For our latest Road Trip we took the less than 2 hour ride to Chincoteague and once again, our visit didn't disappoint.  Last year, we wanted to try something new and took the kids to Chincoteague, VA for two nights.  We fell in love with the town and immediately decided to make it a vacation spot this year.  There are so many reasons Chincoteague is family friendly- from the beaches, to the quaint town, to waterfront restaurants like Ropewalk Chincoteague and kid attractions such as Maui Jack's Water Park.

We spent three nights this year and are already trying to squeeze in another trip before summer's end.   Once we were settled in our hotel, we headed to Ropewalk for an incredible meal.  Ropewalk has both inside and outside seating on the water.  We always choose to sit outside, toes in the sand and here's why. The play area!  Playground equipment, corn hole and other games keep the kids entertained.  Our kids play and we enjoy the breeze coming off the water, everyone wins!  Ropewalk is known for their kids meals that come on frisbees (perfect for our beach trip the net day) and a wide variety of meals for adults.  My husband opted for stuffed flounder, while I had crab dip, shrimp and  a huge salad.  Service was friendly and timely, as always, and our visit reinforced why this is one of our all time favorite restaurants.  On your way out of Ropewalk, be sure to grab coupons for $5 off at Maui Jack's for your Water Park visit!

To beat the heat one day, we went to Maui Jack's Water Park for the first time.   The details in this Water Park are incredible.  My husband and I were amazed at how easy it was to have kids there and enjoy the day as a family.  For one, there are umbrellas everywhere.  We opted to rent a cabana which, with a one year old, was well worth it.  With the cabanas, you have your own shady spot, food service to your cabana, a cooler and a safe.  It was such a great spot to camp out for the day and our baby even took a little nap.  Meanwhile, our oldest spent hours going down slides, we took trips on the lazy river and all three of our kids enjoyed what we called "the island" of slides, water spots, buckets and water tables.  Maui Jack's really has thought of everything.  There are plenty of reasonable food and snack options and even adult beverages.  The boys also enjoyed the ice cream and snow cones.  Why not? Vacation, right?!  The park has plenty of life jackets for every size child and even has sunscreen dispensers throughout the park!  With three young children we also worry about cleanliness and safety.  There are lifeguards everywhere.  And the park is SO clean. Every time we went to use the restroom, it was spotless.  I never saw a piece of trash laying around the park.  We were impressed at both the park's attention to detail to entertain all members of the family and the obvious pride in the workers at taking care of the property and guests.  

Finally, you can't go to Chincoteague without a visit to the beautiful beach.  The beach is part of a wildlife refuge made up of trails, the beach and even a lighthouse.  For $20 a week or $40 for the season you buy a pass that can be used to visit Chincoteague or Assateague Island.  There is so much to love about Chincoteague's beaches.  First of all, it's not overly crowded and (since I'm always about safety) there is a lifeguard monitored section of beach.  When you park your car, the beach is right there so dragging your kids sand toys and a bunch of bags for a long walk is not going to happen.  A few feet and you find your spot.  Forget something? Easy-run to the car.  Also, there are bathrooms and outdoor showers right there too, which with kids, is a necessity.  We packed a cooler lunch but there is a food truck if needed.  Bonus is always the views.  We saw so many dolphins during our visit and caught a group of wild horses in the reserve on our way out which made for magical memories for the kids and us as a family.

Unique to Chincoteague is that Wallops Island is located before entering the town.  This is a fun place to stop with the kids to see rockets, space history and more.  Also, during the summer months, the Volunteer Fire Department runs a carnival on different days.  For 2019, you can find the dates here to help you plan your visit.

Chincoteague has quickly become one of our favorite family spots, and I hope that you find it becomes yours too!  There are a variety of hotels and campsite areas, but Chincoteague is still close enough to make a day trip to explore.  As always, feel free to message me with any questions about road trip destinations at stephaniekevan@macaronikid.com.