay Cherrix' Sistine Shed, as well as his life-size sculpture of a Chincoteague pony foal. Get up close and personal with Chincoteague's marine life at the Island Aquarium where the touch tank will give you a hands-on introduction to both fish and shellfish. Experience the shellfish in a different way by lunching on clam chowder or crab cakes at one of Chincoteague's several outstanding seafood restaurants. Follow lunch by crossing to Assateague Island on a rented bike for some wildlife viewing on the Wildlife Refuge's loops. Put the perfect ending on your day in Paradise by boarding Captain Barry's champagne evening cruise. You'll be entertained with the Captain's encyclopedic knowledge of Chincoteague history and enchanted by the sight of the sun setting on Chincoteague Bay! Chincoteague Island Secrets Revealed Chincoteague Island Secrets Revealed If you didn't succumb to the affliction of horse-craziness as a youngster, then the odds are high that you know neither where Chincoteague Island is, nor why it is important. So we're here to fill you in on the secrets that make the seven-mile length of Chincoteague Island irresistible to over a million visitor each year. Yes, one of those secrets has to do with horses, which have inhabited Chincoteague and its neighbor Assateague Island for longer than anyone can remember. The secret lies in how the horses, which are actually pony-sized, came to run free on two rather inhospitable (for horses, anyway) strips of sand and marsh where fresh water is at a premium and the grass comes already salted. If, on the other hand, you had succumbed to horse-craziness in your youth, you'd know all about the classic children's book Misty of Chincoteague, published in 1947 and largely responsible for putting Chincoteague Island on the fast track to tourism super-stardom. In her book, Marguerite Henry attributed the existence of the Chincoteague ponies to the shipwreck of a Spanish galleon in the 1600s. While the more likely story is that today's ponies are descendants of ones turned loose by 18th century island settlers to graze in the islands' vast expanses of marsh grass, no one knows for sure. That may be one Chincoteague Island secret forever lost to history, but we're going to reveal a few more which will add a bit of extra island zest to your visit. The delicately flavored, slightly salty Chincoteague oysters, a specialty at the Island's popular island eating establishment The Village Restaurant, really do taste different from oysters you'll have anywhere else. Why? Because all oysters take on the flavor of their surroundings. Fresh Chincoteague oysters will give you a true taste of what it means to live on Chincoteague! Assateague Island's beaches, just a very short bridge east of the Town of Chincoteague, are certainly some of the truly great beaches about which you've never heard. Standing on a stretch of undeveloped Assateague waterfront which seems to extend endlessly in either direction, you'll be facing an expanse of open ocean which reaches the shores of Europe. Behind you will be sand dune upon sand dune, and if you're in the right place, you'll be able to spot the Assateague Island Light House, which has stood sentinel on the entire scene since 1867. No cabanas, hot dog stands, or boardwalk with souvenir hawkers. Just you, the sea, the sand, and the sky. The weekly National Seashore campfire put on during the summer by the National Park Service rangers who maintain the Assateague Island National Seashore will give you a chance to lie on the beach under the stars munching on your toasted marshmallows and filling your head with tales of Blackbeard the Pirate's lost treasure as the Assateague Light House beam searches the darkness overhead. (The secret location of Blackbeard's treasure, however, remains unrevealed.) Secret treasure may still be yours, however, if you stop in at Payne's Sea Treasures, a former hot dog stand on Ridge Road in Chincoteague. This odd establishment has evolved into one of the most amazing curio shops you'll find during your life. If your shell seeking efforts on Assateague have come up empty, Payne's can supply you with beach glass or any number of shells-- horseshoe crab shells in particular. Across the street from Payne's is a 20-foot tall Viking statue. Payne's Sea Treasure's late proprietor Mr. Capt'n Bob Payne purchased the statue from a defunct Muffler Man store. Chincoteague has lots more secrets to uncover, but we'll let you have the fun of discovering them for yourself!