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A group of bicycling participants wearing helmets stands on a wooden walkway overlooking a salt marsh on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Virginia

Bicycling the Eastern Shore of Virginia

Program No. 18032RJ
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
4 days
3 nights
What's Included
Included
8 meals ( 3B, 2L, 3D )
1 expert-led lecture
6 expert-led field trips
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Wallops Island
Bicycling the Eastern Shore of Virginia
Oct 27 - Oct 30, 2026
Program Number 18032
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Activity Note
Field station check-in from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Come to the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your room assignment, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, other important information, and to confirm when and where the Orientation session will take place. If you arrive late, please contact the Chincoteague Bay Field Station to find out where to meet the group.
Dinner:
In the cafeteria, we’ll enjoy a family-style seafood feast! Sample local crabs and shrimp or if you choose, grilled chicken or roasted vegetables. Coffee, tea, water, and a selection of juices and sodas are available.
Evening:
Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions.

This is a Road Scholar Retreats program. Our programming at Retreat locations includes opportunities for interaction with members of the local community, a farm-to-table or locally sourced meal, and evening entertainment.

Please keep in mind that the workshop schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather, access, seasons, and other factors. When you arrive, you will receive an updated schedule specially tailored for that particular week.

Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Activity Note
Biking about 20 miles throughout the day; frequent stops; flat, paved terrain. Standing for up to 30 minutes.
Breakfast:
In the field station cafeteria, our staff will present an array of fruits, hot and cold cereals, meats, breads/biscuits, eggs, or pancakes for your choosing. Coffee, tea, water, and a selection of juices and sodas are available.
Morning:
Our morning will be spent cycling on Chincoteague Island! We’ll view historical sites such as the Timothy Hill House, the oldest house on the island, which was built circa 1815. We will also ride by Miss Molly's Inn, where Marguerite Henry wrote the acclaimed story, ‘Misty of Chincoteague.’
Lunch:
Weather permitting, we’ll have a picnic at Memorial Park. We will enjoy sandwiches while taking in the view of the Assateague lighthouse. Ice water and a selection of Gatorade will be available to refresh you after our morning ride.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we’ll ride onto Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and journey along Assateague's many well-kept bicycle paths and limited-access roads. Spring and fall are excellent times for biking in this area. As fall begins to settle on the region, the shore and wading birds leave, making way for our famous waterfowl. You will be amazed by the sheer numbers of majestic snow geese, as well as our beautiful ducks and swans! Spring catches new birth and amazing animals reappearing after their winter's rest. After completing our ride, we will drive to Wallops Island, a NASA/Navy base. On the base is a very nice, restricted access beach with an intact dune system. There we will have time to explore the beach, and your Educator will help you to identify shells. NOTE: Our access to Wallops Island will depend on the security level of the base at the time, which is influenced by a number of factors independent of the Chincoteague Bay Field Station and its actions.
Dinner:
In the field station cafeteria, our staff will serve your dinner with options ranging from a hot meal to a diverse salad bar. Coffee, tea, water, and a selection of juices and sodas are available.
Evening:
Tonight, a local group will entertain us with live music.
Activity Note
Biking about 18 miles throughout the day; semi-frequent stops; flat, paved terrain. Stairs at Ker Place. Standing up to 30 minutes.
Breakfast:
In the cafeteria.
Morning:
We will begin our ride in Accomac, Virginia and head toward Wachapreague, the "Little City By the Sea". Along the way we will make several stops at local places of interest, including the Locustville Academy. This museum still stands in the orginal 1859 building built to educate local youth headed for college. It’s the lone survivor of about a dozen schools of higher learning built in the 1800s. When we get to Wachapreague, we will take a tour of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science's Eastern Shore Laboratory where we will learn about their efforts to restore bay scallops, a species that was once locally extinct, to their historic range.
Lunch:
For lunch, we will have a picnic near the water in Wachapreague, Virginia. We will have an array of sandwich materials to choose from along with a water cooler and a selection of Gatorades to stay hydrated.
Afternoon:
This afternoon we will continue our ride on back roads from Wachapreague to Melfa, Virginia. We will then drive to Onancock, which bills itself as the "Gem of the Eastern Shore." Thanks to a new generation of imaginative shop owners, it has achieved legitimate "must-see" status. Our last stop of the day will be at Ker Place, a 200-year-old home built in the Federal style by John Ker. Detailed finishing and vibrant colors reflect Ker's fine taste for his period. In the parlor stands a pianoforte, a musical instrument made in Vienna. On the second floor are interpretive exhibits, and on the first floor, a museum store with works by regional artists, crafters and authors. Outside are restored gardens.
Dinner:
The Eastern Shore is home to some outstanding American fare and seafood restaurants. Your meal will not disappoint at one of these fine eateries.
Evening:
A trip to Chincoteague would not be complete without a visit to the award-winning Island Creamery. Enjoy a scoop of its delicious homemade ice cream and experience first-hand why this is a must-stop spot!
Activity Note
Biking 12 miles in the morning; flat, paved terrain. Field station check-out 12:00 Noon.
Breakfast:
In the cafeteria.
Morning:
This morning we will ride from a location near the field station to the small historic community of Saxis Island on the Chesapeake Bay. Along the way, we will stop at Makemie Monument Park, the home site of Francis Makemie who is considered the father of Presbyterianism in America and who was an important figure during the colonial period of the Eastern Shore. When we reach Saxis, we’ll meet with a local waterman and learn about the area's rich watermen traditions and heritage. Hear how watermen make their living off what's in season offshore. Upon returning to the field station, check out and say goodbye. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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