If you had a choice - would you go to Chincoteague Island, VA or Charleston, SC (w/side trip to Wild Dunes beach area)? Which has better beaches & which is more scenic, w/lots of nature?

laplaya, I can't comment on the SC option, as I haven't been there, but I can tell you that Chincoteague has a beautiful beach and nature galore. It was our family's favorite vacation spot when our son was growing up. Assateague, which connects to Chicoteague by a small bridge, is natural and undeveloped, with miles of beach, walking, driving and bike trails.

I couldn't believe the wildlife we saw, sometimes side by side, just biking or walking. The list included sika deer,water birds, rabbits and "wild" horses.

There is also the summer pony penning and carnival, made famous by the childrens book "Misty of Chincoteage".

No contest--Charleston. But it is also apples and oranges. Nature vs. history. Wild Dunes is a gorgeous place also.

While Chincoteague is gorgeous, Charleston has so much for to offer. Wild Dunes is beautiful.

I've been to both and would also overwhelmingly choose Charleston. The beaches in Chincoteague are nice, but nothing spectacular, and certainly no nicer than the beaches of South Carolina. With Charleston you get the added bonus of a charming, historical, gorgeous and unique city.

The town of Chincoteague is a real snooze, no architecture, little charm and nothing noteworthy, with the possible exception of a great ice cream shop, island ice cream is the name I think.

I have been to both, and I like Chincoteague better. It's smaller, there are few chains, and it has nice beaches. I find the "Old South" Charleston thing a bit overdone. However, if you've not been, it's something to see and interesting historically. Wild Dunes is also nice. The Charleston area probably has more beaches. They also have an aquarium and more "attractions" than Chincoteague. I think it just depends on the kind of vacation you want. Quiet, understated, nice scenery (Chincoteague) or interesting city with nice beaches nearby.

Jenny, I'm not trying to be confrontational but I don't understand how you could find the Charleston "Old South" thing overdone. Charleston is the real deal. Did you know the National Historic Register of Homes and Historic Places is founded on Charleston? Charleston was the first place in the country to save historical homes and monuments. This happened at the turn of the century when industrialization was getting under way.

To each his own. Maybe I have just been to Charleston too many times. I grew in the South (Georgia), and I just felt that certain attractions, inns, and restaurants were trying too hard to be "Old South" the last time I was there (last summer)- too touristy, as many other places are becoming. Yes, it has wonderful architecture. It has wonderful homes. The Huguenot Church and Dock Street Theater are both great places to visit along with all the historic plantations outside of Charleston. I was just trying to point out that Chincoteague and Charleston/Wild Dunes are completely different vacation destinations. One is a small town with nice beaches, one is a city with nice beaches nearby. Vacation choices are subjective. Good luck, laplaya. I'm sure you'll have a lovely time in either place. Where are you coming from? If you've never visited the American South, this might be a good time to do so (depending on the time of year). Charleston has Spoleto coming up in May/June, and it may be hard to find lodging then, or in February, they have the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. The only thing I know about in Chincoteague is the Pony Swim, where the wild ponies swim from one island to the other (I think in July), and that might restrict the lodging available if that's when you're going. How long are you staying? This might help us better advise you. There are also lots of posts on the board about both places that might give you ideas.