Assateague Island MD | The Beauty Around Us

Chincoteague VA Vacation (1st post)

We spent 5 nights at AirBnb ”Tranquil Shores” in Chincoteague VA. This is the fourth time that we have stayed at “Tranquil Shores”. We plan to return next Spring as well.

We arrived at “Tranquil Shores” around 4:00 pm on Thursday, April 14th. We left Chincoteague to return back home at 7:30 am on Tuesday, April 19th. This blog post and the next few that follow will provide details of and photographs from our Chincoteague vacation.

We got up around 6:00 am on Friday, April 15th. We sat outside on our screened in porch, drinking tea / coffee, listening to the morning bird songs as we awaited the sunrise.

We ate a breakfast of eggs, sausage and waffles at “Tranquil Shores”.

After breakfast we drove to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and bicycled the wildlife loop (approximately 3 miles).

This is one of several ponds found on the Wildlife Loop.

After our bicycle ride, we drove to Assateague Beach, stopping at Toms Cove Visitor Center.

We walked on the boardwalk and, inside the Visitor Center, I got my National Park Passport cancelled with a rubber-stamp ink marking that recorded the name of the park and the date of our visit. I purchased a collectible Passport stamp set for 2022. There are 10 stamps, one National and nine regional.

We are lunch at Metopkin Seafood. We have eaten here a few times over the years. The food is ALWAYS delicious. Bob ordered a crab bites basket. I ordered a fish and fries basket. We added 6 hush puppies to our order.

After lunch we drove to Assateague Island MD. We stopped at the Assateague Island Visitor Center, where I stamped my National Park passport, and we bought a “Night Sky” buff for Bob.

“Night Sky” is new merchandise
for the National Parks store.

Before leaving the Visitor Center, we walked the Rackliff House Trail. The main trailhead is located behind the Visitor Center and is about a 1-mile loop. There is a spur off that loop that connects to another trailhead located at the Assateague State Park headquarters. We walked that trail too.

Rackliffe House Trail
We really liked how the trees
formed a canopy over the trail.

Rackliffe House Trail
Looking across to Assateague Island MD

Rackliffe House Trail
On the left is the Milk House.
Behind the Milk House is Rackliffe House.
On the right is the Kitchen Garden.

We were only able to explore the grounds, as the Rackliffe House was closed.

The trail continues from the house to the Assateague State Park Aviary. The birds were outside but behind a fenced enclosure. We were not able to see any of the birds. I haven’t done a lot of bicycling or walking so far this year. I decided to wait at the state park, while Bob walked back to the Visitor Center. He picked up our car and came to get me. We drove onto Assateague Island.

That evening we enjoyed watching the moon rise over Chincoteague Island.

It is really nice that we can see the sunrise and the moonrise from the comfort of “Tranquil Shores”.

Easter 2021 Vacation Day 8

Today, April 8th, is Day 8 of our Easter vacation.

This afternoon we decided to make a return visit to the Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland. We saw a few ponies!

We stopped for dinner at Don’s Seafood and Chicken House near Pocomoke City, MD. Our dinners were moderately expensive. We were celebrating, though. As of today, both Bob and I are fully vaccinated against COVID. This was our first time to eat at Don’s. Bob ordered crab dip for an appetizer. Bob selected stuffed flounder, as his entree. I chose southern fried chicken tenders. Our meals were delicious, and service was excellent.

We had ice cream for dessert at Island Creamery in Chincoteague, VA. Bob got a brownie sundae with Java jolt ice cream. I got my usual, a scoop of chocolate ice cream and a scoop of peanut butter cup ice cream.

Easter 2021 Vacation Day 6

Today, April 6th, is Day 6 of our Easter vacation.

I started the day with an accident. The upstairs bedroom has low ceilings. I ran into one of the ceiling edges this morning. The ceiling edge hit along the upper, center part of my bang line. I saw stars but did not pass out. I have a small cut in my hairline. That hit sure hurt!

[Note: This post is back dated. As of April 24th my head is completely healed.]

The highlight of our day was a day trip to Assateague Island, MD. We walked on the beach and collected a few sea shells.

Tent Camping at Assateague Island National Seashore

We walked the Life of the Marsh boardwalk.

We saw several wild ponies.

Bob took this picture of me, with wild Ponies in the background.

Wild Ponies at Assateague Island National Seashore

Assateague Wild Ponies Strolling Down the Road

Hi Mama!
Do you see the foal’s tongue sticking out?

Those ponies are awesome, especially the foal!

Thanksgiving Week Vacation Day 4 – Assateague Island MD

Today (November 24th) is day 4 of our Thanksgiving week vacation.

Today we drove to Assateague Island National Seashore (Assateague Island, MD).

… a short geography lesson …

Located on the East Coast along the Atlantic Ocean in Maryland and Virginia, Assateague Island is the largest, natural barrier island ecosystem in the Middle Atlantic states region that remains predominantly unaffected by human development. The Virginia portion of the island is designated as the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with the exception of 448 acres in the refuge’s Toms Cove area maintained by the National Park Service. These 448 acres are part of the Assateague Island National Seashore. The Assateague State Park and the Assateague Island National Seashore are located on Assateague Island, MD. There are two entrances to Assateague Island. The island’s south entrance is at the end of Route 175, two miles east of Chincoteague, VA. The north entrance is at the end of Route 611, eight miles south of Ocean City, MD. There is no vehicle access between the two entrances on Assateague Island. Vehicles must return to the mainland to access either the north or south entrance.

We drove through Pocomoke City on our drive to Assateague Island, MD and went through Girdletree on our way back to Chincoteague, VA.

While at Assateague Island National Seashore, we saw several wild ponies.

These two ponies were next to each other.

Three more wild ponies

All five of these wild ponies were located near each other, in a parking lot.

Also, we took a walk along the Life of the Marsh Trail. An extensive boardwalk takes visitors out and over the salt marsh.

Life of the Marsh Boardwalk

Life of the Marsh Boardwalk

We enjoyed the trail, even though it was a chilly walk. The temperature was in the upper 30s.

By 10:00 am we were on our way back to Chincoteague, VA. As we were leaving the island, we saw two more wild ponies grazing alongside the road.

Wild Ponies

This year marks our sixth visit to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the Assateague Island National Seashore, located on Assateague Island, VA. We visited the Virginia portion of Assateague Island previously in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. This is our third visit to the Assateague Island National Seashore, located on Assateague Island, MD. We visited the Maryland portion of Assateague Island previously in 2018 and 2019.

We didn’t stay long at Assateague Island, MD. We prefer the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge for bird watching and all things nature. It is nice, though, to visit the northern portion of the Assateague Island National Seashore where we can see the wild ponies up close and personal.

There is more to write about for the 4th day of our vacation, so be on the lookout for Day 4 Part 2.

Chincoteague Vacation – Day 3: Egrets and More

After our bicycle ride on the Wildlife Loop at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, we went for a drive along Beach Access Road, stopping for wildlife photo opportunities.

Snowy Egret

Yellow Feet

Snowy Egret, Taking Flight

Snowy Egret, Taking Flight

Godwit

Snowy Egret

Egret

Snowy Egret (top) and Great Egret (bottom)

Thank you, EileeninMD, for the bird ID.

Around noon we decided to drive to Assateague Island, MD. Along the way, we stopped at a deli and picked up cold cut sandwiches, cookies and honey roasted nuts. We ate a picnic lunch at a picnic table, located in a pavilion, along the Assateague Island National Seashore. After lunch we walked to the seashore.

Assateague Island National Seashore, MD

We drove along the Stephen Decatur Memorial Road / Bayberry Drive, as well as side roads, and didn’t see any horses. We didn’t walk any trails. Last year, when we visited Assateague Island, MD for the first time, we did see horses and we did walk the trails. Here are links from last year’s visit:

Easter Vacation – Assateague Island, MD
This blog post shows the route that we took last year from Virginia to Maryland. We took the same route this year.

Easter Vacation – Assateague Island, MD: Life of the Dunes Trail

Easter Vacation – Assateague Island, MD: Life of the Forest Trail

Easter Vacation – Assateague Island, MD: Life of the Marsh Trail

We had planned to make a return trip to Assateague Island, MD during vacation, but that return visit never happened.

On our way back to Tranquil Shores, our Airbnb rental, we stopped at Food Lion and picked up a couple items for dinner. Our dinner was leftover chicken and naked chicken wings, leftover coleslaw, potato salad and, for dessert, more cheesecake.

It rained in the evening, accompanied by thunder and lightning. We saw a high temperature of 81 degrees. The rest of the week was cooler and dry. By the way it did not feel like 81 degrees, while we were at Assateague Island, MD. I wore a hoodie, with the hood up, and was still cold! The wind was brutal.

We watched three episodes of NYPD Blue and then went to bed.