Assateague Lighthouse, Eastern Shore

Virginia's Eastern Shore is one such place. Quiet. Uncrowded. However, there are plenty of activities for a peaceful retreat or a family vacation. Quaint fishing villages, museums, wildlife refuges, lighthouses, campgrounds and motels, antique and gift shops, seafood restaurants, hunting and fishing opportunities, and unspoiled beaches. This list of activities on the Eastern Shore should fill the itinerary of a large family with a variety of interests.

The seventy-mile long stretch of land called Virginia's Eastern Shore is on a peninsula, a thin approximately seventy-mile stretch of land resembling the tail of a tadpole. The body of the "tadpole" is the larger peninsula that comprises the entire state of Delaware and the extreme eastern part of Maryland. It is bounded by the Chesapeake Bay on the west and the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean on the east.

There are only two routes to the Eastern Shore -- from the north through Delaware and Maryland by way of U.S. Highway 13 or from the south via the seventeen-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge from Virginia Beach/Norfolk area. Arriving from the south, crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel is an experience in itself. The seventeen-mile link is a series of tunnels and sections of bridges over the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The tunnels have an overhead clearance of thirteen feet six inches, which will accommodate recreational vehicles without excessive baggage atop. Near the midpoint on the crossing are a gift shop and a restaurant. The parking area offers panoramic views of the Bay and large ocean-going vessels can be seen making their transition with the Atlantic.

Attractions

Onancock Wharf Eastern Shore

Traveling from south to north on US Highway 13, one of the first signs the visitor sees after crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is for the Eastern Shore National Wildlife Refuge at the southern tip of the peninsula. Waterfowl and shore birds congregate at this location for birdwatchers to admire. A museum is houses a collection of waterfowl carvings.

Two museums are located on Chincoteague. The Oyster and Maritime Museum features live marine exhibits, shells and artifacts. The Refuge Waterfowl Museum has carved waterfowl, antique decoys, boats, and other related exhibits.

Assateague Island National Seashore comprises the last barrier island along the Virginia's Eastern Shore. No commercial facilities are located at Assateague, but to arrive here, the visitor must travel through the town of Chincoteague. There are miles of unspoiled beaches to stroll, wildlife to observe, and nature to enjoy.

The Eastern Shore of Virginia has something to satisfy a variety of interests with no large crowds or long lines. It is a place about which everyone does not know. Unspoiled. Quiet. Natural. The Eastern Shore is a good choice for a peaceful retreat or a family vacation.

To get to Virginia's Eastern Shore via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, take

Interstate 64 east from Richmond to Virginia Beach. Leave the interstate on the US Highway 13 Exit and follow the signs heading northeast to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Getting there

To get to the Eastern Shore arriving from the north, take the New Jersey Turnpike Exit for US Highway 13 south, or the I-95 Exit through Washington, D.C. for US Highway 50 east. Coming through Baltimore, Maryland, take I-97 south to US Highway 50 east to Highway 13. The Eastern Shore is about 170 miles from Baltimore, and 165 miles from Richmond. US Highway 13 is the major route on the Eastern Shore.

Side bar

For more information:

Virginia's Eastern Shore

Tourism Commission

http://www.easternshorevirginia.com/

info@easternshorevirgina.com

The Eastern Shore of Virginia Network

http://www.esva.net/

Cape Charles/Northampton County

Chamber of Commerce

http://www.esva.net/Northampton/

Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce

P.O. Box 258

Chincoteague, VA 23336

1-757-336-6161

http://www.chincoteaguechamber.com/