Mother Nature made horses, and Mother Nature made ponies. But Mother Nature also made a remarkably tough, intelligent, and beautiful breed of horses whose small stature has meant that they are universally referred to as ponies, and turned them loose to roam the shores and wilds of Assateague Island, Virginia. Today, however, they known as the Chincoteague Island ponies, for the Virginia coastal island directly to the west of Assateague. The...more
Native American tribes were thriving on what is now Virginia's Eastern Shore for more than twenty centuries when Captain John Smith arrived in 1607. One of these tribes, led by Chief Barabokees and Emperor Waskawampe, had claimed as their own an island five miles off the Virginia coast, calling it Chincoteague, or "The Beautiful Land across the Water." The Assateague tribe gave their name to the barrier island just to the east of Chincoteague.The...more
Although the Chincoteague ponies may roam barefoot and free on the wilds of Assateague Island for most of their lives, horseshoes are still readily found on both Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. They're horseshoe crabs, and they have an enormous role to play in making Chincoteague Island an ecotourism Paradise. Why?Because the horseshoe crabs choose to lay their eggs in the sand and mud flats of Toms Cove Hook, making those areas prime feeding grounds for the huge flocks of shorebirds which descend on Chincoteague and Assateague Islands each year. Sandpipers, red knots, dunlin, sanderlings, and ruddy turnstones all thrive on the horseshoe crab eggs. Thousands of birding ecotourists come to Chincoteague each year to view the feasting shorebirds. But there are many more natural wonders attracting ecotourists to Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The islands' position along the Atlantic Flyway makes them are ideal rest stops and nesting areas for the hundreds of bird species which settle in their marshes, forests, and waterways. Eagles and ospreys soar overhead searching for prey. Swans, geese, and ducks of all varieties grace the islands' glades and ponds. The calls of colorful...more
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...more
Few places on planet Earth capture the idea of a romantic honeymoon getaway as the magical wilds and waterways of Chincoteague Island on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Once you and your spouse have successfully navigated the anxieties, anticipation, and hectic activities leading up to and including your wedding day, you deserve to leave the world behind...more
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,...more
The waters and winds of Chesapeake Bay never rest, and over the eons they have built up and carved away countless land masses. The Island of Chincoteague, about five miles off Virginia's Eastern Shore, rose from the Chesapeake's waters about four...more
If you go to Chincoteague Island during the last week of July, you're probably there for the Pony Penning and Auction, like approximately 50,000 other visitors. You'll be in for an exciting time, but what you won't see is the sort of round-up which...more
The mountains loom and the bluest sky reaches beyond the heavens, soaring endlessly, dotted with fluffy clouds that make insignificant shadows over the rolling prairies. You have the sense that those who have laid claim to this grand land have done...more
The tourism industry in Thailand truly took off when US soldiers started to arrive in the 1960s for Rest and Recuperation (R&R) during the Vietnam War period. Coinciding, international mass tourism sharply increased during the same period due to the...more
When visiting Southern California, consider using San Diego as your base camp. Many world famous attractions, and most everything you might need can be found within a short drive of downtown San Diego. The locals often say that everything is within...more
Getting to set out exploring New Zealand in a Spaceship is something that people are lucky enough to do every day, but setting out in a Hybrid model takes this luck to a level of luxury! I was fortunate enough to take one of these beautiful vehicles...more