The Color Me Chincoteague Bike Tour
Ride the Pages of the Island's Coloring Book
A one-day, pedal-powered loop through the scenes of Color Me Chincoteague, the coloring book that celebrates Chincoteague and Assateague Island. Rent a bikes or ebikes from Chincoteague Bike Shop and ride the book, page by page.
Did you know there’s a coloring book about our island? Every page is a real place. So we thought... why not ride it?
This route strings together the scenes of Color Me Chincoteague into one easy, flat, family-friendly loop. Roughly 10 miles all told, with more food stops than any ride has a right to have. Grab a copy of the book before you go (Sundial Books, Main St. Shop, and the Refuge Inn all carry it, or order at colormechincoteague.com), and let the kids check off each page as you ride it. Color what you saw when you get back to where you’re staying. Best souvenir on the island.
Start: Chincoteague Bike Shop
Pick up your bikes or ebikes right here! We'll set you up with helmets. Then point your wheels east on Maddox Boulevard.
Leg 1: Maddox Boulevard to the Bridge
Surfside Golf (page 41) sits along the way; flag it for a round of mini golf on the ride back if the crew has legs left. Near the end of Maddox you'll hit Feeding the Ponies (page 3), right between the Refuge Inn and McDonald's: quarters in the feed machine, soft noses at the fence. Then pass the Refuge Inn (page 42) itself, shaded by its loblolly pines; they carry the coloring book at the front desk if you want to grab one now. Cross the channel onto Assateague Island.
Leg 2: The Wildlife Loop and the Lighthouse
This is the heart of the ride. The Wildlife Loop (page 7) is a paved 3.2-mile circle through marsh and pine, closed to cars until 3 p.m., so mornings belong to bikes and birds. Keep your eyes on the far marsh: this is your best shot at wild ponies grazing in the shallows, just like page 7.
Off the loop, take the short spur to the Assateague Lighthouse (page 25). There's a bike rack at the trailhead and a quick walk up to the red-and-white stripes. Bring the coloring book; the kids will want to get those stripes right.
Leg 3: The Maddox Food Crawl
Recross the bridge and welcome to the tastiest stretch of pavement on the Eastern Shore. In order as you ride:
Pony Tails Taffy + Fudge (page 33): watch the taffy pull, fill a bucket
Woody's Beach BBQ (page 21): seriously good food
Pico Taqueria (page 39): tacos worth the line
Build Your Own Cookie (page 22): cookies & ice cream
Sandy Pony Donuts (page 17): hot, fresh donuts
Island Creamery (pages 5 and 20): the crown jewel. Two whole pages of the coloring book. Thank us later.
You will not need all six. You will want all six. Pace yourselves.
Leg 4: Main Street Finale
Roll down to historic Main Street along the channel:
Bill's Seafood (page 31) for a proper sit-down supper
Sundial Books (page 11), the island's beloved bookshop; they carry Color Me Chincoteague
Main St. Shop & Coffeehouse (page 18) for a coffee or smoothie, more souvenirs, and yes, they carry the book too
The view where the Old Drawbridge (page 14) once welcomed visitors onto the island
The Island Theatre (page 10), the little marquee that's been lighting up Main Street since 1945. Catch whatever's showing, share some popcorn, and coast home under the streetlights.
Ride Notes
Distance: about 10 miles round trip, completely flat
Time: a half day to a day, depending how many stops you make
Best window: start in the morning to catch the car-free Wildlife Loop and beat the heat
Bring: water, sunscreen, and your coloring book
Rent the Ride, Buy the Book
Everything on this route is easier on two wheels. Reserve bikes and ebikes at cibikeshop.com, and grab Color Me Chincoteague at colormechincoteague.com, Sundial Books, Main St. Shop, or the Refuge Inn.
Happy exploring!
