1848 Island Manor B&B

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Elope on Chincoteage Island

January 31st, 2012 by Gail

If you’re ready to marry but don’t want a big wedding, elope on Chincoteague Island.

they walked off into the sunset and lived happily ever after

Elope on Chincoteague Island; it's romantic.

Big weddings aren’t for everybody. Some people can’t afford them, some people don’t like crowds, and still others simply want to share the moment with their very closest friends and family. Elopements at our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast offer a nice alternative to large scale weddings.

A wedding certainly doesn’t need to be big to feel special. Our inn has a romantic, intimate setting that is ideal for just the two of you or up to fifteen guests.

You’ll feel the uniqueness of the occasion from the moment you first enter the inn and find chocolate covered strawberries and champagne in the Bridal Suite.  We’ll arrange the wedding ceremony, with celebrant, wedding cake, and a bottle of champagne. Let us know the colors you prefer, and we’ll provide a bridal bouquet and a boutonniere. All you have to do is show up at the appointed time and say your vows.

During your stay, you’ll be pampered with gourmet breakfasts and Mimosas each morning, and an English Tea one afternoon. We’ll make arrangements for you to dine at the restaurant of your choice in town one evening. Any extra special touches you would like during your stay can be arranged.

Island Manor House accommodates 18 guests; across the street, Miss Molly’s Inn accommodates 14 guests. With advance planning, you and your friends and family can have the inn to yourselves. If you prefer, you can enjoy privacy among strangers while your friends and family lodge across the street.

Our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast is an easy drive from Baltimore, Washington D.C., Annapolis, or Norfolk VA. At the same time, our island feels like another world. It’s peaceful here. It’s romantic. It’s an ideal place for an elopement.

Please visit our Elopement page for more information about eloping at Island Manor House Bed and Breakfast.

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Romance on Chincoteague Island

January 7th, 2012 by Gail

Island Manor House, our historic Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast, opens for the season Friday, February 10, 2012. That’s just in time for a romantic Valentine’s Day getaway.

The Moment

Embrace romance. Find romance on Chincoteague Island this February.

There are plenty of romantic places in the world, and in our humble opinion, Chincoteague Island sits at the top of the list (just after Paris and Florence). Plus, we’re driving distance from Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Norfolk, Virginia. Not so the great cities of Europe!

Yes, some places help us fall in love all over again, and Chincoteague Island, Virginia is such a place. Long a fishing village, it has largely resisted development and the “been here, seen that” feel that comes with it. Chincoteague has retained its picturesque charm, and there is something romantic about that.

Guests of our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast feel compelled to walk hand in hand through the historic village. They find themselves wrapped arm in arm on the pristine beaches of neighboring Assateague Island, watching the sun set. They linger over morning coffee by the fountain in our private courtyard, and sip wine in the evening in their cozy rooms. We’re on island time here on Chincoteague; there’s no need to rush anything.

One of the most romantic spots on the island is table number 20 at AJ’s on the Creek; nestled in a corner, #20 encourages intimate conversation and eye-gazing. All of the food is good at AJ’s, but their Chincoteague Oysters in a light Champagne cream sauce is out of this world (and you know what they say about oysters). AJ’s on the Creek is just over a mile from our inn; walk or ride one of the cruiser bikes we have available for guests.

Don’t despair if you can’t make it to Paris this February (the weather there isn’t great then, anyway). Instead, plan a romantic getaway to our Chincoteague Island, Virginia Bed and Breakfast. Ask about our Spring Special when you make your reservations.

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Schedule Time for You in 2012

December 31st, 2011 by Gail

If there is one New Year’s Resolution we should all have, it is to treat ourselves well. For many of us, this is easier said than done. We may start each year with the best intentions, but work and familial obligations have a way of running away with us; before we know it, it’s already Thanksgiving again. Months can pass without a relaxing, unscheduled, afternoon.

Sometimes, the best way to ensure having unscheduled time for yourself throughout the year is to schedule it far in advance. It may be ironic, but it is also true. We schedule play dates for our children, so why not plan play time for ourselves?

Clouds and Beach

You can be here in 2012.

We are currently accepting reservations for our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast in the spring. We open for the season on Friday, February 10, 2012. In just over a month, you can be walking on the beach, paddling by the wild ponies of Assateague Island, and reading a good book by the fire.

Our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast is close to many major metropolitan areas. We’re three and a half hours from Richmond, Virginia, Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Maryland. We’re less than three hours from Annapolis, Maryland, and about two hours from Norfolk, Virginia. Our close proximity allows for frequent visits throughout the year. Our charming, peaceful location inspires visitors to return again and again.

Sea breezes disperse worries; beach walks soothe the soul. Come to Chincoteague Island for rest and to play. Explore neighboring Assateague Island, where the wild ponies run free. Borrow a bike, pack a picnic, and go for a long ride up and down Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Bring a good book, your journal, or your knitting and make yourself at home in our luxuriously comfortable Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast. It doesn’t really matter what you do, so long as you leave your laptop at home and turn off your cell phone.

We are currently offering a Spring Special at our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast: stay three nights for the price of two, four nights for the cost of three, and so on. Give yourself a gift this New Year, and plan your spring vacation now.

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Chincoteague Island Time

December 10th, 2011 by Gail

Chincoteague Island is remote, and that is one of its biggest charms. Not only is it an island – it is an island off the Delmarva Peninsula. The closest major cities, Annapolis, Maryland, Wilmington, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. sit at the tip of the peninsula or on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay.

Wild Pony.

Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. Peaceful.

Yet, in spite of its remote location, it doesn’t take all day to reach Chincoteague Island. It’s about three hours from Annapolis, three and a quarter hours from Wilmington, and three and a half hours from D.C. Leave work after lunch on Friday, and you can be at our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast in time for Afternoon Tea.

People routinely come to our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast to escape from hectic schedules and non-stop lives. The island is an ideal place to relax, especially during the spring and fall, before and after the arrival of summer crowds. Bring a good book, or borrow one of ours. When was the last time you read Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague, inspired by the wild ponies on neighboring Assateague Island?

There are many opportunities for outdoor recreation on Chincoteague Island and neighboring Assateague Island: kayaking, canoeing, fishing, hiking and biking. Some of the best activities, fortunately, are also some of the most relaxing.

Scenic cruises lead passengers around the perimeter of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, where the famous Assateague wild ponies live. They are often as curious about people as we are about them, and they sometimes seem to pose for photographs. Picture a wild pony standing on the beach, with the breeze gently lifting his mane.

The Assateague National Seashore is an ideal place for beach strolls. Collect shells (unless they are being used as a home), or bring a blanket and a picnic and let yourself be soothed by the sound of the surf. Change your internal clock to Island Time.

Our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfasts re-open for the season on February 10, 2012. To celebrate spring, we’re offering a Spring Special: stay three nights for the price of two nights, or four nights for the price of three. For more information, please call 800.852.1505.

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Spring 2012 Special

November 30th, 2011 by Gail

Wild Horses

Feel as good as the wild ponies of Assateague Island.

We’re getting ready for a couple of quiet winter months here at our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast. Guests are here through December 4, but the inn will be closed for the winter season between December 5, 2011 and February 9, 2012. That said, we’re already looking ahead to next spring.

To celebrate our spring re-opening, we’re offering a Spring 2012 Special at our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast. Guests may stay three nights for the price of two, or four nights for the price of three, or five nights for the cost of four.

Spring is one of our favorite times on Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. Birds – always abundant – flock to the islands and cheerfully wake us with their calls. Brisk days are tempered by mild days, and the air smells salty and green and good. It feels great to be outdoors, and great to curl up by the fire with a cup of tea, a glass of wine, or a good book.

The islands are still quiet in the spring. Shops are open, but summer beach-goers haven’t yet arrived. Beaches stretch out before us, inviting us to explore areas we’ve neglected for a while. The Piping Plover Nesting Area, on the hook of Assateague Island, is open to the public until March 15;  it’s a long walk around Toms Cove to the tip of the hook, so we always bring plenty of snacks. We also love to explore the islands by bike in February and March, for there is little traffic. Bikes are available for use by guests of our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast, and we’ll happily recommend good bike routes.

Like us, the famous wild ponies of Assateague Island live here year-round. Wildlife viewing boat tours are the best way to see the ponies up close, and our concierge service will make the necessary arrangements. Folks who would rather keep both feet on land may well see the ponies while exploring the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge by bike or on foot.

After spending a few hours in the fresh air, a cup of warm, aromatic tea feels just right. Miss Molly’s, our sister inn, offers a full English tea every afternoon. To sink the teeth into a rich scone smothered in jam and cream is to taste heaven. Afternoon tea is particularly good on blustery days, but be careful – they’re deliciously addictive.

It’s not too early to look ahead to spring. In fact, winter can be much more enjoyable when you know you have a good vacation planned at our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast.

 

 

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Leave the Cooking to Us

November 9th, 2011 by Gail

Historic Kitchen

Get out of your kitchen. Let us cook for you this Thanksgiving.

This Thanksgiving, relax on Chincoteague Island. Spend your time walking along deserted beaches, biking around the island, and lazing about at our Chincoteague Bed and Breakfast. Leave the cooking to us.

Bring the people you love. Share Thanksgiving with good friends and family, just as you would were you at home. Yet instead of burdening one of you with the stress of hosting, allow us to play the host. Leave the cooking to us.

Our Chincoteague Bed and Breakfasts are offering a Thanksgiving Special this year that includes three nights lodging in one of our Virginia inns, chocolate covered strawberries, bottomless bowls of snacks, and Thanksgiving Dinner for two (complete with a bottle of wine). The holiday feast will be served at the Island Manor House; guests of Miss Molly’s Inn are invited to cross the street for Thanksgiving dinner.

You don’t even need to spend time planning recreational activities. Allow our concierge service to plan them for you. We want you to relax. Really.

Thanksgiving is one of those delightful holidays that releases most people from work. Many businesses close early on Wednesday and stay closed on Friday. Christmas doesn’t even get that many days! This means Thanksgiving is an ideal time to travel.

We invite people to come down from Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Annapolis. Come up from Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Come to Chincoteague Island to visit with friends and family who live here or to escape from friends or family who don’t live here. You can even come to our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast with friends and family. Since we operate two inns, we should have room for everyone.

Thanksgiving Package at the Island Manor House – $695.00:

  • 3 nights accommodation
  • gourmet breakfast each morning
  • homemade snacks and nibbles available 24 hours a day
  • concierge service
  • bicycles to ride around the island
  • a dozen chocolate covered strawberries in your room on arrival
  • traditional Thanksgiving buffet dinner and bottle of wine for two, 4pm.

Call 1.800.852.1505 for more information or to book your room. Or visit the reservation page of our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast.

 

 

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Make This Thanksgiving Special

October 22nd, 2011 by Gail

Beach at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (VA)

Spend your Thanksgiving walking on the beach, not working in the kitchen.

The end of October is the time to make Thanksgiving plans. Do you feel up for hosting (and all the cleaning and cooking that it entails)? Have you been invited to share Thanksgiving with friends or family? Are you up for air travel and standing in endless lines?

Wouldn’t you rather just sneak off to our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast for Thanksgiving this year?

We’re offering a three night Thanksgiving Package that includes chocolate covered strawberries, gourmet breakfasts, bottomless bowls of snacks, and a traditional Thanksgiving buffet dinner for two (with a bottle of wine). Our concierge service will help you occupy your days with activities on Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, or we’ll leave you to lounge and explore as you will.

Sounds relaxing, doesn’t it?

If Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without your dearest friends or family, then bring them, too. 1848 Island Manor House Chincoteague Bed and Breakfast has eight rooms, and across the street Miss Molly’s Inn has seven rooms. You can spend Thanksgiving with the people you love, enjoying their company all the more because none of you will have to worry about cooking or cleaning. Instead, explore the beautiful surroundings together.

Our Chincoteague Bed and Breakfasts – both the 1848 Island Manor House and Miss Molly’s – are located on Main Street in the heart of Chincoteague village. Shops, restaurants, and art galleries are a short walk from from the front door. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island is just a few miles from the inns – easily accessible by bike or car.

Make this Thanksgiving special. Spend it at our Chincoteage Island Bed and Breakfast.

Thanksgiving Package at the Island Manor – $695.00 Inclusive:

  • 3 nights accommodation
  • gourmet breakfast each morning
  • homemade snacks and nibbles available 24 hrs a day
  • concierge service
  • bicycles to ride around the island
  • a Dozen chocolate covered strawberries in your room on arrival
  • traditional Thanksgiving buffet dinner and bottle of wine for two at 4 pm

 

Call 1.800.852.1505.

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Assateague Island Waterfowl Week

October 8th, 2011 by Gail

Our Chincoteague Bed and Breakfast is just minutes from the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island. Many know the refuge as the home of the Chincoteague wild ponies, which are indeed remarkable to behold. Yet Assateague Island is also an important site for resident and migratory waterfowl.

Photo of the Week - Sunrise at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (VA)

Sunrise at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Thousands of birds rest and feed in the protected areas of Assateague Island each spring and fall. Birders and photographers are invited to witness this natural spectacle during the Assateague Island Waterfowl Week, which is in its 37th year. In 2011, it takes place from November 19 to November 27.

This is an ideal time for birders and photographers to stay at our Bed and Breakfast on Chincoteague Island.

The Chincoteague National Wildilfe Refuge is comprised of more than 14,000 acres of maritime forest, saltwater marsh, freshwater marsh, and beach. During the Assateague Island Waterfowl Week, visitors are invited to explore parts of the refuge normally closed to the public. This is a spectacular opportunity.

Join in special guided walks through the refuge and participate in the many special events and programs that will take place throughout the week. The waterfowl migration is expected to be at its peak the week of November 19, 2011.

Expect to see large numbers of Herons, Snowy Egrets, and Snow Geese. Double-crested Cormorants are abundant in the fall, and both Tundra and Mute Swans are common. Watchers with binoculars, a telephoto lens, sharp eyes and patience will be richly rewarded.

 

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Spend Thanksgiving on Chincoteague Island

September 24th, 2011 by Gail

The holidays are a wonderful time. Thanksgiving is a feast shared with family and friends. Christmas is a celebration of life and love – a time to exult in the joy of giving. New Year’s is a time to reflect on the past, plan for the future, and rejoice in the present.

Thanksgiving Spread

Let us cook your Thanksgiving feast.

In truth, the holidays can also be a stressful time, especially for folks who enjoy hosting them. Feasts require days of planning and food preparation. Entertaining requires a clean and tidy home. Gifts must be either purchased or made. By the time Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s have passed, many people feel the need for a vacation.

This year, consider incorporating a vacation into your holiday plans. Break up the monotony of always hosting, or always schlepping from one relative’s house to the next. This year, spend Thanksgiving on beautiful Chincoteague Island, at the Island Manor House, our Chincoteague Bed and Breakfast.

Spend your time walking on the sparkling sands of Assateague Island, watching the wild ponies frolic, and witnessing the miraculous migration of beautiful Snow Geese. Go for an invigorating bike ride around the island. Warm yourself by the fire, curled up with a good book and a glass of wine or cup of coffee.

Let us do the work for you. We’ll cook, we’ll clean. You’ll relax, eat, drink, and be merry.

Read on for details about the Holiday Packages at our Chincoteague Island Bed and Breakfast.

Thanksgiving Package at the Island Manor – $695.00 Inclusive:

  • 3 nights accommodation
  • gourmet breakfast each morning
  • homemade snacks and nibbles available 24 hrs a day
  • concierge service
  • bicycles to ride around the island
  • a dozen chocolate covered strawberries in your room on arrival
  • traditional thanksgiving buffet dinner and bottle of wine for two at 4 pm


Please call 1.800.852.1505 for more information, or visit our reservations page to reserve your blissful Thanksgiving holiday at the Island Manor House.

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Assateague Lightouse

September 10th, 2011 by Gail

Assateague Lighthouse

Views from the top of Assateague Lighthouse are lovely.

Chincoteague and Assateague Islands are relatively flat, which makes them great for biking and walking. Beauty is everywhere: in the long stretches of beach, the marshes, and the bays. The village has many historic buildings, such as the 1848 Island Manor House, our Chincoteague Bed and Breakfast. Even walking down Main Street is an aesthetically pleasing experience.

Still, some people crave big views. The best spot for these folks is the Assateague Lighthouse.

Part of Assateague Island lies in Maryland, and part in Virginia. The lighthouse is located on the south side of the island in Virginia, close to the bridge from Chincoteague. Indeed, it’s less than three miles from our Chincoteague Bed and Breakfast to the Assateague Lighthouse trail. Many guests bike out to the lighthouse; we provide bikes if guests don’t have their own.

The present Assateague Lighthouse was built in 1867, replacing a shorter, inadequate tower dating from 1833. The brick structure stands 142 feet tall on top of a 20+ foot bluff. It is one of fewer than 20 lighthouses of its kind still functioning on the Eastern Seaboard today, and is easily recognizable to mariners thanks to it’s broad red and white stripes and nightly flash pattern.

Visitors will notice that the Assateague Lighthouse is not located right on the shore of the island, but nearly five miles inland. It was not always so. The tides have shifted the sands and somewhat stranded the light, though it’s light still warns shipping traffic of the shallow waters off Assateague.

Visitors are welcome to climb to the top of the lighthouse. Those who do are rewarded with expansive views. Ask the innkeeper of our Chincoteague Bed and Breakfast about lighthouse tours. The light is open seven days a week from June through September, and Fridays through Sundays October through May. From time to time, reparations may alter this schedule. Up-to-date information is available at 757.336.3696.

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