Frequently Asked Questions

Chincoteague is a small island off Virginia’s Eastern Shore. A drawbridge and causeway connect Chincoteague to the rest of the Delmarva Peninsula via Route 13. Chincoteague is about 2 hours from Norfolk and Virginia Beach (ORF), 3 hours from Baltimore (BWI) and 3½ from Washington, D.C (DCA). Once you cross the salt marsh surrounding our causeway, you’ll know you’ve arrived somewhere special.

Distance to Chincoteague from Points North:

Location (points North)	Airport Code	Driving Distance to Chincoteague
Pocomoke City, Maryland		30 minutes
Berlin, Maryland		50 minutes
Salisbury, Maryland	SBY	1 hour
Ocean City, Maryland	SBY	1 hour
Easton, Maryland		1 hour 45 minutes
Dover, Delaware		2 hours 15 minutes
Chesapeake Bay Bridge		2 hours 15 minutes
Baltimore, Maryland	BWI	3 hours
Wilmington, Delaware		3 hours
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	PHL	3 hours 15 minutes
Washington, DC	DCA	3 hours 30 minutes
Lancaster, Pennsylvania		3 hours 45 minutes
New York City	JFK	5 hours

Distance to Chincoteague from Points South:

Location (points North)	Airport Code	Driving Distance to Chincoteague
Accomac, Virginia		30 minutes
Cape Charles, Virginia		1 hour 30 minutes
Virginia Beach, Virginia	ORF	2 hours
Norfolk, Virginia	ORF	2 hours
Williamsburg, Virginia	PHF	2 hours 30 minutes
Newport News, Virginia	PHF	2 hours 30 minutes
Kitty Hawk, North Carolina		3 hours 15 minutes
Richmond, Virginia	RIC	3 hours 15 minutes
Emporia, Virginia		3 hours 30 minutes

You’ll want to drive here. The Eastern Shore is easy driving. If you’re flying in, you should rent a car. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are unreliable for the area, and while you may be able to catch a ride here from an airport, getting back to the airport can be a challenge. If you’re coming from Norfolk, you’ll get to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel which is 17 miles long and one of the wonders of the modern world. If you’re coming from Baltimore, you’ll get to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Then, from either direction, take Route 13 to Route 175. This will bring you across the Chincoteague Causeway and onto Maddox Boulevard. We are 1.3 miles from the Chincoteague bridge, on the right-hand side of the street. Look for the illuminated pine trees after the traffic circle. If you reach the Assateague bridge, you’ve gone too far.

 Every season has something to love:

• Spring: Birds, blooms, and baby ponies
• Summer: Pony Swim and classic beach days
• Fall: Quiet trails, migration, and golden marsh sunsets
• Winter: Peaceful escapes and cozy nights

You’ll find them on Assateague Island inside the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Try Black Duck Marsh along Beach Road (look to the right at the first clearing,) the Woodland Trail Pony Overlook, or a local boat cruise. We recommend Cowboy Cruise Company’s pony tour for the best pony-viewing experience.

Nobody knows for certain. There are three stories: a Spanish ship carrying ponies wrecked offshore and the horses swam free, Blackbeard left them for a wife he kept on the island, or colonists turned their livestock loose across the channel to avoid fencing laws and the tax on every head they owned. The National Park Service favors the colonists. In 2022 a horse tooth excavated from a 16th-century Spanish colonial site in Haiti was sequenced, and its closest living relative turned out to be a Chincoteague pony, which gave the Spanish theory real support. We walk through all three stories, and the DNA, in Where Did the Chincoteague Ponies Come From?

The Refuge Inn is one of the two closest hotels to the beach. The Assateague Island National Seashore– the only beach easily accessible from the town of Chincoteague– is located within the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The entrance to the Wildlife Refuge is ¼ mile from our front door, and a peaceful 4-mile drive or a 3-mile bike ride will take you to through the refuge and end at the beach. This is a scenic ride through the loblolly pine forests on the protected, non-commercialized barrier island. This short journey is something to be savored and appreciated, rather than rushed. That said, our location is key– because once you leave the beach and cross the bridge back to Chincoteague, we’re one of the first stops so you won’t need to wait in beach traffic along Maddox Blvd. and Main St. with everyone staying elsewhere in town.

A daily, weekly, or annual vehicle pass is required by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to gain access to the Wildlife Refuge and the National Seashore. You can buy it right at the gate with cash or credit card. Any National Parks Pass will grant access for everyone in your whole vehicle.

Over-sand vehicle permits are available seasonally (September-March) for qualified vehicles. Read our guide to the Tom’s Cove Hook for more information.

Yes, in designated swimming areas during summer. At other times of year, swimming is allowed at your own risk.

Yes, sometimes! The lighthouse is generally open for climbing on Saturdays. Check the Refuge Friends website for hours and information.

Yes, absolutely! We recommend rentals and tours from Chincoteague Island Outfitters. You are also welcome to bring your own– just be sure to get a launch pass from the Town of Chincoteague town office before using one of their public kayak launches.

The satellite dishes collect weather data from satellites for NOAA. Most of the weather data you see on the news and online are processed right here at Wallops! Cool, huh? The same complex hoses NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and a U. S. Navy Base.

The NAVY radar planes are conducting touch-and-go landing practice at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, which is equipped to simulate the runway of an aircraft carrier.

Several entities launch from MARS including Northrup Grumman’s Antares which resupplies the International Space Station.

 RocketLab also has a large facility near Chincoteague– they launch Electron here now every few months and will also be launching their new Neutron rocket from a new launchpad at Wallops within the next few years.

 Student launches occur several times a year with the RockOn and RockSat programs, which we are happy to host here at the Refuge Inn. Wallops also conducts unpublicized launches for the Department of Defense on a somewhat regular basis. View information on NASA Launches at NASA's website and at rocketlaunch.org

Yes, seasonally, for groups of 10+ rooms! Please contact the front desk for details.

Yes, our conference room is perfect for groups and seats up to 40 people. It has a very large TV, refrigerator, gas range with double oven, sink, and counter space. There is also a screened in porch with tables and chairs.

Yes, seasonally. Please contact the front desk for details.

Yes! Please arrange this with the front desk when booking your group.

Yes, usually, provided that many passengers are guests here (for parking space availability!) Please let us know if you will be arriving via bus, and we’ll block off a section of the parking lot for easier parking.