Delaware Seashore State Park
As we made our way farther north up the beautiful eastern shore of Virginia into Delaware, we felt the anticipation growing with the familiar territory. The skies were blue, not a cloud in the sky and then there it was!!! The sign leading us to Ocean City and the surrounding beach towns!! We were so excited to finally arrive…..When we lived in Northern Virginia (NOVA), we came to the area many times.
We had never been to this State Park but it was the perfect spot for 2 weeks. The campground is split between the Indian River Inlet where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Inlet – South and North. We elected to stay at the South Inlet. The beautiful Indian River Inlet Bridge (officially called the Charles W. Cullen Bridge) is quite the site – especially at night, as it can be seen for miles due to the beautiful lighting. Pedestrians are allowed to walk across it but the weather and wind just didn’t cooperate for us – so we’ll have to go back!!
So much to do in the area….and friends to visit!!
First up was a day trip to the Wallops Island Visitor Center. Wallops has grown from a small test range for guided missile research to supporting aerospace and science exploration and technology development world-wide as NASA’s premier location for suborbital and small orbital activities. What a super neat place….
Next up was lunch on the charming resort island of Chincoteague, VA. overlooking the water and a great view of Wallops Island. We were treated to some pretty cool military planes doing some touch and go training. Then it was off to hunt for the magical wild horses…..we had asked the waitress at lunch where to find them. The island isn’t that big so it was easy to find the area. We drove……..slow………we drove further………slow………..and then Bingo – we turned a corner and there they were – in all their beautiful glory! We can’t tell you how excited we were!! We pulled off to the side and spent several hours saying nothing……..just basking at the beautiful sight in front of us….After all of this excitement, we visited the Chincoteague Lighthouse before it got dark. What is it about lighthouses that fascinate us? Not sure except they are all different and just so cool….
Another day trip took us to Assateague Island National Seashore which is in both Virginia and Maryland. The Island is the largest natural barrier island ecosystem in the Mid Atlantic state region that remains predominantly unaffected by human development. There isn’t much here except for a couple of campgrounds and a visitor center. So why were we here???? As we entered the National Seashore area, our eyes were peeled in every direction. We had heard SO many stories of all the gorgeous wild horses. Within minutes, a beautiful stallion came bounding from the trees, along with his friend. We were in awe!!! Down the road, there was a traffic jam – LOL!! Horses take naps standing up and there they were, in the middle of the road, napping – for over an hour – LOL! When we could pass, we continued to drive around, keeping our eyes peeled for more. We gave up so time to go. But wait!!! Look over there – look how beautiful they are!! And off they went into the swamp land. At the state park, we had a bite to eat. We drove around more, with the hopes of spotting horses on the beach. Nope…..okay – time to leave. Well would you look at that!! Sweetie – back up into that parking lot. I think those horses are heading for the beach. We park in the lot and sure enough, here they come…..oh my gosh – they are RIGHT THERE!! We spent a few more hours following the horses thru the lot and on to the beach. It was surreal – truly…..as the sun set, we were graced with beautiful skies and a few more horses along the main road as we left. What a completely thrilling day! We were exhausted by the time we got back to the Sandman – LOL!!
A close friend of ours, Lacey, who was our neighbor when we lived in Leesburg, VA, lives near where we were staying. It had been way too many years since we had seen her. We got together for lunch with her and her hubby Mike. Good times!!!! Our kids grew up together for many years and it was fun catching up on things.
Another close friend that Donna went to school with in the Philippines, Cathi, lives very near where we were staying. We got together with her and her hubby Mike for dinner. We all forgot to take a picture darn it!! We had a great time yacking away and enjoyed an after dinner drink at their beautiful house near Fenwick Island. Fenwick Island is also host to the oldest lighthouse in the state of Delaware. It is on the Delaware/Maryland state line.
Before we got married, we took a vacation in Mike’s MG Midget to Dewey Beach in Delaware. While there, we decided to take the ferry from Lewes, Delaware to Cape May, New Jersey. Well………..we did another day trip and did the same trip again. Cape May is known for its colorful 19th century architecture, gorgeous beaches, and many places to dine and shop. The ferry was a blast coming and going. Talk about a luxurious ride!!! Reclining seats, gift shop, TVs, tables, and food – LOL!! We started our day at the Cape May Lighthouse, walked the beach, and ended it strolling through the downtown village shops. Oh and can you say Lobstahhhhhhh???? We had THE most yummy fresh lobster lunch………..lips are still smacking!!!!
We visited all of the nearby beach towns and poked our heads into all the shops – Cape Henlopen, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, and……..Ocean City. Oh Ocean City you can be SO much fun….many things were closed because its shoulder season (off peak) but the Boardwalk was still fun to walk. We totally forgot that they still have a mounted police patrol. Love locks on the Pier fence. So cool to see!! All of these places brought back so many memories. It was hard to leave…………….but we’ll be back!!!