Chincoteague Island: Top 10 Things Horse Lovers NEED To Experience
Whether it’s wild ponies, Saltwater Cowboy action, or Misty magic, Chincoteague is a must-visit for horse lovers. Here are our 10 must-dos!
Although we love our Hitting the Trails series, not all equine-related travel has to involve trail riding (even though it definitely should). In fact, there are all sorts of equine tourism you can enjoy without ever swinging your leg over a horse. Chincoteague definitely is an example of that — there’s plenty to do and see that doesn’t actually involve riding a horse.
Here are the top 10 things to do on the island — if you’re a horse lover.
1. The Pony Swim
I mean, duh. That’s why we’re here. That’s why so many other people are here. It’s what the entire town gears up for all year. Watch the Saltwater Cowboys guide the wild Chincoteague ponies across the channel from Assateague to Chincoteague — hooves splashing, crowds cheering, hearts melting.
Photo from of Chincoteague.com
2. The Pony Parade
After the swim, the ponies march down Main Street like local celebrities, flanked on all sides by the Saltwater Cowboys. Locals offer refreshments and sometimes a place to park. It’s amazing to see the herd of ponies going down the street with very little problem.
Photo from of Chincoteague.com
3. The Pony Auction
See where tradition, community, and fundraising come together — and try really hard not to accidentally buy a pony (unless that’s the plan 👀). This is a super cool event. It serves two main purposes: first, to control the herd population in order to keep all the ponies happy and healthy, and second to fundraise for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which is the organization that manages the herd (this includes covering veterinary expenses). It’s an awesome atmosphere — bidders and watchers cheer for a winning bid and gasp in excitement when a particularly spicy foal is brought out.
Photo from of Chincoteague.com
4. Assateague Island National Seashore
If you’re not there during Pony Penning Week, you can spot the wild ponies grazing in the marshes or napping like queens on the dunes. Just don’t feed them — they’re wild, not brunch dates.
5. Museum of Chincoteague Island
Learn all about Misty, the Beebe family, and the storied history of the ponies that roam the island and your childhood imagination. You can also see Misty of Chincoteague’s taxidermy mount (yes, really), along with her foal Stormy. We would be lying if we didn’t say it felt a little odd, but it’s still super cool to see — especially if, like us, you read the books as a kid.
Misty of Chincoteague. Photo by DeAnn Long Sloan.
Stormy, Misty’s third and final foal. Photo by DeAnn Long Sloan.
6. Sunset at the Refuge
Catch golden hour while ponies graze in silhouette — like a real-life painting you’ll want to frame forever. It’s horse heaven.
7. Saltwater Cowboy Meet & Greets
Shake hands with the legends on horseback who make the whole event possible — and try not to fan-girl too hard.
8. Visit Beebe Ranch
This is the very place where Misty of Chincoteague lived—and where her story came to life. Look for Misty’s actual hoofprints set in concrete, plus plaques honoring her legacy and the real-life people who inspired the book. You might even get to meet a descendent or two of Misty’s! Note: tours generally are by appointment only, so make sure to reach out ahead of time.
Photo courtesy of Beebe Ranch.
9. Talk to Locals About “Their” Ponies
Chincoteague residents have stories for days — ask about past swims, favorite ponies, or any other anecdotes they care to share. For our visit, we found everyone incredibly friendly and helpful. When I mentioned that maybe only one or two people hadn’t been friendly, I was told adamantly they weren’t locals.
10. All the Pony Merch
T-shirts, mugs, plush ponies, bumper stickers, socks… if it has a pony on it, Chincoteague’s got it — and you need it.
Photo by DeAnn Long Sloan
Although this isn’t specifically horse related (but does have plenty of horse-related gear), the Tom’s Cove Visitor Center at the Assateague Island National Seashore. The national parks folks is amazing and clearly love the parks they serve. They talk to kids about local flora and fauna, and absolutely got my 10-year-old wanting to visit as many national parks as she can (in fact, she’s competing her Junior Ranger tasks as I finish this article).
