Special Opening and Lighthouse Tour
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, 8231 Beach Road, Chincoteague Island, VA 23336
- Date: 5/1/2026
- Starts: 10:00 AM
- Ends: 2:00 PM
Were you on the fence about coming down to the Chincoteague Seafood Festival? Are you a local who’s never been all the way to the top of the Assateague Lighthouse? Well, the Hampton Roads Chapter, CG Chief Petty Officers Association (a registered 501(c)(19) Veteran’s non-profit organization) supported by your crew at USCG Aids to Navigation Team Chincoteague might have just the surprise for you!
On Friday May 1st, we’re working to organize a special opening of the Lighthouse for public tours, including a walk up past those pesky “Coast Guard only” signs into the lantern cupola! Formal hours will be published soon, and the cost is FREE (though donations to benefit the CPOA and Friends of the Lighthouse are always appreciated). Let’s jumpstart the season together, and pay homage to one of the most notable historical landmarks here on the Island: all the way to the top!
The U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association, supported by USCG Aids to Navigation Team Chincoteague and the Chincoteague Refuge Friends, will be opening the Assateague Lighthouse to the public to share the Island’s history and kick off the Chincoteague Seafood Festival! Public access opens at 1000 and offers a rare opportunity to access the upper cupola and see the lighthouse optics in person, a view normally limited to Coast Guard servicing personnel. As always, climbing the lighthouse will be free for visitors, but access to Assateague Island National Seashore is controlled by National Park Service policies. If you want to support the U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers’ Association, donations are always accepted and appreciated! Last admission will be at 1330 to allow visitors time to fully appreciate the historical lighthouse and amazing Island views (and maybe catch a glimpse of some ponies) prior to making the descent.
