Welcome to the Eastern Shore of Virginia

Relax- that’s not hard when you land on the longest stretch of wild coastline remaining on the entire East Coast. Located a short distance from major cities, the Eastern Shore is home to the car-less Tangier Island, 14 undeveloped seaside barrier islands, an award-winning winery, and historic waterfront towns like charming Cape Charles and Onancock. We’re a BLAST – literally! Rocket launches soar over our skies not far from our wild Chincoteague Ponies, thanks to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and NASA. Our thriving artisan’s community and authentic coastal heritage make us unique. Experience our history and see watermen tilling tides and visit family farms on both bayside and seaside. We think you’ll like it here.

 
 

  • Virginia’s Eastern Shore is on the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. It is a narrow 70-mile spit of land surrounded by water on three sides and is the southernmost tip of the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia). The Chesapeake Bay, America’s largest estuary, forms the western edge of Virginia’s Eastern Shore and the Atlantic Ocean forms the eastern border. It is connected to the Virginia mainland in the south by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. To the north is the state of Maryland.

  • Virginia’s Eastern Shore is within half a day’s drive of many major cities, so it’s an easy trip for a quick getaway, family vacation, or romantic escape. Here is the drive time from nearby metro areas:

    DISTANCE FROM MAJOR METRO AREAS

    Charlotte, NC 6.5 hours

    Durham, NC 4 hours

    New York City 4.75 hours

    Richmond, VA 3 hours

    Washington, DC 3 hours

    Philadelphia, PA 3.5 hours

    Virginia Beach VA 1.5 hours

    Norfolk, VA 1 hour

  • The region contains many public beaches, including Cape Charles town beach, Kiptopeke State Park beach, Tangier Island beach and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge abutting the Assateague Island National Seashore.
    The area includes 70 miles of barrier islands, the longest chain of undeveloped barrier islands in the global temperate zone, and a United Nations International Biosphere Reserve.
    At the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay coast, the beach community of Cape Charles, a historic railroad town, is home to the Cape Charles Yacht Center, a superyacht service center.

    The town of Wachapreague on the Atlantic coast is a popular destination for fishing and guided trips out to the wild barrier islands.

    Onancock, a harbor town on the Chesapeake Bay, has a ferry service out of the Onancock Creek to Tangier Island, during Spring, Summer and Fall.