U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Reviews

Chincoteague in general is a great place ! But add in five of my grandchildren playing at the beach till sunset , and Mr. Whippy's ice cream . Makes a great day

The visitor center is great. It has educational exhibits , movies, gift shop, very nice and clean information desk was very helpful. Binoculars can be borrowed,... here is the rub. Assateague island has a VA and a DE side north vs south half and apparently the wild ponies are given a little bit of different level of free range. The ones here in the Chincoteague side has less human incounter. So they tend to be very far away and can be viewed in a few places and without binoculars well... a blimp... my sister had pictures of the ponies very close up by the Assateague side...

Now here is why and I ask you don't forget bugspray... they recommend the woodland trail to see them. The trail itself is very cool. We were lucky and saw a rat snake a couple feet away from us a weird interesting red bug among many. .. but we also was a buffet for very hungry mosquitos... we had a child and a tot so after about $3 per bit between me and my husband(park is $20 for a weekly pass) we rushed back to the car after hearing there's even more towards the clearing area that was recommended. And the ponies are about the same distance away from there as you are able to park and view as you enter in after the visitors center...

Later at a gift shop in Chincoteague. .. it was plain how popular mosquitos are based on tourist shirts...

Please do not venture into the trails without bug spray water bottle etc... think we only managed 15 minutes in before getting bit alive...and rushed back. Our kids did not get bit...

Numerous trails, (beach, marsh, and wooded areas) for hiking and birding. Beautiful displays in visitor center and friendly knowledgeable ranges and staff. Fall, spring, and winter are less crowded.

Love the bike paths here. The riding is easy and afford you great views of the lighthouse as well as wild horses, egrets, and other wildlife. There are several miles of trails and all are well maintained. Be careful if you go in the evening as the mosquitos are relentless in the warmer months.

It was just beautiful did not see you any ponies but maybe next time however it was a wonderful experience

This place is great. Very untouched lots of wild life.

Some of beach blocked off by dump trucks. Enjoyed hiking trails.

The hotel accommodations were great, it was easy to drive around the town, and then going out on the boat tour to see the wild horses on Assateague Island was wonderful.

Very nice to see. South heard of poneys in Coral. Weather is 98.

Great beach with close parking, clean restroom facilities and two great visitor centers. Walking and biking paths well kept. Lots of wildlife, especially great for birders. Highly recommended.

Beautiful, well maintained beach and park. Lots of wildlife - birds, deer and of course, the wild ponies. $20 for a one week pass. $40 for a season pass. Ample parking. Always have a great time here.

One of my favorite places to ride bikes. Very nice trails and great for viewing wildlife. The whole area of Chincoteague is easily accessible by bike!

MD is the quietist section, anf where thr wild horses are free to run wild.

Wild pony's live here. We were able to get up close and personal with the wild pony's of Chincoteague. We had a blast.

Clean and laid back. Been coming here for over 20 yrs.

Great place for nature lovers. The beach is pristine and beautiful. Wild ponies plus every kind of waterfowl imaginable. Plenty of walking and biking trails throughout the island.

Can't beat the beautiful beach. Wish I could stay longer

What a pleasant island. In addition to the famous ponies, activities include the wonderful beach, biking, hiking, kayaking and bird watching. Two visitor centers with interesting exhibts, climb up the Assateague lighthouse. Restrooms and outside showers at the beach. Or just take a leisurely drive from the bridge to the beach. Fee required at entry.

Great learning experience for young and old alike. A beautiful place to walk and explore.

Experienced seeing ponies, bald eagles and trumpeter swans. Walking is the best way to experience the reserve.

There's no business like horse business. I love this place! People who live in this community are so friendly! Great place for everyone!

The Eagles are working on the nest! Stop by and see them at The Bateman Center!

Assateague Island is a great place to escape the crowds of the commercial beaches. Walk the beach, see wildlife and enjoy the sounds of nature.

Great place to unwind, learn about the inhabitants of the island. People that live there a friendly, kayaking is a Great way to see the ponies of the island. We Love returning the Chincoteague & would love to retire here

Killer beach, beautiful wildlife and there are plenty of crabs to catch for dinner.

My second time visiting here. Was lucky to see a big group of ponies.

Wild horses, Atlantic beach, salt water cove, lighthouse (climbable), two nature centers, wildlife trail. There isn't much not on the menu.

I had a great time riding waves. One suggestion though, is that maybe you could build stalls with showers in them. It will help everyone out.

Best Beach on the East Coast. Excellent surf. Beautiful natural environment. Great area for kayaking and biking.

Beautiful beaches, stunning views, wild horses... awesome!!!

Nice variety of programs available by checking their daily schedule. Visitor center shows films by request only. Assauteague lighthouse is open to visitors. Be sure you're up to the 175 steps to the top. It can be strenuous. Great visit to this national Park!

Good views & got to see horses as well as the beach. However, the staff at the lighthouse closed the door before the posted time & split our party of 4. Were unwilling to sell a puzzle because they had already counted money (again, before the posted closing time). Assateague Park was a more positive experience although it has less ammenities.

Ponies. Ocean. Dolphins. If there was a French restaurant on Chincoteague Island it would be perfect.

One of the best refuges' that I've ever been to, hands down. Aside from the beaches, the most beautiful part about this place was the 3.2 mile wildlife loop. Before 3PM, cars cannot have access to this loop and it makes it all that much better for cyclists and hikers to travel around

Mosquitoes love this place but we had a good time. Not crowded.

Beautiful area to relax, unwind and take in the beauty of Chincoteague. The birds and other wildlife were still a few weeks out , but we enjoyed the short walk anyway!

A beautiful seashore and wildlife area. We enjoyed both. Many birds, the ponies (of course) and even mating turtles. Please support your national parks and wildlife areas!

Clean Public park with beach access, and home of the WILD PONIES,with an admission that is reasonable. Handicap parking and activities for all. Hiking, biking, a lighthouse, Bird refuge and Toms Cove welcome center with local history about the island and the Ponies. Fishing, and Bay access for kayaking swimming, crabbing, and other water activities. Lots to do in a small strip of land...please don't litter in this park due to the wildlife and ecological environment. You should love it, good for rainy and sunny days anytime of year.
Summer season usually runs end of June to 2nd week of August, then one final weekend for Labor Day, obviously.not busy other than that time of year

We went for the fall roundup. It was great to see the ponies close up. There are hiking trails, a visitor center, a lighthouse you can climb and a beach for relaxing.

My family had a great time visiting the beach, trails, and light house.

Nice place. Not commercialized, so it was a great experience.

Awesome place to explore get back to nature and see wild horses has adopted the place.

Amazing place; both Chincoteague and Assateague worth the visit !

Beautiful location with wild ponies. Need big spray except at the beach!

Amazing place to visit. Tons of wildlife and I

absolutely love the view

It was very cold and foggy during our visit and only one pony was out and within view, but we made friends with this sweet little fox looking for food.

Our favorite beach within driving distance from Baltimore for the day.Waves can be a bit rough and biting insects aggressive in the early morning,but this is a beach in nature,not a boardwalk of a resort.Last time we were there there were so many dolphins passing near,it was amazing!People who had canoes saw them really close up,I got jealous and bought a small inflatable boat to take my wife out next time and hope to see them again!

No pets *not even in your car*. I am sure it's beautiful, should have left Fido home. Will head back to Maryland side.

Lots of nature and an unspoiled beach. It has wild horses and many types of birds.

It's a beautiful area but I didn't see any ponies maybe we just didn't know where to look

It s really cool to see all the horses stocking on a leisurely walk outside. This beautiful scenery is really a gift from God. Although it was very crowded, I finally saw the horse swimming there. This beautiful place is still worth a visit.

We visited in the off season of fall colors to avoid congestion... plenty to see... ponies, birds, deer. Close to town, although there is no parking near the entry bridge to take photos. Bike trails are wonderful. Great weekend get away.

Great. If you love the smell of nature, this is a place you should visit.

I love this place and if it were not for the mosquitoes it would be perfect. Winter is my favorite time to visit, come 1-2 times through out the year just for the birding! It is a great flyway for migrating birds.

Beautiful place to visit to see wild ponies, for bird watching, or beach going. Nice changing rooms, separate bathrooms, and the trails are amazing.

Go to the Maryland assateague side... There is better access to pony's and it is better signposted

I think this organization is great and does great things for the wildlife. They provide great information and tours so visitors can farther understand there purpose and wildlife.

Amazing place an moving there this month an could not be more excited (my husband's home town)

Nice park with a great beach, also they have a off road area of the beach will definitely bring my truck next time!

Very beautiful nature reserve. Had a problem with a lot of mosquitos and they were not repelled by repellant, but such is life.

Love the round up, the foals, Riptide, the stallion and the locals.

Beautiful place but the federal government needs to keep their nose out of too much stuff

Ponies, snakes, waterfowl, hiking, biking, lighthouse, nature... oh my! Yhe views from the lighthouse are killer!

Very educational for the whole family. Very kid friendly too. A must place to stop.

Love this place. Very scenic, the lighthouse is amazing and the beach is beautiful. The ponies are better seen at Assateague but the are around. Love it and will be back.