mountains27 Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 I'm planning a little vacation with my kids and my mom for the middle of April. I'm thinking of renting a cottage and just hanging around the area checking it out. I am not a traveler and have never been to Virginia at all. I live 10 hours north and around this time of year I get the urge to drive south and find a little sunshine and maybe some greenery! I settled on Virginia as a destination because it's far from here but not too far so that travel by car isn't totally crazy (I don't do airplanes!) Also I want to see it, I've heard it's nice. Anyone from this area or been to the area and can recommend some things I should see while visiting? Also any ideas on what I can expect for weather down there in about a month? I know it won't be summer yet but also think it will be a little warmer and more spring-like then northern New England? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 I haven't been since I was a kid, and wasn't involved in planning, but I loved it. The one thing I will say is, be prepared for horse flies. Those things were the worst part of our trip!The other negative was taking a long hike to see wild ponies, only to find them all in the parking lot when we got back. But it made for a funny story. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 I've never been there but would love to go! Misty of Chincoteague was one of my favorite books as a kid. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 In April the horseflies shouldn't be too bad. As long as you're there before mid-June that should be fine. My husband took and father/daughter trip to Chincoteague Island about 15yrs ago. One thing they did was rent bikes and bike around the island. It's pretty small. We have friends who invited us to come visit them when they're there this summer. They're renting a cottage. Not sure which company they're using. I'd probably just google cottage rental and Chincotegue. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandragood1 Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 There aren't many restaurants. Those that are there aren't great and may be closed until later in the season. Be prepared to do most of your own cooking other than fast food. If you have bikes bring them! It's nice and flat. In the summer months they close "the loop" to car traffic at certain hours so you can bike on paved roadway, see the wildlife, and not worry about cars. I don't know if they do that off season. The beaches are great for shell collecting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 Oh, we used to go camping on Assategue Island every year when our kids were little. That's where the horses are. It would be cold in April, but you can go visit. The horses will be a little more skittish early in the season (April). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 I remember going as a kid. I loved the books. I was just telling my daughters about taking a photo with the sign to the island since my older daughter was humored about tourists stopping on the side of the road to take photos with the 'Welcome to Florida' sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 Seconding that the flies shouldn't be bad in April. And to go up to Assateague. They do good ranger programs there too. As for the weather... it can be really variable that time of year - could be very warm or could be pretty chilly. Hopefully you'll get a good stretch of nice warm days and not rainy. Check before you leave, but pack for any eventuality. It'll almost certainly be chilly at night. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 We did this last summer. We rented a cottage on E. Side Rd that had a great screened porch which looked right across the Assateague Channel. Every morning ponies were visible grazing in the marshes (binoculars helped!). I think there are a lot of nice cottages on VRBO. One fun thing was a boat tour, though it would be pretty chilly in April. We might have gone with Captain Dan's Tours... can't remember for sure. The captain was full of information about birds, local history, and especially the ponies. He got us pretty close to several groups, while still giving them enough space to feel safe. He knew them all as individuals, and told us about their histories and personalities. It was probably the most fun thing we did there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountains27 Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share Posted March 14, 2017 Thank you for all the tips! I know it is still going to be a little chilly but we are OK with that. I work in hospitality so I always have to plan my vacations when no one else is! April is a slow month for our hotel so it's really the only time I can get in a good week-long vacation. I looked at a couple vacation rental sites and like the looks of places on Island Getaways. Checked out Captain Dan also and that looks like a good tour, lots of positive reviews! seeing the ponies would definitely make our trip! How is the trip from Chincoteague over to the Norfolk area? I noticed there is a zoo there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 It's a long drive down the Eastern Shore to Norfolk. 2-3 hours, maybe? You might be better off finding a zoo somewhere along the way as you drive south. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 We have been going there every Memorisl Day and every Labor Day for years and it is one of our favorite places locally to go! We are from Norfolk, so it's about a three hour ride for us. In a month it should be comfortably warm, however, the ocean will still be far too cold to swim in. If it's swimming you are after, you are better off going there after Labor Day when the ocean is still warm but the crowds have left. But it's still a nice place to visit this time of year; just too cold to swim in the ocean. While you're there you can take a boat ride around the island, you can walk around the town to visit the little shops, they have some excellent seafood restaurants, there is biking and hiking on the island, and some excellent birdwatching. If you're the camping type, there's a family campground right next to Assateague Island. If you're not into camping, there is an excellent Marriott, a Hampton Inn, and a Comfort Suites all with views of Chincoteague Channel. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs_JWM Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 The zoo and naval stuff in Norfolk are fun. We stay in Cape Charles and make a day trip to Chincoteague one day and then to Norfolk another day. I live the Eastern Shore. If you do drive to Norfolk - and you have the time - drive through Cape Charles and see what you think. It's a lovely little town for a vacation. We rent the pink house on Strawberry St. next to the post office. 😊 Sent from my XT1049 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 I think this is a great idea for a vacation, also. You get to see a bit more of the area without much additional expense, time, or travel. If you head down this way, check out the Norfolk Zoo, the Virginia Beach aquarium, the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, the battleship Wisconsin museum, naval base tours, and the Norfolk Botanical Garden. I'm unimpressed by the Virginia Beach oceanfront, so you'll be better off at Chincoteague or Kiptopeke State Park for that. The zoo and naval stuff in Norfolk are fun. We stay in Cape Charles and make a day trip to Chincoteague one day and then to Norfolk another day. I live the Eastern Shore. If you do drive to Norfolk - and you have the time - drive through Cape Charles and see what you think. It's a lovely little town for a vacation. We rent the pink house on Strawberry St. next to the post office. 😊Sent from my XT1049 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scbusf Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 NASA's Wallops Flight facility is close by. The town of chincoteague is so cute. You must get ice cream at the Island Creamery. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 I'm from VA and went a few times as a kid. Very good memories of those trips. There is so much history in VA. You could inland and visit Richmond, Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown, etc. Annapolis in Maryland is fun too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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