55th Annual Chincoteague Seafood Festival Tickets Are Going Fast! Purchase Yours To This May 3rd Sell Out Event!

Your Chincoteague Island story begins here!

Your Chincoteague Island story begins here!

Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce and Certified Visitor Center

Chincoteague Island, Virginia’s only resort island, is the most beautiful island on Virginia's Eastern Shore. World famous for its oyster beds and clam shoals, Chincoteague is nestled between Assateague and Wallops Islands. Assateague Island, Virginia is home to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge where you will discover the world-famous Chincoteague Ponies, diverse wildlife and waterfowl, Assateague Lighthouse, and award-winning beach at Assateague Island National Seashore.

Wallops Island is home to NASA Wallops Flight Facility supporting rocket launches and seasonal visitor center experiences. Our islands offer spectacular sunrises and sunsets, fantastic woodlands and marshes, scenic water views, and countless outdoor adventures. The Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce and Certified Visitor Center, as the official tourism office, is happy to help plan your stay on our beautiful shores.

Explore our Resort Island

Unparalleled beauty of tranquil beaches

We hope this guide serves as the stepping stone to you creating your own Chincoteague memories. The Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce & Certified Visitor Center looks forward to helping you plan your visit and sharing all our islands have to offer with you.

View our visitor guide Request a visitor guide

View some of our

Frequently Asked Questions

The Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce & Certified Visitor Center is the official tourism office for the Town of Chincoteague. We are open daily Monday to Saturday from 9:00am - 4:30pm and are located in the center of the turn circle at 6733 Maddox Boulevard. We are happy to assist you in person, over the phone at 757-336-6161, or via email. Stop in to talk with our knowledgeable staff, browse brochures and menus, and learn the must-do's during your visit. Purchase your official Virginia is for Pony Lovers shirt ($30), and Chincoteague-opoly game ($50 cash/check only) too.

Our Chincoteague Island Visitor Guide & Membership Directory is the perfect source to learn about all you can enjoy while visiting Chincoteague and Assateague Islands including accommodations, activities, dining, shopping, and more. Paper copies of this annual guide are also conveniently located in the box at the bottom of the porch steps or you can request one be mailed to you through our website or by calling the office. A digital version is always just a click away, if you prefer to view it from your computer or device.

We are happy to also offer interactive mobile technologies to explore hotels, restaurants, activities, shopping, audio tours, and more while building an itinerary to capture all you can enjoy while visiting the Beautiful Land Across the Water. Download the Chincoteague app for Apple or Android, use the interactive outdoor kiosk located in the Chamber yard, or online with our 'Plan Your Trip' Widget.

We look forward to helping you 'Discover your LOVE of Chincoteague Island'!

Planning the perfect getaway in Chincoteague just got easier! The Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce is excited to offer the Chincoteague 'Plan Your Visit' Widget which is an interactive way to map out everything you don’t want to miss in Chincoteague. The widget provides a new way to explore what Chincoteague Island has to offer, including hotels, popular restaurants, activities, shopping, itinerary building, audio tours, and so much more.

The widget is available three convenient ways:

1. On ChincoteagueChamber.com, the official tourism website for Chincoteague Island, VA

2. The CHINCOTEAGUE APP which is available for both Android and Apple

3. An interactive outdoor kiosk conveniently located in the chamber yard in the turn circle on Maddox Boulevard

As of April 15, 2025, work has begun on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge to move the Assateague Island National Seashore, VA recreational beach 2.5 miles north to a more stable area. The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge has created a project page on their website to serve as a resource for planning documents and status updates on the relocation.

Beach Relocation Project Background

Text from Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Beach Relocation page

Assateague Island is on the move. As a result of natural processes, the island is approaching the mainland at a rate of approx. 10-13 feet/year. Large storm events accelerate the process and lead to costly repairs and long-term closures of public parking areas.

More than $15 million has been spent for storm recovery since 2003 - including as much as $400,000/year on repeated maintenance costs.

The refuge, owned and operated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the recreational beach, managed and operated by National Park Service, attract more than 1 million visitors annually. Closure of the parking areas due to storm damage reduces the ability of the USFWS and NPS to provide recreational beach access and interpretive opportunities to these visitors.

Over a multi-decade public planning and engagement process, the agencies carefully considered substantial public input and comments that informed the current strategy. Moving the recreational beach to a more stable location north of the existing beach was the only available course of action that could conserve wildlife resources on the refuge, significantly reduce annual and long-term maintenance costs, and protect the viability of the local economy.

The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore, VA are open the following hours throughout the year.

May through September - 5:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., Daily
October - 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Daily
November through Mid-March - 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Daily
Mid-March through April - 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Daily

The Wildlife Loop is open during normal operating hours for walking and biking but is also open to drive daily from 3pm to dusk.

Entrance to the refuge is free if you are walking and biking or there are daily, weekly, and annual fees if you plan to drive your vehicle over. Annual military and senior passes are also available.

This is probably one of the most confusing and often mistakenly answered questions.....

Pony Swim and Auction are ALWAYS the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. Pony Swim Back, which takes place on Friday, can be on August 1st.

For instance in 2024, The last consecutive Wednesday AND Thursday are July 24 & 25 - so those are Pony Swim and Auction days. The swim is NOT July 31, which is the last Wednesday, because Thursday is August 1.

If you are ever in doubt or would like more details about Pony Swim events, please check out our Pony Swim Events Schedule page.

<span>Discover our</span> Ponies callout

Discover our Ponies

Discover our Ponies

<span>Meet our</span> Members callout

Meet our Members

Meet our Members

<span>Wander our</span> Trails & Itineraries callout

Wander our Trails & Itineraries

Wander our Trails & Itineraries

<span>Explore our</span> Festivals callout

Explore our Festivals

Explore our Festivals

<span>View our</span> Webcam callout

View our Webcam

View our Webcam

Seashells

What's happening now?

Discover Virginia's only resort island

What's Happening on Chincoteague Island? Check here to plan your days and evenings while visiting our beautiful island. Enjoy!

Chamber sponsored festivals View Events Calendar

CIVA Recent Accolades

Some recent awards of the CIVA

This entire island induces a sense of calm within me when I’m here. It’s something I really cannot explain. It’s a feeling that cannot be bought or sold. Almost like if you step back, breathe deeply and open your heart, you can feel this island embrace you. It is a wonderful feeling and part of that magic are the people here. They are such an intricate part of that welcoming. It is no wonder that so many are saddened to leave. – Steven Turchin

Steven Turchin

Coastal Living Magazine named Chincoteague #1 ‘Happiest Seaside Town in America’ – 2014

Coastal Living Magazine

Budget Travel named Chincoteague Island #2 in ‘100 Coolest Small Towns in America’ - 2015

Budget Travel

Southern Living Magazine named Chincoteague Island #5 in ‘South’s Best Top 10 Islands’ - 2017

Southern Living Magazine

Chincoteague is the perfect destination for families who adore nature, relish relaxation, and appreciate a sense of community. As an historic gem of the Eastern Shore, Chincoteague provides outlets for everyone, from sportsmen and sunbathers to fun-seekers and foodies.
- Michael C. Upton, travel writer and longtime Chincoteague visitor

Michael C. Upton

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