Need advice on Assateague(MD) and Kitty Hawk(NC)
 

Four of us are planning a car trip, in late April, along the East Coast, including Assateague and Kitty Hawk. I have read some of the posts here.

For Assateague, we are planning to see the horses, drive around the island, and take the short hikes. We will be there before there are boat trips or ranger tours.

For Kitty Hawk, we plan to see the Wright Brothers National Memorial and the dunes at Nags Head.

Any suggestions for some more interesting things to see or do in these areas? ((*))

The Wright Brothers exhibit is at Kitty Hawk. I assume that you planned to see that. I would also suggest visiting the site of the Lost Colony on Roanoke Island. It is about a 30-45 minute drive from Kitty Hawk.

Which part of Assateague are you visiting? There is a section in MD and a section in VA and you can't drive down the length of the island between the two.

You seem interested in seeing wild horses. There are still wild horses north of Corolla in the Outer Banks. Here is a link:
http://bobshorsetours.com/

Thanks to all.

We will look into the Lost Colony (since we will be passing through Roanoke Island) and Bob's (close).

We plan to go to the Maryland side of Assateague Island since that is a National Seashore, and take the self-guided walks. We were also thinking about Chincoteague, but decided against it unless someone could tell us that it is worth stopping there in April. ((*))

I haven't been to the VA portion in years but have been to the MD section a couple of times recently. Picking one over the other will depend on what you want to do. The hiking trails in MD are short and not very spectacular but the driving loop is nice. I have seen a lot of ponies there, ponies walking down the middle of the road, standing in the surf, etc but it is hit or miss. I think you will find better opportunities for hiking and walking on the VA side. I remember being awestruck by the different species of birds on the swan pond as I walked around on the loop trail.

You can examine the map at www.nps.gov for details. You will have to pay to enter either so a national parks pass helps; and bring the insect repellant. You may not have a problem in April but when the mosquitoes are bad they will chase you to your car.

Chincoteague is a wonderful little town with some nice waterfront restaraunts and some little antique shops and carvers that specialize in duck decoys. Great seafood especially the local oysters which I don't know if they will be in season in April.

You stay in Chincoteague and drive or bike to Assateague which is entirely a national seashore. There are a number of hikes, my personal favorite is to the lighthouse since I have been doing that since I was child with my parents. It's an easy, slightly up hill path through a beautiful pine forest. On Assateague you can crab, fish, clam, hike and bike.

Chincoteague also has a wildlife refuge. It is the total opposite of Ocean City Md which is where I would assume you would stay if visiting the Md end of Assateague. If you do decide to stay in Chincoteague (obviously my preference) make sure to get some Ponytails taffy which is the best saltwater taffy I ever had!

Oops, I meant to say part of the Chincoteague wildlife refuge is not just on Assateague island but I don't believe there is any access by car.

Also, if any of you have read Misty of Chincoteague and the other Marguerite Heny books a stay here is a must!

Make sure you bring jackets...it can still be very chilly in April. The Lost Colony is only a summer activity. If you can bring bikes, there are lots of bike paths in Assateague and the Outer Banks. One of our favorite things to do with the kids is go to Oregon Inlet when the boats come in from the Gulf Stream (at about 3:00) and watch them throw all their hauls onto the dock. There are also traditional activities like mini-golf, but mostly we hang out at the beach. Climbing Jockey's Ridge is always fun...bring kites if you like doing that, or they have plently for sale at Kitty Hawk kites across the street.

When you are at KItty Hawk, take some time and go to Roanoke Island--they have hte lost colony there + the Elizabethan Gardens, which are marvelous.

Hi
You are more likely to see ponies in the Maryland part of the island. The ones in Virginia are fenced away. You may or may not get very close.

On the other hand, Chincoteague is a neat small town. Assateague Island in VA is more interesting to me than MD. Better trails. Birds to see. Ponies.

I've kayaked there in April and nearly frozen in April.

It isn't unreasonable to do both on the same trip.

We've got pictures from both on our website if you're interested. www.AlandSueJohnson.com.

You'll find Assateague Island, VA and MD in the menu.

We went to Assateague and Chincoteague in VA, several years ago. We enjoyed both, and we had a great dinner at a casual/ mostly outdoor restaurant on the water in Chincoteague (I don't recall the name).

Thanks to all. Great pictures, Al.