Highlights

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Itinerary

Day 1 – Ocean City, MD – Free Time for Beach – Evening on the Boardwalk

Arrive today in Ocean City, MD, you have rooms on the Boardwalk for a two night stay.  Enjoy a carefree evening.  Walk in the surf,  stroll 10 miles of beautifully maintained beach that’s ready and waiting for fun.   If you are looking for a little more adventure, there is surfing, fishing and even kayaking and canoeing is available to you.  During the summer, you’ll find free activities including movies, concerts and fireworks!

The Boardwalk stretches nearly three miles and is considered one of the “Best in America.  It is lined with hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and amusements.  Dinner is on your own this evening.  You’ll find classic fare from pizza and pit beef; burgers and wraps; hot, French fries and overstuffed sandwiches as well as spicy Maryland steamed crabs, sizzling steaks and seafood caught just offshore.  And of course, world-famous salt water taffy for dessert. Ocean City Boardwalk restaurants won’t disappoint!

Day 2 – Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum – Assateague Island Tour – OC Rocket Boat Cruise – Seafood Dinner

This morning, visit the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. This historic building displays Ocean City’s past & the history of the U.S. Life-Saving Service. Located at the southernmost end of Ocean City’s famed Boardwalk, the museum boasts one of the best views of the Inlet and of Assateague Island, along with the sites of the fishing fleet’s coming and going. Exhibits include: US Life-Saving Service of Delmarva Peninsula, Boardwalk of Yesterday, Surf’s Up, Aquarium Room, Children’s Discovery Room and much more.

Next you head to Assateague Island for a guided tour. More than 300 wild ponies wander the beaches, inland pine forest, and salt marshes. Take advantage of the opportunity to view these horses in a natural habitat. You will also have the chance to stop at the Visitors Center.

Returning to Ocean City, MD, enjoy a ride on the OC Rocket, Ocean City’s fastest boat ride. Hold on to your hat…as we cruise the ocean! During your outing you will be able to watch the fishing boats go by, see dolphins at play, wave to your friends on the beach, enjoy a brand new clean boat with comfortable seats, life jackets, trained professional crew, and coast guard approved safety equipment. Then enjoy a seafood dinner at a local Ocean City restaurant. (B,D)

Day 3 – Chincoteague Tour – NASA Wallops Island – Virginia Beach, VA – Free Evening on the Boardwalk

After breakfast, you will meet your guide for a tour of Chincoteague Island. First you stop at the Museum of Chincoteague for a peek at the historical and heritage of the Island.  Then take a narrated tour of the Island. You will enjoy viewing and photographing the ponies, birds, wildlife and sea life on and around the Islands. In addition to the ponies, you might see dolphin and bald eagles.  You will also stop at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. There are a variety of exhibits and displays about the plants and animals that can be found at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. There are interactive exhibits and a live eagle camera.

Lunch is included today is fresh local seafood at Don’s Seafood Restaurant, an island favorite.

Next you learn about man’s reach for the stars at the NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility.  Did you know they have launched more than 16,000 rockets here since 1945?  This island is home to the NASA launch range, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and several U.S. Navy facilities.  They resupply the International Space Station, they do scientific balloon research and they have been involved in Lunar Landings.  The Visitor’s Center and  a driving tour are fascinating and serve as a great surprise to most people who are unaware this facility even exists.

From vision of Outer Space you travel via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean to Virginia Beach.  The Tunnel showcases the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay and the grace of an engineering marvel. Both a tourist attraction and a travel convenience, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel connects Virginia’s Eastern Shore with the Virginia mainland.

On arrival, you check into another oceanfront hotel for two nights.  You should end this day on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk which stretches three miles from 2nd to 40th Street. It features a separate bike path, ideal for strolling, rollerblading and biking. Along the boardwalk, there’s a variety of quaint outdoor restaurants and vendors offering bike and surrey rentals. Nautical sculptures adorn many of the side streets which lead to Atlantic Avenue. While here, don’t forget to swing by and see King Neptune – a twenty-four foot, twelve-ton bronze statue that stands at the gateway to Neptune Festival Park on 31st Street. This is perhaps one of the most popular photo opportunities in the resort area. (B,L)

Day 4 – Lighthouse & History Tour – Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum – Nauticus & USS Wisconsin – Dinner Cruise

After breakfast, meet your local guide for a tour of the area’s history including the Cape Henry Lighthouses, the oldest government-built lighthouse in America.  It is the 4th oldest lighthouse in the country and was the first lighthouse built by the U.S. government, dating from 1792. In 1881, a newer lighthouse was constructed 350 feet from the original.

You also visit Fort Story the Army’s only training facility to train troops on amphibious equipment and to practice the transfer of military cargo from ship to shore.

Following a break for lunch on own, tour the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum. This guided tour focuses on the historic 1903 Life-Saving Station housing the museum, including the rescuers who worked here and how they helped create modern Virginia Beach.

Heading to Norfolk this afternoon, visit the USS Wisconsin, the last and largest battleship built by the U.S. Navy. Take a stroll through Nauticus, an interactive maritime science center, and stop by the MacArthur Memorial, the final resting place of Five-Star General Douglas MacArthur.

Tonight, enjoy a dinner cruise on Spirit of Norfolk.  Cruise down the Elizabeth River with spectacular views of the historic downtown waterfront, including the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet.  (B,D)

Day 5 – Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center & Dolphin Watching Boat Tour – Depart for Home

This morning visit the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and discover an amazing underwater world. Take on an aqu​atic journey from the shore to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean and experience coastal habitats from around the world. Thousands of animals representing over 300 species, displayed in entertaining and educational exhibits, are ready to enchant and inspire you!

Also included with your visit to the Aquarium is a Dolphin Watching Boat Tour.  Enjoy an unforgettable excursion aboard the Atlantic Explorer and search for Virginia’s most common and charismatic marine mammal, the bottlenose dolphin. Learn from the knowledgeable educators about other Virginia coastal animals like majestic seabirds, curious sea turtles, and unique fish species.

Following the cruise, depart for home. (B)

Tour Map