Chincoteague, Virginia
Chincoteague is a town of 3,296 people in Accomack County, Virginia, founded in 1908.
Why visit Chincoteague
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 29 places to eat, 22 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Assateague Light, Island Theatre, Captain Timothy Hill House and Museum of Chincoteague Island.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 30°F.
Weather in Chincoteague
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Chincoteague
Chincoteague is a town in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The town includes the whole of Chincoteague Island and an area of adjacent water. The population was 3,344 at the 2020 census. The town is a tourist gateway to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on adjacent Assateague Island, the location of a popular recreational beach and home of the Virginia herd of Chincoteague Ponies.
From the Wikipedia article Chincoteague, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Assateague Light
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Lighthouse in Virginia, United States
Island Theatre
Cinema and theater · 1.8 mi
4074 Main Street
John B. Whealton Memorial Causeway
Bridge · 3.8 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Killock Shoal Light
Lighthouse · 1.9 mi
Lighthouse in Virginia, United States
Museums and landmarks4
Captain Timothy Hill House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Virginia, United States
Museum of Chincoteague Island
Museum · 1.9 mi
Virginia museum
7125 Maddox Boulevard, Chincoteague
Mo,Su off; Tu-Sa 10:00-16:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes29
Ledo Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza, Pasta · 1.4 mi
Restaurant serving square pizza. Vegetarian and gluten-free options and kids menu available.
6477 Maddox Boulevard
Su 12:00-21:00; Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Asian Express
Restaurant · Sushi, Chinese · 1.7 mi
6758 Maddox Boulevard, Chincoteague
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:30-21:00
Bill's Prime Seafood & Steaks
Restaurant · Seafood, Steak House · 1.8 mi
4040 Main Street, Chincoteague
Mo,Th-Su 11:00-21:00; Tu-We off
Don's Seafood
Restaurant · Seafood · 1.7 mi
4113 Main Street, Chincoteague Island
Mo-Tu off; We-Su 16:00-21:00
Famous Pizza and Sub Shop
Restaurant · Italian · 1.5 mi
6689 Maddox Boulevard, Chincoteague
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Pico Taqueria
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.5 mi
6560 Maddox Boulevard, Chincoteague
Mo,Th-Su 11:00-20:00; Tu-We off
AJ's on the Creek
Restaurant · 1.4 mi
6585 Maddox Boulevard, Chincoteague
Mo 16:00-21:00; Tu-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su off
Mister Whippy
Ice cream · 1.3 mi
Coffee and Donuts at 7, ice cream starting at 11.
6201 Maddox Boulevard
Mo-Su 07:00-22:00
Beach Road Round Up
Diner · American · 1.3 mi
6341 Maddox Boulevard, Chincoteague
Mo-Tu,Su off; We-Sa 08:00-14:00
17 more on the map.
History
Chincoteague was a barrier island until the mid-1800s, when Assateague migrated so far south that it shielded Chincoteague from the ocean. The year of 1650 marks the first land grant issued on Chincoteague Island, for 1,500 acres (6.1 km2). Daniel Jenifer became the first English landowner. In 1671, settlers came to the island, and by 1672 there were large farms by Bishops, Bowdens, Jesters and Tarrs. By 1838, there were 36 houses on the island. In 1861, with the Civil War looming following the attack on Fort Sumter, the island voted 132–2 not to secede from the Union and against slavery. The town saw minor action in the war via the Battle of Cockle Creek, which was fought in the bay in 1861.
The Native American name for the island is Gingoteague, and the name of the town "Chincoteague" first appeared in the Decisions of the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1943.
In 1962, a major nor'easter winter storm, the Ash Wednesday Storm, struck the coast. The town was completely underwater, and went for days without electricity. The storm destroyed almost all structures on Assateague Island, where development was just beginning. Following this, most of the island was preserved from development as Assateague Island National Seashore in 1965.
The Assateague Lighthouse and Captain Timothy Hill House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Chincoteague, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay22
Comfort Suites Chincoteague Island Bayfront Resort
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
4195 Main Street, Chincoteague
Fairfield Inn & Suites Chincoteague Island Waterfront
Motel and hotel · 2.0 mi
3913 Main Street, Chincoteague
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping9
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Chincoteague Elementary
School · 0.9 mi
6078 Hallie Whealton Smith Dr, Chincoteague
Healthcare1
Map of Chincoteague
91 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 30°F | 3.1 in | 3.5 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 31°F | 2.8 in | 2.3 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 37°F | 3.9 in | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 46°F | 3.1 in | 0.2 in |
| May | 73°F | 56°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 65°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 70°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 69°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 63°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 51°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 41°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 50°F | 34°F | 3.8 in | 1.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Wallops Island Flight Fac 72402 (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Accomack County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-09-11: Hurricane Florence (Hurricane)
- 2012-11-26: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Wallops Flight Facility Airport (WAL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Pocomoke City 14 mi northwest, about 22 min by car
- Snow Hill 16 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Princess Anne 26 mi northwest, about 41 min by car
- Berlin 27 mi north, about 44 min by car
- Crisfield 28 mi west, about 45 min by car
- Eden 28 mi northwest, about 45 min by car
- Fruitland 30 mi northwest, about 48 min by car
- West Ocean City 30 mi northeast, about 49 min by car
- Salisbury 32 mi northwest, about 52 min by car
- Ocean Pines 32 mi north, about 52 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- ChincoteagueFishingBoats, Tim Menzies from Morgantown, West Virginia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Assateague Light VA1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Capt Timothy Hill House VA1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oyster & Maritime Museum Front 1, Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Whealton Memorial Causeway 01 crop, Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Refuge Waterfowl Museum Front 1, Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0
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