Chincoteague's Up The Bay Pony and Wildlife Tour by Boat
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Virginia, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover the waterways around Chincoteague and Assateague Islands and try your luck spotting not just the wild ponies but eagles, pelicans, dolphins, and more local wildlife too. Captain Mike knows the ponies by name and personality, offering a unique, informed experience. Your guide starts the tour by asking you and your small group questions about what you’d like out of the experience so they can tailor it accordingly.
- This Virginia experience is wheelchair and stroller accessible
- Sunrise and sunset tours are available
- Learn more about the history of Chincoteague and Assateague Islands
- Tour with a captain who’s sailed these waters for more than 40 years
What's Included
- Private transportation
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Up the bay Pony Tours2246 Curtis Merritt Harbor Dr, Chincoteague, VA 23336, USA
We will meet at FLOATING DOCK #2. Our dock is down past the Harbor Masters Building. Our "UP THE BAY PONY TOUR" sign will be on a telephone pole as well a red sign showing "FLOATING DOCK #2."
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Chincoteague Island (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Mike is an excellent captain and tour guide. Due to traffic I was late and he waited on my mother and I to arrive. Likewise, she is injured and he lifted her off the boat so she wouldn’t fall. Basically he went above and beyond. Likewise, he took us to both the north and south end of the bay, ensuring that we would see ponies. We saw tons of ponies, which made the experience awesome. I’d highly recommend this tour if you’re in the area. Mike is very knowledgeable about the area, and very personable. It was an all around great day!
Reviews
5.0
based on 817 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Our captain went above and beyond to make sure we saw ponies up close. He has a tremendous amount of knowledge of the area and was very informative. It was a fantastic day on the water and would highly recommend this tour.
Donny was great!! We did the tour last year and wanted to do it again!! It ‘s not just about the ponies! Nature, wild life and so relaxing!!
Fantastic tour, highly recommend. Learned a lot , saw beautiful ponies. Great tour guide, very informative.
The boat is very comfortable and holds only 6 people. The guide whose name I unfortunately forgot is very personable and answered all our questions.
The tour was great. Our guide, Donnie, was very knowledgeable and friendly. We weee able to see bald eagles, dolphins and the wild horses up close.
Mike was extremely personable and knowledgeable about the area. While the ponies were hiding during our boat ride due to the flies and humidity, we were treated to an amazing dolphin show and plenty of pony lore! Mike turned on a dime to give us the best experience possible, and invited us to return on another date to re-do our trip. We highly recommend Mike and his tour!
Things that can not be controlled, like the skittishness of the horses and the extremely low tide at the time we went, meant that we didn’t get to see much at all. That said, we don’t fault the company for these things, it’s just something to know ahead of time. Two days earlier and there was a close encounter with one of the stallions, so you have potential to see amazing things. The Captain was super nice and tried to get us to see all sorts of other wildlife. We learned so much about the horses and other wildlife from this captain. The boat ride was fun, and the safe, and we stayed out longer than the scheduled tour to try and see other things. Overall it was still a great experience with a knowledgeable captain!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
August is the hottest time of the year and the ponies are a little unpredictable due to the heat and bugs! Glad you still enjoyed the tour! - Mike
amazing tour, the boat was so comfy and we even saw dolphins! it was wonderful, and our tour guide/boat driver was so knowledgeable and super friendly. next time i visit the area i’m definitely doing this again!
Capt Mike was a fantastic guide. Having grown up on the island, he knew about the ponies, fishing, and how the area has changed over the years. I’d love that the tour was a conversation instead of a scripted narrative. When I saw other boats packed with 30 people, I was glad we chose the smaller tour.
You will see the wild ponies, we saw clusters of dolphins, many different types of birds, learn about Chincoteague, Assateague, and the lighthouse from the water. Great conversation with Mike about whatever question you can ask about all things even under the water.. Mike enjoys and has a passion for Chincoteague as he grew up on the island and will explain all things that you ask.
You will so glad you made time for this comfortable boat ride on Chincoteague Island.
The original Tour guide had to cancel our tour because the smoke from Canada was so thick he could not chance it. So he booked for the next couple of days, so he called another tour guide and he agreed to take us out at 2:00. When we showed up the new tour guy was ready to go. The weather had cleared and the smoke had passed. so off we went to find the wild ponies. It was a fantastic day. Saw several different bands of ponies with a lot of foals by their sides. This was a trip I have always wanted to do. This was on my bucket list.
Thank you so much for an exciting day.
My husband and I highly recommend the boat tour to see the wild ponies.
Captain Sandy was great! I like that we left early since every had arrived - no wasted time. We saw dolphins, bald eagles, and the horses. We learned all about the islands. I tend to get motion sick, but the boat ride didn't bother me at all. Would definitely do it again!
Mike and Sandy are the best. This is our second time on this tour. Would highly recommend to anyone. Beautiful views of ponies, dolphins, and other Chincoteague scenery !
Very informative and such a fun tour. Mike was full of knowledge and knew all the names of the horses. We had a large party and he was able to accommodate us. Even with the weather not working out we had to cut our time short and he offered to refund us a portion of the cost. We appreciated that and would definitely use him again when we come back to Chincoteague.
Captain Mike is an excellent boat tour operator and a true master of his craft. He is deeply connected to the island, the water, the weather, and the animals, and you feel the benefit of that throughout the entire experience. My mother and I made memories that will last a lifetime. Five stars do not feel like enough. This was a true 10 out of 10 experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
I am glad you both enjoyed it!! Thank you for going with me and the review! - Mike
The guide was super knowledgeable and patient with my kids . The boat was new and nicer than the other tour boats companies I saw out at the same time. Will definitely book with them the next time we are here
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the review and going with us! - Mike
My family loved this boat cruise. We took the 6 pm one. Sandy was so personable and incredibly knowledgeable. Thank you for a wonderful experience! We definitely plan to do it again and spread the word.
This was a wonderful tour! Sandy,our guide, was a 3rd gen resident and was full of knowledge about the islands and wildlife. We had a great view of the horses beyond expectations! The boat was very nice & comfy.
I highly recommend this tour to all who want to see ponies, wild life, and nature. Captain Sandy provided the perfect tour for our family of 6 (adult children). Our first tour was canceled due to rain and she offered alternate times to take our family out. On the second day, it started off raining AGAIN, but she waited it out and upon clearer skies, we began our tour. Sandy was very knowledgeable about Chincoteague, Asseteague and the ponies. She made sure that we would see ponies and at one point, we were very up close! Sandy also offered to take our family picture in various picturesque spots. We were very grateful for our amazing Captain Sandy!!
Fantastic activity. I love the smaller group size and comfortable boat. We had an awesome guide who had grown up in the area and knew a ton of facts, stories, and history. He even tried to find dolphins for us, which we really appreciated. I highly recommend Up The Bay Pony Tours!
The guide was top notch- friendly and informative. Engaged the kids as well as the adults. Well worth the cost. He took time to make sure we got to see the ponies and dolphins, and gave us a better understanding of how the horses are taken care of here.
It was an excellent tour. We saw a lot of horses and even some dolphins. Highly recommend it to anyone who will be in the area.
This tour boat captain gave us an amazing day on the water and did not rush. I would definitely book again.
I can’t recommend this enough. I’ve done similar tours here and loved them but this one tops them all.
Very comfortable boat and knowledgeable captain! By the end we were able to identify stallions by name and appearance alone
Knowledgeable and friendly guide. Great sights and interesting facts about the area and ponies. Comfortable seating
Mike went above and beyond to provide us with a great viewing of ponies. He obviously know these horses and where to find them. He offers a friendly, fun trip, well worth the time and money.
Mike was phenomenal! He knew where the ponies and was full of great info. He really cares for the island and the ponies. It was a fantastic trip!
We had a wonderful tour with our captain, Mike. He was so friendly and incredibly knowledgeable about the ponies and all thing’s Chincoteague. We’d love to go again - but only with Mike! Thank you so much for a great day!!!
This was a great experience. Mike, our captain, was so knowledgeable. He made sure we could see ponies and their babies up close. Sometimes he seemed to switch gears in the middle of his thoughts just to get us closer. We would definitely go again.
Member Pricing
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$75.05
per personWas $79.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Chincoteague's Up The Bay Pony and Wildlife Tour by Boat
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